opening hours

Are Banks Closed on New Year’s Eve 2020?

December 30, 2020 By Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

It’s so confusing trying to figure out what is open and what is closed on New Year’s Eve. After all, we traditionally celebrate the New Year on this day. We ring it in at midnight, perhaps, but the parties start much earlier. So, it feels like a holiday. However, New Year’s Day is the actual holiday. So are things like banks open or closed on New Year’s Eve?

When Is New Year’s Eve 2020?

New Year’s Eve is Thursday, December 31, 2020. When the clock strikes midnight, we can put 2020 behind us and start 2021! Since both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day fall on weekdays this year, it’s important to know the bank holiday schedule. Will banks be open both days, one day, or neither day?

Banks Are Typically Open on New Year’s Eve

Most banks are going to be open on New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve is not an official holiday despite the fact that most of us do our celebrating that night. Banks only close on official federal holidays. Therefore, they don’t close down on New Year’s Eve.

That said, some banks do have shorter hours on New Year’s Eve. Banks may close early as a way of recognizing the informal holiday. This isn’t particularly common, so you shouldn’t have to worry about it too much. Nevertheless, it’s something to keep in mind if you’re doing your end-of-the-year banking.

Banks With Normal Hours on New Year’s Eve

If you do have to get some last-minute banking done on Thursday, December 31, 2020, then you might want to double-check with your local branch. Ask not just if they are open but what hours they are keeping for the day.

With that in mind, GoBankingRates reports that the following five banks should have normal hours on New Year’s Eve 2020:

Bank of America
Bank of the West
BBVA
Capital One
Sun Trust

Banks With Limited Hours on New Year’s Eve

According to GoBankingRates, here are the limited hours / schedule for 16 other banks on New Year’s Eve 2020:

BB&T: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
BMO Harris Bank: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Chase: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Citizens Bank: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fifth Third Bank: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Huntington: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
KeyBank: Branches open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
People’s United Bank: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PNC Bank: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Regions: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Santander Bank: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
TD Bank: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
UBank: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Union Bank: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
U.S. Bank: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wells Fargo: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

As you can seem, some banks close an hour or two earlier than usual on New Year’s Eve. On the other hand, many banks close around midday.

Note also that each location may vary. A bank branch inside of a grocery store may have different hours than a stand-along bank even on the holiday.

Banks Are Closed on New Year’s Day

Banks do recognize New Year’s Day as a federal holiday. Also called bank holidays, most government and professional services are closed for the day. In addition to banks, you can expect post offices, courthouses, and libraries to stay closed on Friday, January 1, 2021 in recognition of the New Year holiday.

New Year’s Day is The First Federal Holiday of 2021

There are ten federal holidays each year. Those are the days when banks and other services close in recognition of the holiday. However, if the holiday falls on a weekend, the date is sometimes observed either the Friday before or the Monday after. For example, Independence Day is July 4th. However, in 2021, July 4th is on a Sunday. Therefore, observance will be on July 5, 2021.

Here are the dates of observation for the ten bank holidays for 2021, starting with New Year’s Day:

New Year’s Day: January 1, 2021
MLK Jr. Day: January 18, 2021
Washington’s Birthday: February 15, 2021
Memorial Day: May 31, 2021
Independence Day: July 5, 2021
Labor Day: September 6, 2021
Columbus Day / Indigenous People’s Day: October 11, 2021
Veterans Day: November 11, 2021
Thanksgiving: November 25, 2021
Christmas: December 24, 2021

Notice that Christmas falls on a Saturday in 2021. Therefore, banks will close in observance on Friday, which is Christmas Eve. Like with New Year’s Eve, banks don’t usually close on Christmas Eve, only on Christmas Day. It’s only because the date is on the weekend that things are likely to be different in 2021.

Will Banks Open on Saturday After New Year’s?

For many people, New Year’s offers a long weekend. You may get off of work early on New Year’s Eve then have the entire day off on New Year’s Day. If you don’t typically work weekends, then you won’t have to go back to work until Monday, January 4, 2021. Therefore, you’ll get a three-day or four-day weekend.

But what about banks? If they’re open on Thursday but closed on Friday, what happens on Saturday? Many banks are already closed on weekends. If your bank is one of those, then of course they will stay closed as normal. However, there are also plenty of banks that keep weekend hours. They may be open part or all of the day on Saturdays, for example. So what about on New Year’s weekend 2021?

