Jeffrey Campbell - November 2021

Why You Should Visit New England

During Your Thanksgiving Weekend Last year, travel restrictions kept many families from gathering together in their homes for Thanksgiving dinner. This year, it appears that people will be able to travel freely to most locations. While a “destination Thanksgiving” might not be something you’ve ever considered, for some families, it can mean the perfect blend of quality fun and family time in an exciting new city. So, why not take advantage and bring your family to visit New England, the part of the country where Thanksgiving began? If you need more reasons than just the origin of a famous holiday, consider the scenery. If you’ve never visited New England in the fall, it’s something that every person should do at least once in their lives. The variety of colors on display in the trees throughout the quaint downtowns and nearby forests is completely unique to that part of the country. There’s a reason that “visiting Boston in the fall” has become not only a popular vacation but also part of the American lexicon as well.

you just have to see for yourself. First and foremost among these are the Plimoth Patuxet Museums. When you visit, you’ll be transported back in time to one of the earliest settlements in the United States, where the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people shared the first Thanksgiving dinner. Other fun destinations in that immediate area also include wandering the quaint historic downtowns of Ipswich, Sturbridge, or several other colonial era towns. You can also find tons of fun shopping destinations in Beverly, Massachusetts. If you want your experience to be a little more rural, you can travel out to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, or Woodstock, Vermont, to experience a true traditional Thanksgiving celebration at Billings Farm and Museum. Even though your family might not be used to traveling for Thanksgiving, how many opportunities will you have to visit Thanksgiving’s birthplace during the season? It’s the kind of vacation you don’t want to miss!

As for what you could do when you’re in New England for your Thanksgiving weekend, there are a few popular destinations

Comparison Shop Like a Champ During the Holiday Season

The holiday season can be expensive. Sure, you might describe this time of year with less cynical words like “magical” or “warm,” but unfortunately, most stores don’t accept magic or warmth as legal tender. Whether it be for gifts or for holiday meals and treats, most people want to get the most for their money while saving their time and energy. That’s what makes comparison shopping in the age of technology so worthwhile. In case you didn’t already guess its meaning, “comparison shopping” is simply when you compare prices of the same or similar products at different stores or online retailers. You’ve probably done comparison shopping without knowing you were doing it. However, once you truly embrace the concept, you can increase your savings. Plus, by using the bevy of online price comparison tools, you can do so without scrambling around to every store in town.

should also take a look at the return fees, in case these could drive the price up significantly.

Look at the per unit price for food. If you’re buying groceries for Thanksgiving dinner, sometimes the item that’s more expensive at face value is actually cheaper per unit. That can mean you’ll save money overall by buying in bulk. Be wary of markups. Black Friday can leave you feeling frenzied, and that’s not always when stores have their best deals. In fact, many of them mark up their prices (sometimes “discounting” them back to their regular price) in preparation for that day. It’s a good rule of thumb to be wary of massive “sales” at big retail locations.

If you want to know where you can compare prices, take a look at any one of these apps: Google Shopping, PriceGrabber, Shopping.com, Idealo, Shopzilla, BuyVia, NowDiscount, ScanLife, or ShopSavvy.

If you want to comparison shop like a champ this holiday season, here are a few general tips.

The best deal isn’t always the lowest price. If you’re buying gifts online, be sure to take shipping costs into account. They might end up making the cheaper option more expensive in the end. You

2 | www.MayfieldHeightsCPA.com

Published by Newsletter Pro | www.NewsletterPro.com

Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator