Holiday Miracle? Some in Louisiana to Get 3 Paychecks in November

Since the middle of July stores around Louisiana in places like Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Shreveport have been reminding Louisiana shoppers that Christmas is coming.

We all know that Christmas is coming but retailers like to remind us because we tend to allow the holiday to sneak up on us. That's why a good number of you are going to be surprised to hear that you have not quite 60 days to successfully "pull off" Christmas for your family and friends.

When it comes to Christmas most of us have a similar gripe. We can't afford it. The extra pressure of holiday spending can put a strain on any working family's budget. That's where a little extra money can come in handy. For example, we have a $500 Target Shopping card we're giving away. You can enter that contest right here.

Or, you could be one of the fortunate folks who will get an "extra" paycheck this month, just in time for the expenditures of Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's actually not an "extra" check in the truest sense of the word. But the way our pay periods line up with our calendars November could be one of those months where you get three paychecks instead of the usual two.

How Will I Know If I Get Three Paychecks This Month?

Here's how the math works out for persons who are paid every two weeks. If you were paid on January 5th of this year then your three paycheck months would have been March and August. If your first paycheck of 2024 arrived in your account on January 12th then you had a three-paycheck month in May and your next three-paycheck month will be November.

Financial planners are quick to emphasize that this is "not extra money". So, don't think of it as a windfall. Instead, use it to pay down debt or level up other obligations. Or, you could be like most of us and use it for Thanksgiving Dinner or Christmas presents.

And if you get paid on the 1st and 15th of each month let me be first to remind you that you only have three more paychecks before Christmas. Of course, there is always your Christmas bonus. I know, I can hear you laughing.