*

Thanksgiving meal costs drop, but overall hosting expenses

rise

19%

*

Record Thanksgiving travel expected, Uber ( UBER ) launches "XXL"

rides

*

Holiday-shopping growth slowest in six years, inflation

affects

spending

By Lauren Young

Nov 23 - This was originally published in the Reuters On

the Money newsletter, where we share U.S. personal-finance tips

and insights every other week. Sign up here to receive it for

free.

Inflation-weary Americans should see the cost of a classic

Thanksgiving dinner gobble less of their paychecks this year.

That is because we are buying less of the meal's centerpiece

dish, turkey.

The price tag of the traditional holiday meal, which also

includes cranberries, sweet potatoes and stuffing, dropped for a

second consecutive year, according to the American Farm Bureau

Federation's annual survey released on Wednesday.

The average cost for a 10-person meal came to $58.08, down from

$61.17 last year and a record $64.05 in 2022, Farm Bureau data

shows.

That's the good news. The bad news is the overall cost of

hosting Thanksgiving is up, thanks to inflation. The typical

host will shell out $431 on food, drinks and decor, a 19%

increase from last year, according to a survey from Lending

Tree.

What is on your Thanksgiving menu? Where are you seeing the

biggest changes in food, drink and decor prices? Write to me at

.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

All three of our kids are coming home to New York for

Thanksgiving this year - and they are traveling by train as well

as by plane.

They will be in good company: About 1.7 million more people will

travel this year from Tuesday, Nov. 26 to Monday, Dec. 2,

compared to a similar period in 2023, travel group AAA says.

Americans are expected to set a new record for Thanksgiving

travel, with nearly 80 million expected to hit the roads, catch

flights and board cruises over the holiday period.

Betting on increased demand from Thanksgiving travelers, Uber ( UBER )

launched "XXL" rides with extra trunk space this week. The

ride-hailing company is trying to overcome a slowdown in its

mainstay app-based taxi business.

WHAT I'M READING AND WATCHING

Bitcoin marches towards $100,000 on optimism over Trump

crypto plans

How to stop a late-in-life divorce from ruining your

retirement (NYT)

Why it's so hard to find a safe-deposit box (WSJ)

Fed to lower rates in Dec but slow pace in 2025 on inflation

risks: poll

PIMCO bullish on stocks on US soft-landing hopes, cautious

on inflation

How to become a digital nomad (Washington Post)

Weight-loss drug coverage rises among largest US employers,

Mercer survey finds

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to On the Money here.

SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP?

My inbox is bursting with holiday shopping deals. But it looks

like it is going to take more than a few emails and app alerts

to nudge shoppers like me to open our wallets.

Overall holiday shopping is expected to grow at the slowest pace

in six years, with mobile spending accounting for 53% of online

holiday sales.

To lure consumers, companies such as Target are cutting prices

on thousands of essential and gift items ahead of the holiday

season.

But inflation is still a big hurdle. (Do you see a theme to this

week's newsletter?!?) Deloitte's 2024 holiday retail survey

found 70% of consumers expect to face higher prices this year,

so they're being especially frugal.

I've been eyeing some holiday items, but I'm also parking them

in my online shopping cart, just in case better deals emerge.

Do you have any tricks to share on ways to save? And, out of

curiosity, how much do you plan to spend on holiday gifts? Write

to me at .

READ THIS BEFORE YOU PICK YOUR MEDICARE PLAN

The ins and outs of Medicare are always tricky.

Medicare Advantage plan marketers are trying to capitalize on

changes that take effect next year in Medicare's Part D

prescription-drug coverage.

If signed up for traditional Medicare with a standalone Part D

plan, you may find your premium jumping or see changes in

deductibles or cost-sharing arrangements. That means it is

important to re-check your coverage this autumn if you are in a

standalone plan.

The same is true if you have a Medicare Advantage plan with drug

coverage wrapped in with no extra premium - the terms of that

drug coverage may be changing, too.

Here is what you need to know now.

A$K LAUREN

Are you wondering if you should lease or buy a new car? Are you

wondering how to save for college? Send your money questions to

and I'll tap my extensive source network and braintrust for

expert advice.

Don't forget to subscribe to this newsletter! Even better, share

it with a friend!