October 16, 2024 • 8 mins
Trae Bodge makes her living helping consumers maximize their money by researching and publishing all her cost-cutting-rebate-loving-perks-and-points-plans at her website.
Click here for consumer tips from Trae Bodge
Sites mentioned to find deals:
Slick Deals
Coupon Cabin
Pay Pal Honey
Retail Me Not
Click here for consumer tips from Trae Bodge
Sites mentioned to find deals:
Slick Deals
Coupon Cabin
Pay Pal Honey
Retail Me Not
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This week on iHeart Sinsey, we keep.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hearing the economy is improving. The stock market has rebounded
to record high, Territory four to oh one k's are
getting replenished, Unemployment remains very low, and American businesses are hiring.
But the everyday consumer is still facing higher prices. And
while inflation is slowed and the cost of borrowing money
has gone down, Americans are struggling with.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
The high cost of living today.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Today, my guest is Trey Bodge, a nationally known lifestyle
journalist who specializes in budget friendly living, personal finance, and
smart shopping. So grab your number two pencil and be
ready to take down some of her money saving tips.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Now on iHeart Sinsey with Sandy Collins.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
My next guest here on iHeart Sincy is a nationally
known journalist. She's Trey Bodge, who specializes in helping consumers
save money, which we all want to do. Trey, Welcome
to iHeart Sincy Hiving. So you call yourself a consumer
best friend, Let's just let's just start with that.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
How do you?
Speaker 1 (01:03):
How do you help us out?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
So many ways?
Speaker 4 (01:06):
I spend my entire year looking for ways to save
that I share with viewers and followers, Uh, ways to
save rather and that's why I'm.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Consumers a consumer's best friend.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
So I'm always looking for clever, easy ways to save
money throughout the year, and you put it all.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
On your website. Let's just promote that right now, go ahead,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yes, it's truetray dot com.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
And if you're more of a social media person, true
Tray on Instagram is a great place to go. I
share a lot of interviews like this and then savings
tips and hacks as well, So that's t r AE.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
In case you're wondering, true tray dot com found a
lot of good stories that I have circled now saying, oh,
I got to circle back to go read that article.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Because that looks like something I would really want to do. Well,
we've got you.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Know, this economy is getting so much better in so
many ways, but where Americans are really feeling it is
that's where the movement's not happening yet, saving money, bringing
down costs.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
What have you got for us? It can help us out, sure.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
So we are seeing a little bit of a break
like you mentioned in certain pricing on certain items, especially
some retailers like Target, Walgreens, Ikea, they are committing to
dropping prices on essential items, so I'm really glad to
see that. But American families are still really struggling financially.
So I'm here to say you have to be willing
(02:28):
to weave in an extra step or two so you're
not leaving money on the table. So we'll be seeing
sales rolling throughout the holiday shopping season, and that's great.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
But if you're not.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Going to a deal site to look for coupons and
cash back that you can save on, if you're not
utilizing your memberships like ARP for example, for exclusive discounts
at some of the retailers where you're shopping, you are
essentially leaving money on the table. So I think it's
good for consumers to start thinking about a couple of
tiers in terms of how they shop, and then that
(02:59):
way they can and save the very most on their purchases.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
How do you do the coupon thing.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
I'm not a real good coupon clipper, and I have
friends that are. They're just like masterclass geniuses when it
comes to figuring those things out.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Where do you find them?
