Straight Up Memorial Day
May 23, 2009 by Lela Davidson
Filed under Finance
Are you ready for the summer? Are you ready for the good times? Memorial Day considered by many to be the official start of summer. Let’s hope it’s a turning point in our economic confidence. Here’s a sampling of Memorial Day news from this week.
The Biz of Baseball reports on major league baseball’s honoring of veteren’s at all games this Memorial day, as well as on the Fourth of July and September 11th. In addition they’ll work to raise money and awareness for Welcome Back Veterans, a program which addresses the mental health and job needs of returning American Veterans.
For games on Memorial Day, all Major League Baseball Clubs will wear special “Stars & Stripes” caps. The caps will have the American flag etched into the team’s logo and for the first time, will be red in color (the Toronto Blue Jays hat will incorporate a Maple Leaf design instead of the “Stars & Stripes”). These MLB Authentic Collection caps, produced by New Era, are available for sale to the public at www.mlb.com. Major League Baseball Properties, Inc will donate all of the proceeds it receives from the sale of the caps to Welcome Back Veterans. In addition, MLB.com will donate an additional $1 to Welcome Back Veterans for each cap purchased through www.mlb.com.
SC Johnson provided some tips for affordably entertaining friends and family this weekend. News flash: potluck is back!
“This year, consumers will be spending more time at home entertaining family and friends in their backyards,” says Kelly Semrau, Vice President of Global Public Affairs and Communication for SC Johnson. “As a family company, it’s important to provide products that make outdoor gathering affordable and comfortable so families and friends can enjoy the warm weather and their time together.”
That was the good news. Here’s the bad: FOX Business reported on the rising cost of grilling out this holiday.
The cost of the simple stay-at-home barbecue reflects the arithmetic based on prices tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The price bump is slightly less than the increase from 2007 to 2008, when the cost of the barbecue’s fixings rose more than 7%. The cost of the FOX Business Barbecue rose faster than food inflation in the last year. The cost of food overall is up about 3.3% from April 2008 to April 2009, according to the BLS data.
At least there are deals to be had in certain states. Don’t Mess With Taxes tipped us off to states with tax-free holidays this weekend.
For the last several years, around a dozen or more states have tried to entice consumers by offering the chance to buy certain products without paying the usual state and, in most cases, local sales taxes. These things have become so common, I half expect to see them start showing up on mass-market datebooks.
This last one should come as no surprise. Gas prices are up, but that won’t stop us from hitting the highways, MSNBC reports.
Despite record fuel prices above $3 per gallon, more Americans will travel by car over the Memorial Day holiday weekend than a year ago, according to a survey by travel agency AAA. In a sign that energy costs will affect behavior, however, AAA said travelers are planning to stay closer to home and take shorter trips. Travel-related expenses for U.S. households are expected average nearly $600.
