If not, Cyber Monday will offer plenty of great opportunities and excellent deals to motivate you to get that beach, mountain or overseas vacation booked.
Many companies have announced fantastic Black Friday and Cyber Monday travel deals. We’ve rounded up some of the best deals we could find.
13 Cyber Monday Travel Deals
1. Booking.com
One of the internet’s most popular travel sites currently is offering Late Escape Deals where you can save 15% or more on select hotels at destinations all over the world.
Paris, Dubai, New York City, Miami, Cancun and many more locales can be booked between now and Jan. 3, 2023.
2. G Adventures
This company is known for its planned itinerary adventures to places all over the world. G Adventures currently offers up to 30% off through its Cyber Sale — with deals on adventure tours on every continent. For example:
That’s just a small sample of the countless destinations that G Adventures offers. For this particular sale, you have until Nov. 30 to book for select trips departing no later than April 30, 2023.
3. Margaritaville at Sea
You can’t wait until Monday for this one. The Margaritaville at Sea Paradise cruise ship set sail in May 2022, and they are gearing up for their first Black Friday sale.
Margaritaville at Sea is offering all-inclusive four- or six-night cruise packages starting at $349 per person. You’ll cruise to the Grand Bahama Island and stay at Wyndham Fortuna Beach or Grand Lucayan Resort. As part of the sale, a free upgrade includes an express pass for priority boarding, unlimited drinks and two-way transfers.
Teachers, veterans and first responders can cruise for free on the Margaritaville at Sea through the end of 2023.
4. Holland America
Not to be outdone, the Holland America cruise line currently offers 40% off many cruises to Alaska, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and more. Many deals also include kids for free.
If you have high-end tastes, Insight Vacations might be right up your alley. This company offers guided tours with small groups to help you make the most of your vacation to destinations all over the world.
Insight Vacations says their “classic tour” option averages 33 people per trip, while you can upgrade to their “small group” tour with less than 24 people.
6. REI Adventures
You might know them for their outdoor clothing and gear, but REI will also help you plan your adventure trip too. They are currently offering 20% off trips booked by Nov. 21.
Prices range from $1,399 to $3,299 for REI members, depending on the trip. Non-members can expect to pay a few hundred dollars more per trip.
Pro Tip
Before you book, consider traveling during shoulder season when destinations are cheaper and less crowded.
7. Priceline
Priceline is another extremely popular travel site with a variety of Black Friday and Cyber Monday hotel deals that will last through the holiday weekend.
For starters, you can save 20% off at hotels all across the world — from Playa Del Carmen to Punta Cana to Phoenix to New York City. Priceline members (it’s free) can also save $100 when they spend $500 or more by using the discount code FRIDAY100 between Nov. 22 and Nov. 25.
8. Omni Hotels and Resorts
The Omni brand is currently offering an Escape and Save Black Friday sale in which you’ll receive 15% off at its hotels when you stay two nights or more.
Omni has locations all across the United States, including Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Louisville, Amelia Island, Florida and many more.
You can book a three-night stay at a Caribbean resort starting at $149 per person. Or go the all-inclusive route starting at $349 per person for three nights. Cheap Caribbean says if you add airfare and hotel transportations you’ll save even more.
Another great option for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals comes through Vacation Express, which offers many destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean.
They are offering up to 35% off at Bougainvillea Barbados, up to 54% off at the Golden Parnassus Resort and Spa in Cancun, 15% off Royalton Negril Resort with one kid and one teen free, up to 50% off at the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort in Saint Lucia, plus many others.
Required booking dates vary by deal, but most deals expire sometime between the end of November and the end of December.
Pro Tip
Going international with your travel deal? These 12 tips — like exchanging money before you go — can help you save on international travel.
11. Exoticca
Are exotic vacations your thing? Well, Exottica might be for you. The adventure tour company has a wide range of Black Friday deals to unique destinations — many of which are up to 70% off.
You can choose an 11-day tour through Morocco for $1,399 per person (regularly $4,679), a 10-day tour through ancient Rome destinations for $1,499 (regularly $4,999) or a 10-day safari through Kenya for $1,999 (regularly $6,699).
Exoticca also offers tours through Greece, Thailand, Ireland, Costa Rica, Argentina and many other countries.
12. Xantarra
Xantarra offers “legendary travel with a softer footprint” to many national parks in the western United States, as well as smaller cruise lines and railway vacations.
Black Friday approaches, and maybe you’re thinking about grabbing a sweet deal on a new phone or a tablet or a bigger TV.
Us, we’re thinking about bacon and eggs.
For an extremely limited time, Denny’s is about to sell an extremely-limited-edition T-shirt that doubles as a yearlong breakfast subscription. The restaurant chain’s “Everyday Value Tee” has a QR code that’s sewn directly into the shirt. You can use this wearable coupon to redeem an Everyday Value Slam meal for free every single day for an entire year.
The shirt is valued at nearly $2,200, according to Denny’s, and will be sold for — wow! — only $5.99.
But here’s the most important thing you need to know: Only 150 of these magical bacon-and-pancakes-delivering T-shirts exist, and the online-only sale launches promptly at midnight on Black Friday, Nov. 25.
So get your mouse-clicking fingers ready, or make sure your phone is fully charged. These shirts are gonna go fast.
Free Eggs, Bacon and Buttermilk Pancakes, Mmmmm
Technically, the sale starts at midnight Eastern Standard Time, or 9 p.m. Pacific time. So depending on what time zone you’re in, you might need to put down the Thanksgiving turkey leg to log on.
The shirts will be for sale on dinerdrip.com, an official Denny’s website that sells all the Denny’s gear you could possibly want.
What, you’ve never visited DinerDrip before? Well, if you happen to be looking for a Denny’s coffee mug or a hoodie or, you know, some yellow-and-red-colored Denny’s-branded socks, that’s definitely the place to go.
The international restaurant chain, which boasts more than 1,600 locations, says the QR code will be valid from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023.
What’s an Everyday Value Slam breakfast, you ask? For the record, it’s two eggs and two bacon strips or sausage links, as well as a choice of two buttermilk pancakes, one slice of French toast, or a biscuit with gravy.
So the Everyday Value Slam pretty much has you covered, breakfast-wise.
Oh, here’s the fine print:
It’s dine-in only. No online orders, no DoorDash or anything like that.
One per day. No repeats.
The shirts are only valid in the U.S., which means the Denny’s locations in Costa Rica, El Salvador, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Japan are out of bounds. (Sorry.)
Only one Everyday Value Tee QR code can be redeemed per table. If you and your spouse or partner somehow manage to score matching free-breakfast-for-a-year T-shirts, you’ll have to sit in separate booths.
No switching out of orders. If you’re craving Moons Over My Hammy, you’ll have to pay for it yourself.
Your cholesterol level is your own responsibility, citizen.
So on Black Friday, you can have your marked-down Echo Dots and your Instant Pots and your robot vacuum cleaners.
Us, we’re suddenly craving bacon.
Mike Brassfield ([email protected]) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. At Denny’s, he’s partial to The Grand Slamwich® on potato bread.
You’re not imagining things. This year, the winter holiday sales started even before the pumpkin spice items were marked down.
The days of the winter holiday shopping season officially kicking off on Black Friday — and exclusive Cyber Monday deals — are gone.
“Consistently over the last decade, we know that consumers are out in the market earlier than ever and the holiday season is getting extended into the fall,” said National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Retailers are finding ways in which to meet consumer expectations and deliver value, so the holiday season continues to get expanded which provides consumers more time to shop.”
According to Salesforce, sales were up 10% year over year from 2020 to 2021 in the first three weeks of November, and like previous years, they predict people will shop early again in an attempt to get the very best deals and jump start checking things off their shopping list with great discounts.
According to the NRF, the holiday season runs from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, and many of their predictions are based on that timeframe. This year, the federation projected, sales will grow between 6% and 8% above last year’s record season.
“We do know that consumers are looking for discounts, they’re looking for deals, for value to stretch their dollars in the face of higher energy prices and housing prices,” Shay said. “We know that they’re looking for those opportunities and we think that’s going to continue on for the holiday season. They’re going to be looking for bargains and values as the holiday season begins in earnest.”
Cyber Monday vs. Black Friday
Good deals are abound this holiday season, but what’s better — shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
What Is Black Friday?
Traditionally, Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving — was the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season.
Stores would offer great deals on things like televisions, electronics, appliances and other items to get people into their doors.
Some retailers would open early in the morning on Friday, even as early as midnight. The most dedicated shoppers even pitched tents to camp out for the best spots in long lines, in the hopes to score a discount.
Often quantities were limited, so only the first few people in the stores would snag the best deals.
Part of the fun was the thrill of it all, but online shopping started to chip away at Black Friday’s prominence.
What Is Cyber Monday?
When online shopping began to take hold, online retailers wanted to jump onboard the Black Friday frenzy, creating Cyber Monday deals to attract online shoppers.
They knew many people would be back at work and looking at a screen come Monday morning, so online shopping deals on the Monday after Thanksgiving became a thing.
The Inflation Effect
Inflation, which is leading to the higher costs of things this year, is on everyone’s mind. And it’s impacting consumer behavior.
“I think we’re seeing continued stratification among households based on income levels. Spending at higher levels continues to be robust and for consumers and households at slightly lower levels, it remains durable and resilient,” Shay explained. “But those lower income households in particular are feeling the pinch of rising costs on everyday essentials and those are the households we’re paying close attention to as we move into the holiday season.”
Shay said people are supplementing their spending with savings and credit to give themselves a cushion. Salesforce reported in 2021, usage of buy-now-pay-later options grew 29% globally — $22 billion was financed.
How Retailers Are Adapting to the Changes in Holiday Shopping Behavior
The NRF says retailers understand that people are looking for holiday items earlier than ever before, which is why many traditional red and green items were already on display right next to the Halloween stuff.
Sales and deals are well underway, both in brick-and-mortar retail stores and online. The NRF reports that 56% of shoppers plan to do at least some of their shopping online, 48% plan to shop at discount stores, 47% say they’ll shop at department stores, and 45% will shop at grocery stores and supermarkets.
Hopefully, salespeople will be able to handle the load and many are already in place.
“We expect retailers will hire between 450,000 to 600,000 seasonal workers and that compares with about 670,000 last year. Some of that hiring may have been pulled earlier into the season to meet the evolving consumer demand,” Shay explained.
Stores themselves are also changing and getting more creative in how they manage their inventory and create an experience for their customers.
“While we saw a spike in online shopping [during the pandemic], we know that consumers really do enjoy the in-store experience and in some ways are reverting back to some of that pre-pandemic behavior,” Shay said. “But when they get to the store, the experience is not the pre-pandemic experience. It’s a changed experience and consumers are learning to think about stores differently.”
He added many consumers are ordering online and picking up in the store, or shopping in the store and having it delivered to their homes. Retailers are taking these behaviors into account and managing their inventory in a more sophisticated way and creating a healthier environment for the retail industry.
The average discount on Cyber Monday is about 30% and the sales usually extend over five days or more. Bebeto Matthews/AP Images
When Are the Best Deals?
Even though the sales have already begun, there are still fantastic deals to be had after Thanksgiving.
“It’s my belief that [the early start] has probably pulled some sales forward, but we will see continued deals and promotions,” said NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz. “November and December are still the major months for shopping and it will probably just expand the season and provide a bit more time to shop.”
Kleinhenz said he expects clothing to be a hot spending category this year, possibly because people want to look good after not traveling to see friends and family during the pandemic.
Even though the traditional five day shopping period between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday is becoming less and less of a thing, it’s still important.
Last year, Salesforce reported that Black Friday was the biggest shopping day of that traditional time period, but the whole month of November was strong.
It’s also a tradition for some friends and family, and one that is hard to break. A September survey by NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics revealed 45% of people they talked to say they are likely to browse and buy in stores on Black Friday this year.
How to Prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales
The supply chain issues and shipping delays that haunted us last year aren’t as bad this year as many retailers got their inventory into their stores and warehouses early.
This year, it’s inflation causing issues.
The NRF says a recent survey showed 44% of shoppers say they plan to purchase seasonal items now because they think prices might go up instead of down.
Here’s how to make your overall shopping experience a bit easier and possibly save you money or help you earn rewards.
Make a list: (And check it twice). Having an idea of what you want to buy can help you focus your energy when you either go into a store or go online.
Know sale dates: If you wait, it may be too late to get that popular item you’re coveting. If there is something you know you want, look at the store’s website to see if you can get it now. Many stores offer price matching if prices go down.
Follow stores on social media, sign up for their emails: Stores might offer specials or codes only for people who follow them on social media, or sign up for their emails.
Join a store’s membership program: Some stores have special deals or offer early access customers who are members of their membership or rewards clubs. Sometimes even the return policies are different for club members. Some charge a monthly fee, so check if the savings will justify the cost.
Looking for more advice? The Penny Hoarder founder revealed his best tips for Black Friday shopping.
Ready to Shop? Get the Most Out of the Holiday Shopping Deals
Many of the large retailers have already started their promotions. Here’s a rundown of some of them.
Amazon
The holiday deals kicked off on Amazon in early October with a sale for Prime Members.
During that time, members ordered 100 million items, with 8 million of those being toys.
The best selling categories were apparel, home items, toys, and amazon devices.
The sales and deals will continue throughout the holiday season, and this year, customers can use the popular payment app Venmo to pay for purchases.
Best Buy
Best Buy began its holiday deals October 10 and they run through the end of December.
Members of Best Buy Totaltech™ and My Best Buy® will have exclusive access to what the retailer is calling “Member Mondays” and early access to the Black Friday deals taking place beginning November 20.
Cyber deals are beginning November 27 and what Best Buy is calling “20 Days of Deals” begins November 29.
The return window is until January 14, 2023 for items purchased between October 24 and December 31, 2022.
Kohl’s
Kohl’s has begun what it’s calling a “November Full of Savings,” billed as a campaign to give customers an opportunity to shop when and how they want.
After already having a few days of early deals, the store is continuing “Dashing Deal Days” in November and December with extra savings and Kohl’s Cash for use on future purchases.
The store is also doing an entire Black Friday week of deals beginning November 20 as well as deals specific to the days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Physical stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.
As for returns, Kohl’s accepts returns for most items up to 180 days after purchase, but there are exceptions for some products.
Target
Target has already started advertising its Black Friday deals, three weeks earlier than they did last year.
New “Weeklong Black Friday Deals” debut every Sunday through Thanksgiving weekend and a “Deal of the Day” comes out daily. A weekly online ad will have a preview of the deals on Fridays.
Both types of deals are available in store, online, and through the Target app. Some offers are only available online.
Although Target advertises that the deals feature their best planned prices for the holiday season, they are offering a “Holiday Price Match Guarantee” if the item sells for a lower price between October 6 and December 24.
The store is mostly keeping its standard return policy throughout the holiday season, with 90 days to return an unopened item.
For electronics and entertainment items, the 30-day refund period for many items begins on December 26 for items purchased October 6 through December 25.
Walmart
Walmart is doing what it’s calling “Black Friday Deals for Days,” spreading deals over three November events, capping things off on Cyber Monday.
New online deals begin at 7 p.m. ET every Monday in November and members of Walmart + get seven hours of early access starting at noon ET.
The deals continue in stores a few days later.
As for returns, Walmart is calling it “no concerns” returns, allowing any item purchased after October 1 to be returned through January 31.
Many stores will be offering curbside returns and some will even pick up your items from your home.
Overall Holiday Sales Picture
The NRF reports that many shoppers start their shopping before November to:
Spread out the shopping budget.
Avoid the stress of last minute shopping.
Avoid crowds.
Take advantage of good prices and promotions.
Avoid missing out on specific items.
The NRF predicts people will spend $832.84 on gifts and holiday items this year, saying a September survey of 2,000 shoppers showed people think it is important to spend on holiday gifts and celebrations and are willing to cut back in other areas.
“We know that retailers are prepared to deliver great value this year and we know consumers continue to be emotionally invested in the holidays and this is a time of year that people save for and plan for,” the NRF’s CEO Shay said. “We think we’re in a good position to meet consumer demand and to navigate the challenges that both consumers and retailers are facing to deliver a very healthy holiday season.”
Tiffani Sherman is a Florida-based freelance reporter with more than 25 years of experience writing about finance, health, travel and other topics.
With the arrival of Black Friday, holiday bells begin to cheer and shopping for the season officially commences. Black Friday is an opportunity to grab huge deals on your favorite products — especially electronics — for yourself, friends and family.
Our Black Friday electronics shopping guide highlights some of the best early Black Friday deals we found across the web, from laptops and desktops to televisions and headphones.
We’ve got you covered if you want to upgrade your tech this season with holiday deals and deep discounts. Fantastic price options are available for all.
When Is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. In 2022, Black Friday deals will be offered up on Nov. 25.
However, many retailers offer Black Friday deals before the date and for a few days after it. Our guide will help you locate some of the best Black Friday deals before they sell out.
Best of all, all of the best deals that we have located are online, so you can grab them without ever leaving your home.
Black Friday Electronics Deals
Deals are abundant during Black Friday, but we’ve gathered some of our favorite offerings for the seasonal event. To find all the best deals, check out our article on Black Friday promos and offers, and check with your favorite retailers for sales announcements.
Laptops and Desktops
Thanks to discounts and sales, Black Friday is the perfect time to upgrade to a new laptop or desktop. Here are some of our favorite early Black Friday deals on new Windows PCs, Chromebooks and Apple Macs.
Tablets and E-readers
Tablets also see massive Black Friday sales during the holiday season. In our research, we found that Microsoft and Apple products offer some of the best tablet deals. But we still have excellent options for Android users and those who prefer e-ink screens.
Need help with budgeting for the holidays? Be sure to check out our holiday budget planner for assistance so you don’t go broke this season.
Getty Images
Cameras and Gear
Today’s smartphones can take stellar photos, but if you want to get serious about your photography, you should pick up a stand-alone camera with the help of these early Black Friday deals. Panasonic and GoPro offer excellent deals this season to capture the world around you.
