Whether you enjoy shopping or just grin and bear it, there are things you can do to score the best prices and make the process easier.
In this episode, we explain how to ignore the flood of marketing hype and avoid the fake sales designed to mislead you. Also, where to find hidden discounts and cash-back offers, and the potential downsides of using buy now, pay later.
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Shopping at thrift stores can save you money and keep used stuff out of landfills. It’s also fun, since you never know what you’ll find. Plus, many thrift stores support local charities, meaning you’re helping others while picking up a vintage dress or a like-new dresser.
In this episode, you’ll find tips on buying pre-owned furniture, clothing, and antiques, plus the scoop on where to find great deals and hidden treasures. All this, plus some wonderful stories from these veteran thrift-store shoppers.
Virginia Chamleehas spent more than a decade collecting and selling vintage wares. She’s the author of the best-selling book Big Thrift Energy and the popular newsletter What’s Left.
More from Checkbook: Thrift Store Advice
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Saving you time. Saving you money. Helping you score great deals—and steer clear of rip-offs and scams. That’s what we’re all about at the Consumerpedia podcast.
In this episode, Checkbook staffers share their favorite life hacks—simple tricks and workarounds they’ve used and swear by—that will help you shop smarter, spend wiser, and stay one step ahead.
Related Consumerpedia Episodes:
#84: Free Perks You Didn’t Know You Had
#49: Shop Like a Pro: Checkbook’s Top Shopping Tips
#26: Sale Prices Are Rarely Real Deals
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Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) financing continues to grow in popularity. These short-term loans, which are typically 6 weeks and usually interest-free, appeal to consumers who want flexible payments and no credit card debt.
Consumer advocates warn that BNPL services make it too easy for people to purchase items they can’t afford, which can result in late fees and costly bank charges. Personal finance experts worry about the growing number of people who use BNPL to buy everyday items, such as groceries, gasoline, and food delivery services.
In this episode, we discuss how BNPL works, the possible pitfalls, and the smart way to use these short-term loans.
Related Consumerpedia Episodes:
Episode 80: Debt Busters: Real-Life Success Stories
Episode 50: Finding a Credit Card That’s Right for You
Additional Resources:
Consumers’ Checkbook: The Hidden Costs of Buy Now, Pay Later
Bankrate: About half of buy now, pay later users have experienced issues like overspending and missing payments
National Consumer Law Center: Risks and Advice for Buy Now, Pay Later Borrowers
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: CFPB Research Reveals Heavy Buy Now, Pay Later Use Among Borrowers with High Credit Balances and Multiple Pay-in-Four Loans
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A bad hotel room can ruin your vacation or business trip, so you need to be careful when making your reservations. Hotel websites and online booking sites have great photos and glowing descriptions, but what you see isn’t always what you get.
In this episode, tips for booking a room so you don’t end up having a nightmarish experience. Plus, what to do if you wind up staying at the Bates Motel.
More from Checkbook:
Hotels: Tips for Finding a Sweeter Stay
Related Consumerpedia Episodes:
#41: Hotel Intel: Finding the Best Rates
#86: Travel Tips from a Travel Expert
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Travel is always a hassle, but this year, it comes with some added twists. There’s growing uncertainty about the economy, and concerns about being an American tourist in a foreign country. Will you be welcome?
In this episode: What to expect when booking flights, hotel rooms, or vacation rentals; how to spot travel scams that can ruin your vacation and cost you a bundle; and tips on how to be a respectful and responsible tourist when visiting other countries.
Other Consumerpedia travel episodes:
#60: Avoid a Big Cell Phone Bill When Traveling Abroad
#41: Hotel Intel: Finding the Best Rates
#17: How to Find the Best Deals on Airfare
Additional Resources:
Visit The Elliott Report to read Christopher Elliott’s travel reports and advice. His nonprofit Elliott Advocacy empowers consumers to solve their own problems and helps those who can’t.
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Americans are drowning in stuff: clothing, electronics, toys and games, collectibles, and appliances.
Some of us have so much that they need to rent storage units to hold it. Why do so many have the need to buy, buy, buy?
In this episode, author Emily Mester shares personal stories from her new book American Bulk: Essays on Excess about her father’s obsession with shopping and her own tendency to overbuy. Plus, she reveals the tricks she used as a salesperson to encourage customers to make purchases.
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