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By Amanda Barroso, NerdWallet

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving — this year, Nov. 29 — and it has typically been the kickstart to the holiday shopping season. Hundreds of retailers launch special in-store and online sales that are meant to encourage shoppers to check items off their list.

Black Friday is a time when businesses are able to move from “the red” (operating at a loss) to “the black” (making a profit). While Black Friday has a rich history, this narrative began in the 1980s and has stuck with the holiday ever since.

Predicting Black Friday trends

You can count on Black Friday sales to deliver intense competition and widespread discounts that stand out from other times of the year. Here’s what else to expect this shopping season.

Record-high holiday spending

The National Retail Federation estimates that winter holiday spending during November and December could reach $989 billion, a record high and up from $955.6 billion in 2023.

Shoppers will spend an average of $902 on “core holiday spending,” with $641 going toward gifts and $261 for seasonal items, the federation said on an Oct. 30 media call. read more

More details and descriptions of upcoming Walt Disney World attractions were revealed at D23 Brazil this weekend.

No new rides or projects were announced during the fan club gathering, but Disney officials – including Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, and Michael Hundgen, a vice president with Walt Disney Imagineering – shared fresh observations, renderings and timelines on multiple fronts.

For the first time, Disney revealed the “Moana” float for the “Disney Starlight,” a nighttime parade at the Magic Kingdom theme park set to debut in the summer of 2025. The artist’s concept shows the title character on a boat riding a tall ocean wave enhanced by lighting effects. Also on board from the film are Pua the pig and Heihei the chicken.

Another image of the Magic Kingdom’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” themed lounge was shared. It shows families with beverages, a fireplace with ships in bottles and the East India Co. logo, many candles, a telescope and walls decorated with paintings (a mermaid, a ship overcome by a sea creature) and several swords. read more

By PAUL WISEMAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fed up with high prices and unimpressed with an economy that by just about any measure is a healthy one, Americans demanded change when they voted for president.

They could get it.

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to topple many of the Biden administration’s economic policies. Trump campaigned on promises to impose huge tariffs on foreign goods, slash taxes on individuals and businesses and deport millions of undocumented immigrants working in the United States.

With their votes, tens of millions of Americans expressed their confidence that Trump can restore the low prices and economic stability they recall from his first term — at least until the COVID-19 recession of 2020 paralyzed the economy and then a powerful recovery sent inflation soaring. Inflation has since plummeted and is nearly back to normal. Yet Americans are frustrated over still-high prices.

“His track record proved to be, on balance, positive, and people look back now and think: ‘Oh, OK. Let’s try that again,’ ” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former White House economic adviser, director of the Congressional Budget Office and now president of the conservative American Action Forum think tank. read more

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I made a reservation on Airbnb last year for a three-month trip to France this winter. My host canceled at the last minute, and Airbnb agreed to refund me $728.

I have not received the money yet. The reason: I closed the bank account to which my Airbnb account was attached. Airbnb won’t send the money to my new account.

I forwarded a letter from Chase Bank, showing that the old account had been closed months ago and, therefore, could not have a payment processed to it. I have called and emailed them several times, and I’ve even contacted the Better Business Bureau, to no avail.

Airbnb is sitting on my money and claiming that it is the responsibility of me or Chase to put it right, even though Chase cannot reactivate an account that has been closed for so many months. I want Airbnb to pay me the money however they can, either by check or by direct payment to my bank account. Can you help me get my $728 back?

— Bart Colen, Pingree Grove, Illinois

ANSWER: Airbnb should have refunded you a long time ago. Why didn’t it? read more