Televisions
When Black Friday rolls around each year, many shoppers have their eyes set on one type of product — televisions. This year is no different, and manufacturers are ready to offer up televisions at massive discounts. These are some of the early Black Friday deals we have found.
Headphones
Music powers the soul. There is nothing better than taking your tunes with you wherever you go. Whether you are rocking out to the latest hits or need a pair to chat online with friends, many brand-name headphones are available with Black Friday deals.
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Video Games
When it’s time to kick back and relax, video games can help you enter a new world. We’ve located some great Black Friday deals on video gaming accessories and a few top video games that you might be dying to play.
Cell Phones
Staying connected with family and friends shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg. Luckily, carriers are offering Black Friday deals this season. We’ve highlighted some of our favorite deals from Motorola, Samsung, Google and more.
Home Theater
What better time to upgrade your home theater system than before the holidays? With holiday movies galore and the Super Bowl around the corner, you might want to upgrade your television or sound system with these Black Friday deals.
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Wearables
Smartwatches and other wearables can provide subtle notifications or keep a close eye on your fitness and health. The popular Samsung Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch offer Black Friday deals this season but aren’t the only options in town for the holidays.
Apple’s more affordable Watch SE is also available for a discount. ($209 | Save $70)
Snag a Fitbit for less than $100 with the Fitbit Charge 5. ($99 | Save $50)
The Fitbit Ace 3 is a great option for kids’ health and fitness. ($49 | Save $30)
Amazfit provides a more rugged smartwatch with the T-Rex Pro. ($127 | Save $32)
Our favorite cheap smartwatch, the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro, is on sale. ($49 | Save $20)
Runners and trail hikers should check out the Garmin Venu Sq. ($119 | Save $80)
Smart Home
Converting your existing home into a smart home is about more than lightbulbs that can change color on demand. Smart home devices can offer convenience and savings for you and your family. Here are some of our favorite early Black Friday sales to get started.
Michael Archambault is a senior writer for The Penny Hoarder specializing in technology.
Parenthood is tough enough even before you bring finances into the mix. When you tally it up, you’ll likely spend thousands of dollars a year on Baby’s stuff.
To help soften the blow a little, we combed the internet to find the best free baby stuff for parents and parents-to-be — from formula to bonnets to diapers with fox tails on the bottom.
Where Can You Find Free Baby Stuff?
Whether you’re expecting, caring for infants, surviving the terrible twos or preparing for a friend’s baby shower, start with these places to get legit free baby stuff from well-known companies and boutique brands.
Want to try a new formula but don’t want to waste money on something your little one won’t like? Get free baby formula samples from top baby formula brands:
1. Enfamil: Join Enfamil Family Beginnings for a free welcome kit of up to $400 in free gifts and a chance to win free formula for a year.
2. Nature’s One: Get a free sample of Baby’s Only Toddler formula, PediaSmart beverage mix, or Mom’s Only Prenatal Support shake mix. (Note: This program has been temporarily suspended due to the formula shortage.)
3. Similac: Sign up for Similac’s StrongMoms program for up to $400 in free goodies, plus ongoing coupons and discounts.
5. Huggies Rewards: Huggies Rewards has partnered with the Fetch app to help you earn points on your Huggies products. You can exchange points for gift cards through Fetch. Gift card choices include diaper-selling stores like Amazon and Walmart to help you get free diapers (or other stuff for Baby). You can also enter to win a year’s supply of free diapers from Huggies — the current sweepstakes runs until Dec. 14, 2022, though the free diaper sweepstakes are ongoing.
6. Pampers Rewards: Join the Pampers Club rewards program, and scan codes when you buy Pampers to earn points you can exchange for cash back, gift cards, free baby gear and more. The app also offers money-off coupons for baby gear just for downloading it and signing up.
7. Abby&Finn: Receive a trial pack that includes eight diapers and a travel pack of 20 wipes — just pay for shipping. You can select up to two trial packs per order.
8. Cuties: Sign up to get a free sample of Cuties Complete Care baby diapers, designed to be extra soft and snug with cute, Instagrammable designs.
Baby’s stuff isn’t the only added expense to plan for when you’re expecting. Moms need care, too! Check out these freebies you can nab for yourself in addition to free baby stuff:
9. Free Breast Pump: Under the Affordable Care Act, your health care plan is required to cover the cost of a breast pump rental or purchase, whether you signed up through the health insurance marketplace or not. Insurers determine whether pumps are manual or electric and how long rentals should last.
10. Get up to 10 pairs of nursing pads from Breast Pads with either of these discount codes: ATHRIFTYMOM1 or 1FRUGALBABY. Just pay shipping. The codes give you $35 off any order.
11. The Belly Button: This company’s slick products help you wear pre-pregnancy pants throughout your pregnancy — comfortably. Get a free Maternity Band or two Body Bands with the code NAME1. The code gives you up to $40 off any order, and you just pay shipping.
12. The Noobie Box: The Noobie Box is a pregnancy gift box that’s filled with samples for mom and Baby: nursing pads, milk storage bags, stretch mark cream, vitamins, diapers, WaterWipes baby wipes, diaper rash cream and a pacifier. You’ll pay $12.95 for shipping the baby box in the contiguous U.S.
Go beyond the obvious. Check out these other free baby samples and other baby freebies:
13. Shutterfly: Download the Shutterfly app to get a free photo book every month to document your family’s growth. Books are 6×6 and softcover, between 20 and 200 pages with the first 20 free, and you can include photos from your smartphone or social media accounts. You’ll pay $7.99 shipping.
14. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: Dolly Parton started Imagination Library in 1995 to provide free kids books to preschool-aged children. To join the book club, check for availability in your area, and follow the instructions to register.
15. Car Seat Canopy: Grab a cute car seat cover from Canopy Couture for free with the code NAME1. The code gives you up to $50 off your order (basic canopies cost $49.95), and you’ll just pay shipping.
Signing up for a baby registry with many retail or online stores will get you a bundle of free baby stuff, including product samples like baby bottles, formula, blankets, diapers, coupons and other supplies.
16. Amazon: Qualifying Prime customers can snag a free welcome box when they create an Amazon baby registry, add 60% of the items on their checklist to their registry, and have $10 or more in purchases from their registry (you can totally order $10 worth of stuff yourself to get the welcome box). Customer reviews on Amazon reported getting a muslin swaddle blanket, bottle, pacifier, breast pads, diapers, wipes, laundry detergent samples, a onesie, baby shampoo, diaper rash cream, and more. As an added perk, Amazon also offers a 15% baby registry discount starting 60 days before Baby’s due date to help you save on must-have baby items. Talk about a fantastic deal!
17. Target: When you set up a Target baby registry for your baby item needs, you can pick up a welcome kit from guest services at your local store. In it, you’ll find more than $100 worth of coupons and free baby samples. Get free items for your new baby while enjoying the joy of shopping at Target!
18. Walmart: When you join Walmart’s baby registry, you’ll get a Baby Welcome Box shipped to your door for free. It includes free samples of name-brand products from Huggies, Enfamil and Mam, though it’ll vary based on available items.
19. BuyBuy Baby: Start your baby registry online, and you can pick up a free goody bag at your local BuyBuy Baby store. Goody bags include baby samples and coupons for discounts on baby items.
20. Babylist: Get a free Hello Baby Box delivered to your door when you start a baby registry online through Babylist and make a minimum $10 purchase. The free baby box includes baby freebies and goodies such as bibs, diapers, wipes, hats, pacifiers, and bottles. You’ll pay $8.95 shipping, plus tax where applicable.
Every penny counts when you’re budgeting around the needs of a child (or a few). Sign up with your favorite brands to receive exclusive offers and coupons to save on the stuff you need and maybe even get free items. Just make sure you don’t let them entice you to spend on stuff you don’t need!
21. Mommy’s Bliss: Sign up for 15% off probiotics for moms, kids and babies; and tummy relief like gripe water for colic symptoms.
22. Gerber Baby: Sign up for MyGerber to get free expert advice, coupons and offers, a customizable menu planner and tailored content.
23. IKEA Family: Join IKEA Family to receive exclusive member coupons, discounts and freebies.
24. Goodnites: eruse Goodnites manufacturer coupons to save money on bedwetting products, or sign up with your email address to receive additional coupons and offers.
26. Pottery Barn Kids: Shop for furniture and accessories for kids’ rooms through Pottery Barn, and browse its coupons, special offers and clearance items to get discounts on items for your nursery.
27. The Children’s Place: Subscribe to email or text alerts from The Children’s Place to get 20% off immediately, plus exclusive offers on clothing, shoes and accessories for babies, toddlers and older kids.
28. Carter’s or OshKosh: Join the Rewarding Moments loyalty program to earn points when you buy clothes for kids, toddlers and babies through Carter’s, OshKosh B’gosh, Skip Hop, and Little Planet. Earn one point for every $1 you spend, and 150 points is equal to $10 free.
29. Nestle Canada: If you live in Canada, register for Nestle Baby & Me to receive a Baby Pack around 35 weeks of pregnancy. The welcome bundle includes free samples, coupons and special offers.
If you want organic or sustainable baby products, a subscription service could help you save money and skip the trips to the store.
30. The Honest Company: You can buy Honest Co. products individually, but you’ll save 20% by subscribing to receive an order every month. You’ll get a month’s supply of diapers and wipes, and can add on extras any month at 15% off. Plus, you’ll get a free gift with every third shipment.
31. Hello Bello: This diaper company, which was founded by actors Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, offers a monthly subscription with a super cute choice of diaper prints available. You can also add other products, such as vitamins and sunscreen, for 15% off, and you’ll get random freebies in your subscription box from time to time as well.
The Penny Hoarder Shop is always stocked with great deals, including technology, subscriptions, courses, kitchenware and more. Check it out today!
32. Dyper: Subscribe to receive a monthly supply of eco-friendly diapers or training briefs at a discounted price. Plus you’ll get a free diaper bag when you sign up!
Look no further than your local community to borrow, buy and receive baby freebies and hand-me-downs to save money and reduce your carbon footprint.
34. Local Facebook Groups: Keep an eye on your city or neighborhood’s Facebook group for parents offering free baby items. Or find a local Buy Nothing Project group to connect with neighbors to get free baby gear. Make sure you pay it forward once your baby is grown by passing along essentials to new parents!
35. Facebook Marketplace: While you’re on Facebook, browse the local Marketplace for parents offering baby stuff for free or trades.
36. NextDoor App: NextDoor is a neighborhood forum where neighbors can chatter amongst themselves. You’ll find crime updates, lost-dog posters and — yup! — freebies. Check the “Baby & Kids” category to get free baby stuff.
37. Your Pediatrician: Like other medical professionals, pediatricians get samples from companies all the time. If you have a specific need — or just want to try some sample products — it never hurts to ask.
38. Garage Sales: Garage sales are rife with affordable baby toys and clothes. Pop in toward the end of a sale to see if the owners are willing to give away any remaining baby stuff for free, a trade or a significantly reduced price.
39. Freecycle: With a mission to keep good stuff out of landfills, Freecycle is made up of more than 5,000 local groups of people giving stuff away for free. Search your location to find a group near you and see its listings.
40. Craigslist: Browse Craigslist freebies for baby stuff on offer in your area. Just make sure you’re careful when meeting strangers and always meet in a public place.
Catherine Hiles has written about a variety of subjects, including finance, cars, cooking, pet ownership and parenting. By day, she manages a team of content editors and graphic designers at a local marketing agency, while in her spare time she is a frequent contributor to several publications, including Dayton Mom Collective, The News Wheel, and her personal blog.
Talk about bad blood. Taylor Swift fans are ticked off at Ticketmaster because its website crashed and burned this week as millions of people were desperately trying to get tickets to Tay Tay’s first tour in four years.
Now all those Swifties are on the outside looking in while cruel, evil scalpers are listing Taylor Swift concert tickets on StubHub for as much as $35,000 a pop.
The fans are deeply unhappy with Ticketmaster right now. They can’t shake it off. They are never, ever getting back together. “Look what you made me do,” they’re saying as they prepare to pony up big money for overpriced scalped tickets.
Lawmakers like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and others are calling for Ticketmaster’s head, saying the company has too much power and it charges too much money because it has no real competition.
“Daily reminder that Ticketmaster is a monopoly, its merger with LiveNation should never have been approved, and they need to be reined in,” AOC tweeted. “Break them up.”
Why Is It Like This?
There’s nothing more disappointing than missing out on seeing your favorite artist live in concert. Unfortunately, it can be really hard for the average Joe or Jane to score tickets to see big-name artists without paying an arm and a leg.
Concert tickets get so expensive because experienced brokers gobble up big chunks of them during the presale and general sale, often enlisting illegal bots to make bulk purchases.
Then the tickets get scalped — sorry, they get “legally resold” — on secondary market sites like StubHub, Vivid Seat or Ticketmaster, with anywhere from a 50% to 5,000% mark-up. It’s all totally legal, even though it’s all a total scam. We call this “modern life in America.”
Skip the Scalpers, Bypass the Bots
Why the high prices? Supply and demand.
Resale prices rise with high demand. And demand has been breaking records as a seemingly endless procession of big-name musicians started hitting the road again once the COVID pandemic started to ease up. Well, hello, Bruce Springsteen, Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey and the Red Hot Chili Peppers!
Here are a few tips and tricks on how to get cheap concert tickets to your next unforgettable show.
Get In On the Presale
Buying concert tickets at face value — especially to high-profile stadium shows like Beyoncé or lesser mortals who aren’t Beyoncé — is no easy feat.
The presale period might be the best time to snag cheap tickets before the sale is opened to the general public.
Here are a few ways to get in on that presale action.
Become a (Super) Fan
Joining an artist’s fan club can get you early access to their ticket sales.
You can join a fan club (check the artist’s website for details), sign up for email lists or follow the social media accounts of your favorite artists to receive early-access presale codes.
Some musicians also have street teams of volunteers. In exchange for spreading the word about your favorite band by putting up posters and posting about them on social media, you may be able to score discount tickets or at least a presale code.
Whip Out Your Credit Card
While you always want to be cautious signing up for (and using) a credit card, that small but mighty piece of plastic can sometimes be your ticket to the presale realm.
Ticketmaster, the main site for concert ticket sales, often offers exclusive presale opportunities to Chase, Citibank and American Express cardholders.
A growing number of credit card companies also let you redeem your cash back points for live event tickets.
Capital One Entertainment, for example, allows cardholders to purchase or redeem rewards for tickets to hundreds of thousands of events worldwide, including sporting events and live music.
Whether you carry one of Capital One’s travel cards or a simple cash-back card, you can get access to presale events along with curated “exclusive” packages that can include things like meet-and-greets not available to the general public.
Search Online for Presale Codes
As a last-ditch effort to get your hands on a presale access code, you can simply take to the internet with a Google or Twitter search. “Artists name” + “presale” will generally get you where you want to be.
Buy Tickets the Day They Drop
To purchase concert tickets to your dream show during the general sale period, you need to be quick — and come prepared.
Create an Account
Prior to the day tickets go on sale, create a user account on whichever website you’ll be using to purchase your concert tickets.
Nothing slows you down more in those frantic moments between loading your cart and checking out than having to create an account and fill out all of your information.
Make a Plan
Set yourself up for success by making a plan. Look at a map of the venue to see how the different sections are labeled and decide which area you’d like to be in.
That way, on the day of the sale, you won’t end up panic-picking seats you’re not totally thrilled about.
Watch the Clock
Don’t just set an alarm for the exact moment the tickets are supposed to drop. Some sales roll out in phases, and the first bunch may drop a few minutes before the designated time (although there’s no telling when).
Either way, you’ll want time to log into your account and get ready, so make sure you set a reminder for 15 minutes before the actual on-sale time.
Speed Counts
Get online using the fastest Wi-Fi or wired internet connection you can. A slow internet connection could seriously impede your chances when you’re competing against thousands of other fans (and machines).
Grab Your Ticket on the Go
Most ticket sale sites have a mobile site or phone app, so you don’t have to miss a sale just because you can’t be tied to your home computer.
Depending on the speed of your device, it might even make sense to buy concert tickets on your phone instead of your regular computer if your mobile device gets the job done faster.
Up Your Chances
If you plan on going to the show with a friend, have that person try to buy tickets at the same time on a different device.
This will up your odds of getting concert tickets on the first try.
If you both (magically) end up buying two tickets, you can sell the extras through a verified resale site. (Just remember to be a good groupie and resist the urge to rip off other fans by jacking up the price.)
Strength in (Smaller) Numbers
If you’re going with a big group, you might have to split up.
Buying a large chunk of tickets is difficult, since even one already-bought seat could make the site cancel your entire order. Decide ahead of time who will sit with whom and plan on buying tickets in pairs instead.
If you’re really on a budget, you can also save money by sitting solo.
Blocks of seats are more popular (and more expensive) than single seats, so venues and ticket brokers often sell isolated single seats at a discounted rate.
Getty Images
Look for Last-Minute Tickets
In the same way that waves of tickets may be released a bit early, some tickets may be held until hours, days or weeks later. Check back once in a while to see whether there are any more tickets available.
When scalpers and resellers fail to sell all their extra tickets, they offer cheap prices at the last minute so they can recoup some of their initial costs.
The day before or the day of an event is the best time to find cheap concert tickets if you missed the presale window.
It might be tough to wait until the very last minute to secure your tickets, especially if you’re traveling to the show and need to arrange accommodations.
But if you live near the venue and can keep your calendar clear that night, waiting until the last minute can be a great opportunity to get cheap tickets.
You’ll still pay fees but they’re generally cheaper than Ticketmaster’s bevy of charges.
You can also try aggregator sites, like Ticketwood, which scans the web for the best deals from several resale sites at once.
Other Ways to Get Cheap Concert Tickets
Even if you didn’t beat the bots, there’s other ways to get cheap concert tickets — if you’re willing to get creative.
