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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America’s children have enormous spending power. Most have cash or access to their parents’ credit cards—and plenty of influence over what the family buys through their “pester power.” Marketers know this, which is why they spend billions of dollars a year targeting minors.
Advertising can easily exploit a child’s limited ability to distinguish between entertainment and selling. AI and digital animation make it easier than ever for advertisers to cross the line. The growth of online marketing to children raises serious concerns about privacy and data collection.
In this episode, what’s being done to protect our children from the pervasive and persuasive marketing? What are the rules regarding marketing to minors, and is anyone enforcing them? And most importantly, how parents can talk to their kids about advertising.
Additional Resources:
Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU)
BBB National Programs – Children’s Initiatives
More from Checkbook:
Unsafe Toys: How to Spot the Hidden Risks That Could Harm Your Child
Are Your Kids’ Smart Toys Spying on Them?
Buying Toys on Overseas Websites Can Be Risky
Related Consumerpedia Episode: 20 – Whatever Happened to Truth in Advertising?
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The “Shop Local” movement encourages consumers to buy goods and services from independent, locally owned businesses rather than national chains or online giants. It’s both an economic strategy and a social campaign aimed at strengthening your own community’s businesses, fostering regional identity, and promoting sustainability.
In this episode: The challenge of shopping locally, ways to spend more in your community, and whether it costs more to avoid the big chain stores.
Find out more about Stacey Price at Shop Made in DC.
Related Consumerpedia episodes:
#96: Checkbook’s Holiday Shopping Tips 2025
Researchers at Consumers’ Checkbook tracked prices at 25 major retailers for six months and found that most of the advertised markdowns were bogus.
It’s now common practice for retailers to deceive their customers by displaying crossed-out “regular” or “list” prices, with lower sale prices featured nearby. But the higher “regular” prices are rarely, if ever, what customers pay. Our study found that at most of the stores we surveyed, the products tracked were offered at questionable discounts more than half of the time. And, at many retailers, the fake sales never end.
In this episode, we’ll tell you which retailers were the worst offenders, as well as the few that seem to offer legitimate discounts.
Read Checkbook’s full analysis.
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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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