Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s best 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:
$119 for an entire year of cell service
NYC tipping company
Don’t panic tip
Richer refunds
Tax refund advance loans
Save by shopping your rideshare
No miles for basic flyers
Water sommeliers
Best Costco buys
Affordability polls
$3 dinners (don’t have to look like this)
Subjective financial security stress

 

Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:
Credit card perks: Check out our favorite credit cards that we use to maximize rewards and optimize our spending.
Other money nerds: Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the HTM Facebook group!
Newsletter: Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Money Gears: knowing what to do with your money is crucial to your personal finance journey.
MG7: and maybe you’re well on your way to financial independence but you’re looking for some financial reassurance, that’s when heading over to HowToMoney.com/Advisor and getting matched with a highly vetted financial advisor makes sense.

 

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

 

Best friends out!

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week&rsquo;s best 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.howtomoney.com/go-us-mobile">$119 for an entire year of cell service</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/doordash-uber-fail-stop-nyc-193914277.html?">NYC tipping company</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://hbr.org/2026/01/when-tipping-becomes-a-customer-experience-problem">Don&rsquo;t panic tip</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/taxes/2026/01/25/tax-refunds-2026-how-to-get-yours-quick/88317570007/">Richer refunds</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/learn/tax-refund-loans-give-cash-now-to-early-filers">Tax refund advance loans</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/tested-80-uber-lyft-rides-142840096.html">Save by shopping your rideshare</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/18/american-airlines-basic-economy-miles.html?">No miles for basic flyers</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-20/danone-evian-water-sommeliers-help-pitch-h20-at-premium-price?">Water sommeliers</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/costco-items-shoppers-say-pay-for-a-membership-fee-2026-1">Best Costco buys</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/us/politics/affordability-poll.html?">Affordability polls</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/usda-agriculture-secretary-meal-cost-e1bdb4f4?mod=hp_featst_pos4">$3 dinners (don&rsquo;t have to look like this)</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5550542">Subjective financial security stress</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">Credit card perks: Check out <a href="https://go.nextcard.com/shau19-htmomny">our favorite credit cards</a> that we use to maximize rewards and optimize our spending.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Other money nerds: Find a thriving community of fellow money nerds by joining the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1623670287732189">HTM Facebook group!</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Newsletter: 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">Money Gears: knowing <a href="https://www.howtomoney.com/start-here/">what to do with your money</a> is crucial to your personal finance journey.</li>
<li aria-level="1">MG7: and maybe you&rsquo;re well on your way to financial independence but you&rsquo;re looking for some financial reassurance, that&rsquo;s when heading over to <a href="http://www.howtomoney.com/advisor">HowToMoney.com/Advisor</a> and getting matched with a highly vetted financial advisor makes sense.</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!
&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 - Richer Refunds, Best Costco Buys, & $3 Dinners (don’t have to be this sad!) #1095

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2c2bb870-760a-4607-b3b4-b3e101429803/transcript