If your bank is usually open one Saturdays then there’s a good chance they’ll re-open Saturday morning. Therefore, if you don’t get your banking done before they close on the evening of New Year’s Eve, then you might be able to do so on Saturday, January 2, 2021. For example, First Bank closes early on Thursday, stays closed Friday, and re-opens with normal Saturday hours.

Are Credit Unions Open on New Year’s?

Credit unions are similar to banks. They often keep the same holiday hours. However, each credit union makes that decision for themselves. Therefore, hours can vary widely. Generally speaking, credit unions will stay open on New Year’s Eve, although many of them will have limited hours. They will close on New Year’s Day.

Online Banking and ATMs on Holidays

If you need to take care of mobile banking or get some money out of the ATM machine, then of course you can do that even when the bank locations are closed. Therefore, you can use online services and ATM machines on New Year’s Eve as well as New Year’s Day. That said, certain transactions might not go through until the Saturday or even Monday following the holiday. If you need to make sure that deposits or withdrawals take place before the end of the year, get that done Thursday morning.

Best Banks for Savings

Platform:	Fees to sign-up	Best for:
CIT Bank	Free	Wide range of Financial Services
Lending Tree	Free	Best for keeping an eye on credit score
BBVA	Free	Safe digital banking

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What Are Retail Store Hours on New Year’s Eve 2020?

December 27, 2020 By Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

Did you get enough holiday shopping done already? Or do you want to ring in the new year with some last minute 2020 purchases? If you’re looking to get in some retail shopping before the year comes to a close, then you’ll want to know which stores are open on New Year’s Eve? Some are open, some are closed, and some are open but for limited hours only. Here’s everything that you need to know.

New Year’s Eve vs. New Year’s Day Store Hours

Many of us think of New Year’s Eve as the holiday. After all, that’s when you go to parties. It’s when the ball drops. It’s when you kiss at midnight and toast with champagne.

However, as far as retail stores and other businesses go, New Year’s Day is actually the holiday. While some stores observe both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, many only observe the latter. If a store is going to be open for one and not the other, then expect them to close for New Year’s Day.

Therefore, if you want to do some end of the year shopping, then you should be in some luck. Plan to shop on New Year’s Eve then assume that many stores will close for New Year’s Day.

New Year’s Eve Retail Store Hours 2020

Here are some of the major stores that you might wonder about as far as whether or not they’re open New Year’s Eve (Thursday, December 31st) 2020:

BJ’s Wholesale

You can shop at BJ’s on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. They should be open 9-7 on 12/31/20 and 10-7 on 1/1/21.

Costco

Costco is open on New Year’s Eve. However, it’s one of the holidays they close early for. Therefore, you want to get in and get that bulk shopping done as early as possible on 12/31/20. The store will stay closed New Year’s Day.

Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club warehouses are open on New Year’s Eve. They should be open regular store hours. Therefore, they should open at 10 am and remain open until 8 pm. Then they close down for New Year’s Day. Of course, it’s always prudent to check with your local store to confirm before heading out in the cold to do New Year’s Eve shopping.

Target

Target stays open most days throughout the year. They rarely close. Therefore, you won’t be surprised to learn that they’re open on New Year’s Eve 2020. Most Target stores will have regular hours on New Year’s Eve.

Note that hours have changed for the holiday season and due to COVID-19, so check with your location to find out what current Target store hours are at the location nearest you. That said, most stores open at 8 am and close at 9 p or 10 pm.

Walmart

Walmart is open for business as usual on New Year’s Eve. In fact, they’re open normal store hours on New Year’s Day as well. Therefore, if you need to do some shopping, Walmart is a good bet this year.

Other Stores Open on New Year’s Eve

According to Offers.com, here are some additional store’s open on New Year’s Eve:

Academy Sports and Outdoors opens at 9 am and closes at 7 pm
Bed, Bath and Beyond opens at 9 am and closes at 6 pm
Best Buy opens at 11 a and closes at 7 pm
Dick’s Sporting goods opens at 9 am and closes at 7 pm
Dillard’s should open normal store hours, which varies by mall, but is usually ~ 11 am – 6 pm
Hobby Lobby opens at 9 am and closes at 5:3o pm
Home Depot is open for 12 hours on New Year’s Eve from 6-6
IKEA opens at 10 am and closes at 6 pm
JC Penney opens at 11 am and closes at 7 pm
Kohl’s opens at 9 am and closes at 10 pm
Like Home Depot, Lowe’s is open for 12 hours on New Year’s Eve from 6-6
Macy’s opens at 11 am and closes at 6 pm, although that can vary by mall location
Neiman Marcus opens at 11 amp and closes at 5 pm
Nordstrom opens at 10 and closes at 6 pm
Party City is open but with varying hours by location; if you need last minute New Year’s Eve party supplies then stop in early!