Go for the Cheap Seats in Cheap Cities
Be willing to compromise for nosebleeds if seeing Taylor Swift live is really super important to you. You’ll always pay more for seats close to the stage.
And remember: Some tour dates and venues are cheaper than others. If you live within driving distance of two major cities, check ticket prices for both sites. You might find tickets are cheaper in Louisville, Kentucky, for example, than in Nashville.
Try the Box Office
You can always shave a little off the ticket price by going directly to the venue’s box office. Most theaters and arenas have a box office where you can buy concert tickets directly, avoiding ticket seller service fees. Box office hours are limited so make sure to check what hours they’re open before you visit.
Work the Event
Contact the venue to see if event staff or security get free tickets or discounts. You won’t get to hang out and relax like a standard concert goer, but you could save a ton of money on tickets or get access to a sold out show.
Win a Ticket
Sometimes bands, music venues and radio stations offer free concert tickets. You may need to be caller number X to get a pair of free tickets on the radio. Follow your local radio stations or favorite bands on social media so you can learn about giveaways and contests.
Try Groupon
Groupon offers great deals on lots of local events and activities — including sports tickets and concerts.
You can score discounted tickets on Groupon, especially for shows less than two months away. For example, lawn seats for Train and Jewel in concert in Tampa were available for $20 on Groupon — but went for $35 on Ticketmaster. The seats probably might not have been great, but it’s a way to save money.
Mike Brassfield and Rachel Christian are senior writers for The Penny Hoarder. Email content writer Grace Schweizer contributed to this article.
Shoppers who prefer natural or organic foods usually have two choices in their neighborhood: Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.
While grocery stores increasingly stock natural or organic foods, the selection can leave a lot to be desired. This means the field is wide open for these two national grocery store chains to scoop up a loyal following.
Trader Joe’s is widely seen as a neighborhood store and has cultivated a fun-loving vibe that focuses on discounted natural foods.
Whole Foods is the grocery industry’s flagship organic foods store with a reputation for expensive, niche brands. But is one store really more affordable than another?
We compared costs and the answer might surprise you.
Is Trader Joe’s More Affordable Than Whole Foods?
For this side-by-side comparison, we shopped the basics plus a little extra to get an idea of where each of these two natural foods stores shines. But keep in mind that when it comes to selection, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are not created equal. And there can be big swings in cost affected by sale prices and regional differences.
For each of these grocery categories, the cost reflects an item that is the same size and of similar quality. Trader Joe and Whole Foods 365 store brands were compared whenever possible.
Trader Joe’s vs. Whole Foods
Item
Category
Trader Joe’s
Whole Foods
Winner
Bacon (uncured, 12 oz.)
Meats
$5.99
$6.99
Trader Joe’s
Ground beef (85/15, organic, 1 lb.)
Meats
$7.49
$7.99
Trader Joe’s
Chicken breast (organic, free range, 1 lb.)
Meats
$6.99
$8.99
Trader Joe’s
Salmon (wild, 1 lb.)
Seafood
$9.99
$12.99
Trader Joe’s
Almond milk
Dairy
$1.99
$1.99
TIE
Butter (unsalted, 1 lb.)
Dairy
$3.69
$4.29
Trader Joe’s
Eggs (dozen, grade A brown)
Dairy
$4.29
$3.99
Whole Foods
Milk (2% organic, half gallon)
Dairy
$3.79
$3.99
Trader Joe’s
Mozzarella (fresh, 8 oz.)
Dairy
$3.79
$3.49
Whole Foods
Frozen corn (16 oz.)
Frozen
$1.79
$2.69
Trader Joe’s
Kiwi (organic, 1 lb.)
Produce
$3.49
$4.99
Trader Joe’s
Strawberries (organic, 1 lb.)
Produce
$5.49
$6.29
Trader Joe’s
Green onions (bunch)
Produce
$1.39
$1.19
Whole Foods
Mini sweet peppers (1 lb.)
Produce
$2.99
$3.33
Trader Joe’s
Spring & spinach mix (organic, 5 oz.)
Produce
$2.29
$3.49
Trader Joe’s
Black beans (organic, 15 oz.)
Canned goods
99 cents
$1.29
Trader Joe’s
Garbanzo beans (organic, 15 oz.)
Canned goods
99 cents
$1.29
Trader Joe’s
Bread (whole wheat, organic, 22 oz.)
Bakery
$1.99
$4.39
Trader Joe’s
Raw almonds (1 lb.)
Nuts
$4.99
$7.99
Trader Joe’s
Extra virgin olive oil (16.9 oz.)
Oils
$7.99
$5.99
Whole Foods
Oats (old fashioned)
Cereal
$2.99
$3.49
Trader Joe’s
All-purpose flour (organic, 5 lb.)
Baking
$4.49
$5.29
Trader Joe’s
Spaghetti (16 oz.)
Rice & pasta
99 cents
$1.39
Trader Joe’s
Rice (basmati, organic, 2 lbs.)
Rice & pasta
$4.49
$4.99
Trader Joe’s
Chicken noodle soup (24 oz.)
Prepared foods
$4.99
$8.49
Trader Joe’s
TOTAL
………………….
$100.35
$121.29
Trader Joe’s
Our comparison of basic food staples at Whole Foods Market versus Trader Joe’s shows a clear winner when it comes to cost. But Trader Joe’s money-saving victory comes with some caveats. The limited inventory means Trader Joe’s shoppers have far fewer choices and those with specific dietary restrictions may need to supplement with groceries from another store.
A regular grocery store will usually have much better prices on milk, eggs and bread than Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s can offer. However, some supermarket chains tend not to stock as many organic options. And your local store is unlikely to have low prices on niche products, like gluten-free veggie sticks, since they don’t have many customers shopping for them.
Want to save even more money on groceries? Check out our price comparison spreadsheet to help trim your grocery bill — no matter where you shop.
Comparing Trader Joe’s vs. Whole Foods
No comparison of Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods would be complete without a nod to the fundamental differences between the two stores. It’s worth acknowledging that while Trader Joe’s wins on low cost basics, Whole Foods has more to offer on several fronts.
5 Reasons to Shop at Trader Joe’s
1. Seasonal Flavors
If you’re a fan of all things pumpkin spice, Trader Joe’s products are your jam. This natural foods store has become a haven for foodies who want to experiment with new flavors and seasonal products. Some Trader Joe’s stores have even brought back free samples in several locations.
2. Packaged and Prepared Veggies
One of the downsides of being vegan or vegetarian is that there’s lots of chopping involved. Trader Joe’s makes this easy with inexpensive, pre-packaged veggies that are all cut up and ready to go for quick weeknight meals.
3. Cheap Meat and Seafood
As the cost comparison proved, Trader Joe’s offers certain cuts of beef, chicken, pork and fish at bargain basement prices. However the selection in the meat case is pretty limited. If you’re looking for something fancier, you might come up empty handed.
4. Wine, Beer and Liquor
One of the very first products that built Trader Joe’s cult following was a bottle of red Charles Shaw wine called Two-Buck Chuck. There may be some argument about the quality of Trader Joe’s alcoholic offerings but there’s no dispute about the mass appeal and affordability.
5. Flowers
It’s not a very well-kept secret, but Trader Joe’s offers some of the cheapest and prettiest fresh flowers. Grocery stores usually have a few sad stems tucked by the register, but Trader Joe’s pays attention to creating vibrant bouquets that won’t cost you a bunch.
5 Reasons to Shop at Whole Foods
1. Bulk Foods
The real savings at Whole Foods can be found in the bulk section. If you need nuts, dried fruit, beans, rice or any other dry goods, fill a bag or container in the bins located in the bulk foods aisle. And if you’ve never shopped bulk at a natural foods store, Whole Foods has a guide to help.
2. The Hot and Cold Bar
If it’s late and you don’t have time for dinner or the budget for dining out, the hot and cold bar at Whole Foods is a lifesaver. It’s basically a buffet of prepared foods that can be bought and paid for by weight. Some stores also have sushi bars, made-to-order pizzas, cafes and sit-down options for the lunch crowd.
3. Speciality and Organic Foods
For some shoppers with restricted diets, Whole Foods is going to be the only bet in town to find specialty foods — like gluten-free items or products for those with food allergies — all in one place. And they have a much larger selection of organic foods generally (and organic produce specifically) than other stores.
4. Health and Beauty Products
Perusing the health and beauty section in Whole Foods is a pretty pleasant experience. The shelves are usually stacked with quality supplements and personal hygiene or wellness products. You’ll even find clothing, yoga mats and other fun splurges occasionally on sale.
5. The Grocery Shopping Experience
In contrast to Trader Joe’s cramped and sometimes chaotic stores, Whole Foods is a breath of literal fresh air. Open spaces, bright lighting and attractive displays make Whole Foods stores feel spacious and modern. And unlike Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods also offers online shopping and affordable grocery delivery or pickup.
Want to shop at Whole Foods without spending your whole paycheck? Check out our 23 pro tips for Whole Foods shoppers.
How to Save Money Shopping at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods
While Trader Joe’s will certainly save you on the basics, there are plenty of money-saving strategies to leverage at both stores.
1. Shop the Sales
Both stores have sales either monthly or weekly featuring discounts on selected products. For Whole Foods, you can find weekly sales updated on the website. However, Trader Joe’s website is difficult to navigate so you might want to stick to picking up the Fearless Flyer with weekly specials in-store.
2. Use the Whole Foods App
If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you get an additional 10% off at Whole Foods on most items. Simply download the app and scan your barcode at the register. You’ll also get significant savings if you have an Amazon Prime Rewards credit card, which gives 5% back on Whole Foods purchases.
3. Coupons, Coupons, Coupons
Both Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods take manufacturer’s coupons. In the case of Trader Joe’s, this has limited usefulness since most of their products are the TJ store brand. But Whole Foods has plenty of natural brands on the shelves to choose from, so clip away.
Want to find more money-saving coupons? Pop into these 17 coupon sites to see what’s available before you shop.
4. Bring Your Bags
Want the store to bag up your groceries? It’ll cost you. To discourage the use of plastic and paper bags, both Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods encourage shoppers to bring their own reusable grocery bags.
Whole Foods provides a bag discount if you bring your own which can be applied towards your bill or donated to local charities. Some Trader Joe’s locations charge for bags or incentivize reusables by entering shoppers into a raffle if they bring their own bags.
While Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods both appeal to the same segment of the grocery market, they offer different advantages depending on what matters most to you.
Shopping Trader Joe’s for essentials and then swinging into Whole Foods to cross off the rest of the list may be the best bet for shoppers looking to balance cost with quality and selection.
Kaz Weida is a senior writer with The Penny Hoarder.
In the span of two and a half years self-described “bad saver” Matt Wiley managed to save $4,300 without thinking about it.
“It feels weird saying ‘I saved,’ because I really didn’t do anything,” he said.
Despite being an editor at The Penny Hoarder at the time, Wiley admitted he’d never been good at putting money away.
“I don’t have a good reason for why it has been difficult, other than I’ve never been good at forcing myself to put money aside to not touch.”
In early 2015, Wiley heard about a money app called Digit from one of his wife’s friends, who was already using it to build savings. Since its early days as the automated savings app that turned Wiley into a bonafide saver, Digit has expanded a lot to cover more than just savings needs.
How did Digit help this bad saver stash away more than $4,000 and can it do the same for you? In our Digit app review, we’ll cover everything the app has to offer to help you save, invest and manage your money all in one place — with, let’s be honest, the least amount of work possible.
Digit App Review: Accounts
In this 2022 review, we’re looking at the app’s full suite of features, including spending and savings accounts, investing, and money management tools.
When you sign up for Digit, you can choose just its saving feature, or you can open a Digit Spend account to access savings, checking and investing with automated money management features.
Digit Spend Account
Best for Automated Money Management
Key Features
AI budgeting for savings and bills
Automated savings
Fee-free low-balance protection
Spend is a smart bank account that automatically sets aside money for your bills into a Budget account, saves for your goals based on what you can spare, invests for your future and shows you what’s available to spend. The account is all online and backed by Pathward, N.A., Member FDIC. You’ll get a Visa debit card for everyday spending, and the app puts your bill cache in its own checking account you use to pay bills online.
Digit Direct Checking
Minimum balance
$0
ATM access
Fee-free at 55,000+ Allpoint ATMs
Prime perk
Automated budgeting for savings, investing and bills
More Information About the Digit Bank Account
Spend is Digit’s deposit account backed and FDIC-insured by Pathward.
It takes the work out of managing your money by automatically setting aside money to pay your upcoming bills, working toward your savings goals and investing, then telling you your “available to spend” amount, so you don’t have to wonder whether you can afford the second latte you’re about to order.
You just tell Digit how much a bill is and when it’s due, and the app automatically moves money from your Spend balance into your Budget balance in small amounts throughout the month.
Digit doesn’t offer automatic bill pay within the app, but you can use your Digit account or debit card number to set up autopay with your biller. Through AI (and tweaks from you), Digit recognizes the payee as bills are paid, and it deducts the amount from the associated bill balance.
A Digit account comes with a Visa debit card you can use for purchases and for ATM withdrawals. ATMs are free in the AllPoint network (which you can find at popular retail locations like CVS, Walgreens and Target), and you’ll pay $2.50 plus the ATM owner’s fee to use an out-of-network ATM.
Digit also uses your Spend balance to set money aside for savings goals and retirement investments.
How Digit Helps You Budget
To make sure you only save money when it fits your budget, you can set a minimum balance for your spending account. If you dip below that balance, Digit’s “overdraft protection” will take money from your savings account and replenish your spending account without charging an overdraft fee. (Note that the Spend account doesn’t include actual overdraft protection; if you try to make a purchase without the available funds in your account, it’ll be declined.)
You can fund a Digit account with deposits from a connected bank account and direct deposits but you can’t deposit cash.
You can use a Digit account for free for six months, then it’s $5 per month.
Digit Save Account
Best for Automated Short-Term Savings
Key Features
AI-driven savings you can afford
Open-ended or targeted goal amounts
No withdrawal limits or balance requirements
Your Digit Save balance is money set aside for your savings goals. You can create as many goals as you want for things like an emergency fund, car repairs, holiday shopping and vacation. Every day, Digit analyzes your checking account balance to determine how much you can afford to spare and stashes it in your goals, so you save money automatically without feeling the pinch.
Digit Savings
Minimum balance
$0
ATM access
n/a
Prime perk
Automated savings driven by AI
More Information About Saving With Digit
Saving is Digit’s bread and butter. The app originated as an automatic savings app before bringing banking onto the same platform.
Unlike many savings apps, Digit also doesn’t force you to set an end target for your savings goals. You can add a target amount and end date for every goal, each optional; or you can leave them open-ended, like Wiley did, and save what you can.
You can set a maximum daily save amount and a “safe saving level” — a minimum checking account balance — to make sure Digit doesn’t get more zealous with savings than you’re comfortable with.
Digit’s automatic savings feature is included with a Digit banking account for $5 per month.
What’s Different About Digit App
What’s special about how Digit helps you save money is that it doesn’t rely on you to budget and commit to a strict savings schedule that might not always work for you. Instead, it looks at the income and spending habits in your account and adjusts your savings amount every day.
“I was intrigued by the idea of an algorithm pulling money out of my account in ways I wouldn’t notice,” Wiley said. “I was working my first job out of college and basically living paycheck to paycheck, so I definitely hadn’t been putting anything aside. It seemed worth a try.”
If you use a Digit account for your spending, the app will also see the bills you have coming up and set money aside for those before calculating how much you can afford to save.
Digit Invest
Best for Automated Investing
Key Features
Long-term savings goals
Traditional and Roth IRAs
AI-driven investing you can afford
Digit Invest is the app’s long-term savings option. An investment account works the same way as your savings account — automated contributions based on what your account can afford — but the money gets invested into an IRA (for retirement) or a portfolio of ETFs (for long-term savings).
Digit Investing and Retirement
Minimum balance
$0
ATM access
n/a
Prime perk
Automated contributions based on what you can spare
More Information About Investing With Digit
Investing is a natural extension of Digit’s short-term savings features, and the options work similarly in the app.
You can set up a Digit Invest account with buckets dedicated to your long-term savings goals, like building wealth, buying a home or starting a family.
Digit asks easy-to-understand questions to determine your risk tolerance and recommends a conservative, moderate or aggressive portfolio for you. Your money is invested in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to grow while you work toward your goal.
Contributions to Digit Invest work like its savings goals. It’ll analyze your spending balance and make safe daily investments to your portfolio.
You can also set up a traditional or Roth IRA to save for retirement tax free.
Because of the way retirement accounts are regulated, Digit only makes investments monthly, and you face the same contribution limits and withdrawal restrictions as with any IRA. It does, however, still set aside the money regularly from your spending balance according to the same saving rules.
Unlike more robust investment apps, Digit doesn’t facilitate individual stock trading. You can’t choose which stocks or funds your money goes into, just the general type of portfolio you want Digit to build for you, but you can see which ETFs your money is invested in.
There’s no way to open a Digit Invest account on its own; the option is included with a Digit account for $5 per month.
Other Digit Perks
Digit started as a savings app and added banking and investing in September 2021.
It doesn’t currently offer other financial products, like loans, credit cards or insurance, but it wouldn’t surprise us to see those added in the future. The company was acquired in late 2021 by Oportun, a loan company focused on affordable loans and credit cards.
Credit Card Bills
One interesting perk included with Digit’s bill management feature is credit card balance management.
When you set up a credit card bill in Digit, you have the option to link your credit card account through Plaid (the industry-standard platform that connects money apps with bank accounts).
If you do that, you can see your credit card balance and transaction right in the Digit app. The app will use your credit card’s current balance, statement balance or minimum payment — your choice — to determine how much to set aside for the bill that month.
This feature solves two major problems that exist with other money apps:
Most banking apps don’t let you see your credit card balance alongside your bank balance, which leaves vital information out of so-called all-in-one platforms.