Speaker 3 (03:13):
So here's a tip.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
If you shop online, which so many of us do,
installing a browser plug in for a deal site can
be very very helpful. So for example, Slick Deals, Coupon
cabin PayPal, honey racketin retail me Not, they're all really
good ones. Pick one or two install their browser plug in,
which takes about ten seconds to do, and then when
(03:35):
you're browsing online, a little pop up will appear and say, hey,
you can save ten percent right now, or you could
earn three point five percent cash back right now. So
those browser plugins are the easiest way to save as
you're shopping online.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
In my opinion, what about scams, especially with things that
are brand new, like I've never heard of slick deals before.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
How do you know if it's going to be legit
or not.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Yeah, that's a.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Great question, So I would recommend following the experts.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
These are sites.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
The sites that I've mentioned are all great sites that
I have tested and tried. I probably have I don't
know eight browser plugins going on my laptopic one at
any given time, and that's clearly overkill. But these are
all great sites that have been around for years. Slick
Deals in particular has twelve million people looking for deals
all the time. It's consumer driven, so these are sites
(04:26):
that I personally really like, and so I would follow
your experts when you're when you're trying.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Something new, Can you run that list down one more
time so we can kind of jot down some of
those names that you just said for the deals.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Sure, absolutely, slick deals, raquetin, PayPal, honey coupon, cabin retail
me not. Those are all really good ones, and so
visit each one and.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
See if one of them appeals to you more than another.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
You know, I think it's kind of good to have
more than one because each one will have different offers,
and so it's a great way to compare deals and
offers and prices at the same time.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Very good.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
What is the outlook for the Christmas season shopping holiday
shopping this fall? Do you have any predictions about what
people can expect.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Yeah, so I'm waiting for some of the larger players,
like the National Retail Federation to come in with their
spending predictions. But what I'm expecting is a fairly modest jump,
maybe enough to account for inflation and know more, because
what I'm seeing is that consumers are increasingly promotional. They're
holding their wallets tightly, and so I don't expect a
huge gangbuster spending season, so people will be fairly conservative
(05:34):
and definitely looking for deals and sales along the way,
which I'm always happy to see.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
This may not be in your Bailey Wick, so let
me know.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
But do you have any ideas of what the hot
products are going to be this shopping season for people?
Speaker 1 (05:48):
What are they going to want?
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Yeah, so what I'm seeing is an interest in fun
items like countertop appliances and things like robotic vacuums. These
items have been hot for the last couple of years
and that's not going away. I also think in terms
of gift giving, you many of us can't afford to
give someone on our list a tablet or a cell
(06:11):
phone or a laptop, but we can buy an accessory
for that item. I think that's going to be very popular.
Bluetooth speakers, air pods, things like that will continue to
be very popular in that tech accessory arena. Lots of
hot toys coming out, but the lists are coming out
from all the different retailers and so it's kind of
all over the place. So I would look to those
(06:31):
hot toy lists from say Amazon or Walmart to see
what's out there, and then personalized gifts I think are
going to be very very popular. Something that shows that
you really care and took some time. I think that's
a great one. And then experiential gifts. Think especially about
your younger recipients.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
They want to do things rather than have things.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
They live in dorms or small apartments, So take them out,
take them on a trip, go to a play, something
like that. I think experiences will be very popular as well.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
This generation certainly has to say like that. So yeah,
we'll put that on the list.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Trey, thank you so much for taking time today. Is
there anything else you want to cover before we sign
off here?
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Yeah, I mean the last thing that I want to say.
You know, we talked about deal sites a little bit.
You want to make sure that you're looking for those
deal sites to see if you can save a little
bit more, and then look to your memberships as well.
So for example, you may have a credit card in
your wallet that has an exclusive discount for a retailer
that you're going to shop with just by using that
credit card.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Look for those opportunities.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Those are the emails that you're probably ignoring in your inbox.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
And then also look to your membership.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
So for example, if you're an ARP member ARP dot com,
Forward slash Save has dozens and dozens of amazing savings
like twenty five percent off FTD flowers. For example, you
could send bouquets to everybody and save twenty five percent.
So those are other ways that you can save on
your holiday shopping this season.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Sounds good.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Appreciate your time, Tray Bodge, it's a truetrey dot com
if you'd like to check out her site, chalk full
of information on how you can save as a consumer.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Thanks so much. Anytime.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
That's Iheartsincy for this week. Listen to this or any
of the previous shows.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
We've got a lot of them on the iHeartRadio app.
