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Holidays

Three Things to Keep in Mind When Making Charitable Gifts

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In 2017, Americans gave an estimated $410 billion in charitable gifts to organizations. This has continued the upward trend of giving we’ve seen in the U.S. in recent years. The majority of this giving was done by individuals. However, before you donate any of your financial assets, you will want to consider each of the following points.

1. The Reputation of the Charity

It is always important to be informed about the charity and its reputation before donating. Research the organization before donating a penny. Any worthwhile charity will spend 75% of its income on programs and upkeep rather than administrative costs. You may be able to find this information in the charity’s annual report. Considering these things before you donate financial assets as charitable gifts you will ensure you are supporting a good cause. It also helps you decide whether or not it fits into your financial plan.

2. Your Portfolio Balance

Donating financial assets to charity means you are also taking them out of your portfolio. You’ll want to consider how getting rid of certain assets will impact your overall finances and the balance of your portfolio. If you want your portfolio to grow, you won’t want to donate all of your growth-oriented stocks. Be sure you aren’t donating stocks that will impact your endgame. Consider consulting a stock advisor or financial professional to ensure the assets you are giving as charitable gifts won’t hinder your long-term goals.

3. Taxes

Donations made to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible if you itemize your return. After the recent changes made to the tax law, the standard deduction has increased to $24,000 for married couples and $12,000 for singles. Because of this, many people have less incentive to make charitable gifts (at least for tax reasons).

However, if you donate appreciated stocks you may be permitted to deduct the full fair market value of the gift. This is true even if the amount you paid is only a fraction of the value it is today. On top of that, you may not be subjected to capital gains tax for stocks you sold or gifted to charity.

Another possible way to make a tax-deductible donation is using money from your IRA. After you turn 70 1/2 years old, you are required to begin withdrawing money from your account. You will have to pay taxes on this but you can exclude up to $100,000 of your required minimum distributions per year from your taxable income if you gift the money to a qualified charity.

If you are considering donating any of these appreciated assets to charity, consult your tax advisor before doing so.

Readers, are you giving any charitable gifts this season? How have you decided where to donate?

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Coping Techniques That Are Actually Adding To Your Holiday Stress

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The average adult in the United States is expected to spend $885 on Christmas this year. Many people begin to feel the financial impact and stress of the holiday season right around this time of year. However, many folks are trying to cope with holiday stress in ways that actually make it worse.

Unhealthy Coping Techniques

Being stressed out during the holidays is inevitable for some. Between finding the perfect gift, sticking to a budget, and trying to remain in the holiday spirit, it is easy to get overwhelmed. Because of this, many people head straight towards coping techniques to manage the stress of the season. However, some of the most popular coping techniques are actually adding to your holiday stress.

  1. Having a drink before bed. Plenty of people have a glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage before bed. Although this can help you wind down, it will also disrupt REM sleep. To get the best night’s sleep possible, skip the booze.
  2. Binging on carbs. The holidays are typically full of good, carby foods. Loading up on these foods will cause energy crashes and add to your holiday stress more than you know.
  3. Don’t skip the gym! Many people find the hustle-and-bustle of the holiday season a good reason to skip their regular workout routine. Working out will help naturally boost your energy levels and it is a great way to beat stress. Skipping it will actually make you feel less energized.
  4. Stopping for an extra coffee. Too much caffeine will always leave you feeling drained and, when accompanied by stress, it can make you feel really sick.
  5. Making everyone else a priority. Although the holiday season is usually about finding gifts for others and lending a helping hand, you can’t make everyone else top priority all the time. It is important to continue practicing self-care and considering your needs.
  6. Don’t overschedule yourself. FOMO (fear of missing out) often leads people to overscheduling themselves during the holiday season. However, scheduling yourself for too many events will only add to your stress.
  7. Stop trying to catch up on your sleep on the weekends. You need to get regular sleep every night. Don’t try to run all of your errands and catch up on sleep on the weekends. This irregular sleep pattern will make you feel lethargic.
  8. Trim your social media use down. It is easy to fall into a comparison trap when you are scrolling through social media, especially during the holiday season. Instead, unplug for a little while and spend quality time with the people that mean most to you.

Ways to Beat Holiday Stress

Instead of hitting up these harmful coping techniques, consider doing one of the following to battle your holiday stress.

