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Is Costco Open on July 4th 2020?

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is costco open on july 4th
Costco gives employees the chance to spend time with their family and friends on several federal holidays when most other retailers remain open. While this is great news for those who work at Costco, it can confuse those who want to shop at the retailer since most stores remain open on the holiday. Since there are a lot of people who want to shop at Costco warehouses to stock up on supplies for the 4th of July holiday, it’s important to plan ahead, so you don’t find yourself at a closed warehouse on Independence Day. Is Costco open on July 4th?

Is Costco Open on July 4th?

No, Costco is not open on the Fourth of July. There is no such thing as a Costco Independence Day sale because the warehouse is closed for this holiday. For those who are planning to have friends and family over for the unofficial first day of summer, they need to stock up on supplies before July 4, 2020, if they want to purchase items at Costco warehouses.

Heading to Costco soon? You may also want to check out these articles:

Is Costco open on July 4th Weekend?

Yes, Costco is open on Independence Day Weekend the day before and after. While the warehouses will be closed on Saturday, July 4, they will be open for regular business the days before and after for all those who need to purchase items from the store. They will keep their normal hours on July 3rd and July 5th. However, due to coronavirus concerns, you will want to contact your local Costco to verify restrictions and requirements for shoppers.

Are Costco gas stations open on Independence Day?

No, Costco gas stations aren’t open on Independence Day. Just like the warehouses, Costco gas stations will observe the same holiday schedule as the stores to which they are attached. While Costco gas stations often have extended hours compared to the warehouses, they do not open on holidays when the warehouses are closed. If you need to fill up your car or another vehicle with quality gas for the holiday, you will want to do it before July 4.

Will Costco.com be Available?

Yes, Costco.com will be available on Saturday. Costco.com will be running as usual on the Fourth of July. However, keep in mind that any deliveries may be thrown off by the holiday as USPS workers have the day off. You can place orders on the wholesale retailer’s website and shop what they have available in stores on Thursday though.

Do you have any additional information regarding Costco’s 4th of July schedule? Please, let us know. Drop your information in the comments.

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Photo: Flickr: Janzster’s View

 

Is Walmart Open on July 4th 2020?

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Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday and it is just around the corner. Many people plan beach trips and travel to visit family. However, you might also need to stop by a “one-stop-shop” to get items for cookouts and other celebrations. Because it is a federal holiday, though, people are asking, “Is Walmart open on July 4th?”

Is Walmart Open on July 4th, 2020?

Many people rely on Walmart as their first choice for many of their shopping needs. Store hours during the holidays can be a bit confusing, so you are not the only one wondering about the Independence Day holiday hours. The stock market and other institutions recognize the fourth of July, so it makes it difficult to know what’s open.

Walmart will be open on July 4th. According to Walmart’s holiday schedule, Christmas is the only holiday in which Walmart closes its doors entirely. So, if you need anything from the retail giant on Saturday, you will be able to get it.

Is Walmart Open the Day Before Independence Day?

Walmart will be open on Wednesday, July 3. Walmart does not close its doors very often, and the day before Independence Day is not one of the few times it closes its doors.

Are Other Services Available?

Most Walmart stores have a bank, hair salon, nail salon, an optician and income tax preparation service inside the store. Those service providers are independent of Walmart and do not follow the same operating hours as Walmart stores. Check with your local store to see if those service providers will be closed on the Fourth of July or any of the days surrounding the holiday.

What Days is Walmart Closed?

Walmart only closes on Christmas each year. On Thanksgiving, some Walmarts close their doors and reopen in the evening for early Black Friday sales. These are the only two days that Walmart has an altered schedule.

When will Walmart stores be open?

Since Walmart will not be closed on Thursday, none of the days around it will be affected by the holiday either. They will be open the following hours the week of Independence Day:

  • Wednesday, July 1, 2020: Regular hours
  • Thursday, July 2, 2020: Regular hours
  • Friday, July 3, 2020: Regular hours
  • Saturday, July 4, 2020: Regular hours
  • Sunday, July 5, 2020: Regular hours

Will Walmart.com Be Available?