They're stored under podcasts. Just search for iHeart Sinsey with
Sandy Collins in the podcast section.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
If you've got a show.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Suggestion or a question a comment, just email me at
Iheartsinsey at iHeartMedia dot com. That's Iheartsinsey with an I
at iHeartMedia dot com.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I'm Sandycollins. Until next week, Thanks for listening. Iheartsinsey is
a production of iHeartMedia, Cincinnati,
This week on iHeart Sinsey, we keep.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hearing the economy is improving. The stock market has rebounded
to record high, Territory four to oh one k's are
getting replenished, Unemployment remains very low, and American businesses are hiring.
But the everyday consumer is still facing higher prices. And
while inflation is slowed and the cost of borrowing money
has gone down, Americans are struggling with.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
The high cost of living today.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Today, my guest is Trey Bodge, a nationally known lifestyle
journalist who specializes in budget friendly living, personal finance, and
smart shopping. So grab your number two pencil and be
ready to take down some of her money saving tips.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Now on iHeart Sinsey with Sandy Collins.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
My next guest here on iHeart Sincy is a nationally
known journalist. She's Trey Bodge, who specializes in helping consumers
save money, which we all want to do. Trey, Welcome
to iHeart Sincy Hiving. So you call yourself a consumer
best friend, Let's just let's just start with that.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
How do you?
Speaker 1 (01:03):
How do you help us out?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
So many ways?
Speaker 4 (01:06):
I spend my entire year looking for ways to save
that I share with viewers and followers, Uh, ways to
save rather and that's why I'm.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Consumers a consumer's best friend.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
So I'm always looking for clever, easy ways to save
money throughout the year, and you put it all.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
On your website. Let's just promote that right now, go ahead,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yes, it's truetray dot com.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
And if you're more of a social media person, true
Tray on Instagram is a great place to go. I
share a lot of interviews like this and then savings
tips and hacks as well, So that's t r AE.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
In case you're wondering, true tray dot com found a
lot of good stories that I have circled now saying, oh,
I got to circle back to go read that article.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Because that looks like something I would really want to do. Well,
we've got you.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Know, this economy is getting so much better in so
many ways, but where Americans are really feeling it is
that's where the movement's not happening yet, saving money, bringing
down costs.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
What have you got for us? It can help us out, sure.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
So we are seeing a little bit of a break
like you mentioned in certain pricing on certain items, especially
some retailers like Target, Walgreens, Ikea, they are committing to
dropping prices on essential items, so I'm really glad to
see that. But American families are still really struggling financially.
So I'm here to say you have to be willing
(02:28):
to weave in an extra step or two so you're
not leaving money on the table. So we'll be seeing
sales rolling throughout the holiday shopping season, and that's great.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
But if you're not.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Going to a deal site to look for coupons and
cash back that you can save on, if you're not
utilizing your memberships like ARP for example, for exclusive discounts
at some of the retailers where you're shopping, you are
essentially leaving money on the table. So I think it's
good for consumers to start thinking about a couple of
tiers in terms of how they shop, and then that
(02:59):
way they can and save the very most on their purchases.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
How do you do the coupon thing.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
I'm not a real good coupon clipper, and I have
friends that are. They're just like masterclass geniuses when it
comes to figuring those things out.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Where do you find them?
