Travel

Facts and figures for Easter 2023

Sixty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians, and 43 percent plan to attend church on Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Easter is a big donation day for U.S. churches, as it usually has the year’s highest attendance rates. It’s also a significant money-maker for candy companies.

It’s so much fun to celebrate Ireland on Saint Patrick’s Day

I love Ireland. I was so fortunate to travel there with my daughter Lisa in 2016. So, I decided a good way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day Friday is to post some of the photos from our trip. We were fortunate to meet with some of my grandmother Laura Baylee Slingsby’s relatives. Laura was born in 1877 and died in 1939.

If your flight is canceled by the airlines, ask for a refund

Unfortunately, I got caught up in the Southwest Airlines holiday flight cancellation debacle around Christmas. Scheduled to return home at 10:45 Monday Dec. 26, I was shocked when my daughter came in my room just as I finished dressing and began packing to go to the airport and said my flight had been canceled.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones

Christmas is a great time of year. There’s so much joy to share for the yearly celebration with family and friends. Americans plan to spend $832.84 per person on gifts and other holiday items this year, according to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation. That’s a 6 to 8 percent increase over last year.

Best places to celebrate Christmas 2022

Christmas is one of the most popular holidays in the United States, and it can be one of the most expensive. Decorations, food, cards, gifts, travel, and more can add up fast. Americans are expected to spend a record amount for the holidays in 2022, between $943 billion and $960 billion.

Take a look at my newsletter for last-minute holiday money tips

It’s the holiday season and Christmas Day will be here soon. For more than a year now, I’ve been writing a newsletter offering readers 10 money tips every week. The response has been very positive. I scour a variety of websites to look for the latest information to help consumers make wise financial decisions.  

Travel tip: Don’t put your laptop in your checked luggage

On a recent trip, I learned a valuable lesson. Most airlines won’t reimburse you for electronics if they’re in a checked bag that gets lost. How did I find that out? When I arrived at the Southwest ticket counter at SeaTac Airport, I had three items plus a bag I was going to check.

Think safety on Thanksgiving

My memories of Thanksgiving include family trips to Cashmere, Washington, to my great aunt Mable Kenyon’s home for a fabulous meal, how to go to both parents’ homes for the celebration after I was married, and my mom enjoying the Thanksgiving dinners I cooked after she was no longer able to make them.

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