Look For New Year’s Sales and Deals

Most people don’t think about New Year’s Eve sales. After all, between Black Friday and Cybermonday and then all of the Christmas shopping, it’s hard to imagine that any stores are offering big deals again before the year comes to an end. However, many of the do. Keep an eye out for those last minute after-Christmas New Year’s discounts. A few recommended this year from Retail Me Not include:

Bed, Bath and Beyond: Coupon for 20% off one item – get a good deal on something big
Best Buy: Good selection of TVs under $500 before the New Year
Big 5 Sporting Goods: $10 off $50+
Express: ~50% off everything
Kohls’: 50% off select styles
The Children’s Place: 60% off all clearance items before the New Year
Walgreens: 20% off pickup orders $25+
Pandora: 50% off select jewelry styles

Online and in-store shopping everywhere from Amazon to Ulta may have discounts. Don’t fail to take advantage of those deals if you’re doing New Year’s Eve 2020 shopping.

Other Businesses on New Year’s Eve 2020

You might wonder about other types of businesses New Year’s Eve schedule. Many are open. For example:

The post office is open New Year’s Eve but closed New Year’s Day.
Banks are open on New Year’s Eve, although some may have limited store hours. They’re closed New Year’s Day.
The stock market is open New Year’s Eve but closed New Year’s Day.
The bond market closes early on New Year’s eve (2 pm ET) and stays closed New Year’s Day.
Grocery stores, convenience stores, drug stores, and gas stations typically have regular operating hours on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Restaurants generally have regular hours on New Year’s Eve. Some may even stay open later than usual.

Also, remember that you can donate to charity on New Year’s Eve and still have it count towards your 2020 taxes! Happy New Year!!

Are Banks Open on Christmas Day 2020?

December 17, 2020 By Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

Things get so busy during the holidays. The days are short and they are jam packed with activities. Yes, even in 2020. Therefore, you might forget to take care of some of the things that are on your To Do list. Banking might be one of those things. Before you know it, Christmas Day is here, and the weekend looms ahead, and you haven’t hit the bank yet. Are banks open on Christmas Day?

Christmas Day is a Federal Holiday

There are several federal holidays throughout the year. These holidays are also knowns as bank holidays. In other words, these are days when a variety of places shut down, including federal buildings and banks. Christmas is one of the federal holidays. So, naturally, many places will close for Christmas Day in recognition of the holiday. Banks are among those places.

Banks Close for Christmas

Just to reiterate, banks will not be open on Christmas Day. They allow their employees to take that time off to spend the holidays with their families. Therefore, your bank won’t be open on Friday, December 25, 2020. If you have important banking tasks to take care of, then you should make sure to get that done before Christmas Day.

Since Christmas is on a Friday, your bank like CIT Bank might not be open again until Monday, December 28th, 2020. Some banks are open on Saturdays. Very few banks are open on Sundays. So you could get lucky and be able to visit your bank on the Saturday after Christmas. But don’t chance it if you really need to go to the bank. Get there before Christmas Day.

Are Banks Open on Christmas Eve?

Banks do not close for Christmas Eve. After all, Christmas Eve isn’t a federal holiday. However, many banks change their store hours in recognition of the holiday. Banks may close as early as noon on Thursday, December 24th, 2020. Or they may be open until 2 or 3 or even their regular closing time later in the day. Each bank branch is different, so you’ll have to check with yours in advance to be certain.

That said, if you know that you need to get to the bank on Christmas Eve, then you should do so as close to the bank’s opening hours as possible. And if you can get your banking done even earlier in the week, so that you don’t need to worry about limited store hours on Christmas Eve, then that’s even better.