Many budgeting apps ignore the reality that credit card bills fluctuate from month-to-month.
This feature, along with its flexible savings and investing features and “available-to-spend” balance, help people manage money by accounting for the real ways we interact with money, including things like irregular income and unexpected bills.
Digit Fees
In a blatant deviation from competitors, Digit charges a flat $5 monthly service fee to use the app. Your first six months are free.
For Wiley, the amount he paid to use the app was worth the $4,300 he saved without thinking about it or ever panicking about his bank balance.
“Way less than Netflix,” he said.
Digit doesn’t charge any other fees associated with some bank accounts, like overdraft fees or minimum balance fees. ATMs are free as long as you use an AllPoint network machine; otherwise you’ll pay a $2.50 fee plus anything the ATM owner charges.
You won’t pay any management or maintenance fees to Digit or its partner broker-dealer, DriveWealth, for Invest accounts.
The money in your investment accounts gets invested into ETFs, which usually come with third-party fees that come out of your account balance. Those fees (referred to as an expense ratio) tend to be well below 0.5%, and you can find them by looking at your portfolio’s ETFs in the app.
Digit Customer Experience
When you open an online bank account, the quality of the app is key. It needs to be intuitive and easy to use. Digit checks both of those boxes.
The app is rated 4.7 out of 5 in the App Store and 4.5 out of 5 in Google Play, with hundreds of thousands of reviews.
Like any online bank account, Digit doesn’t come with physical locations where you can connect with a teller or customer service rep face to face. But it’s online and live customer service is there for you. Staffers at the online help center answer any general question you could have about using the app, and you can send an email if you have a question about your own account for a quick response.
Worried about turning your finances over to AI? Don’t be. The app gives you plenty of control to set boundaries on where and when it can move your money — and, anyway, letting it do its thing works.
“I’m definitely a fan of passive saving,” he said. “For people like me [he’s talking about all the Bad Savers out there], not having to think about it is the best way to save.”
Is Digit Right for You?
Digit is for folks who want a money management solution that means they don’t have to think about managing money.
If you’ve struggled to set aside money, stay on top of your bills, start saving money for retirement or find success with a typical budget, this automated account could be for you.
Digit doesn’t offer joint bank accounts, so this isn’t a good option if you want to share an account with another user. It also doesn’t offer a way to deposit cash, so it’s not the best bank account for you if you’re mostly paid in cash.
Pros and Cons About Digit
Here are the biggest benefits and drawbacks of using Digit for savings, banking, investing and money management.
Pros
Automated savings based on what you can afford.
Automated investing and retirement savings based on what you can afford.
Safe-to-spend budgeting for bill payments.
Visibility and smart budgeting for credit card balances.
No overdraft fees.
Fee-free low-balance protection.
No account minimums for spending, savings or investment accounts.
Taxable investments and IRAs in one place.
Six-month free trial
Cons
No free version. Pay $5 per month.
No cash deposits.
No joint bank accounts.
No credit cards or loans.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Digit
Here are our answers to some commonly asked questions to help you decide whether Digit is the right place to manage your money.
Digit is a deposit account backed by Pathward that you can use for checking, savings, investing and money management. You manage your finances all from one account in the Digit app, though your money is split on the back end among deposit accounts for spending, bills and savings. Digit is not a bank; it’s a financial technology company.
Yep! Digit is a San Francisco-based company founded in 2013 by business and finance expert Ethan Bloch. It raised more than $60 million from venture capital firms over the years and was acquired by loan company Oportun in late 2021.
Only you can decide whether the value of the app is worth your $5 a month. In exchange for that fee, you get a lot of peace of mind about your finances: knowing your bills will be paid, your savings is growing, your investments are on track and you can spend from your account without worry. Plenty of online bank accounts come with no monthly fee, if you don’t need Digit’s automated support.
What Are Pros and Cons of the Digit App?
The main benefit of using Digit for banking and saving money is automation. The app uses intelligent tech most banking and budgeting apps don’t have to safely set aside money and build your nest egg, while staying on top of your current bills and spending. Its main drawback for most users is the monthly fee, which most competitor online banks don’t charge.
Does Digit Steal Your Money?
Absolutely not! When you use the savings feature, you can pull your balance from the Digit account back into your linked bank account anytime. A Digit account is a bank account in your name that you have total access to and control over. All of your money in Digit deposit accounts is FDIC-insured up to $250,000 (standard for bank accounts), and your investment accounts are SIPC-insured.
Dana Miranda is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® and founder of Healthy Rich, a platform for inclusive, budget-free financial education. She’s written about work and money for publications including Forbes, The New York Times, CNBC, NextAdvisor, Insider and Inc. Magazine. Former The Penny Hoarder staffer Carson Kohler contributed reporting to this story.
If you started cooking more during the pandemic and have now made that a habit, you have likely cringed at the high price of spices and dried herbs. How can that tiny bottle of ancho chili powder cost $5?
Take some advice from us before you substitute that chili powder for paprika just because they are both red (don’t!) or leave out the main flavor agent in Grilled Five Spice Chicken because you forgot to buy the Chinese spice mixture. We’ve rounded up 10 ways to save money on spices — and dried herbs, too.
It will take some organization and planning, but we’ve got a game plan that will help stock your spice cabinet for special occasion baking, holiday cooking or just a quick weeknight meal.
First, let’s review some smart-shopper basics that will help you save money when you buy spices and herbs.
Understand the Shelf Life of Herbs and Spices
Herbs and spices come from plants, but from different parts. Herbs are the leaves of a plant. Common herbs are basil, oregano and thyme. Spices come from the roots, stems, berries and other parts. Cinnamon is bark. Cumin is a seed. Though fresh garlic and onions are considered vegetables, once powdered, they are spices.
This means that they all last for different amounts of time.
Loose herb leaves will last longer than powdered herbs. Whole spices, like cloves, cardamom pods, and chili peppers, will hold on to their flavor longer than ground spices. Conversely, fresh herbs and spices, like basil and ginger root, should be used quickly or frozen.
Know Just What You’ll Need — and How Much of It
You can definitely save money on spices. The first step is to see if you have everything you need for your holiday meals and treats.
Glance over your list of recipes. For instance, lentil soup recipes often call for ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika and bay leaves. Is it in the cupboard already or do you need to shop? Then ask yourself some questions.
How much will you use? Maybe Grandma’s spaghetti sauce recipe calls for dried parsley flakes and you don’t know when or if you’ll use them again. Don’t buy a whole container of anything you just need a pinch of. Instead, this is perfect for a store that sells bulk spices.
What do you already have? Costly panic buying at the last minute can be avoided with a little planning. It is well worth your time to pull out all your spices and see what is still good.
Don’t forget the leftovers! Plan on making tacos with leftover rotisserie chicken or roasted turkey? You can mix up your own taco seasoning with chili powder, onion and garlic powder, red pepper flakes and oregano.
Are spice blends an option? Spice blends can save money if there are a lot of exotic ingredients in them that, individually, you only use a few times a year. And if it’s something you will use often, you might save money making your own herb or spice blend.
How To Tell If Your Herbs and Spices Are Still Good
It is the simplest test in the world: Just smell them.
You can sniff the jar, but to be really sure take a pinch out and rub it between your fingers. Does the color look good or faded? If there is a nice strong smell or flavor, then it’s a keeper. When you can’t tell what it is by smell and need to look at the label, time to toss it.
While you might read that certain spices only last six months or a certain amount of time, that isn’t exactly true. A lot of factors can influence the strength and shelf life of your spices. Time certainly is one, but the way spices are stored is another.
How To Protect Your Spice and Herb Investment
With a little care, you can make sure your spice mixes or jars of dried herbs last a while.
Storing. Keep your spices and dried herbs in glass or metal jars stored in cabinets or drawers, away from light. Make sure there is a lid (not just a shaker top) on the jar.
Freezing. You can freeze herbs, but be very careful about freezing spices. Once you open a jar or bag of frozen spices, humidity gets into it and it should not go back in the freezer.
Labeling. When you buy herbs and spices, write the date on each so you can keep track of their age.
Organizing. Does cleaning out your spice cabinet turn up three little bottles of cream of tartar? Those little stubby bottles are easy to lose track of. A well-organized person might keep a list of all the spices they have. But a trick used in restaurants is just as helpful in the kitchen: group them by use. The three common category groupings are for savory foods; for either savory or sweet; for sweets. Grouping them this way makes what you need easier to find, and helps prevent double buying.
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10 Clever Ways To Save Money on Spices
Consumer Reports studied herbs and spices and determined that cheap can taste just as good as pricey. So why spend too much? Now that you know what you need, let’s figure out some ways to save money when you buy spices.
Buying bulk spices makes it sound like you’re buying a lot, but it can be exactly the opposite.
Bulk buying allows you to get whatever amount you want rather than a predetermined amount that might be far too much for your recipe. You might need just 1½ tablespoons of Cajun seasoning for Cajun Crab Stuffed Pepperoncini to bring to the potluck bash. You can get a $4 bottle for a little over an ounce at the grocery store or spend less than a dollar thanks to bulk bins.
Be aware, though, that some bulk stores have a minimum order, often $2. Bulk sections in health food stores like Whole Foods usually don’t have that minimum.
And when you are buying bulk herbs and spices, look for retailers that store them in glass jars, not plastic bins.
Whole spices that you grind as needed can be more economical. They last longer, too, and freshly ground spices in a dish really blooms the flavor.
Is it hard to grind your own spices? Not at all, but it helps to have the right equipment.
You can get a handy nutmeg grater for $4. Cinnamon sticks can be ground up in a blade coffee grinder. (Dry roast them in a pan on the stove for a couple of minutes over medium heat and let them cool off before grinding to get better results. Some sites also recommend adding a little granulated sugar to provide extra friction.)
And there’s always the old-fashioned mortar and pestle, which can be your best friend for grinding spices and working out your upper arms.
Planning to make big batches of pumpkin-spice desserts now that we seem to be obsessed with that flavor year-round? You’ll need pumpkin pie spice mix. Organizing an Italian or Mexican feast? The herb and spice mixes they use are easy to create.
This can save you money if you have a decent herb and spice collection or if you plan ahead when you shop. After all, a pumpkin pie spice mix is made up of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. The grocery store sells the McCormick’s version for $4.82 (1.12 ounces). Making it at home costs less than a third of that.
A bonus: Hand-mixed spice and herb blends make great gifts anytime of the year, especially if they are themed to a holiday or as a thank you to the party host. Think about a spice grinder and a cookbook on how to use and make spices as a birthday, house warming or wedding gift.
Dollar stores and discount department stores are great places to find spices.
Since you can’t open the containers before you buy, make sure the color of the herbs and spices looks good. Retailers like Aldi, Target and Wegmans sell spices at prices a little lower than you’ll likely find at your local grocery store. These are great places for stocking up on spices that you use regularly.
One thing you want to be careful about is sizing when you shop for bottled spices. Maybe a 10-ounce bottle of garlic powder for $4.50 looks like a steal, but Aldi sells a 2.62-ounce bottle for around a buck, or 80% less.
And these aren’t always the best places for less common spices. For that, hit up the ethnic grocery stores.
A store specializing in foods for immigrant cultures – whether Indian or German, Italian or Ethiopian — might be the best place to pick up the right herbs and spices for your dishes.
Your local Latin market will have a wider selection of chiles than any grocery store, and they will be fresh, canned, jarred or dry.
You have to be strict with yourself when shopping in the ethnic grocery stores — the prices are usually very low and everything is tempting!
You might think that spice stores are definitely not the place to save money on spices. That probably is true for common herbs and spices.
On the plus side: They have whole versions of ground spices like allspice, which is a better value. They’re ideal for finding hard-to-find specialty spices. You’ll get advice about what you need.
Many of these stores guarantee that there are no hidden additives like MSG. And, like all small businesses, they offer extras to attract and keep customers.
“We do run specials at VSpicery,” says Kym Page Jenkins about her family spice store in Tampa, Florida. “We generate coupon codes for internet-only deals. We also discount as the order volume increases.”
Depending on your state’s rules, herbs and spices can be found at farmers markets. Fresh herbs are very common, and you can dry them easily in your oven. Spices like turmeric and ginger, which are roots, are often sold fresh at markets, too.
Just like brick-and-mortar specialty spice stores, it is easy to be leery of prices when shopping for spices online. Just adding the cost of shipping can bring spice prices to ridiculous amounts. But online retailers know that and have become responsive to cost cutters.
Most offer free shipping over a certain amount ($40-50), and a few do offer discounts and free shipping on your first order (Spice Jungle, Savory Spice).
When you sign up with Penzeys you get an email with lots of deals for spices, and they keep coming. One recent email offered an ounce of steak seasoning rubs for $2 and trial bags of spice blends and more for $1.95-$3.49.
Of course, there is always Amazon. Search “spice deal of the day” and you may find some good prices as long as you are buying something you need. Overall Amazon prices aren’t all that great, but if you are a Prime member shipping is free.
Just because you haven’t heard of the brand doesn’t mean it‘s not worth a try. On example is Badia Spices, a popular Florida brand that people in Seattle might never have heard of. Compare their selection and prices with McCormick, Schilling and Spice Islands, and Badia comes out ahead.
Sometimes you can’t find the spices listed for the traditional Three Kings Bread, or you’re just too busy to run to the store. Substitute!
There are many easy substitutions to make instead of panic-buying a big jar of something.
Don’t have any chervil on the spice rack? You can use parsley or tarragon. Ran out of cinnamon? Use nutmeg or allspice (but only a quarter of the stated amount). Thyme, oregano and basil can often substitute for each other.
Things can get hectic in the kitchen whether you’re whipping up a full meal or attempting a new recipe. Don’t make it more stressful than it already is. Having the right spices for the job can save you time and money.
The Penny Hoarder contributor JoEllen Schilke writes on lifestyle and culture topics. She is the former owner of a coffee shop in St.Petersburg, Florida, and has hosted an arts show on WMNF community radio for nearly 30 years.
Turning to a virtual assistant and asking it to dim the lights or turn up the thermostat was once a vision of the distant future. Now, automating your home is merely a truth of today’s world. But can you create a smart home without destroying your wallet?
Prices on smart home gadgets, including smart plugs, smart lights, smart doorbells and smart thermostats, have decreased. We’ll walk you through our favorite budget picks and guide you on how to get started on your budget smart home.
Just remember to be nice to your virtual assistant. We don’t want a repeat of Disney’s 1999 movie “Smart House.” That just wouldn’t be much fun.
What Is a Smart Home?
Before diving too deep into things, we should discuss what constitutes a smart home. The term “smart home” is a loosely defined buzzword, but in our particular case, we’re referring to homes with some level of technical automation.
If that sounds complex, don’t run away just yet — it’s easy, we promise! A modern-day smart home tends to connect common household fixtures, such as lights, plugs and doorbells, to the internet. Once they are connected, you can control them in various ways.
One of the most popular options for controlling home appliances is with your voice using a virtual assistant, such as Alexa, Google or Siri. However, you’ll also be able to control such devices from your smartphone or tablet with ease.
Which Smart Home Assistant Should I Choose?
When you’ve decided to assemble a smart home, you’ll first need to select a home assistant and smart speaker to help you control it all.
But picking an assistant is more than just selecting your favorite voice. Each assistant will enable access to different smart home gadgets, such as a smart plug.
The top three assistants are Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant. For this guide, we will focus on Alexa. The ecosystem of available devices for Alexa is not only large but also cheap and affordable.
Amazon’s smart speaker devices are known as Echos, and you can pick one up for about $20. For shopping on a budget, we recommend purchasing the third-generation Echo Dot; it’s great for issuing commands or listening to a few of your favorite tunes.
You’ll want to place an Echo Dot smart speaker in each room of your home from which you want to issue voice commands. We’d recommend selecting a common area, such as your living room or kitchen.
Once you receive your Amazon Echo Dot, set it up by following the instructions in the box. Now that your Echo smart speaker is ready to roll, the fun part begins — adding smart devices to your home.
Smart Home Devices on a Budget
When shopping for cheap smart home devices, the most critical factor is whether the products will work with your smart assistant. In our budget smart home example, we’ve ensured that every device we picked works with Amazon Alexa.
Best Budget Smart Lights: Sengled Smart Bulb
Smart light bulbs are the foundation of most smart homes. When it comes to devices that we wish to control in our home with a simple voice command, lights are at the top of the list. Replace your light bulbs with smart bulbs, and you can easily control them.
The Sengled Smart Bulb series is one of our favorites due to its relatively modest price; a pack of four sells for about $30, or $7.50 per bulb. Not only can you control the on/off function, but you can also dim the bulbs or change their color on command.
Best Budget Smart Plugs: Kasa Smart Plug (HS103P4)
A smart plug enables you to turn your standard outlet sockets into smart sockets. Plug in appliances or wired devices into the smart plug to control them remotely or by voice command.
For smart home enthusiasts on a budget, we recommend the Kasa Smart Plug HS103P4 (we know it’s not a sexy name). It’s sold in a pack of four for about $25.
Best Budget Smart Switches: Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch (HD220)
A ceiling light fixture with multiple bulbs can quickly become expensive if you buy a smart light for each socket in your smart house. One alternative is to purchase a smart switch that will upgrade the light switch you already have on your wall.
Our top pick for a budget smart switch is Kasa’s Smart Dimmer Switch (HD220), coming in at only $18. Swap out your existing light switch for this unit, and you’ll be able to control your ceiling fixtures with a swift command — and installation is a breeze.
Best Budget Smart Thermostat: Amazon Smart Thermostat
Installing a smart thermostat is a slick way to control your home’s temperature at night without slipping out of bed and save money on your electricity bill. You’ll be able to easily monitor your energy usage all day, whether you are home or not.
We love Amazon’s Smart Thermostat, which delivers a smart home temperature-control experience for $60. You can program a schedule, control the temperature remotely, or examine your heating and cooling spending over days, weeks or months.