Because Walmart is still open for the Fourth of July, Walmart.com will still be fully operational. In fact, Walmart.com is operational every day, but delivery around holidays, such as Christmas, from the website may take a bit longer.

As Independence Day is widely celebrated, many people get confused as to what is open and what is closed for the holiday. However, you do not need to worry the Walmart superstore nearest you will be open.

Is There a Fourth of July Sale?

Not only is Walmart open on the 4th of July, but the retailer hosts a large sale to celebrate Independence Day. Usually, the sales last for at least a week, though many of the food item prices will be good for the entire week. Walmart has a sale on most major holidays. Around Independence Day, Walmart usually puts outdoor items on sale, such as grills, beer and food, beach supplies, sparklers, fireworks, and other outdoor activity supplies. You will also be able to find small American flags, large flags, and other patriotic items on sale.

Grills and Camping

With temperatures rising, and people still being required to social distance, grills and camping supplies will be popular sales items this July 4th. You can also find fishing supplies on sale. Some of the items available at discounted prices include:

  • Bait
  • Tackle boxes
  • Rods and reels
  • Boats
  • Boat accessories

Ultimately, the 4th of July is a great time to score some deals. Just be aware that stores may draw crowds as some people will take advantage of the savings since they have the day off work. Be sure to stay safe!

Do you plan on shopping at Walmart on the 4th of July? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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New Costco Locations for 2020 — UPDATED

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Costco has been expanding and has plans to continue doing so for the next few years. While information about new Costco locations tends to be limited, partially because of the complex agreements that have to be handled with the various cities, some details are available.

New Costco Locations in 2020

Costco opened two new locations in March 2020. Those were located in Ridgeland, MS and Perth Airport, Australia.

Costco does have more than one dozen new locations that are slated to open throughout the remainder of 2020. Three of those new locations are business centers:

  • Ontario, CA Business Center: August 2020
  • San Jose, CA Business Center: September 2020
  • St. Hubert, QC Business Center: September 2020

The other new Costco locations that are planned for opening in the next few months are:

  • Las Rozas, ES: July 2020
  • Kisarazu, JP: July 2020
  • Saratoga Springs, UT: August 2020
  • Idaho Falls, ID: August 2020
  • Bismarck, ND: August 2020
  • Sherbrooke, QC: August 2020
  • Gloucester, ON: August 2020
  • SW Calgary, AB: August 2020
  • Cherry Hill, NJ: September 2020
  • Surprise, AZ: September 2020

So, as you can see, there are five new Costco locations opening in the United States (along with two additional business centers) in the next few months. There are also several more opening around the world.

Possible New Costco Locations

There are a variety of other Costco potential locations in the works, though it isn’t clear whether they will come to fruition. For example, a Harrison, New Jersey Costco might open its doors during this calendar year, though that isn’t guaranteed.



Additionally, Costco has a number of cities that are proposed or in the initial planning phases. These could open as late as 2022, assuming that they do indeed move forward:

  • Murietta, California
  • Napa California
  • Pleasanton, California
  • Branford, Connecticut
  • Clinton, Connecticut
  • Athens, Georgia
  • Meridian, Idaho
  • Plainfield, Illinois
  • University City, Missouri
  • Cherry Hill, New Jersey
  • Patterson, New York
  • Bismarck, North Dakota
  • Cranston, Rhode Island
  • Bluffton, South Carolina
  • Dallas, Texas
  • El Paso, Texas
  • McKinney, Texas
  • Sherman, Texas

Finding Your Nearest Costco

By using the store locator feature on Costco’s website, you can find out which locations are closest to you. In total, there are 788 Costco stores throughout the world, more than 200 of which are outside of the United States.

548 Costco stores are spread across 45 states as well as Puerto Rico. 100 of the locations are in Canada (across nine provinces), 39 are in Mexico, 29 are in the United Kingdom, 26 are in Japan, 16 are in South Korea, 13 are in Taiwan, 12 are in Australia, two are in Spain, and there is one each in France, Iceland, and China.

In total, there are about 101.8 million Costco members worldwide. Approximately 163,000 people are employed by the company.