Some Banking Services Are Accessible on Christmas

Even though banks close for Christmas, there are certain tasks that you can still complete. For example, ATM machines won’t close for the holiday. Therefore, you can deposit or withdraw money or perform any other ATM machine tasks that you usually do. Likewise, the Internet doesn’t close for the holiday, so you can do online banking. One example of a bank that does online banking is CIT Bank, so it might be a good thing to open an account here. That said, deposits and payments might not clear until the Monday following Christmas.

Credit Unions and Christmas Day

Credit unions differ a bit from banks. Therefore, they don’t always maintain the same hours. However, credit unions typically close for Christmas as well. You should check with your specific credit union to find out what the holiday hours are on and around Christmas Eve.

Retail Stores Open/Closed Thanksgiving 2020

November 18, 2020 By Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving weekend is a busy weekend. Of course, there are all the celebrations that happen for the holiday itself. But on top of that it’s also Black Friday weekend. If you’re looking for retail stores Thanksgiving schedule to discover what is open, what is closed, and where you should go to get your shopping done, then look no further. We have you covered.

General Guidelines for Retails Stores Thanksgiving Schedule

Each store has its own schedule for Thanksgiving and the weekend following the holiday, of course. However, generally speaking, many stores follow a basic practice:

- - Most retail stores Thanksgiving schedule is that they are closed entirely on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day.
  - Most retail stores Thanksgiving schedule is that they are open the next day, Friday.
  - Many stores choose to open late at night on Thursday or very early on Friday for Black Friday shoppers.
  - Many stores choose to stay open late hours on Friday for Black Friday shoppers.

COVID-19 Impact on Retail Stores Thanksgiving Schedule

The country has seen a surge of COVID-19 cases as we head into the winter flu season. As a result, many cities and states are tightening up mandates for shopping. This might impact retail stores Thanksgiving schedule. Stores that intended to stay open may now be closed.

Alternatively, stores might be open but have very limited capacity, which has the potential to result in long lines for Black Friday shoppers. Several large stores have announced multiple or ongoing Black Friday sales prices this month to reduce the number of people coming to the store at the same time in one weekend.

Although we’ve done our best to outline the correct retail stores Thanksgiving schedule below, make note that stores in your area may vary due to these changing pandemic restrictions.

What Retail Stores Are Open on Thanksgiving Day?

Good Housekeeping reports that the following twelve retail stores are likely to be open on Thanksgiving Day:

ACME, which is a market / grocery store. Don’t discount these locations for retail shopping on Thanksgiving Day. Gift baskets, home goods, and bath supplies are all great gifts that you can stock up on at stores like this.
Big Lots, with likely hours from 7 am – midnight on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day.
Dollar General is also likely to open at 7 am. They remain open until 10 pm.
Five Below. Although closed most of the day, this store opens at 6 pm on Thanksgiving Day. They stay open until 1 am for Black Friday shoppers.
Lilly Pulitzer retail stores Thanksgiving schedule varies from location to location. However, some stores will be open.
Macy’s. Like Five Below, they open in the evening. However, they stay open much longer. In fact, upon upon at 5 pm on Thursday, they don’t close again until Saturday night. Shop anytime for Black Friday deals.
Michael’s is like to open at 6 pm on Thanksgiving Day for early bird Black Friday shoppers.
Old Navy. You can expect the store to open at 3 pm on Thanksgiving Day. They won’t close again until Friday night.
Ulta is a beauty store that opens at 6 pm on Thanksgiving Day.
Victoria’s Secret opens at 5 pm on Thanksgiving Day.
Walgreens stores should be open on Thanksgiving Day. Hours vary significantly by location.
Whole Foods Market will be open on Thanksgiving Day. Hours vary by location. Like with ACME, you can pick up a variety of different gifts at Whole Foods even if it isn’t the first place on your mind for holiday shopping.

Country Living adds that the following stores are open on Thanksgiving Day:

CVS should be open on Thanksgiving.
Family Dollar will be open. However, hours vary by location.
Gordman’s will open at 5 pm for Black Friday shoppers.
Rite-Aid will most likely open at 7am

Most Stores That Are Open Will Open Later Than Usual Thanksgiving Day

As you can see, the stores that are open on Thanksgiving Day tend to follow a pattern. Most of them open in the afternoon or early evening. This allows their workers to get to spend at least a portion of the day with their families before coming in to work. And it allows retail shoppers to get to the stores in the afternoon to start shopping for their Black Friday deals.

Which Retail Stores Are Closed on Thanksgiving Day?

