Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like:
Cyber Monday malaise
Gen Z paring back
AI toys
Reluctant retailer returns
Gift cards galore
BTW, here is that site that allows you to donate gift cards for good.
Trump accounts
(little) dudes getting a Dell!
Homeowners held hostage
More affordable apartments
Impoverished Americans
Geographic arbitrage
Real ID fees

 

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:
Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. 
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

 

And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend!

 

Best friends out!

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week&rsquo;s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/29/business/black-friday-us-econony-spending">Cyber Monday malaise</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/gen-z-shoppers-arent-spending-like-retailers-need-them-to-5ef2457b?">Gen Z paring back</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-toys-miko-curio-gabbo-aa6d829b1aba18e2d1dfedd4cfca8da7?utm_campaign=mb&amp;utm_medium=newsletter&amp;utm_source=morning_brew#">AI toys</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://theconversation.com/retailers-are-quietly-changing-their-return-policies-heres-why-you-should-be-on-the-lookout-this-black-friday-266975?">Reluctant retailer returns</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/gift-card-balance-how-to-use-f1a7b2dc?">Gift cards galore</a></li>
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">BTW, here is that <a href="http://giftcards4change.org/">site that allows you to donate gift cards for good</a>.</li>
</ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/trump-accounts-for-kids-come-with-1-000and-tax-complications-4b75b803?st=5L2QxX">Trump accounts</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/michael-dell-why-im-giving-6-billion">(little) dudes getting a Dell!</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/business/homeowners-moving-mortgage-rates.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&amp;referringSource=articleShare">Homeowners held hostage</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/02/apartment-rents-vacancies-november.html">More affordable apartments</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/the-myth-of-the-140000-poverty-line?">Impoverished Americans</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/middle-class-americans-abroad-d5d018f6?mod=personal-finance_lead_story">Geographic arbitrage</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/01/tsa-will-charge-45-fee-for-air-passengers-without-real-ids.html">Real ID fees</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Knowing your &lsquo;money gear&rsquo; is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/start-here/">Start here.</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Sign up for the weekly <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/newsletter/">HTM newsletter</a>. It&rsquo;s fun, free, &amp; practical.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Join a thriving community of fellow money in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1623670287732189">HTM Facebook group.</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Massively reduce your <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/choosing-the-best-cheap-cell-phone-plan/">cell phone bill</a> each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you&rsquo;re not already a regular listener, and <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-money/id1337718773?mt=2">give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts</a> or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend!
&nbsp;
Best friends out!

Best friends Joel and Matt are the co-hosts of How to Money which is all about providing the knowledge & tools that normal folks need to thrive in areas like debt payoff, DIY investing, and crucial money tricks that will provide continuous help along your journey. We believe that access to unbiased and jargon-free personal finance guidance is more necessary than ever before. When you handle your money in a purposeful, thoughtful way that works for your lifestyle, you can really start living a rich life.

How to Money

Friday Flight - AI Toys, Homeowners Held Hostage, & Impoverished Americans

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/85ea6ca1-b4d4-4223-b759-b3a9014afce5/transcript