Trusting Online Reviews, Excessive Spending, COVID Holidays, Allergy Proofing, Urban Institute, Toxic Friendships

Trusting Online Reviews (0:00:00) In today’s digital world, online reviews are often the ultimate factor in deciding whether you buy a product. Understanding these reviews used to be simple: if it has a hundred five-star reviews, it’s reliable; if it has eight reviews and they’re all below three stars, you know to look elsewhere. But as more and more people have started using fake reviews to boost their numbers, it’s hard to know what to believe what we read online anymore. So how can we know when to trust these reviews? Today we are joined by Saoud Khalifah, the founder of a review-tracking software called “Fakespot”, here with us to talk about recognizing authentic reviews. Excessive Spending (0:22:41) A car payment. Clarinet lessons. Groceries. All things that might be in your budget this month. But, during this time of economic uncertainty, a lot of families are finding that they have to work with a tighter budget. How do we determine “wants” from “needs” and cut out the excessive spending? Here to help us navigate this issue is Liz Frazier, our favorite family financial planner and new Director of Financial Education for Copper—the teenage banking app. COVID-19 Holiday Gatherings (0:38:19) The leaves are beginning to turn and so is the temperature, which can only mean one thing—the holiday season is upon. Before we know it we’ll be tricker treating, roasting a turkey, and decking the halls. However, the holidays this year will likely look a little different from those of years past—thus prompting the question, what will the holiday season look with social distancing guidelines remaining in effect? Here to answer this question and give us some tips on planning intentional holiday gatherings is friend of the show, Carrie Ann Rhodes. Allergy Proofing Your House (0:52:48) Does vacuuming send you into a flurry of sneezing? Or maybe it’s the cat hair floating in the air. Either way, certain environmental factors in your home are likely responsible for your swollen eyes and runny nose. Luckily, there’s thing