Hold on to your holiday hats because Americans are gearing up to break the spending records this holiday season! Deloitte reports an expected 14% increase in spending compared to last year, with the average consumer spending just over $1,600 on gifts and goodies. We’re entering peak shopping season and who doesn’t want to make sure they’re getting the absolute best deal possible?! That’s why we’re excited to be speaking with Julie Ramhold who is a consumer and senior staff writer for DealNews. With nearly a decade of deal-hunting expertise, Julie ensures we all part with as little cash as possible while still getting the stuff we want. Listen as we discuss the secrets of price matching, unveil the items to steer clear of, explore the world of refurbished products, dive into Julie’s gift card wisdom, and much more in today’s episode!

Additional links:

• DealNews – Some of the best online deals to be had as well as a retailer roundup with their Black Friday ads and when they drop.

• Cell Phones – Should you buy a refurbished phone? Read our article and make sure you weigh all the pros against the potential cons.

• Credit Card Tool – Looking for the right credit card for you? Then check out our new credit card tool that’ll help you to easily filter through all the cards based on your preferred airline, whether or not they have an annual fee, or simply by the cashback offer! Just toggle the sliders and you’ll know which card to consider.

• Newsletter – Don’t forget to sign up for the best personal finance newsletter in all the land! It’s completely free and something we create to help you along your journey to financial freedom. It drops every Tuesday morning and you can always unsubscribe if you don’t dig it!

During this episode we enjoyed a Hazy Dry Hopped Sunset With Yuzu Fruit by Tumbleroot Brewery- a big thanks to Bob for donating this one to the pod! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!