Costco Warehouse Store Operating Hours

While operating hours can vary somewhat from one Costco to the next, most follow a very similar schedule. Here is a look at the typical Costco warehouse location’s business hours:

United States

  • Monday through Friday: 10:00 am to 8:30 pm
  • Saturday: 9:30 am to 6:00 pm
  • Sunday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Canada

  • Monday through Friday: 10:00 am to 8:30 pm
  • Saturday: 9:30 am to 6:00 pm (Quebec and Ottawa: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm)
  • Sunday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (Saint John 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm)

United Kingdom

  • Trade Members – Monday through Friday: 10:00 am to 8:30 pm
  • Individual Members – Monday through Friday: 12:00 pm to 8:30 pm
  • Saturday: 9:30 am to 6:30 pm
  • Sunday: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm

Australia

  • Monday through Friday: 10:00 am to 8:30 pm
  • Saturday: 9:30 am to 6:30 pm
  • Sunday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

See below for a link to info about how COVID-19 restrictions might have affected store hours.

Costco Holiday Closures

It is important to note that Costco does close on some holidays. In the US, this includes:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Easter Sunday
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

Additionally, the retailer uses a reduced operating schedule on both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Usually, this means that the Costco stores will close at 6:00 pm instead of the typical 8:30 pm. You can find the 2020 Costco Holidays list here. Note, this article will also provide you with information about restricted hours during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Holiday schedules do vary by country, so those living outside of the United States will not necessarily see the same closure days as listed above.

Have you shopped at one of the new Costco locations? Are you looking forward to a new Costco that is coming to your area? Do you wish a Costco would open near your home? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

If you are an avid shopper at Costco, we recommend applying for the credit card that is designed exclusively for Costco members. It has great cash back offer, earning as much as 4% cash back on gas! Plus there is no annual fee and you get a reward certificate every year that you can redeem for cash or purchases at Costco! Learn more about how the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi can work for you.

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Skipping the Extra Bedroom Could Mean Having $500K More in Retirement

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An extra bedroom has become a fairly common (and acceptable) waste of space in your home. According to Finder.com, there are 34 million more bedrooms in America than there are people. However, the habit of purchasing extra space for your home could seriously be costing your retirement savings.

How an Extra Bedroom is Killing Your Retirement

Typically, spare bedrooms are largely unoccupied. Sometimes they house a lightly-used home office or an extra bedroom for company when they come to town. In general, your spare room doesn’t get more than two weeks’ worth of use per year.

Here is a piece of advice: just buy a pullout couch for your guests and downsize. In metro areas, a four-bedroom house is about $100,000 more expensive than a three-bedroom (plus the interest on your mortgage).

Let’s get a little more specific. In Boston, for example, the median price for a four-bedroom house was $540,000, while a three-bedroom sat around $380,000. Assuming a 20% down payment and a 30-year fixed mortgage rate of 4%, that is a difference of over $600 per month.

Now you’re probably thinking, “what about in smaller cities?” Well, there is still potential for savings. In Las Vegas, four-bedroom homes are $80,000 more expensive. Chicago home buyers will save $100,000 opting for the smaller space.

Breaking Down the Potential Savings

If six figures in initial savings isn’t enough to motivate you to give up the spare room, don’t worry. As mentioned above, in a city like Boston, this could equate to $600 per month in savings. That amount of money could make it possible to live in a better area and still be within budget. It could go towards paying off debt and help you reach financial freedom earlier.

Best of all, it could add serious funds to your retirement. If you invest the extra $600 per month and earn 5% per year, you will have an additional $500,000 stowed away by the time you pay off your home. Boomers closer to retirement may not be excited about moving, but downsizing by one single room could offer six figures of added retirement security (or extra trips with your grandkids).

Younger families focused on giving their kids their own bedrooms may think downsizing isn’t for them either. Making your children share a room doesn’t make you a bad parent and it can give you the financial freedom to spend more money and time with them.

No matter how you look at it, Americans are wasting money on extra bedrooms in a big way. In some cases, it could cost them their retirement.  Readers, would you consider giving up your spare room to help pump up your retirement savings?

