38 - Travel Tips from a Travel Expert

May 4, 2023

38 – Travel Tips from a Travel Expert

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Christopher Elliott - Syndicated Travel Columnist

Demand for plane tickets, hotel rooms, vacation rentals, and other travel services is up—way up. If your summer getaway involves flights, brace yourself for problems; like last year, planes will be packed, and the system will be stretched to its limits.

In this episode, advice from someone who loves to travel—and makes his living doing it. Christopher Elliott writes the syndicated “On Travel” and “The Travel Troubleshooter” columns. We caught up with him in New Zealand.

Additional Resources:

60 Strategies for Finding the Best Travel Deals and Avoiding Trouble

Do You Need Travel Insurance? (Spoiler: For Most Trips, Probably Not)

Why Use a Travel Agent?

leisure, travel

Related Episodes

February 6, 2025

79 – Tips for Buying & Sending Flowers

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Kevin Brasler - Checkbook's Executive Editor; Chris Drummond - past president, the Society of American Florists

Whether it’s a few long-stem roses or a beautiful bouquet, it’s hard to go wrong with flowers. Sometimes you can find what you want at the supermarket. For special occasions, you might want to visit a florist.

In this episode: Where to find the lowest prices on flowers, how to choose a good florist, and the best way to send flowers out of town. Plus, tips on how to keep those flowers looking fresher for longer.

Read Checkbook’s full report on how to find a florist.

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

leisure, shopping, stores

January 23, 2025

78 – Clothing Rental: Keep Your Wardrobe Fresh for Less

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Jenn Barger - Checkbook's Content Editor; Sandra Hansmann - uses clothing rental sites; Alden Wicker - sustainable fashion expert

Clothing rental has always been a way to dress for less when attending weddings, proms, or other formal events. But the rental market has zoomed beyond tuxes and gowns and turned into an easy way to keep your wardrobe fresh without spending much money.

In this episode, we’ll share tips on navigating the clothing rental world, including when and how to use fashion-for-hire sites. Plus, what’s the environmental impact of renting rather than buying?

⁠Read Checkbook’s full report on how to take advantage of clothing rental sites⁠.

Additional Consumerpedia Episodes:

#3: ⁠Tricks Sellers Use to Make You Buy Now and Pay Too Much⁠

#7: ⁠65 Things You (Probably) Shouldn’t Pay For⁠

#26: ⁠Sale Prices Are Rarely Real Deals⁠

#49: ⁠Shop Like a Pro: Checkbook’s Top Shopping Tips⁠

#57: ⁠What Ever Happened to Customer Service?⁠

Additional Resources:

Alden Wicker’s ⁠website⁠ and her book: ⁠To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick—and How We Fight Back⁠.

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

leisure, money, shopping, stores

October 31, 2024

73 – Checkbook’s Holiday Shopping Tips 2024

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Jamie Lettis - Checkbook's Associate Editor; Edgar Dworsky - Publisher, Consumerworld.org; Amy Nofziger - AARP Fraud Watch Network, Bruce McClary - National Foundation for Credit Counseling

The hectic holiday shopping season is underway, and for many, that will put a strain on the family budget. Checkbook wants to make this stressful time a little easier.

Our annual holiday helper is packed with timely advice: Super shoppers share tips about how they find the best prices and avoid fake sales. Plus, how to avoid gift card scams, stop porch pirates, and spot bogus online shipping notices. Also, the pros and cons of buy now, pay later loans.

Additional Consumerpedia Episodes & Resources:

Checkbook’s Top Holiday Shopping Tips

Don’t Overspend This Holiday Shopping Season

#59: Saving Money at the Supermarket

#58: Misleading Marketing Gets You to Buy Now and Pay More

#57: Whatever Happened to Customer Service?

#52: Shop Safely Online This Holiday Season

#26: Sale Prices Are Rarely Real Deals

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

finance, leisure, money, shopping, stores

September 5, 2024

69 – Free Airline Stopovers

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Kevin Brasler - Checkbook's Executive Editor

Want to spend a few days in Dublin before going to Munich? Sightsee in Madrid or Lisbon on the way home from Paris or Rome? Maybe break up that long-haul flight to Australia or New Zealand with a few nights in Tokyo or Honolulu?

Dozens of airlines (mostly foreign carriers) let you visit two places for the price of one by allowing free stopovers. Book these tickets and you can stay in the hub city for a few days or weeks, and then continue onward to your final destination.

In this episode: A look at some of the stopover programs available and how to find them. Plus, tips for anyone planning to buy a plane ticket.

Additional Resources:

These 26 Airlines Let Flyers Stop Over in Their Hubs for Free

Consumerpedia Episode 62: The Travel Show 2024

New Rule Will Soon Require Airlines to Provide Automatic Refunds When Flights Are Canceled or Significantly Delayed

Don’t Get Left Behind When Your Airline Travel Credits Expire

Credit Card Reward Programs Under Scrutiny by Federal Regulators

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

leisure, travel

May 2, 2024

62 – The Travel Show 2024

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Haley Berg - Lead Economist at Hopper.com; Christopher Elliott - Travel Expert, author of the “On Travel” column

It’s going to be a busy summer for travel, especially for those headed abroad. It’s late in the booking season, but some deals may still be available.

In this episode, we’ll look at what you can expect to pay for airfare, hotel rooms, and rental cars. Plus, tips from travel experts Haley Berg of Hopper.com and Christopher Elliott of the “On Travel” column on how to deal with crowds and other peak-season hassles.

Other Consumerpedia travel episodes:

⁠17 – Travel Tips: How to Find the Best Deals on Airfare⁠

⁠41 – Hotel Intel: Finding the Best Rates⁠

⁠60 – How to Avoid a Big Cell Phone Bill When Traveling Abroad⁠

Additional Resource:

⁠Elliott Advocacy⁠ is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can’t.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

leisure, travel

April 4, 2024

60 – Avoid a Big Cell Phone Bill When Traveling Abroad

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Kevin Brasler - Checkbook's Executive Editor; Dani Dredger - Checkbook Senior Manager of Digital Marketing

Travel outside the U.S. and you’ll need to make sure your cell phone works wherever you’re headed. With a little advance planning, you can also lower the cost of using your phone on that trip—in some cases, by $100 a line a week or more.

In this episode, what the major phone companies charge to use their roaming services when you’re in a foreign country, and how to pay less by switching to a local wireless carrier at your destination. Plus, the pros and cons of turning off your cell service and relying on Wi-Fi.

Read Checkbook’s full report on how to save money while using a phone internationally.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

leisure, technology, travel