According to Good Housekeeping, the following 30 retail stores are closed on Thanksgiving Day:

A.C. Moore
Ashley Furniture
Barnes & Noble
Bath & Body Works
Bed, Bath and Beyond
Best Buy
Bloomingdale’s
Burlington Coat Factory
Calvin Klein
Costco
Crate and Barrel
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Forever 21
Home Depot
HomeGoods
Homesense
J.C. Penny’s
Kohl’s
Marshalls
Petco
PetSmart
Publix
Sierra
Sur La Table
Target
TJ Maxx
T-Mobile
Trader Joe’s
White House Black Market
Walmart

Other stores closed on Thanksgiving Day include:

Academy Sports
BJ’s Wholesale
Foot Locker
GameStop
Office Depot
Office Max
REI (which will also be closed on Friday)
Sam’s Club

Walmart Closes on Thanksgiving But Offers Free Dinner to Customers

Walmart is an interesting one to note this year. They’ve historically been open sometimes on Thanksgiving. However, as Country Living reports:

President and CEO John Furner announced, “This year we have decided to close our stores on Thanksgiving Day – November 26.” In a July 21 memo to employees, he said, “We know it’s been a trying year, and you’ve stepped up. We want you to enjoy the day at home with your loved ones.”

However, Walmart is offering Free Thanksgiving Dinner to customers this year. They are really stepping up in recognition of how hard the year has been. Therefore, they’ve teamed up with Ibotta to offer a huge meal for free. You make the order at Walmart (in advance of Thanksgiving day, of course, since they’re closed that day.) You use Ibotta together 100% cash back. You’re able to get turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and more for your holiday dinner.

Black Friday Retail Store Hours

As mentioned above, Macy’s and Old Navy will open on Thursday evening and will not close again until Friday night or Saturday. Therefore, you can enjoy Black Friday shopping all day at those locations.

After giving employees the day off for Thanksgiving, Walmart will open its doors at 5am for Black Friday shopping. Note that their online Black Friday sales start on November 25th. In fact, this is the third in a series of Black Friday sales they’ve had starting earlier this month.

Like Walmart, Target announced that they would close for Thanksgiving this year. They will be open on Black Friday but have not yet announced official hours. Also like Walmart, they decided to start offering Black Friday deals early. In fact, they’re offering their deals all month long. Stores are doing this in 2020 because they don’t want customers all crowding in at the same time during the pandemic.

Target isn’t the only store to wait to announced their Black Friday hours. In fact, many stores have made a similar decision this year, likely expecting to adjust depending on pandemic conditions. Dick’s Sporting Goods, for example, expects to have normal hours on Wednesday, remain closed on Thursday, and then have Black Friday hours that they’ve not yet announced.

Other stores that are closed on Thanksgiving, and open as-yet-unannounced Friday hours alongside extended deal days (not just Black Friday weekend) include Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Retail Stores Open/Closed Veterans Day 2020

November 6, 2020 By Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

Veterans Day is a federal holiday celebrated on November 11th each year. In 2020, that’s a Wednesday. Many stores and services close for the holiday. However, plenty of stores remain open each Veterans Day. Here is your guide to what is open and closed on Veterans Day.

Why Do We Celebrate Veterans Day?

First of all, what is Veterans Day? The president established the holiday at the end of World War I, then called Armistice Day, to recognize the veterans who served in that war. At the end of World War II, we as a country began recognizing it as Veterans Day. It now serves to honor and recognizes all veterans who serve in the American armed forces, during wartime or times of peace.

Veterans Day is a Federal Holiday

Veterans Day is one of the United States’ ten federal holidays. These are also called bank holidays, indicating that banks and credit unions will close for the day. Like other federal holidays, such as Christmas, other government services close as well. Post offices and courthouses, for example, will close for Veterans Day.

What Retail Stores Are Open on Veterans Day?

The majority of retail stores choose to stay open on Veterans Day. Therefore, if you want to do some shopping on your day off, then you should be able to do so with minimal interference from stores closing. Here are some of the major retail stores that stay open on Veterans Day:

Convenience Stores, Grocery Stores, and Gas Stations

Most convenience stores, grocery stores, and gas stations will be open on Veterans Day. In particular, if you shop at a big chain such as 7-11 ad Whole Foods then you should be able to shop regular hours. However, if you shop at local corner stores and markets then you might want to call in advance. Some of those smaller stores may close on Veterans Day.