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What Does ‘Defund the Police’ Mean?

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After the death of George Floyd, the nation erupted with protests speaking out against police brutality. Slowly, over the past week throughout the United States, calls to “defund the police” have been made loud and clear. But, what would defunding the police really look like?

What Does “Defund the Police” Mean?

When you hear people chanting “defund the police” you may be thinking, “well, that sounds a little radical.” Of course, defunding or disbanding the police altogether would be a radical move (and probably a mistake). What protestors are calling for, however, is something a little different.

Every city has a different plan for how defunding the police might roll out. In theory, calls to defund and disband are urging leaders to reinvent and reimagine public safety. For example, some proposals call for an end to no-knock warrants and raids. Other proposals have focused on the restrictions of military-grade equipment to police departments.

Where Should The Money Go?

These proposals for defunding police departments will vary from city to city though. Minneapolis, for instance, has been looking to make $200 million in budget cuts city-wide. Lisa Bender, the city council president, would like to see these cuts come from the police department and shifted to other areas of need within the city.

In other cities, activities are calling for money that is currently being spent on police overtime and buying expensive equipment to be focused on education, housing, and mental health programs instead. With sufficient funding, activists are certain these societal changes would help cut down crime and violence.

Places That Have Implemented These Changes

Defunding the police isn’t a new concept either (it is just the first time it is being widely considered). Some cities have made changes to their police departments already. In Austin, Texas, for instance, 911 operators are trained to ask if the person needs police, fire, or mental health services.

In Eugene, Oregon, they have an entire team of people who deploys a medic and a crisis worker to all emergency calls. One of the biggest success stories of them all is Camden, N.J. Once known as the murder capital in the states, Camden revamped its police force in a big way. Officers were put under training focused on them holding their fire.

Final Thoughts

In Minneapolis, nine members of the city council pledged to dismantle the city’s police department. Councilmembers stated the current system could not be reformed, but they wish to create a new system of public safety.

While no one is really sure what policing will look like in the future, it will take a long time to execute well. Camden, for instance, started revamping its police department in 2017. It took years to get to a good place with its new processes.

One thing is for sure though. Change is on the horizon for the United States, in a big way.

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Here’s How the Riots Have Affected Target (and Why Target Gets It)

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Target has temporarily closed 175 of its 1,871 stores throughout the United States amid protests. The retailer, who has seemingly been targeted during looting in some cities, stated its main focus will be on the safety of its employees and the peace of the community. Here is how the riots have affected Target and what the company is doing moving forward.

How the Riots Have Affected Target

As mentioned above, Target stores seem to have been targeted during looting. In Minneapolis, where Target was founded in 1962, protestors were shown destroying registers, taking merchandise, and wrecking stores. As protests have spread across the nation, Target stores have taken heavy damage.

This has led to the company closing 71 stores in Minnesota, 49 in California, 12 in New York, and dozens of other store locations throughout the country. And they aren’t the only ones closing either.

CVS Pharmacy has announced it would be closing several of its stores across the country as well. They have not yet announced how many pharmacies would be closed, or where. However, they will have information ready to send people in need to the nearest open pharmacy. CVS has not yet made any statements about how it will care for its employees or community at this time.

Target Stands With the People

“We are a community in pain,” Target CEO Brian Cornell wrote in a statement. “That pain is not unique to the Twin Cities — it extends across America. The murder of George Floyd has unleashed the pent-up pain of years, as have the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.”

The company has begun to send first aid supplies to areas of the country where rioting is the heaviest. Additionally, Target employees will be given up to 14 days paid time off. According to Target officials, this will be paid at the COVID-19 premium pay rate.

“As a Target team, we’ve huddled, we’ve consoled, we’ve witnessed horrific scenes similar to what’s playing out now and wept that not enough is changing,” Cornell continued in the statement. “And as a team we’ve vowed to face pain with purpose.”

Target’s CEO also mentioned that any stores that are heavily damaged or at-risk will be rebuilt. “It’s hard to see now, but the day will come for healing—and our team will join our hearts, hands, and resources in that journey,” he said.

Photo: Mike Mozart

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