Best Budget Smart Doorbell Camera: Blink Video Doorbell
A smart home is a safe one, and it all begins with your front door. Installing a smart video doorbell enables you to keep an eye on your home, whether in the living room, backyard or around the corner at the neighborhood cafe.
When it comes to cheap smart home devices, our pick for the best budget smart doorbell camera is the Blink video doorbell. For only $35, you can grab a wireless battery-operated video doorbell with a built-in two-way intercom.
Best Budget Smart Security Camera: Kasa Indoor Pan/Tilt Camera
If you also want to keep an eye on the happenings within your home, consider an indoor security camera. Connect it with your Alexa smart home, and you can view your camera from afar on a smartphone or a compatible Echo Show device (smart display).
The Kasa Indoor Pan/Tilt Security Camera is our favorite option for budget-conscious shoppers thanks to its pannable design and low price. Available for only $35, this smart camera offers up Full HD video, night vision and a patrol mode for intruders.
Best Budget Smart IR Remote Control: BroadLink RM4 Mini
Here is a product category you wouldn’t likely have thought about, but we are here to help you find the best cheap smart home devices. An infrared (IR) remote control enables you to control most devices that use remote controls via virtual assistant.
Our favorite product is the BroadLink RM4 Mini, which can control your television, set-top box, air conditioner, fan, electric fireplace and more. For only $26, you can control a world of devices, instantly transforming your home into something a bit smarter.
Best Budget Smart Robot Vacuum: Eufy RoboVac 15C Max
We aren’t quite at the point of having a robot like Rosie in “The Jetsons” to clean up all of our messes, but we have some slick robot vacuums that can come close. With a smart robot vacuum, you need only to issue a command and watch your home’s floors be cleaned.
Most robot vacuum cleaners are expensive, especially those connected to Wi-Fi, and can be controlled by an assistant like Alexa. Luckily, we found the Eufy RoboVac 15C Max, which can vacuum hard floors and carpets for only $160.
Best Budget Media Streaming Stick: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
Media streaming sticks enable you to access video and music streaming services via your television. Adding an Alexa voice assistant to your smart home allows you to take your media streaming experience further, controlling your television with voice commands.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is our top pick for a budget media streaming stick, and, as you might expect, it plays perfectly with Alexa. For around only $50, you can command Alexa to turn on the TV, open up a specific streaming service and begin playing your favorite show.
Our Methodology
The market is full of smart home gadgets promising to upgrade your house or apartment, so we needed to select only the best — all while on a budget.
We began by researching the different types of products available on the market. We then assembled criteria, making sure the selected options met our standards. Factors we considered included ecosystem compatibility, overall reliability and pricing.
Each product we selected has been certified to work with Amazon’s Alexa ecosystem, our choice system for a low-budget smart home. We hand-tested the products we chose for reliability, or selection was based on a collection of positive testimonials from verified customers.
As the pricing was a foremost concern, we selected the lowest-priced products that still provided a top-tier experience. During our selection process, preference was given to brands with more trustworthy reputations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How Do I Create a Smart Home on a Budget?
Creating a smart home on a budget isn’t as difficult as you might think. You’ll want to choose a smart home system that offers cheap smart home devices. Our top picks are Amazon’s Alexa and Echo devices. From there, you’ll want to search for products compatible with Alexa; they can typically be found at low price points online.
How Much Does It Cost to Turn Your House Into a Smart Home?
It depends on what is important to you. If you want to replace a few lamps with smart lights, it might cost you $7 to $8 per bulb or smart plug. However, if your idea of a smart home is a robot vacuum cleaner and a smart wireless doorbell, you’ll have to shell out more money.
Is It Worth Getting a Smart Home?
Transforming your house into a smart home can be a rewarding experience. It makes your life easier, allowing you to issue commands with your voice, and it can save you money in the long run. A smart thermostat, smart bulbs and a smart plug will enable you to better control your energy consumption and monthly bill.
Which Smart Home System Is Best?
The primary voice assistant ecosystems to build your smart home around are Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri. Alexa and Google Assistant typically offer the most cost-effective solutions, with Amazon providing an overall cheaper setup. Siri provides excellent compatibility and privacy with Apple devices, but accessories are more expensive.
Michael Archambault is a senior writer for The Penny Hoarder specializing in technology.
Are you worried about the massive cost of getting a college education? Here are two magic words for you: free college.
Free college? Is there even such a thing?
Yes, there is, if you play your cards right.
We got to thinking about free college when Princeton University recently announced that it’ll offer free tuition for students whose parents earn less than $100,000 per year. And when Fidelity Investments recently announced that it’ll offer free college degrees to its 18,000 employees, including entry-level customer service phone representatives.
Sure, that’s nice — if you happen to work for Fidelity. Or if you can get into Princeton, or if your kid can get into Princeton. But let’s face it, Princeton accepts only five out of every 100 applicants, so good luck getting in.
If you’re really interested in free college, though, we’ve done some research for you. We’ve concluded that, realistically, there are a few ways that you can go to college for free.
Let’s look at whether they’ll work for you. We also have some other ways you can ease the burden of paying for college.
The Skyrocketing Cost of College
Once upon a time, you could work your way through college and graduate relatively debt-free by keeping a part-time job on the side.
That was back in the mid-1980s, though, when the cost of college wasn’t off the charts.
Unfortunately, the cost of college tuition has risen faster than inflation every single year for decades now. It’s been relentless. That’s why 46 million Americans owe $1.75 trillion in student loans.
An analysis by The Penny Hoarder found that the average cost of a four-year degree at a public college or university has ballooned to more than $80,000. Since 1985, it’s increased by roughly 130%!
Do you have $80,000 handy? Yeah, neither do we.
How to Go to College for Free (or Mostly Free)
Despite that harsh financial reality, there are ways to get an education that won’t leave you hopelessly in debt. Here are three ideas for free college.
We found more than a dozen employers that’ll pay for a full ride in higher education, including Amazon, Boeing, Chipotle, Disney, Papa John’s, Starbucks, T-Mobile, Taco Bell, Target, Tyson Foods, Verizon and Walmart.
More common are assistance programs that reimburse or cover a capped annual amount toward a degree at a community college, technical school or four-year college. Many companies partner with certain schools — some brick and mortar, some online — so you can’t necessarily get your degree anywhere you like.
In today’s tight job market, free college — or at least tuition assistance — is becoming more popular as a job perk. Big companies are looking for ways to attract and keep workers.
EdAssist, a tuition program management business, has seen a whopping 33% jump in 2022 alone in the number of companies offering no-cost degree programs. That includes employers such as Citi, McDonald’s, Raytheon Technologies and Synchrony Financial.
Go to Community College First
Starting at a community college for two years before attending a four-year public university is a great way to save big on your education. Here we break down the benefits of making a community college transfer and how it could shave more than $14,000 off the cost of a bachelor’s degree.
For even bigger savings, though, attending certain community colleges in certain states can be totally free. Nearly 30 states offer tuition-free community college as long as you’re a legal resident of that state and you meet certain requirements. Keep in mind that you’d still be on the hook for the cost of books and housing and such.
The states in question include California, Indiana, Kentucky, New York and Tennessee.
Maine just joined them, covering tuition and fees for recent Maine high school grads to attend any of its seven community colleges. And Florida’s Bright Futures scholarships cover the full cost of state college tuition for high-achieving high school students.
The details and requirements vary by state. (Google is your friend here.) But in these states, you could potentially earn an associate degree or even a bachelor’s degree at a community college without paying any tuition at all.
Get a Senior Discount
It’s true: Older adults can go to college for free or cheap in all 50 states.
We’re living longer than ever before. So what can you do when you retire and want to keep your mind sharp, or if you’re still working but need to gain additional skills to stay competitive in the job market?
Go back to school! In the interest of continuing education, many colleges and universities offer reduced or free college for seniors (typically, adults 60 and up, although the rules vary).
Even if you don’t end up going to college for free, here are a few reliable ways to ease the burden of college costs.
Every college student should fill out the FAFSA to see if the government can help cover the costs.
Scholarships are another way to keep costs down. Here are 16 scholarships for adult students. You can also check with your school for scholarship opportunities.
Like we mentioned before, starting at a community college for two years before attending a four-year public university is one way to save big. Here are other ways to pay for college without student loans.
So, can you really go to college for free? Or at least for a lot cheaper?
You really can.
Mike Brassfield ([email protected]) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.
Thanks mostly to Jack Sparrow, we have come to romanticize the idea of pirates.
But pirates are thieves, and they do not work exclusively on sailing ships or in port towns.
They operate in your neighborhood as porch pirates, who steal packages dropped off by the popular delivery services such as Amazon, Walmart and other big retailers.
There are ways to stop these porch pirates so that you can shop electronically in peace, knowing your package will reach you safely and securely.
7 Ways to Stop Porch Pirates Once and for All
A study by Safewise found that in 2022, 79% of online shoppers had been victims of package theft in the calendar year, an estimated loss of $19.5 billion.
Of those polled shoppers, 35% said they had precautionary security camera or video doorbell technology available to them at the time of the theft. (And 17% caught the thief on camera).
A total of 8% of surveyed said they had a lockbox or package delivery locker in place.
Porch pirates inspired 26% of people to install a home security system after a theft, the Safewise study reported, and nearly half of porch pirate victims rallied neighbors to help protect packages in their neighborhood.
Want to protect yourself from porch pirates? We’ve got seven tips.
1. Make Delivery Requests
Some online ordering systems allow you to make delivery requests, like putting the package in a secure area. Making a request doesn’t guarantee that it will be met, but you may be surprised at how attentive delivery people are when dropping off your goods. “Leave on basement steps” or “upstairs neighbor can sign” are simple instructions that can help ensure your package gets to you.
If you happen to run into your regular local USPS, UPS or FedEx carrier, you may be able to make requests in person. But keep in mind that your neighborhood delivery person may already have the best intel on which bushes are ideal for concealing packages.
2. Work With a Neighbor
If you have neighbors who use delivery services the way you do, talk with them to see if you can work together to thwart package theft. If you have alternating or overlapping schedules, agree to pick up each other’s packages when they are delivered so that evildoers don’t get to them first.
3. Get Packages Delivered to Your Workplace
Depending on your workplace environment, you may be able to get packages delivered to the office rather than to your home, assuming the office setting is less likely to leave packages unattended.
Hauling items home can be cumbersome later, but if you want eyes on a package ASAP, your workplace may be your best bet.
4. Pay for a Package Receipt Service
This isn’t the cheapest option, but it may be the most secure. Some businesses offer to receive packages for customers for a small fee. Do an internet search for “package delivery acceptance services” to see what is available in your area.
5. Get Your Stuff Delivered to an Amazon Locker
It’s not quite as convenient as home delivery or the corner store, but if you’d rather have your Amazon package delivered to a secure location, add an Amazon Locker location to your account.
Amazon will deliver the package to the locker and when it’s ready for pickup, you’ll receive an email with a six-digit code to pick up the package from the self-service kiosk.
Lockers are located in stores, apartment buildings and malls across the United States, which offers you convenient times to pick up packages on in the evenings or on weekends.
And if you’re a Prime member, you get to use the lockers for free.
6. Watch Your Tracking Info Like a Hawk
Take advantage of available technology. Keep an eye on the tracking package services offer so you have a more precise idea when your package will be delivered and you can plan accordingly.
Frequently, you can sign up for text or email updates on your package’s journey, and if you miss a delivery you need to sign for, you can sometimes have the package rerouted to a shipping service center, like the UPS Store, so the delivery person doesn’t spend three days knocking on your door.
The postal service even offers Informed Delivery, which sends you images of small pieces of mail that are on their way to your mailbox that day.
7. Let Pirates Know You are Watching Them
If you’re willing to make a bigger investment, home security systems like the Ring or Nest doorbell cameras can let you monitor your front door — and the police department can use the footage to track down the porch pirates. Such devices send notifications to your phone through an app that records every motion that occurs at or even near your front door. In some cases, that includes every car that drives by. But, it also records every human visitor you get, authorized or not.
Because such devices are visible, they can act as a deterrent to thieves who are camera-shy.
If the worst-case scenario happens, detailed tracking information and video can help make a case to your credit card company, which may reimburse you for lost or stolen packages, or it could help you get a replacement item from the retailer.
Pro Tip
If you have the Ring doorbell camera, sign up for reports on the Neighbors App, where you can share info about package thieves if they hit your area.
Kent McDill is a veteran journalist who has specialized in personal finance topics since 2013. He is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder.
Lisa Rowan is a former senior writer and producer at The Penny Hoarder.
Now in the holiday season, you may be looking for more economical bottles of delicious red wine with firm tannins to go with those crisper days, heavier meals and crackling fires.
But you don’t need to spend a fortune on red wine. It can still taste plenty rich even when you buy it on the cheap. We researched popular wine retailers to find the best cheap red wine, along with some affordable, lesser-known alternatives, and got some help from Nick Elliott, a winemaking expert based in California.
We’ve got some great information about how to select red wine and why prices are what they are. However, if you just want to skip to the list of 13 great red wines, we understand.
Setting the Table for Red Wine: A Brief Q&A
Before we jump into our list of inexpensive red wines, let’s review some common questions that come up when talking about red wine.
Why Are Some Red Wines So Pricey?
Lots of reasons. Here are some typical factors driving the price of red wines.
Age: Red wine is aged, and the longer a bottle sits in storage the more it costs to bring it to market. One rule of thumb? Expect to spend a dollar for every year of aging.
Smaller quantity: Compared to whites, red-wine grapes are often harvested in smaller quantities to encourage more flavor. Smaller quantities mean lower volume, hence high prices.
More labor intensive: Smaller “boutique” vineyards often use more labor-intensive methods versus high-volume producers.
Shorter supply: When a growing season for a particular vintage produces lower yields, the wine can be more flavorful but in shorter supply. That means higher demand and a higher price.
Reputation: Varietals that are in fashion or have a storied reputation can command a higher price.
Labor and taxes: Labor costs vary widely across the globe. Taxes and tariffs, too.
Oak barrels: Wines aged in oak cost more to produce and are often in greater demand.
Looking for cheap white wine? We’ve got you covered there, too. Check out our picks for the top cheap white wines.
Does Expensive Red Wine Always Taste Better?
Not necessarily, but the mind can play tricks on the taste buds. An interesting study found that price can influence our perception of taste. The study found that, in blind tastings, people who were told a wine was more expensive tended to rate it higher — even when it was actually cheap wine.
What Are Some Common Red Wine Myths?
Myth: Red wine should never be chilled. Well … not necessarily. Light- to medium-bodied red wines with low levels of tannins can handle a little cooling. And the recommended serving temperatures for red wines range from 13˚C to 18˚C (55˚F to 64˚F) — a little cooler than you might have guessed.
Myth: Never drink red wine in a box. Don’t be so sure! As long as the packaging protects it from light and air, it can often be perfectly acceptable — and packaged more sustainably.
Myth: Red blends are inferior to single-variety wines. Did you know that Champagne is a blended wine? Case closed.
If you love the bubbly more than red wine, you’re in luck. Here’s our guide to the best cheap Champagne around.
The taste: Tannat isn’t well known yet — but it should be. This grape originally hails from the Basque country, between France and Spain, but has migrated to other parts of the globe. It’s the primary grape in this blend of all-organic grapes produced in Mendoza, Argentina. You’ll taste notes of herb, oak and spice layered over blueberry, blackberry and elderberry notes.
Pair it with: Bolder dishes with earthy ingredients like eggplant and mushrooms, as well as cheese, beef and roasted lamb. A traditional cassoulet is a great choice
The taste: This earthy red wine from California has aromas of spiced plum, licorice and black olive. It’s medium-bodied with smooth tannins and made from organically grown grapes.
Pair it with: Beef, lamb or veal. A traditional French veal blanquette (stew) is a great choice.
The taste: From Tuscany, this dry, medium-bodied red has a silky texture with floral scents. It’s mildly tannic, which refines over time, with a hint of spice.
Pair it with: Great for an informal gathering with pasta and tomato sauce, antipasto or lasagna.
The taste: Like pinot noir, this bold bottle is fruit-forward and juicy, with strawberry flavors, peppercorns, tannins and acidity. It’s considered a great Thanksgiving red wine because it complements the traditional flavors of that feast.
Pair it with: French food such as a charcuterie board or soft cheeses. Or, for something different, pair it with a nutty, semi-sweet dessert such as pecan pie.
The taste: Black pepper, cranberries and raspberries are some flavors in this robust red wine, which is aged for 14 months in a 2-year-old American oak barrel.
Pair it with: Something strong and spicy like this chipotle BBQ pork dish.
The taste: Often overshadowed, this is a fabulous alternative to its bolder cousin, the zinfandel. Garnacha was originally from Spain, but today it’s often planted in southern France. (You’ll also see it called grenache). This is a medium-full bodied wine that has medium acidity, medium tannins and high alcohol.
Pair it with: Poultry, pork or barbecue. A good pork suggestion is this roasted pork tenderloin with blackberry sauce.
The taste: This wine from Mendoza, Argentina, has bright cherry and toasty light florals. This is a rich, ripe red with concentrated black raspberry, chocolate and spice.
Pair it with: Steak, pork and lamb. This burger with Creole mustard tomato jam combines all three, along with toppings that will complement your sips.
The taste: Grown in Chile, this medium bodied red is earthy with cedar and hints of spice, leather and tobacco.
Pair it with: Pasta dishes, vegetable soup, spicy entrees and grilled meats. It’s also versatile enough to match with garlic, fresh herbs and eggplant, making eggplant parmesan a nice choice.
The taste: This tasty shiraz includes intense notes of vanilla balanced by ripe raspberry and plum fruits. This is a full-bodied red wine with a subtle sweetness.
The Penny Hoarder contributor Danielle Braff is a Chicago writer who specializes in consumer goods and shopping on a budget. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Real Simple and more.
The holiday season is here — and with it comes the food. Lots and lots of food.
Turkey and cranberry sauce to baked ham and mashed potatoes to beef tenderloin and sweet potato casserole. So much food.
