Cash-strapped Americans are calling for the introduction of a $2,000 stimulus check for Thanksgiving, as inflation has dramatically increased the cost of a holiday meal.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, families seem ready to feel the pinch, as the price of a frozen turkey has risen 20% from a year ago.
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Experts at American Federation of Agricultural Bureaus say a feast for 10 people with turkey and all the trimmings will cost $53.31, compared to $46.90 last November.
Twitter users are urging Joe Biden to introduce another round of stimulus funds as inflation fears rise.
One person said, “Thanksgiving will cost $6 more, but you got $2,000 more in stimulus checks since last November, plus $400 per child in *additional* CTC on top of what was already in place .
Another joked, “By the looks of inflation, Americans are going to need a stimulus check to buy a Thanksgiving turkey.”
A third Twitter user commented: “POTUS give Americans something to be thankful for Thanksgiving 4e stimulus check (sic)?
Republicans have accused Democrats of failing to work on a bipartisan basis to resolve the supply chain crisis that has crippled the nation.
A GOP aide said FoxNews Wednesday: “There’s no turkey on the table, no heat in the oven, and people can’t afford gas to visit their families.
“With massive inflation and a supply chain crisis that won’t stop, Joe Biden won’t get any Thanksgiving thanks from American families.”
GOP aides fear Americans will feel the pinch when they come to buy their favorite Thanksgiving foods this year.
Read our stimulus check live blog for the latest updates on Covid-19 relief…
According to a KPMG survey, about three out of four shoppers are expected to change their buying behavior due to rising prices.
More than three in 10 say they plan to buy products before the holiday season, and 28% admit they’ll likely spend more time looking for bargains, according to the study cited by Quartz.
Prices in October rose at their fastest pace since 1990 – up 6.2% from a year ago.
And, real average weekly earnings have fallen 1.4% over the past 12 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Curt Covington of AgAmerica Lending said Bloomberg that the cost of an average meal could be up to 15% higher than last year.
Calls for extra cash come just days after the fifth installment of the advance child tax credit payments were sent to families.
“Stimulus checks” worth up to $300 per child were sent to parents on Nov. 15, with payments expected to arrive within days if they haven’t arrived already.
The first advance payment of the tax credit was sent in July and there are six checks in total.
Families will receive up to $1,800 per child before the end of the year before the remaining amount is claimed when filing tax returns next April.
CASH INCREASE
For children ages 6 to 17, $1,500 will be distributed in six monthly installments of $250.
Your child’s eligibility depends on their age on December 31, 2021, so a 5-year-old child who turns 6 in 2021 will be eligible for a maximum of $250 per month.
Dependents aged 18 can qualify for $500 each and dependents aged 19 to 24 can qualify if they are in college full-time.
Families can either use GetCTC.org Where the IRS website register if they have not yet received tax credit payments.
And, half a million Maine residents will receive a stimulus check worth $285 in the coming weeks after a bipartisan bill passes.
Governor Janet Mills hopes the payment will “help families in Maine, in some way, during the holiday season as we work to fully recover our economy.”
It depends on a person’s income and work history whether they qualify for the check.
To receive the money, a person worked hard until 2020 and submitted a tax return.
Mills described the payment as a “hazard pay” to help those who have worked throughout the Covid pandemic.
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