FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – With consumers having spent around $300 per person in the period between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday last year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its 2022’s Best Places to Go for Thanksgiving report.
To help Americans decide where to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast without breaking the bank, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 20 key metrics.
They range from the cost of Thanksgiving dinner and share of delayed flights to volunteer opportunities per capita and forecasted precipitation. Thanksgiving in Fort Wayne (1=Best; 50=Avg.):
- 2nd – Cost of Thanksgiving Dinner
- 26th – Thanksgiving Events per Capita
- 2nd – Traffic Congestion
- 6th – Lowest Price for Three-Star Hotel Room for a Thanksgiving Holiday
For the full report, please visit:https://wallethub.com/edu/best-places-to-go-for-thanksgiving/67603
WalletHub also released fun and interesting stats about the holiday in its Thanksgiving Fun Facts.Thanksgiving Facts:
- $301 – Average person’s spending over the five-day Thanksgiving period.
- 9 Hrs. 27 Mins. – Length of time the average American male would need to spend on the treadmill to burn the 4,500 calories consumed at the average Thanksgiving meal.
- $835 Million – Estimated amount Americans spend on Thanksgiving turkeys each year, with 46 million turkeys killed for the holiday.
- $26 Million – Amount of property loss caused by residential building fires each Thanksgiving.
- 66% – Share of people celebrating Thanksgiving who try to avoid having to talk politics at the dinner table.
WalletHub also released the following:
Expert Commentary What money-saving tips do you have for people planning to travel for the Thanksgiving Holiday? “I recommend trying to steer clear of the small charges that can add up a lot in the end. For instance, you could take an empty water bottle to the airport and fill it at a free water station as opposed to buying expensive water bottles to and from your destination. If you are driving, bring a cooler with food and drinks so you can avoid having to eat out.”Kathleen D Vohs – Distinguished Professor and Chair in Marketing, University of Minnesota Twin Cities “This of course is dependent on the mode of travel being used…For those that are traveling by automobile…My only recommendation would be to do some research on which local gas stations offer the lowest gas prices, etc. Prices will most likely be higher in locations that are directly off interstate highways. Probably a good idea to fuel up before leaving home. As far as air travel, the keyword would be flexibility. Being able to leave a day or two before the big rush may mean saving some money as far as fares are concerned. My suggestion is to plan early and try to be flexible as far as your travel plans are concerned.”Fred Hurvitz – Professor, Pennsylvania State University How have consumer spending habits changed during this last year? “High gas prices and increasing inflation have caused many consumers to adjust their spending habits to focus on essentials. The high cost of food and fuel has limited spending on non-essentials such as dining out and travel as more money is needed to cover life’s basics. Many families have looked for other ways to save, such as shopping at a discount or resale stores. The rising cost of essentials has cut into many families’ disposable income and savings.”Emily Goenner – Assistant Professor, St. Cloud State University What tips do you have for celebrating Thanksgiving on a budget? “For the holiday itself, do not be afraid to ask your guests to bring a side dish, dessert, or wine to help defray costs. And if you are serving wine, keep in mind that the first bottle is the one that people will taste the most so you can probably serve cheaper wines.”Kathleen D Vohs – Distinguished Professor and Chair in Marketing, University of Minnesota Twin Cities What are the most cost-effective ways to put on a feast for friends and family without breaking the bank? “Putting up a thanksgiving feast is expensive, and research shows that more than 50% of hosts do not have a firm budget and that is a problem. This leads to holiday loans, credit card debts, and lingering financial and emotional strain. So, one has to look for cost-effective ways to celebrate thanksgiving. Some ways are to pool resources (like a potluck) as everyone offers to bring something and you need not take all the stress. The second is to budget, plan the menu, and look for deals. The third and most important is to put focus on making memories by spending quality time with family and friends rather than embellishments.”Andrew Burnstine, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Lynn University “To have a deliciously delightful feast for your family and friends this Thanksgiving, plan a potluck. When everyone shares the load of making a dish to contribute, it spreads the cost and workload around, and you can end up with a really diverse meal. As the host, you might offer to provide the main dish – a turkey or ham – and then ask guests to provide a category of side dish, say the sweet potatoes in whatever format they select. This is a way to explore other dishes and perhaps other cultures too. Your guests might even appreciate being able to share some of their holiday traditions with you. One other tip for keeping costs under control this holiday season is to take inventory before shopping for your supplies. It has been a year and a lot has happened so you may not remember until you look, that you already have a jar of that spice you need for that recipe.”Carol Roberts – Community Resource Development Agent, University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension St. Lucie