With all those dietary delights and nightmares, comes many a decision. While some people might think about calories — which is all well and good and sensible — others might approach this holiday dinner season from a budget viewpoint.
How are you going to pay for all this food? And, better yet, where can you pick your culinary battles, so to speak? Where does it make sense to be budget conscious? Where should you spend more and live a little?
Many home cooks could use some help this year looking for ways to save on time and money — and when it’s OK to spend extra — with inflation and turkey prices as high as ever.
That’s where we want to help.
Save vs. Splurge: 11 Questions to Help Plan Your Thanksgiving Dinner
1. Is Anyone Actually Going to Eat the Cranberry Sauce?
Is there a more polarizing Thanksgiving food than cranberry sauce? You hate it or you love it. Some prefer it homemade. Others just can’t get enough of the canned jiggly sauce.
In fact, Ocean Spray produces 70 million cans of cranberry sauce, using about 200 cranberries in each can, according to Food & Wine magazine. It’s their most popular product by far.
So, assuming you want it on your dinner table, what to do with this controversial food?
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A 14-ounce can of Ocean Spray cranberry sauce costs $1.76 at Walmart and contains six servings — or more. (Does anyone even eat a full serving?) Whether you’re feeding only six or you’re feeding a crowd of 18 — three cans for a total of $5.28 — that’s really cheap.
Splurge
This Bon Appetit writer compared the cost of homemade cranberry sauce versus simply buying a can. Homemade costs more than twice as much. She said the canned version costs her $1.26 per cup, while buying fresh and making her own sauce costs $2.93 per cup.
If putting this classic on your Thanksgiving menu is worth the time, effort and costs for you and your guests, then by all means have at it.
2. How Many Casseroles Is Too Many Casseroles?
Some Thanksgiving dinners look like a turkey invaded a casserole party. There’s a bird, some mashed potatoes and gravy, and a long line of casserole dishes of every conceivable color and vegetable variety.
Maybe you love your green bean casserole, and that’s perfectly fine. Or maybe you just have always prepared casseroles or had guests bring them, and don’t want to change up tradition. You do you.
We’re certainly not hating on casseroles. We’re just saying maybe the turkey’s supporting cast could be a little more judicially chosen, or maybe trimmed down?
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There’s nothing wrong with a traditional casserole, much like this cheesy corn casserole and this healthy green bean casserole. These are easy enough to make and will save you time and money with low cost ingredients.
If your Thanksgiving lineup is usually casserole heavy, maybe consider sticking to one or two and saving overall by making less food or put your extra casserole budget toward higher end ingredients.
3. Is There a Faster, More Foolproof Way to Cook a Turkey?
There’s nothing wrong with a basic, baked turkey recipe. Some people have mastered the baked bird, and why change up what works?
But that typical baked and roasted turkey can easily go south in a hurry, leaving your main Thanksgiving centerpiece drier than Uncle Joe’s dad jokes.
What are some other options?
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If you really want to save on time, let the experts cook a turkey for you. We’ve got plenty of ideas on where to go buy a whole, cooked turkey and the entire prepared dinner. You might even save money since you’re not flirting with ruining the most expensive dish.
But if you’re confident in your traditionally baked turkey cooking skills, expect to pay more for a whole bird this year. The average price per pound of a whole turkey sits at $1.99 compared to $1.21 in 2021, a 60% increase. You could score a free or cheap turkey from a grocery store though.
Splurge
Get your fancy on with chef Tyler Florence’s bacon-wrapped turkey stuffed with sage and cornbread. If you’re willing to follow safety protocols (let your frozen turkey completely thaw!), and don’t mind splurging on calories, deep-frying your bird is fairly easy and an incredibly delicious way to prepare the Thanksgiving centerpiece.
4. Do You Want Leftovers? If You Do, What Are You Going to Do With Them?
Sometimes the leftovers are even better than the dinner. The question is — what to do with them? Answering the leftovers question before you even shop allows you to either trim your budget or spend more to make more.
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If you’re just not a leftovers-type-of-person (and, yes there are many of you out there), skip them all together and be more intentional about how much food you make. That might look like cutting back on sides or making one less dessert.
Our friends at Bon Appetit say you should plan on serving 1 to 1.5 pounds of turkey per person. So for a party of eight, you’d probably want a 10- to 12-pound turkey just to make sure you have enough for that initial go round. That might seem excessive, but remember that turkey has a lot of bones and cartilage that won’t be eaten.
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This is where it gets fun. Sure, you could go with the tried-and-true turkey sandwich, but what about a delicious gumbo that features a pound and a half of leftover turkey meat and smoked sausage? Or maybe a turkey chili?
And don’t forget about the mashed potatoes and stuffing! You could go big with these mashed potato pancakes on Friday morning. Or these fried stuffing bites that go with a cranberry sauce pesto?
Depending on how many people will be eating leftovers, remember to buy at least a few extra pounds of turkey.
Getty Images
5. Who’s Helping Me Cook — and Who’s on Cleanup Duty?
At some Thanksgiving dinners, everyone gets assigned a job. If you’re not cooking, you’re on cleanup duty or you’re setting the table and pouring water and wine.
At other dinners, a large migration happens the moment the last bite is taken. One group of people start cleanup, while another group gets lost on the way to the kitchen and ends up on the couch watching football.
How you save or splurge depends on which one of the above resembles your gathering.
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This is an issue of time, more so than money. If it’s all up to you and a few others to get everything done, then outsource some or all of your meal. Ask your guests to bring parts of the meal. Use paper plates. Buy a pre-cooked turkey or dessert and focus on making a few of your favorite side dishes.
Or if you just can’t give up your deep-fried turkey, outsource your sides to a local restaurant or caterer. If you really don’t want to deal with clean up and all the other hassle, then order an entirely prepared dinner.
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If everyone pitches in and you’re not left doing everything solo, then be thankful for the help and reward them with a fabulous holiday meal. Make dishes from scratch. Broaden your menu. Spring for a centerpiece or spread of appetizers.
6. Do We Actually Like a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner or Should We Consider Something New?
Why turkey? Of course, it’s delicious but there’s no law saying you have to prepare turkey, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving day.
If you’re tired of the same old meal every year, what’s stopping you from totally changing it up this year? We’ve got ideas.
Want to really take your alternative Thanksgiving meal to the next level? This roasted rack of lamb with a brown sugar-rum glaze will do the job. If you’re a red meat lover, you might want to go with an espresso-crusted beef tenderloin with a truffle sage risotto. Now, that’s bougie. Or how about a warm and comforting homemade lasagna bolognese?
7. What Type of Drinks Do You Want to Serve?
Don’t let the drinks be an afterthought. Whether you want to save or splurge, you can offer some delicious beverage choices to your Thanksgiving guests.
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To really save, skip the alcohol. You can keep it simple with a basic, inexpensive tea. (Don’t forget the sugar if you’re in the south). Or go fancy and still be inexpensive with this fall sangria that pairs sparkling apple cider with red wine, fruit and cinnamon.
To save but still serve alcohol, check out these red wines for under $12, and these white wines that sell for less than $10.
Splurge
If you’re willing to spend a little extra money, you can really blow your guests away with some great beverages. Start off the dinner with a cocktail (half?) hour that features a cranberry margarita or a maple old fashioned.
It is possible to stock a home bar on a budget. You just have to know what you’re doing. We asked the experts. Here’s what they said.
8. How Do You Plan on Spending Your Time?
In other words, are you spending your time the way you want to on Thanksgiving? Again, this may be a question of time and not just money. Both can be equal stressors when it comes to getting ready for the big meal. Here are some things to think about.
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Not everything needs to be made the day of the meal. What can you make ahead of time? Fruit-filled pies can be made and frozen, then baked when ready. Dinner rolls and mashed potatoes can also be frozen and reheated.
If you’re comfortable making something ahead of time, do it. You’ll save some time and have more free time to relax and enjoy the wine and your company on Thanksgiving day.
Splurge
If you really want to splurge on saving time, money and oven space, go the potluck dinner route. Assign every one something to bring, but keep track of it so you don’t have seven casseroles with your turkey. (See No. 2.)
As always, the Pioneer Woman has plenty of ideas on what potluck ideas work. If you’re the host, you’ll probably want to take on the turkey unless one of your guests is adequately prepared for the job.
9. Who Do You Really Want to Eat Dinner With?
It’s not a trick question. Similar to eating turkey every year — even if you don’t like it — many of us invite the same people every year too. That even includes your wackball Uncle Joe who is intent on dominating the conversation and talking politics every year.
Why do we force ourselves to be around people we don’t even like — and on what’s supposed to be a restful holiday no less?
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Here’s an idea. Keep your gathering small, like really small. No extended family. Just you and your people. If your 14-year-old son is being a brat, you can send him to his room.
But where are you going to send Uncle Joe when he won’t stop talking politics and religion? A tent in the backyard? Save yourself the headache, cut down on costs and trim your gathering to the people you want to be there.
Splurge
But your mom will be so upset if you don’t invite Uncle Joe. “He’s my baby brother, and we used to play lawn darts together in the front yard,” she says.
OK, so you can’t avoid mom’s guilt trip, then splurge and invite the whole crew. But go for a compromise. How about a Black Friday family game night? Or a light appetizer come-and-go party the Saturday after?
The key here is to make the environment light, fun and flexible, so the odds of Uncle Joe cornering your other guests are lower.
10. How Should You Manage Different Diets?
We’re not talking about your 21-year-old nephew who only eats chicken fingers and tater tots. But you might have a vegetarian or vegan in the family, or maybe someone who is allergic to gluten or dairy.
So how do you keep everyone happy and emergency-room free after the big dinner?
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We like the way Ina Garten puts it in this Bon Appetit article: “What I never do is make something specific for one person, because then they feel like they’re not part of the party. This way, they’re just choosing some of the menu but not all of it.”
She suggests a cornbread stuffing for gluten-free guests or keeping the vegetables strictly vegetables. (No ham hock in the green beans, southern friends). You’ll save time by making one dish instead of two and money by omitting or changing ingredients, like swapping green bean casserole for roasted green beans.
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Garten says not to do something specific for one person, and we generally agree. But what if you made something so over-the-top delicious — while also meeting different diets — that even the most die-hard meat lovers must try a bit?
Carla Hall’s buttermilk biscuits would fit that bill. This pecan pie uses coconut oil and tapioca flour and looks incredible — and perfect for our gluten-free friends and dairy-free vegans. For gluten-free guests, something like this paleo green bean casserole with crispy onions would definitely be a hit.
11. What About Desserts?
Of course, you’ve got to have a few dessert options. But that doesn’t mean you have to go overboard or completely stress out about tackling a homemade apple pie or pecan pie for the first time ever.
Keep it simple.
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There’s no shame in buying pre-made dessert. Whether it’s a hearty 38-ounce frozen apple pie at Walmart for only $5.98 or a whole pumpkin pie from Cracker Barrel for only $12.49, you’ve got options.
And if dessert just isn’t your thing, surely there’s someone in your group that would be willing to take it on? Or if you want to bake without the floury mess, go the semi-homemade route and use a store bought pie crusts.
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If you’re the Betty Crocker of your family and friends, you may not want to give up on making your own desserts. If that’s you, then have at it! Just remember, it’s OK to keep it simple here too. You don’t have to make your own pie crust, or maybe you want to.
So the truth is you can make sensible decisions — whether they be about saving money or time — that help you actually enjoy this holiday, instead of just anxiously waiting for the moment your last guest leaves.
Keep these questions in mind this year, and we think you’ll have a Thanksgiving to remember!
Robert Bruce is a senior writer for The Penny Hoarder.
Amazon Prime has become more expensive over time, now costing up to $180 per year. Would that price be worth it if you also received free music? Amazon Prime members previously had access to over 2 million free songs, but that number just grew to 100 million.
While access to 100 million songs might seem like a huge improvement, some subscribers are unhappy. In the past, Prime members using Amazon Music could select and listen to any of the provided songs on demand.
With the music library increasing to 100 million songs, the service will play any albums or playlists selected in shuffle mode. Users who wish to have direct on-demand access to any of the provided tracks will need to upgrade their subscription.
Amazon follows a similar model to Spotify, offering a tier in which an extensive collection of songs are made available at no cost. Still, they can’t be selected on demand. You could consider Amazon’s offering better than Spotify’s free tier, as it doesn’t include ads.
While Spotify offers random, ad-supported access to 70 million songs, Amazon Music provides random, ad-free access to 100 million songs. If you are a Spotify free-tier subscriber, you may want to consider switching over to Amazon.
Existing Prime members who have previously taken advantage of Amazon Music may be less pleased with the shuffle mode change. Unfortunately, for those members, the decision is either to live with the change or pony up another $8.99 a month.
The change to Amazon Music will also include access to many of the company’s in-house podcasts and a selection of other top podcasts that are ad free. Amazon Music is not just attempting to target music listeners; it wants podcast fans, too.
Oh, and dogs. If one thing’s certain about #vanlife, it’s that lots and lots of dogs are living it.
Van life seems to promise an experience that is simultaneously beautiful, liberating and affordable — after all, if you’re living on the road, you probably aren’t paying rent or a mortgage.
But what goes on outside those carefully framed pictures? What does it really cost to live life on four wheels?
How #VanLife Really Works
Although there is some truth to the footloose-and-fancy-free perception of van living, there’s also a lot of work that goes into making the lifestyle feasible.
If you’re considering hitting the road yourself, here are a few things you should know about the realities of van life, both financial and otherwise.
Even on the Road, You Still Have Expenses
Just because you won’t be paying for housing doesn’t mean you won’t have expenses. Just like any other lifestyle, in order to make van life work, you’ll need to create a budget.
Abigail and Natalie Rodriguez have been living on the road full-time since February 2019. Apart from the purchase and conversion of their 2004 Dodge Sprinter van — a project they handled themselves — they have plenty of other regular bills to pay.
Among other things, the couple budgets for:
Top-notch vehicle insurance with roadside assistance
Phone bill, including internet hotspot
Website domain
Adobe (so they can edit videos)
Vehicle maintenance — including, eventually, a new transmission since they purchased an older vehicle
These costs, along with their biggest expenses — food and fuel — run the Rodriguezes about $2,000 per month.
That said, one of the coolest things about mobile living is that it’s flexible: You can choose to spend less on gas by not traveling so much for a while, and if you don’t want to pay for a fancy campground, you can boondock on BLM land.
You can also curb your finances by spending your time in one of the best states for van lifers — ie. the ones where life is cheap, the weather is good, and free camping is abundant.
The Rodriguezes spent a year and a half building out their Sprinter van — which also afforded them time to save up for going on the road. Photo courtesy of Abigail Rodriquez
You Can — and Probably Should — DIY It, Even if You Don’t Know How
Along with the month-to-month costs of living, there’s also the van itself to consider. If you purchase a custom van brand new, you could easily be looking at $100,000 or more. Most of us don’t have that kind of cash lying around.
Building out your own conversion can help you save a boatload of money while also giving you the opportunity to personalize your home on wheels. That’s why the Rodriguezes spent a year and a half building out their early-aughts Sprinter — which also afforded them time to save up for their new nomadic lifestyle. (More on that in a minute.)
Jeff Chow, another vanlifer who catalogs his stunning travel experiences on Instagram, hacked the system: He purchased a fairly new vehicle — a 2017 Ram ProMaster — and then built out the interior himself.
With its removable insulation, solar wiring and dual-zone refrigerator, his van has a “pretty minimal build.” That is to say, it isn’t as fancy as some of the #vanlife eye candy. But it’s reliable and well-suited to his needs.
Chow spent $28,000 on the van purchase, but only $2,500 or so on upgrades. And because the van is a newer model, he isn’t as worried about major engine maintenance and repair costs.
By the way, if you think you need to be a DIY genius to pull it off, think again. Many vanlifers, including the Rodriguezes, have little in the way of prior construction experience. They figure it out as they go, considering it part of the adventure.
How do you figure it out?
“YouTube University is your friend,” wrote Natalie in an email. “Trust me.”
There are also several notable websites like Parked in Paradise offering DIY-guides galore.
It’s Not Gonna Happen Overnight
One thing you can’t capture in an Instagram post: the passage of time. And it does take time to turn a van into a villa if you do it yourself.
Unlike the Rodriguezes, who did most of their build before leaving their hometown of Charleston, S.C., Chow began living in his van before making any upgrades, slowly turning it into the home he wanted over the course of his time on the road.
And even if you do get a custom-made van fresh from the manufacturer, if there’s one thing that’s certain about life on the road, it’s that you’re going to run into a few surprises. Building and rebuilding is an ongoing reality for most vanlifers, so don’t expect an effort-free happily ever after. Expect some maintenance costs the same way you would in a house.
Natalie and Abigail Rodriquez saved up about $25,000 so they could enjoy their first year on the road without working. They’ve visited places such as Colorado, top right photo, and Utah, bottom left photo. Photo courtesy of Abigail Rodriquez
You Don’t Have to Be Rich, But You Might Have to Sacrifice
There’s a perception that the majority of vanlifers are digital nomads, making their living online — or that they’re young retirees who are independently wealthy.
But that isn’t always the case. The Rodriguezes, for instance, saved up about $25,000 ahead of time so they could enjoy their first year on the road without worrying about working. Since beginning their travels, they’ve started to earn brand ambassador income through their social media channels.
Of course, saving up that kind of cash is tough, and it takes some tough decision-making. Natalie, who had worked as a sous chef, and Abigail, who owned her own photography studio in Charleston, had to make some pretty radical changes to build their nest egg.
The couple downsized from a 1,500-square-foot house to a small studio, which allowed Natalie to put away half of each paycheck. They also gave up their Comcast internet subscription, restaurant dining habit, and even — gasp — Netflix.
It’s Worth It
Make no mistake: #vanlife takes time, work, and money. But if it’s the lifestyle you want, it’s well worth the effort.
