2019 Memorial Day Facts

3:10 AM

Posted by: John S Kiernan

Memorial Day is more than just a day off from work or school, an excellent occasion for a backyard barbeque or a chance to travel. Those things do speak to the holiday’s true spirit. But above all else, Memorial Day honors Americans who have died in service to their country. This holiday is not one for somber reflection, however.

We instead choose to celebrate Memorial Day by enjoying the many freedoms that American servicemen and women have perished protecting. They include fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, trial by jury, and protection against cruel and unusual punishment. But the list also covers relative trivialities such as the ability to save up to 80% with Memorial Day weekend sales or to ride roaring Harleys through the nation’s capital. And yes, 60% of us do indeed barbeque each Memorial Day weekend, while 17% take a trip. Memorial Day’s place on the calendar has made it the unofficial start of summer for many.

To help you get to know this popular holiday even better, we analyzed it from top to bottom in search of the most revealing Memorial Day facts and stats. You can check out our findings in the infographic below. We also hosted a Q&A with several travel-industry experts, who shared some great summer saving tips. Enjoy!

Embed on your website<a href="http://bit.ly/2r4mhjv"> <img src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/posts/62975/2019-memorial-day-by-the-numbers-v6.png" width="" height="" alt="" /> </a> <div style="width:px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="http://bit.ly/2JsdwM1>

5 Interesting Facts About Memorial Day:

96 – Number of members in the 116th Congress who have served in the U.S. military
25 – Number of American cities that have claimed to be the birthplace of Memorial Day
818 – Number of hot dogs consumed every second from Memorial Day to Labor Day (seven billion total)
20 to 80 Percent Off – Discounts shoppers can expect during Memorial Day weekend sales
$139+ Million – Estimated value of items that will be lost this Memorial Day weekend

Ask the Experts: Making the Most of Memorial Day

For advice on how to navigate Memorial Day weekend sales, we posed the following questions to a group of personal finance and retail experts. You can check out their bios and responses below.

What is the best way to honor the memory of our fallen countrymen this Memorial Day?
Do you believe Memorial Day has become too commercialized?
What types of bargains should shoppers be looking out for this Memorial Day?
What money saving tips do you have for people planning to travel on Memorial Day?

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