🦃Turkey trade-off

This Thanksgiving, the tables may be turning, especially when it comes to what’s on the menu.

Nearly half of households (47%) are considering a turkey trade-off, as a premium 16-pound bird comes in at $31.68. Swaps range from roasted chicken (38%) to pizza, burgers, or even fast food (30%) — a shift led by younger generations, according to Empower research. Still, the holiday stays special: People plan to spend about $137 on food, and 70% say Thanksgiving is a time when they don’t mind paying a little extra. 

What's off the table? People say conversations about money should be off-limits.

— The Editors 

🍎 Apple pie premium: The Honeycrisp may be the apple of America’s eye, but farmers call it high maintenance and costly to grow. At about $2.16 a pound, it’s pricier than everyday varieties, though bakers still swear by pairing Honeycrisp with cheaper Granny Smiths for the perfect pie.

🏠 Ready for guests: New 10–25% tariffs on wood and home goods — from furniture to vanities — could drive up project costs. Meanwhile, 39% of Americans are cutting back on home repairs, and even DIYers will feel it — tools and supplies are up 6.2% year-over-year, per the Consumer Price Index.

💳 Slice of relief: Credit card debt dropped 5.5%* between July and August — a welcome cut before holiday spending season. Try these strategies to pay down debt — and then keep the topic off the plate this Thanksgiving.

🍗Carving up shares: Netflix announced a 10-for-1* stock split, slicing its shares into smaller pieces for investors on November 10. The shares closed at $1,089 on October 30 and are up 22% this year. The move doesn’t change Netflix’s value — it just lowers the price per share for investors.

Stuffing the cart

As soon as Thanksgiving dinner ends, 39% of Americans start shopping for their holiday gifts, Empower research shows.

Online shopping is the preference for 65% and this holiday season chatbots could boost online traffic by 520%, as OpenAI’s new retail partnerships with Walmart, Etsy, and Shopify let shoppers browse, compare, and even check out right in the chat.

U.S. shoppers are expected to spend more than $253 billion online between November  1 and December 31 — with 43% planning their holiday budget around Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals.

‘Tis the season?

Searches for seasonal work are already up 27%* year-over-year as of the end of September and 50% above 2023, yet job postings have risen only 2.7%, pointing to fierce competition and fewer openings for holiday hires.

Retailers looking to hire* seasonal staff include Bath & Body Works with plans to add 32,000 people, Dick's Sporting Goods with 14,000 jobs, and Kohl’s with several thousand openings.

Pass the remote

The first NFL game of the day kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on Thanksgiving, and it will stream free* with Fox Sports featuring the Detroit Lions-Green Bay Packers matchup live on Tubi.

Some football fans might prefer the stadium to the couch, but it’ll cost them: The least expensive tickets are standing room only at over $366,* as of November 3. Nearly three in five Americans (59%) think being able to spend on things and experiences that bring joy is the best measure of financial success, according to Empower research.

ICYMI — read on:

• Harvesting wealth: How U.S. households added $7 trillion in net worth last quarter

• Giving while living: Tax-savvy reasons to pass on wealth sooner

• Pumpkin spice surprise: Which generation spends the most on pumpkin spice flavored items?