Speaker 3 (03:13):
So here's a tip.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
If you shop online, which so many of us do,
installing a browser plug in for a deal site can
be very very helpful. So for example, Slick Deals, Coupon
cabin PayPal, honey racketin retail me Not, they're all really
good ones. Pick one or two install their browser plug in,
which takes about ten seconds to do, and then when
(03:35):
you're browsing online, a little pop up will appear and say, hey,
you can save ten percent right now, or you could
earn three point five percent cash back right now. So
those browser plugins are the easiest way to save as
you're shopping online.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
In my opinion, what about scams, especially with things that
are brand new, like I've never heard of slick deals before.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
How do you know if it's going to be legit
or not.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Yeah, that's a.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Great question, So I would recommend following the experts.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
These are sites.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
The sites that I've mentioned are all great sites that
I have tested and tried. I probably have I don't
know eight browser plugins going on my laptopic one at
any given time, and that's clearly overkill. But these are
all great sites that have been around for years. Slick
Deals in particular has twelve million people looking for deals
all the time. It's consumer driven, so these are sites
(04:26):
that I personally really like, and so I would follow
your experts when you're when you're trying.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Something new, Can you run that list down one more
time so we can kind of jot down some of
those names that you just said for the deals.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Sure, absolutely, slick deals, raquetin, PayPal, honey coupon, cabin retail
me not. Those are all really good ones, and so
visit each one and.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
See if one of them appeals to you more than another.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
You know, I think it's kind of good to have
more than one because each one will have different offers,
and so it's a great way to compare deals and
offers and prices at the same time.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Very good.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
What is the outlook for the Christmas season shopping holiday
shopping this fall? Do you have any predictions about what
people can expect.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Yeah, so I'm waiting for some of the larger players,
like the National Retail Federation to come in with their
spending predictions. But what I'm expecting is a fairly modest jump,
maybe enough to account for inflation and know more, because
what I'm seeing is that consumers are increasingly promotional. They're
holding their wallets tightly, and so I don't expect a
huge gangbuster spending season, so people will be fairly conservative
(05:34):
and definitely looking for deals and sales along the way,
which I'm always happy to see.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
This may not be in your Bailey Wick, so let
me know.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
But do you have any ideas of what the hot
products are going to be this shopping season for people?
Speaker 1 (05:48):
What are they going to want?
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Yeah, so what I'm seeing is an interest in fun
items like countertop appliances and things like robotic vacuums. These
items have been hot for the last couple of years
and that's not going away. I also think in terms
of gift giving, you many of us can't afford to
give someone on our list a tablet or a cell
(06:11):
phone or a laptop, but we can buy an accessory
for that item. I think that's going to be very popular.
Bluetooth speakers, air pods, things like that will continue to
be very popular in that tech accessory arena. Lots of
hot toys coming out, but the lists are coming out
from all the different retailers and so it's kind of
all over the place. So I would look to those
(06:31):
hot toy lists from say Amazon or Walmart to see
what's out there, and then personalized gifts I think are
going to be very very popular. Something that shows that
you really care and took some time. I think that's
a great one. And then experiential gifts. Think especially about
your younger recipients.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
They want to do things rather than have things.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
They live in dorms or small apartments, So take them out,
take them on a trip, go to a play, something
like that. I think experiences will be very popular as well.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
This generation certainly has to say like that. So yeah,
we'll put that on the list.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Trey, thank you so much for taking time today. Is
there anything else you want to cover before we sign
off here?
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Yeah, I mean the last thing that I want to say.
You know, we talked about deal sites a little bit.
You want to make sure that you're looking for those
deal sites to see if you can save a little
bit more, and then look to your memberships as well.
So for example, you may have a credit card in
your wallet that has an exclusive discount for a retailer
that you're going to shop with just by using that
credit card.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Look for those opportunities.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Those are the emails that you're probably ignoring in your inbox.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
And then also look to your membership.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
So for example, if you're an ARP member ARP dot com,
Forward slash Save has dozens and dozens of amazing savings
like twenty five percent off FTD flowers. For example, you
could send bouquets to everybody and save twenty five percent.
So those are other ways that you can save on
your holiday shopping this season.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Sounds good.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Appreciate your time, Tray Bodge, it's a truetrey dot com
if you'd like to check out her site, chalk full
of information on how you can save as a consumer.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Thanks so much. Anytime.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
That's Iheartsincy for this week. Listen to this or any
of the previous shows.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
We've got a lot of them on the iHeartRadio app.
They're stored under podcasts. Just search for iHeart Sinsey with
Sandy Collins in the podcast section.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
If you've got a show.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Suggestion or a question a comment, just email me at
Iheartsinsey at iHeartMedia dot com. That's Iheartsinsey with an I
at iHeartMedia dot com.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I'm Sandycollins. Until next week, Thanks for listening. Iheartsinsey is
a production of iHeartMedia, Cincinnati,
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