  1. Spend some time outside. It is easy to spend every day inside during the holiday season, especially if you live in a colder area. Bundling up and going out for a walk can be great for your mental health. Be sure that if you’re not able to soak up some sunshine you should take a Vitamin D supplement.
  2. Add some citrus into your life. Citrus smells can help combat stress, anxiety, and depression. Put an orange or lemon essential oil into a diffuser in your home and you’ll start noticing a difference in your overall mood.
  3. Stick to a routine. Don’t let the holidays throw off your regular routine. Stick to some parts of your day, like waking up at the same time, hitting the gym, and what time you eat. Having this basic routine will help you find some normality during the busy time of year.
  4. Get regular exercise. If it’s too cold to get outside for a walk, schedule some time to go to a workout class with friends or hit the gym. Working out is one of the best natural ways to beat stress.
  5. Take some time for yourself. The holiday season is typically about other people so it is easy to let your personal needs go under the radar. The best gift you can give yourself this year is maintaining your self-care throughout the holidays.

Lastly, remember that the holiday season is about spending time with one another. The best present you can give someone is your presence. Don’t let your finances stop you from having a happy holiday season.

Readers, how do you cope with holiday stress?

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Return to the True Meaning of the Season – Get In on Giving Tuesday

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what is giving tuesday
Giving Tuesday is a way to de-emphasize some of the commercialism of the holiday season, by remembering what the holidays are really about – not Black Friday riots or Cyber Monday deals. But, instead, giving to the less fortunate, fostering goodwill toward all, and helping your fellow man. So, what is Giving Tuesday? Here’s a brief explanation and some Giving Tuesday ideas to get you started.

What Is Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday was started in 2012 as a way to counter the consumerism encouraged by Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday sales. Founding organizations included the United Nations Foundation, the 92nd Street Y, Skype, Mashable, Phoenix House, Starwood Hotels, Microsoft, Case Foundation, Aldo, Sony, Cisco, and Heifer International.

Giving Tuesday falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and represents an international day of giving that allows nonprofits, charities, and causes to push for a big boost to year-end fundraising. The intention is to create a new, unselfish habit of donating to charitable causes at the end of the year. In just a few years, Giving Tuesday has exploded in popularity, generating $274 million in donations in 2017. This year, it’s sure to be even bigger, and your organization shouldn’t miss out.

Giving Tuesday Ideas

Your organization can join the fun at GivingTuesday.org. Most organizations take to social media to promote their Giving Tuesday campaigns using the hashtag #GivingTuesday. Designate a point person within your organization who can round up volunteers from your network, spearhead the fundraising efforts, and collate the results with lessons for next year. Then get creative with some of these ideas to make the most of your 24-hour fundraising drive:

  • Ask each person who donates to tag five friends and ask them to donate. People are more likely to respond to a personal appeal from someone they know and trust – that’s why the Ice Bucket Challenge was so successful. Amplify your fundraising power by asking each donor to challenge specific friends to participate, too.
  • Start your campaign early. With Black Friday sales starting earlier and earlier on Thanksgiving Day, it’s fair to start your Giving Tuesday event on Monday night.
  • Promote the event on social media. Don’t be afraid to use hashtag power to get the word out. Use a platform like Hootsuite to schedule posts. Use YouTube or Facebook Live to run a traditional telethon event, announcing new donations and interacting with donors. Make things exciting – put your CEO in a dunk tank, show a progress meter, or hang donor’s names on a wall of giving.
  • Encourage supporters to use the hashtag #Unselfie to identify them on social media. If you’re having a brick-and-mortar event, use temporary tattoos with your logo, or some other identifying mark that supporters can photograph and post on social media.
  • Match gifts. Offer to match gifts given within the 24-hour timeframe to incentivize donations.
  • Collaborate with other organizations. Find out what other organizations or local businesses you can collaborate with to promote your Giving Tuesday event. Perhaps a local business can help you match donations, or contribute prizes to give away to lucky donors.
  • Perform challenges. Your staff can celebrate campaign milestones by performing challenges, such as posting a silly video of employees singing and dancing, jumping into a frozen lake, or getting an interesting haircut.
  • Ask supporters to donate the price of a morning coffee. Lots of people buy a coffee on the way to work. Ask supporters to donate the price of their drink, and when they get to your fundraising page, use price anchoring to encourage a larger donation.
  • Make Giving Tuesday a regular affair. Now that Giving Tuesday is becoming more established, many organizations are extending the holiday into First Tuesday, a monthly day of giving. Encourage donors to commit to a regular, monthly donation.