“We get to constantly travel, see new things, experience new landscapes and cultures whenever we want,” wrote Natalie. “It is absolute freedom and constant education.”
Chow, who was motivated in part to take on this lifestyle because of a chronic health issue, said it’s changed the way he experiences his life. “I can be bedridden for months at a time,” he said. “If I’m going to be bedridden, I’d rather be bedridden with — right now, I have a view of the Sierras,” he said by phone.
All of which is to say: if you really want #vanlife, go for it.
“Sit down, do some research, make a plan, make a goal, and act on it,” Abigail said in her YouTube video — speaking to the camera from inside the van she’d built alongside her partner with nothing but their four hands, a dream, and a lot of hard work.
Jamie Cattanach is a full-time freelance writer whose work has been featured at Fodor’s, Yahoo, SELF, The Huffington Post, The Motley Fool and other outlets. Learn more at www.jamiecattanach.com.
Contributor Larissa Runkle contributed to this report.
Disney World ticket prices are at an all-time high — and Disney’s Annual Pass program hasn’t gotten any cheaper either. You’ll pay more than $100 a night just to camp at Ft. Wilderness (Disney World’s campground), and Disney did away with the free FastPass+ program in favor of the paid Genie+ service, where you pay extra money to skip the line.
That raises the question: Is it still possible to plan a Walt Disney World vacation on a budget? And are there still solid Disney freebies to take advantage of?
You might have to look a little harder for that discounted magic, but there are still free things to do and collect at Walt Disney World Resort. You’ve just got to know where to look to find those Disney freebies.
Disney Freebies to Take Advantage of on Your Next Disney Vacation
You might have to pay to get into the theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort — plus pay to park or stay the night in one of the hotels — but once you’re on Disney World property, there is plenty of secret free stuff to find.
Here are 17 of our favorite free things to find on a Disney vacation:
1. Celebration Buttons
You don’t need a reason to take a vacation to Disney World, but if you’re celebrating an important milestone — birthday, anniversary, graduation, new job, you name it — the trip can be even more magical. Head to Guest Relations or an indoor merch location and ask a Cast Member (Walt Disney World employee) for a celebration button.
You can wear this free Disney souvenir throughout your trip. You’ll usually garner special attention from Cast Members throughout the park, who may shout, “Happy birthday!” from across the path or ask you about your new job while you board Space Mountain.
Disney characters may even offer extra magical interactions if they spy you wearing a birthday button or a button commemorating your first visit.
2. Autographs
Speaking of Disney characters, you can take advantage of special meet-and-greets at each of the parks. Each is free and allows you to interact with your favorite characters, like Mickey and Minnie, the Disney Princesses, and even Pixar and Star Wars favorites.
You can offer something for the character to autograph, but many of the costumed characters (who can’t easily sign their names) will hand out autograph cards, totally free. You’ll find the most character interactions at Magic Kingdom, but every park — from EPCOT to Animal Kingdom — offers unique character experiences.
3. Prizes
There are plenty of free things for kids to do in Disney parks — and some of them even come with prizes. For example:
Collect treasure cards (one’s signed by Captain Jack Sparrow) when you play A Pirate’s Adventure at Magic Kingdom.
Collect badges (stickers) for animal observation activities via Animal Kingdom’s Wilderness Explorers.
Collect stickers on a Finding Dory treasure hunt at the Seas Pavilion (aquarium area) at EPCOT.
Collect various mementos from “around the world” at the Kidcot stations along EPCOT’s World Showcase.
Speaking of EPCOT, its festival food strolls are in no way free — you’ve got to buy five food items at various food booths during each festival to collect a stamp — but if you collect five stamps, you can claim a sixth free food item. If you were planning to eat your way around the world during an EPCOT festival anyway, this is an easy Disney World freebie to claim.
4. Water
Feeling thirsty? You don’t have to buy an expensive plastic bottle of water while at the Disney World parks. Instead, just ask any vendor selling food and drinks for a cup of ice water.
You can also pack an empty water bottle and refill it at drinking fountains throughout the day.
5. Soda
Water isn’t the only free beverage at Walt Disney World. While you’ll pay for Coke products at restaurants at the Disney resorts and parks, there’s one place you can get soda for free: Club Cool at EPCOT.
Club Cool is a Coca-Cola shop located in EPCOT’s World Celebration neighborhood. For free, you’ll be able to sample eight different Coke products from around the world.
Be warned: These aren’t your Grandma’s Coke cans. The soda flavors are not all the carbonated goodness you’ve come to expect. The most divisive Club Cool flavor is Beverly, an Italian non-alcoholic aperitif.
Pro Tip
If you want a full serving of your favorite Coke from around the globe, head to the Coca-Cola Store Rooftop Beverage Bar at Disney Springs. But the Coke doesn’t flow free here.
6. Transportation
If you’re staying at any of the Walt Disney World resorts, like Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Pop Century, or even the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, transportation around the resort is totally free. Your day at Disney World might include a ride on:
The historic monorail
Buses
Boats
The Skyliner (gondola system)
You can also ask Cast Members for free transportation cards while aboard. These Disney freebies make great collectibles to commemorate your trip.
Pro Tip
While it doesn’t get you to any of the parks, there’s a free boat that runs the Sassagoula River between Disney Springs and Port Orleans Resort. Catch a ride to Scat Cat’s for a Mickey-shaped beignet.
6. Parking at Disney Springs
Free parking at Disney World? Not a chance… You have to pay to park as a resort guest, and you have to pay to park at each of the Disney World parks. If you’re flying in from out of town, it’s cheaper to arrange travel from the airport to your resort and just rely on the free Disney transportation during your stay.
However, if you are heading to Walt Disney World Resort by car, there is one place where you can find free parking — and that’s Disney Springs. If it’s been a while since you’ve been to Disney World, you may know it as Downtown Disney. It’s Disney’s outdoor shopping mall, and its massive parking garages don’t charge a fee.
The catch? The free Disney parking garages are for Disney Springs shoppers only. That means you shouldn’t park for free at Disney Springs, catch a bus to one of the Disney World resorts, and then take another bus to the parks. (Disney doesn’t really police this, but regardless of your moral code, doing this to avoid $20 in parking fees is a huge waste of time.)
But if you’re planning to spend the afternoon at the outdoor mall and then head to the parks in the evening, you’re probably in the clear to leave your car at the parking garage for the day.
7. Disney Springs Entertainment
There are plenty of free things to do at Disney Springs to fill your day. Window shopping is always fun (as long as you can resist the urge to spend), and kids love to snap photos with the LEGO sculptures outside the LEGO Store.
On certain days, you can hear live music at Dockside Margaritas. The margaritas aren’t free, but the music is!
And at Christmastime, you could spend a whole day hunting down all the special Christmas trees on display, and sometimes Disney Springs even offers free outdoor fitness classes.
9. Live Entertainment — Inside and Outside the Parks
Disney Springs doesn’t corner the market on live entertainment and your Disney World ticket unlocks more than just roller coasters and dark rides. Whether you’re in Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can catch an abundance of live entertainment.
Magic Kingdom is the pinnacle of live entertainment, from multiple parades and cavalcades throughout the day to the fireworks show each night. You can also catch castle stage shows each day.
Hollywood Studios is famous for Fantasmic while Animal Kingdom has Festival of the Lion King and the Finding Nemo music. During each of EPCOT’s huge festivals, you can usually catch a concert with big headlining acts, like Smash Mouth, Boyz II Men and Air Supply.
Sure, you paid the price of admission — but once you’re in the parks, live entertainment awaits. But there’s also plenty of free live entertainment outside the parks:
You can catch the fireworks from several prime locations at some of the hotels, like Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. No theme park ticket needed!
You can also catch the free Electrical Water Pageant on Bay Lake each night just outside Magic Kingdom.
Head to the Grand Floridian Resort to hear live piano music or to Fort Wilderness for Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long — totally free (just bring your own marshmallows; you’ll pay for those at Disney World).
The BoardWalk area outside of EPCOT comes to life each night with street performers, and you can head to Atlantic Dance Hall to boogie all night. But steer clear of the nearby Jellyrolls dueling piano bar; there’s an $18 cover.
10. Movies
Each night, the Disney resorts host Movies Under the Stars. Cozy up with your favorite snack and watch classic Disney movies up on a big screen outside. Depending on the Disney resort hotel, the movie might be poolside or in a clearing surrounded by trees.
11. Drawing Lessons
Animal Kingdom is packed with rides and animals to check out, but leave time for the free art class at Conservation Station. You’ll have to board Rafiki’s Planet Watch to get there.
Before the pandemic, Disney’s Art of Animation, one of the more affordable hotels, offered free art classes as well, but they haven’t come back yet. If you’re interested in art at the resorts, hop on a bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge, which has a massive collection of museum-quality African art for visitors to explore, free of charge.
Pro Tip
Animal Kingdom Lodge also has multiple savannas to check out. That means you can get your fill of animal spotting without paying for a ticket to the park!
12. Glow Cubes
Drinks at Disney World are expensive, whether you’re ordering a cocktail or a mocktail. If you’re going to shell out for a special beverage, you may as well find one that offers a free glow cube.
These reusable light-up ice cubes are offered in select beverages across the Disney parks. They’re often part of special season menus, so you’ll need to do some digging before your trip. It’s totally worth the cost — adding a glow cube to a cocktail back at home can instantly transport you back to your Disney vacation.
13. Pixie Dust
A princess makeover for your little one at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique can cost hundreds of dollars — yes, really. But there’s one special Disney transformation that’s completely free: getting sprinkled with pixie dust at Sir Mickey’s inside Magic Kingdom.
Sure, it’s just a Cast Member sprinkling some glitter in your hair. But on a Disney vacation, some whimsy and make-believe are OK, even for adults.
14. Games
Much of your Disney World vacation will be spent waiting in line — there’s no way around it. The themed queues usually offer enough excitement to make it worth the wait. But if you find yourself bored, you can download the free Play Disney Parks app for some fun games. Some of them are related specifically to the queues you’re in, like Peter Pan’s Flight at Magic Kingdom or Soarin’ at EPCOT.
If you paid for a MagicBand+, you can also use the Play Disney Parks app in the Star Wars area of Hollywood Studios to play Batuu Bounty Hunters. The game is a cool way to interact with Galaxy’s Edge (the name of the land) and put yourself into the Star Wars saga.
15. Disney Genie
Like it or not, you’ve got to pay for Disney’s Genie+ service, which lets you use Lightning Lanes to avoid long lines for crowded attractions. But the Disney Genie service (no plus) is free for everyone — and it’s got some helpful tools.
Download the My Disney Experience app to your smartphone ahead of your trip to access Disney Genie, and then check it throughout the day. Based on what you tell the app are your must-do rides and experiences that day, it can guide you through each Disney World park efficiently. In essence, it optimizes your trip.
Pro Tip
Pack a portable charger. Between using your phone for Disney Genie, to mobile order food, to snap selfies and to check ride wait times, you’ll run out of battery before the day’s end.
16. Travel Agents
Planning a Disney trip can be overwhelming. You’ve got to keep track of your booking window for restaurants, you’ve got to figure out which hotel offers the best location for your park experiences, and you’ve got to master weird Disney jargon like “Park Hopper” and “Boarding Group.”
Disney travel agents make it a lot easier — and they don’t cost a thing. Instead, Disney travel agents make their money from Disney, and their primary goal is to help you plan your trip stress-free and often at a discount. Travel agents have access to discounts and deals most casual travelers aren’t aware of.
17. First Aid
Here’s a Disney World freebie you never want to use, but it’s a good one to keep in the back of your mind. You can find first aid stations at each of the parks, and visiting one of these can save you from spending extra money on things like Band-Aids and Tylenol back at the resort.
You’ll find all the staples of your medicine cabinet here: cough drops, painkillers, bandages, cold meds, tissues, you name it. There are also on-site nurses in case you need medical attention.
Contributor Timothy Moore is a writer and editor who covers banks, loans, insurance, travel and automotive topics for The Penny Hoarder. He is also the managing editor of print for WDW Magazine — and has plenty of experience doing Disney on a budget.
Meat has long been the most expensive item on our plates, but prices for chicken, beef and pork have jumped even higher this year. The sticker shock at the grocery store is real.
The USDA reports that grocery prices in September this year were about 13% higher on average than last year. The Food Price Outlook forecast indicates food prices particularly hard hit by inflation will continue to be cuts of beef, pork, and poultry.
The reasons are many:
Supply chain issues.
Bottlenecks at processing plants because of labor shortages and COVID shutdowns.
Lousy growing weather in parts of the country translated to higher feed prices.
Rising energy costs.
Outbreaks of avian flu among poultry populations.
Whatever could go wrong, seems to have gone wrong. And we are paying for it at the grocery store.
While we understand that inflation is hitting food prices hard, we still would still like an occasional ribeye steak, and chicken even more often without having to take out a second mortgage.
Looking for ways to reduce the cost of eating meat? See our tips for leaning into more vegetarian meals to save on groceries.
11 Ways to Shop for the Cheapest Meat
Buy wholesale meat
Shop at local farms
Look for coupons and sales
Change your shopping patterns
Plan ahead
Shop at ethnic grocery stores
Compare average grocery-store prices
Learn to cook cheaper cuts
Grind your own
Divide and conquer bulk purchases
Cut down on meat-per-meal
These tips will help you and your family enjoy beef, chicken and pork for more reasonable prices.
1. Buy Wholesale Meat
Wholesale meat suppliers often sell to restaurants and grocery stores, but anyone can walk in off the street and buy meat in bulk.
By shopping at a local wholesaler, you can get months’ worth of beef, pork, chicken and fish for less than grocery store prices, and it should fit in a standard-sized freezer.
This covers most meals each week, and dramatically cuts down grocery store meat purchases.
Prices may vary, depending on your local market. But you’re always guaranteed to pay less at a wholesaler than you would at the supermarket.
Keep in mind wholesalers’ hours are usually different from the typical supermarket. Many are open from about 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pro Tip
Bring a jacket if you are shopping in person. Wholesale markets are often just one giant freezer full of meat.
2. Shop at Local Farms
Many local farms and ranches are willing to sell you an entire cow or pig, and you can easily buy turkeys and chickens for a low cost.
Kitchen Stewardship has an in-depth guide on how to buy an entire cow.
Once you pick your cow, work with the butcher to specify how many pounds you want in each style of meat — ground, steaks, ribs, etc.
When all’s said and done, you’ll leave with over 200 pounds of beef, which could easily last more than a year.
The up-front cost is higher, but you can save hundreds of dollars on meat each year. Plus, this is much higher quality meat than you’d find in a grocery store. In many cases, it’ll also be organic.
This option isn’t for everyone, especially if you live in an apartment. But it’s perfect if you have space for a second freezer.
Looking to save even more this season at the grocery store? Here’s what you should stock up on now before the supply chain shortages hit.
3. Look for Coupons and Sales
Pay attention to your grocery store’s sales flyers.
If meat goes on sale significantly cheaper than it normally sells for, it’d be smart to stock up.
Meat coupons are rare, but you can find them on company websites and in the Sunday paper. Sometimes, they’ll be right on the meat packages.
4. Change Your Shopping Pattern
Most of us are creatures of habit when it comes to grocery store shopping. If you head for produce or dairy as soon as you get to the store, change that up so your first stop is the meat department.
This way, you can see what’s on sale and what looks good. Supply chain problems have caused some occasional shortages so if you have your heart set on boneless, skinless chicken thighs, you may be disappointed.
This technique will require you to be flexible in your meal planning. You wanted bone-in pork chops but boneless are on sale? Get out your phone and look for a recipe. After you’ve gotten some sale items, you can proceed to the other departments to start building your meals.
Pro Tip
Notice how huge boneless, skinless chicken breasts have gotten? Double the servings by dividing each breast lengthwise. The thinner cutlets cook faster and are more reasonably sized portions.
5. Plan Ahead
It’s crucial to remain flexible to get the cheapest meat prices, and meal planning will help you achieve this. If you know the family is coming for brunch in a couple of weeks and bacon is on sale now (how lucky, right?), grab a pack or two and throw them in the freezer. Same if you know you are making your famous spaghetti meat sauce for a special birthday coming up and ground beef prices are good.
Planning can help you stretch those expensive proteins. If you buy a whole chicken and roast it yourself, you can use the carcass to make chicken soup. A whole chicken yields about 4 cups of meat so you might have enough to serve it with veggies and potatoes, with leftovers for wraps and then that soup.
In addition, planning ahead will send you to your pantry staples to complete meals. Another way to save money.
6. Shop at Ethnic Grocery Stores
There’s a likely chance that the issues affecting large grocery store chains will be affecting smaller retailers too. However, it’s worth it to check out mom-and-pop stores and neighborhood ethnic markets to see if their prices are less.
Chains like H-Mart carry everything you typically see in any grocery store, but they also carry snacks, meats and produce seen exclusively in Asian cuisines.
7. Compare Average Grocery Store Prices
Grab a notebook and visit each of your local grocery stores. If you don’t have time to do this yourself, consider sending your partner or teenagers who drive to help with reconnaissance. Or gather a group of friends and call yourselves The Price Hunters.
Write down your favorite meats’ average price per pound. Ask employees how often the store runs meat sales and what price you can expect at any given time.
Compare findings to pick the cheapest grocery store in your area. Calculate how much gas money you’d have to spend to get there to decide whether a sale is worth it. If you have to drive 20 miles out of your way for the deals, they aren’t much of a deal.
8. Learn to Cook Cheaper Cuts
Ground beef has traditionally been cheaper than other versions of beef. However, even that’s gotten pricey. Still, it’s versatile and can be stretched to feed many people. Consider meatballs, tacos, pasta sauce, burgers, sloppy Joes, stuffed peppers and the list goes on. Gingery Ground Beef is a tasty dish that has few ingredients and easily doubled to feed a crowd.
Remember to be flexible. If ground turkey is on sale, it’s a worthy substitute.
