Life moves quickly. It’s easy to get distracted. But that can be costly.
Miss an important financial date or deadline, and you could be on the hook for a penalty or lose out on a limited-time opportunity to save money.
Enter our “Money Calendar” series.
In this edition, we’ve rounded up the noteworthy money dates in November 2023. Take a look and mark your calendar with any dates that apply to you. And if you enjoy this series, sign up for the Money Talks Newsletter so you don’t miss the next edition. Look for it on the last weekday of the month.
Oct. 31-Nov. 1 — FOMC meeting
The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) generally meets eight times a year. On the second day of these two-day meetings, the committee votes on whether to change its target range for the federal funds rate. So Nov. 1 is the next time that they might change it.
If the committee votes on Nov. 1 to increase the rate, it will be the fifth hike so far this year.
Any change to the federal funds rate can affect everything from your savings account yield to your credit card interest. To learn more about what this means for you, check out “What Is ‘the Fed’ — and Why Should You Care?”
Nov. 1 — New Series I savings bond rates announced
The U.S. Department of the Treasury will announce new interest rates on Series I savings bonds, which are tied in part to inflation, on the first business day in November (as happens every May and November). So look for these new rates on the Treasury’s news page sometime on the morning of Nov. 1.
To learn more about I bonds, check out “7 Things You Should Know Before Investing in I Bonds.”
Nov. 1 — Open enrollment starts for ACA insurance
The annual open enrollment period for Affordable Care Act health insurance policies starts Nov. 1. If you buy coverage through one of the health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, this period is your opportunity to enroll or re-enroll in a plan for 2024.
The period runs until Jan. 15, although you must enroll in a plan by Dec. 15 if you want the coverage to start on Jan. 1. If you enroll in a plan between Dec. 16 and Jan. 15, your coverage will start Feb. 1 instead.
For more information, or to apply for coverage or view plans, visit the federal government’s HealthCare.gov website.
Nov. 5 — Daylight Saving Time ends
The end of Daylight Saving Time isn’t exactly a financial date, but there are few better ways to spend the “extra” hour it creates than investing the time in your financial well-being.
Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson proposes a plan to get the most peace of mind and bang for your buck out of the time gained when you “fall back” one hour in “5 Smart Ways to Spend Your ‘Free’ Hour on Sunday.”
Nov. 6 — First holiday mailing deadline
If you plan to send a holiday package vis USPS Ground Advantage to someone at an overseas military or diplomatic address, and you want it to arrive by Dec. 25, take note of the U.S. Postal Service’s 2023 holiday mailing deadlines for these destinations.
The first such deadline is Nov. 6, while the others are in December.
Nov. 24 — Black Friday
The day after Thanksgiving is one of the biggest retail holidays of the year. So, get ready for the bombardment of sales — if you aren’t tired of it already, that is. Some retailers have already started their early Black Friday sales. For example, Target kicked off four weeks of early Black Friday deals on Oct. 29.
In the meantime, check out our story about the best and worst things to buy in early November.
Nov. 25 — Small Business Saturday
Don’t forget about Small Business Saturday amid the Black Friday frenzy. This one, started by American Express, is an opportunity to support your local economy and find unique gifts, among other benefits we detail in “6 Reasons to Shop on Small Business Saturday.”
Nov. 27 — Cyber Monday
This year, November brings not one, not two, but three retail holidays. So, be ready for Black Friday-type sales to continue through at least Nov. 27, at which point online retailers will start calling them “Cyber Monday” sales if not “Cyber Week” sales.
All month — Open enrollment continues for Medicare
The fall open enrollment period for Medicare — the federal health insurance program for seniors and people with certain conditions or disabilities — started Oct. 15 and ends Dec. 7. If you’re on Medicare, this period is your opportunity to make changes to your health care plan and drug plan for next year.
If you haven’t already done your open enrollment homework, start by rounding up the following resources:
- Medicare.gov, the federal government’s official Medicare website
- “Medicare & You” handbook
- Evidence of Coverage document
- Plan Annual Notice of Change document
You should have received both of these documents from your current plan in September. If you haven’t received them, Medicare.gov advises that you contact your plan.
Dates vary — Open enrollment starts or continues for many employer insurance plans
If you have health insurance through your employer, the chances are good that open enrollment for plans is underway or will start any day now. If you’re unsure of exactly when it starts, check with your employer so you aren’t caught off guard.
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