Giving Tuesday gives charitable and nonprofit organizations a chance to ramp up year-end fundraising numbers. It’s the perfect time to celebrate an international day focused on giving to your favorite causes and organizations. Don’t miss out on the fun! Last year, supporters gave $274 million, and they’re sure to give even more this year.

Is your organization ready to rake in some year-end donation dollars? Who will you be donating to this year? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Read More

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When Is Hanukkah This Year?

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when is hanukkah

When is Hanukkah in 2018? This year, it begins at sundown on Sunday, December 2 and lasts until Monday, December 10.

What Is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah was considered to be a minor holiday until about 100 years ago. The holiday still has not gained the religious importance of other Jewish holidays though. Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashana, and Passover are still more popular holidays in the community.

Because of its proximity to Christmas, it has evolved into a mainstream occasion. This led to the giving of gifts on Hanukkah, which was typically not part of the celebration. In general, gift-giving only seems to happen in Jewish households with children. Gifts may not be given every day of the eight-day holiday either.

Eight Nights of Celebration

As you may know, the holiday is generally celebrated over eight nights. Each night, a new candle on the menorah is lit. During this time, families also say prayers and eat fried foods. Many people are familiar with the popular Hanukkah treat latkes or potato pancakes.

The Story Behind Hanukkah

The story behind Hanukkah, also known as The Miracle of Hanukkah, is something that is told over the eight nights.

In 168 B.C., this great temple was seized by Hellenistic-Syrian soldiers. Mattathias Maccabeeus, a priest in the Jewish faith, refused the soldiers’ demands and his eldest son, Judas, fought to reclaim control of Jerusalem. Their last holdout was at the great temple, and when they returned, they found that there was only one day’s worth of oil left in the temple.

Despite there only being one day’s worth of oil left in the temple, it lasted for eights days and nights. This miracle is essentially the focal point of Hanukkah. It is celebrated by lighting candles instead of oil (one candle per day).

That is only one of the traditions that tie into the story of Hanukkah though. The tradition of eating fried foods is to remind people of the oil that burned for eight days. Another popular tradition is playing dreidel. Whichever side the dreidel lands on indicates how much gelt (or chocolate coins) will be rewarded.

When Is Hanukkah in Future Years?

Hanukkah falls on a different day every year. All Jewish holidays fall on the Hebrew calendar, which corresponds with the moon. As mentioned above, this year the holiday will begin after sundown on December 2 and end on December 10.

According to the Hebrew calendar, Hanukkah begins on 25 Kislev. In 2019, this will make the holiday fall on December 22 and end on December 30, making it coincide with Christmas. The following year, Hanukkah will be celebrated from December 10, 2020, through December 18.

Readers, do you plan to celebrate Hanukkah this year?

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Is Monday a Holiday?

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Holidays seem to come out of nowhere. It seems like it was just Halloween and then here comes Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and then MLK Day. Oftentimes, these holidays fall on random days of the week. However, some holidays fall on the same day every year, usually a Monday. This may leave some people wondering, “Is Monday a Holiday?”

Is Monday a Holiday?

If you’re wondering whether or not Monday is a holiday, it would be a good idea to know what holidays typically fall on the first day of the week. Here’s a list of Monday holidays.

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day: MLK Day falls on the third Monday in January each year.
  • Presidents Day: Every year, Presidents Day falls on the third Monday in February.
  • Easter Monday: Depending on when Easter falls, Easter Monday is always the day after.
  • Memorial Day: Memorial Day is the last Monday in May.
  • Labor Day: Labor Day falls on the first Monday of September every year.
  • Columbus Day: This holiday falls on the second Monday in October.

While the holidays listed above always fall on Monday, some holidays fall on other days of the week or a specific date each year. These can be a bit more tricky to stay on top of.

Holidays That Fall On Different Days Every Year

Below is a full list of holidays that don’t necessarily fall on a Monday (but they can).

  • New Year’s Day: New Year’s Day falls on January 1 every year. This can be any day of the week.
  • Valentine’s Day: Valentine’s Day always falls on February 14.
  • Easter: Easter always falls on a Sunday but can range in date from March to late April, depending on the vernal equinox.
  • Independence Day: July 4th is the date for Independence Day every year. The day of the week will vary from year-to-year.
  • Halloween: Halloween is on October 31 every year.
  • Veterans Day: Veterans Day is observed on November 11. However, if this day falls on a weekend, many banks and government offices will be closed the day before or the day after.
  • Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. The date varies.
  • Christmas Eve: The day of the week for Christmas Eve varies from year-to-year but always falls on the 24th of December.
  • Christmas Day: Christmas is observed on December 25 every year.
  • New Year’s Eve: New Year’s Eve is celebrated on December 31 each year. The day of the week will vary.