Chicken quarters — the leg and thigh — and drumsticks are almost always a better price than boneless, skinless breasts, and they have more flavor too. Pork shoulder and beef brisket usually cost less than steaks and chops because they’re tougher cuts of meat. Get out your Instant Pot or slow cooker to cook them low and slow for a weeknight dinner.
Martha Stewart’s Sweet and Sour Brisket is a good weekend project but can also be adapted for the slow cooker. Pantry staples — ketchup, brown sugar, white vinegar — make up most of the ingredients. Leftovers can be served shredded over pasta with grated Parmesan cheese.
Pro Tip
Keep your phone handy to look at cooking tips when you are at the meat counter — or ask the butchers. Some grocery stores run recipes on their website that incorporate ingredients currently on sale.
9. Grind Your Own
Just like buying pre-cut and packaged veggies, buying meat already ground is convenient but may cost more per pound. However, this varies a lot by region and can be affected by whether you’re buying the larger cut of meat on sale. And you do have to factor in the cost of an attachment or other gadget to do the grinding.
That being said, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index indicates significant savings can be found grinding up a slab of chuck steak. The current average price for ground chuck is $4.86 per pound while cuts of chuck roast are listed at $2.02 per pound.
10. Divide and Conquer After a Bulk Purchase
It may be a pain in the pocket initially, but those jumbo packs of meat at Costco or Sam’s Club warehouses save money in the long run.
The key to the savings here is to divide the pack into portions to fit your family’s needs. When you get home, wrap the smaller portions in foil and then place in zipper-type plastic bags. Use a permanent marker to note how much and what is in the bag. Add the date too. You might think you’ll remember later, but you won’t if you have several unmarked foil and bagged packages in your freezer.
Not sure if the cost of a Sam’s Club membership is worth it? Here’s how to decide.
11. Cut Down on Meat Per Meal
When you make a soup, increase the amount of beans, vegetables and other ingredients so that you can decrease the amount of meat. When making burgers at home, 1 pound of ground beef should make four burgers — maybe even five. Load them up with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, etc.
Nutrition experts say our plates should have more colorful, plant-based food — veggies, salads, grains — than meat. If you are hankering for a steak to share with your partner, buy one and split it.
Another way to cut the price of meat is to go meatless for one or two dinners a week. The Meatless Monday campaign has plenty of ideas for hearty meals that don’t rely on animal protein — the ultimate way to get around the high cost of meat.
Janet Keeler is a contributing editor at The Penny Hoarder and a longtime food writer. Shannon Quinn and staff writer Kaz Weida contributed.
If a Zillow or Craigslist apartment listing sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Rental scams are becoming increasingly common as bad actors take advantage of people desperate to find an affordable place to live.
A man in New Bedford, Massachusetts, was indicted in September for allegedly conning 15 people out of $22,050 in bogus rental deposits. Most fraud victims lived in Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities, and were in search of affordable housing.
Nationwide, 11,578 people reported losing more than $350 million due to rental scams in 2021, according to the FBI. That’s a 64% increase from the previous year.
Here’s how to spot a scam and keep yourself safe.
How Do Rental Scams Work?
Scammers will often take real rental listings of properties for sale or rent and repost them at rock bottom prices.
Hijacked property listings use a real address but replace the contact information with the scammer’s email and phone number.
Other fraudsters use the property owner or broker’s real name to create a fake email to make the con more convincing.
Scammers pressure potential applicants to send money over right away, usually as a deposit or application fee, to hold the property.
But when it’s time to schedule a walk-through or pick up the keys, the supposed “landlord” is nowhere to be found.
5 Ways to Avoid Rental Scams
Our general advice: If you can’t meet in person, see the apartment, or sign a lease before you transfer money, keep looking.
Here are five ways to safeguard yourself against rental scams.
1. Analyze the Ad
If the price for that spacious downtown loft seems too good to be true, it might be.
Scammers often post fabulous looking rentals at rock bottom prices to get as many applicants as possible.
Check out the spelling and grammar of the ad. Listings with grammatical errors or strange verbiage are often tell-tale signs of fraudulent postings.
2. Dig Into the Details
First things first: Google the address to make sure the place exists.
Next, do a Google search on the property owners, real estate agent and/or property management company. See if the rental company has bad reviews or warnings that it may be involved in a scam.
If you find the same ad listed under a different name on another website, that’s a red flag.
3. View the Unit in Person
Sending money to someone you’ve never met in person for an apartment you haven’t seen is never a good idea.
If you can’t visit an apartment in person, see if a friend or family member can scope it out for you.
Make sure to meet with the property manager or agent at the unit. If they don’t have a key to the rental (for whatever reason), it’s time to get suspicious.
Live out of town and can’t tour the property in-person? Set up a video call. Make sure they give you a full tour and don’t let them rush you off the phone.
4. Think Before You Venmo
Scammers will often require a security deposit, application fee, first month’s rent or vacation rental fee to “reserve your spot.”
You might be tempted to send over the money if you live in a hot housing market and your lease expires soon. But seriously, think twice.
Once you hit send on payment apps like Zelle, Venmo, Cash App or PayPal, it’s as good as gone. It may be difficult if not outright impossible to get your money back once you realize you’ve been scammed.
Never pay with wire transfers, cryptocurrency or gift cards either. If someone tells you to pay this way, it’s a sure sign of a scam.
5. Don’t Accept Excuses
Don’t let someone pressure you into sending money before you can visit the property in person.
Scammers may roll out a laundry list of reasons why they can’t show the apartment before you put down your hard-earned cash.
They’re out of town or out of the country is a big one.
Be skeptical if the poster encourages you to do a drive-by instead. Peaking through the windows isn’t the same as getting a tour. The current owner may not even be aware that their home is listed as a rental.
If the poster does show up to the rental, make sure they have the keys. Don’t settle for “I’m getting the locks changed.”
How to Report Rental Scams
If you spot a suspicious rental post on a site like Zillow or Craigslist, report it directly to the website.
If you’re the victim of a rental scam, immediately report any transfer of funds to your financial institution. You should also report the crime to your local law enforcement agency and the Federal Trade Commission.
Where can you find antique Pez dispensers, hot vintage heels and (finally!) the perfect lamp to match your weirdly patterned bedspread — all on sale for just a few bucks? Or better yet, where can you sell them to make some extra cash?
We’ll give you a hint: It’s not Walmart. At least, not our Walmart. (And if yours fits the bill… would you let us know where you live?)
No, it’s your favorite online flea market.
A New Way to Browse: Online Flea Markets
Not only are regular flea markets wacky and wonderful, but their goods are usually pre-owned, pre-loved and dirt cheap. (Who wants to pay the full retail price?!) In short, they’re a Penny Hoarder’s dream.
But everything is virtual these days. You turn to your laptop (or, let’s be real, your smartphone) for everything from takeout to taxi rides to a date for Friday night.
So it’s no surprise there’s a whole world of online flea market shopping out there. And it’s just as quirky and addictive as the real thing — especially since you can see it all with just a few clicks.
The Obvious Online Flea Markets
Of course, a few online flea markets are industry giants you almost certainly already know about.
Amazon: A once humble bookselling website, Amazon has become an online marketplace so powerful that its astronomic growth sent its founder, Jeff Bezos, into space. Vendors big and small can sell new and used products on the site and they can appear on your doorstep in as little as one day.
Craigslist: Known for sending shivers down the spines of journalists due to upending newspaper revenues, the online classifieds site is an easy way to pawn off your tchotchkes to neighbors, find some hidden treasures yourself — and so much more. It’s all anonymous, though. So give out your personal deets sparingly, and always meet in a safe, public space!
eBay: This classic buy-and-sell site has been around for more than a quarter century. Although it bills itself primarily as an online auction site, it operates like most online flea market sites. Many of its listings are available for immediate sale — and it seems you can find just about anything you might desire.
Etsy: Sort of like eBay’s quiet, artsy little sister, Etsy specializes in handmade goodies, but it’s also a treasure trove for lovers of all things vintage. In fact, it has a whole category devoted to vintage items, and it’s well-organized enough that you can dive into niches as specific as bolo ties, fedoras and marbles.
10 Online Flea Markets You Might Not Have Heard of Yet
OK, we covered our basic-online-flea-market bases, so now it’s time to move on to the weird and wonderful ones. Half the fun of a traditional flea market is stumbling upon offbeat items and great deals you never would have found elsewhere.
To replicate real flea market experience virtually, we checked out a variety of smaller online flea markets and compared inventory, prices and user experience to help you find the best deals at the digital folding table.
Here’s what we found out.
1. Flea-bay(.com)
Flea-bay.com at a Glance
Pros
Easy to use and navigate
Has smartphone apps
Haggle friendly
Cons
Lots of empty categories
Very little information on seller
Listings may include very little information
In a battle of the Fleabays (Fleabay.net is a less reputable site), the dot com version comes out on top. Flea-bay (notice the hyphen) is a solid online flea market that features a pared-down and slightly dated interface. But that doesn’t make it at all difficult to use.
The site has dozens of categories to browse, but most listings seem to be focused on electronics, clothes or accessories. Like many small online flea markets, it lacks the thousands — or even millions — of listings like some of the better-known online marketplaces.
Still, it’s fun to browse when you’re trying to get a quick flea-market fix online.
Similar to Craigslist, Flea-bay simply connects you with sellers. No transactions take place on the site, so haggle away!
2. vFlea
vFlea at a Glance
Pros
Easy to see if items are pickup only or shippable
Useful filters
Bartering and haggling allowed
Cons
Unencrypted website
PayPal account required for payments
Lots of old listings
Compared to other online flea markets, vFlea feels the closest to actually thumbing through junk until you find a treasure — before leaning across the table to make a bid. The interface is also a touch more polished.
Each listing’s thumbnail specifies whether items are shippable or for local pickup only and also includes an asking price. The platform has built-in “buy now” and “haggle” options, and even an opportunity to “barter” with goods of your own.
Like most online flea markets, items are organized by tags as well as categories, creating better searchability and organization. The site populates the number of listings currently available in each category in parentheses, so no mysteries there.
Finally, vFlea still has some weird stuff available, although it draws the line at community events. For instance, you’ll come across the occasional hilltop timeshare, which apparently can be shipped or picked up locally.
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3. Bonanza
Bonanza at a Glance
Pros
Sleek interface
Fun and quirky inventory
Active community forum and blog
Vets sellers to some extent
Cons
Can be tough to verify vendor reviews
No bidding
Although Bonanza seeks to be the best eBay alternative, it doesn’t offer bidding or bartering options.
It does, however, list categories for everything from home goods to collectibles, including coins and paper money.
And there’s also a wonderful category called “Everything Else,” with subsections like “Metaphysical” (which features “haunted” items) and “Weird Stuff” (We found cockroach earrings).
There’s even a “Vintage” section under fashion so you can easily shop for those precious duds from another era.
4. Nextdoor
Nextdoor at a Glance
Pros
Verified locals only
Popular option
Lots of easy-to-use filters to help you find the best bargains
Frequent listings for free stuff
Haggle friendly
Cons
Lengthy signup process
Smaller towns may not have any users
All purchases made offline
Technically, Nextdoor is a social media site for your community. And it takes that seriously. You actually need to input a valid address, which you will have to verify, to join your community group.
Once you’re in, you can do all sorts of stuff. Gossip. Post community PSAs. Discover local events. (Our photo director uses Nextdoor to save money by polling neighbors for recommendations and hunting for deals from local businesses!)
Another great feature? “Finds,” Nextdoor’s very own local buy-and-sell section. You can browse listings to find deals across all kinds of categories. Toys, games, furniture, vehicles, free stuff, and much more! Its nifty filters make finding exactly what you want a breeze.
5. Mercari
Mercari at a Glance
Pros
Pick-up and shipping options
Easy to review sellers
Tons of listings and categories
Haggling accepted
Very polished site and app
Cons
No niche — inventory fairly bland
Mercari touts a user-friendly experience whether you’re browsing on its websites or scrolling through listings with the smartphone app.
There are tons of freshly listed items across a host of different categories. And if you live nearby the seller, you can opt for pickup. Otherwise shipping allows you to tap into a massive selection of goods.
What’s great about Mercari is how easy it makes reviewing the seller. Click the seller’s name and, boom, you can see more details about them and quickly check out any reviews. Mercari also handles payments. So no worrying about forking over cash to strangers in person!
6. The Internet Antique Shop (TIAS)
Internet Antique Shop at a Glance
Pros
Inventory chock full of antique goodies
Simple browsing
Replicates the wonder of sifting through a quiet antique market
Still active after a 25 years
Verified vendors
Cons
Listings contain little info
Usually only one picture per listing
Founded in 1995, The Internet Antique Shop (TIAS) is a bit of an antique itself. While it never took off quite like its buy-and-sell siblings eBay or Craigslist, TIAS has carved out a remarkable niche for all things antique.
The site looks a bit dated. But, hey, it sells antiques. Maybe that’s an intentional part of its charm? It still functions just fine. The category’s sidebar makes browsing simple. And, before you click, it shows upfront how many listings are in any given category — a feature other virtual online flea markets could learn from.
This site is truly a gem. It’s one online flea market you don’t want to overlook. With subcategories like vintage sewing tools and breweriana (read: old signage, steins and more from classic breweries), TIAS really makes it feel like you’re about to stumble upon unique treasures with each click.
7. OfferUp
OfferUp at a Glance
Pros
Safe in-person exchange
Optional anonymity
Easy customer support
Cons
Anonymous options can lead to scams
When new fathers Arean van Veelen and Nick Huzar ended up with a bunch of extra stuff they didn’t need, they saw an opportunity and co-founded OfferUp. The company (with accompanying smartphone app) was created in 2011 and OfferUp claims to be the largest mobile marketplace in the U.S.
The marketplace doesn’t force sellers to enter names and post profile pictures, though it is encouraged in OfferUp’s posting rules. Optional anonymity is both a pro and a con. Similar to a dating app, communication and transactions between buyers and sellers can be anonymous, so you’ll want to check out a seller’s profile for ratings and any reviews.
The good thing about anonymity in this virtual online flea market is that if you want to sell an embarrassing couch locally, your friends and neighbors won’t necessarily know it’s yours!
We talked to a frequent user who said “the best thing about OfferUp is it’s easy to use and I don’t see a lot of duplicate listings on other sites like Facebook Marketplace.” The user recently sold a bedroom set and bought some cool vintage, mid-century lamps.
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8. 5 Miles
5 Miles at a Glance
Pros
Offers bidding
Every item is vetted
Cons
Clunky website
Only available in larger cities
Founded in 2014, 5 miles is similar to OfferUp because the focus is on local buying and selling. A unique feature of 5 miles is comparatively robust options for pro sellers, which means you might find more high quality and vintage items.
The site (and app) promotes safety and security in transactions. Created by Lucas Lu who earned a Ph.D. in physics and has a professional background in e-commerce at Alibaba and Light in the Box, the look and feel of the site is more similar to Etsy than Craigslist.
Despite the 5 Mile(s) title, you can search up to 50 miles from your location and there are shipping options if you don’t want to drive that far or meet up in person.
9. Poshmark
Poshmark at a Glance
Pros
Established and trusted
App integrates social media elements
Cons
Known for pricey items
Slow shipping
Poshmark isn’t just for buying and selling used clothes. Now they sell kids toys, home goods, electronics, and even pet accessories.
If you’re looking for an online shopping destination that includes brand names for less, sustainable buying, and a social media experience in one, Poshmark could become your go-to.
With Posh Stories, sellers can craft videos to describe and promote their listing, which gives you a better idea of what you’re purchasing.
We talked to one user who had success selling high ticket clothing items. The user said, “If you have some gently used, brand name items sitting around, you can get more for them on Poshmark than on other sites.”
10. Ruby Lane
Ruby Lane at a Glance
Pros
Unique vintage selections
Long history
Quality control
Cons
Listing fee over 15 items
With daily and weekly arrivals, a magazine, and seemingly endless scrolling for one-of-a-kind items, we could easily get addicted to Ruby Lane.
Buyers and sellers can feel secure with the site’s long history in e-commerce. Founded in 1998, the shop pre-screens items and has a Secret Shopper program where buying experiences are checked for quality.
Oh, the weird and wonderful things you’ll find — and sell — for less.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Online Flea Markets
Here’s everything else you should know about online flea markets.
Are Online Flea Markets Safe?
Generally speaking, yes, online flea markets are safe. As with any online purchases, guard your personal information. And if you need to make a transaction, be sure the website is encrypted. This sounds fancy, but it’s actually pretty easy to confirm. You can check by looking at the address bar of your browser: You should see “https” before the website’s name. The letter s in https means the website is secure. Many small or old websites ignore this crucial security feature.
Are the Sellers Legitimate?
Exercise good judgement, just as if you’re at a real flea market. Verifying sellers and vendors is a tough nut to crack for almost all online shops — even major corporations like Amazon. As best as possible, try to check who’s selling the item on any given listing before you make your purchase. Some flea market sites more than others make it easy to see the reputation of the seller. For sites that are locally-focused, the sellers are likely neighbors. But still, stay vigilant.
Can You Make Money Selling on Online Flea Market Sites?
Almost every flea market website mentioned in this article allows everyday sellers and established vendors to sign up and start selling. Depending on the online store, it could be as easy as creating a listing and publishing it for the world to see. Other sites are more selective, and the sign-up process might require you to provide lots of personal information to verify your identity. Shipping is something you should definitely factor in when you get started.
What About the Online Flea Market Srchie?
You may notice that Srchie is included in just about every “top online flea market” article. (It was even included in an older version of this article.) However, the beloved website and its social media accounts have been abandoned since 2017. RIP Srchie. We’ll never forget all your great deals.
The Penny Hoarder Shop is always stocked with great deals, including technology, subscriptions, courses, kitchenware and more. Check it out today!
Adam Hardy and Veronica Matthews are Penny Hoarder contributors. Staff writer/editor Tiffany Wendeln Connors and freelance writer Jamie Cattanach contributed to this post.
