Many people may experience a spiked eggnog hangover during the holiday season, but do you also find yourself with a spending hangover? That nagging feeling that you may have spent too much on gifts for your loved ones but you aren’t really sure how much you should have spent?
According to a recent survey by T. Rowe Price, you are not alone. Of the participants surveyed, 64% “spent more over the holidays than [they] should have”. And women are not the only ones doing the holiday shopping. “Men are more likely than women to try to get everything on their kids’ lists (60% vs. 45%).” The holiday spending hangover is increasing as well. Of the participants surveyed, 69% spent the same amount, a little bit more, or a lot more than last year.
For many, Presidents Day is simply a three-day-weekend. For others it is another day at the office. Presidents Day was first known as “Washington’s Birthday” and was established in 1885 in recognition of George Washington’s birthday. After the 1971 Uniform Monday Holiday Act, the day became commonly known as Presidents day. (source)
Join us today in learning a few facts about some of our former presidents:
George Washington (1st President 1789-1797)
George Washington’s estate was worth about $780,000 when he died which was about 0.19% of the nation’s GDP at that time. In 2014, his estate would have been worth about $34 billion in today’s dollars. (source)
Reminder: SH&J is closed at 12:00 p.m. on December 31 and all day on January 1 to allow our team to celebrate the New Year.
It’s hard to believe the year is nearly over and 2016 is about to begin. We have been steadily blogging and thought it would be fun to end the year by sharing our most popular blog posts and series. Feel free to share your favorites as well as what you’d like to see on our blog in 2016 in the comments below.
As healthcare continues to change, having a partner to advocate for your care and the care of your loved ones is more important than ever. If you were unable to attend our event in the Spring, we highly recommend watching the video. Watch Now>
Although it was written around Valentine’s Day, the tips apply all year long. From saving to looking for tax free options, this post is well worth a second look. Read Now>
All of us at Sharkey, Howes and Javer wish you peace, joy and prosperity throughout the coming year. Thank you for your continued trust. We look forward to working with you in 2016 and the years to come.
Please note our holiday schedule:
Thursday, December 24: 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Friday, December 25: Closed Thursday, December 31: 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Friday, January 1: Closed
In observance of the Labor Day holiday, our offices will be closed on Monday, September 7th. We will reopen with regular business hours, 8:30am to 5pm Mon-Fri, on Tuesday, September 8th.
To most of us, Labor Day means the unofficial end of summer, but the history of the holiday has a deeper significance. Please join us in reading and sharing the following details about how Labor Day became the national holiday it is today.
Everyone at Sharkey, Howes and Javer would like to wish you and yours a happy Fourth of July. Please enjoy your barbecues, ball games and hot dogs safely, and take a moment to remember the service and sacrifice many have made to protect the freedoms we enjoy all through the year.
In observance of the holiday, our office will be closed on Friday, July 3rd. We will reopen for normal business hours on Monday, July 6th. Thank you, and have a terrific holiday.
To commemorate the day, please join us in reading some fun facts about the history of the Fourth of July:
Three presidents died, and one was born, on the Fourth of July. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of each other on July 4, 1826, and James Monroe died on July 4, 1831. Calvin Coolidge, our 30th president, was born on July 4, 1872. (source)
According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, about 14,000 firework displays take place annually to celebrate the Fourth of July (source)
At the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, approximately 2.5 million people lived in the U.S. (source)
John Adams predicted that Americans would celebrate the holiday on July 2. After Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on July 2, Adams famously wrote his wife that Americans would remember July 2 as the “great anniversary festival.”(source)
Americans consume an average of 155 million hot dogs on the Fourth of July each year. (source)
The actual date the colonies declared their independence was July 2, 1776, when Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. The document was signed by many delegates two days later. It was officially approved on August 2, 1776, when signing was completed. (source)
The colors of the American flag all have special attributes. Red signifies valor and endurance, white symbolizes purity and innocence and blue stands for vigilance and justice. (source)
The patriotic standard “Yankee Doodle Dandy” was originally sung by British troops to mock the American soldiers who fought alongside them in the French and Indian War. (source)
We hope you enjoyed these often-overlooked facts about our storied nation. Share your favorite Fourth of July trivia or a favorite story about the holiday in the comments below.
Wishing you and your family a safe and relaxing Fourth of July weekend!