Staying on top of the holidays and store schedules can be overwhelming. However, knowing the answer to the question, “Is Monday a holiday?” can make things a bit easier. Make note of the holidays above on your calendar!

Readers, how do you stay on top of these floating holidays?

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Is Costco Open on Labor Day?

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Most large retailers mark holidays with major sales. The intention is to draw in customers, especially since many people have the day off work, making it more convenient to hit the stores. This makes days like Labor Day big shopping events, particularly for families who still need to finish their back-to-school shopping.

However, since federal holidays lead government offices, banks, and a range of retail shops to close, not every retailer decides to open. Costco is one of the few retail giants that shut its doors on many federal holidays, leading many to wonder, “Is Costco open on Labor Day?”

Is Costco Open on Labor Day?

No. Costco closes on Labor Day. That means, for 2018, Costco is not open on Monday, September 3.

However, the warehouse stores will open on the Sunday before Labor Day. Typically, they operate from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, though this may vary by location.

Costco Business Centers are not open on Sundays. This means, if you need to handle anything there, you will need to go on Saturday at the latest. Usually, the locations are open from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays, though this can also vary by location.

After Labor Day, Costco returns to its usual schedule on Monday, September 4. The warehouse stores should be open from 10:00 am to 8:30 pm in most cities. The business centers typically operate from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays, though some locations don’t open until 8:00 am.

Is the Costco Gas Station Open on Labor Day?

People that want to know is Costco open on Labor Day also have questions about their gas stations. On Labor Day, Costco gas stations will not be manned. This means you can’t interact with an employee, so paying in cash or buying snacks typically isn’t an option.

However, since most gas stations allow you to pay at the pump, you can still fill up at a Costco gas station with a credit or debit card. As long as you don’t think you will need assistance, you can take advantage of the Costco gas station’s low prices any day at any time.

Why Does Costco Close on Labor Day?

With the number of potential shoppers around, it may seem odd that Costco would close on Labor Day. However, the holiday recognizes the contributions of the American workforce, so they likely believe that letting every employee enjoy a day off is the right way to celebrate the occasion.

In general, Costco is known for valuing its employees. This leads them to shut their doors on certain holidays, even when other companies choose to open.

Does Costco Have a Labor Day Sale?

Since Costco stores close on Labor Day, they typically don’t hold an official Labor Day sale. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t have items available at discount prices. They just may not advertise them in conjunction with the holiday.

The August sale flyer is good through September 2, the Sunday before Labor Day. They don’t explicitly mention Labor Day in their member-only savings area, even though the discounts are available until right before the holiday.

Currently, they have offers on a variety of items, ranging from energy drinks to tires to ribs. Even clothing and a few laptops are available at a discount.

Some of their summer goods, like patio sets, are also typically on sale this time of year. Labor Day usually marks the unofficial end of the summer season, so many retailers get rid of these large items. Additionally, since school is back in session near Labor Day, certain back-to-school products may also be relatively inexpensive.

If you aren’t shopping at Costco until after Labor Day, you’ll want to review their September sale flyer once it releases, which usually happens a few days in advance.

Does Costco Close on Other Holidays?

Costco doesn’t close for every federal holiday, but they do for more than the half of them. Here are the six federal holidays where Costco doesn’t open:

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

Costco also isn’t open on Easter, even though that is not a federal holiday.

However, Costco is open on some federal holidays, including:

  • Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
  • Washington’s Birthday / President’s Day
  • Columbus Day
  • Veterans Day

It’s important to note that on the day before certain holiday closures, many Costco locations close early. Usually, this only includes early closing hours on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve when they shut their doors at 6:00 pm instead of the typical 8:30 pm if the day before the holiday falls on a weekday. If the day before Christmas or New Year’s is on a Saturday or Sunday, then they may close even earlier.

However, this may vary by location, so it’s wise to call ahead if you want to confirm that Costco is open. This is especially true if you have to travel a significant distance to reach a Costco, as you wouldn’t want to spend a substantial amount of time and gas on a wasted trip.

Did you need to know if Costco is open on Labor Day? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Looking for more great articles about holiday closures? Here are a few to get you started.

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