Master the art of online shopping with these clever hacks to score discounts, outsmart retailers, and save big this holiday season.
Traveling for the holidays? Best days to book
It’s beginning to look a lot like … fall. Before you enter a pumpkin-spice stupor, do your future self a favor and get this year’s travel plans organized.
From the best times to book to how to search for flights, I’ve got everything you need to score the sweetest deal on your holiday season trip.
🎁 Staying put? Share this with a friend or family member who hits the road for the holidays. Hey, maybe they’ll buy you an extra present with all the money they save.
Just in time
If you want to get the cheapest airline ticket, timing is everything. Let’s start with the basics: How far in advance you should book.
Domestic flights: Prices are the lowest at 38 days before departure, with the lowest price range between 21 and 52 days prior to your trip.
🦃 For your annual Thanksgiving trip to Grandma’s, the best time to book the most affordable flights is 45 days before, or early October.
🎄 For Christmas, book at the end of October or early November. You’ll get the lowest fares when you book 58 days prior.
International flights: Aim to book at least 50 days before your departure. Your best bet is around 101 days before your trip to get the lowest price. For the Carribean or Mexico, the low-price range is between 26 and 68 days out.
✅ Pro tip: Stop counting days on your fingers. This calculator is the best.
Come fly with me
Now that you know the ranges, let’s get specific. Sunday is the best day to book; you’ll pay about 5% less on domestic flights and up to 15% less on international.
Is Google Bard an atheist?
While coming up with a trivia question for my daily free newsletter (Join 500K and sign up here), I wanted to tap into the nostalgia surrounding the classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas” special. A pivotal scene has Linus reciting a Bible passage, an iconic moment that drives home the show’s heartfelt message.
5 texts you must ignore this holiday season
Scammers draw from a bottomless bag of tricks to get you to hand over your money. They dramatically ramp up their actions when there’s a global event or an upcoming holiday. Not even Veterans Day is safe. Tap or click here for a story that proves criminals have no shame.
Security warning: Scammers are calling you with holiday tactics
‘Tis the season for eggnog, twinkly lights and a whole lot of scams. Cybercriminals make a killing over the holiday season — just think about how often we pull out our credit cards.
The best way to stay safe is to know their tricks. I’ve got the inside scoop on phone scams tricking people out of money and info right now.
7 things you must NEVER post online
Thinking about posting your family updates online this holiday season? Some things are safer kept offline. Here’s what you need to know.
High tech porch pirates
This holiday season, doorbell cameras are capturing more porch pirates, and the thieves are finding new ways to avoid being caught.
Use your smart assistant for Christmas dinner
Kitchen chaos this holiday season? Let’s keep it on track with some handy assists from Siri, Alexa, and Google.
3 ways to preserve your family memories this holiday season
Do you remember all the stories older relatives told over the years? You probably recollect bits and pieces. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to relive them whenever you wanted?
Then there are photos of your loved ones from over the years — some sadly fading or stashed away in an attic. Let’s get those precious memories out so that everyone can enjoy them.
Steps to convert your old VHS tapes to digital
Think you can only score free shipping on Amazon? Tap or click for five tricks to get free shipping on most major sites.
You can also go the more personal route. Digitized home movies are an excellent gift — or a fabulous way to relive old memories at your next get-together. Put away the projector and check out the best ways to preserve and share your home movies.
AI toys: Cool or creepy?
In the not-so-distant future, you could walk in on a teddy bear reading a bedtime story to your child. Not just any story, a saga customized based on everything the toy knows about your child — their likes, dislikes and deepest secrets. All thanks to artificial intelligence (AI).
Don’t make this major privacy mistake when renting a car
The holiday season is a time of togetherness. Here are a few pro tips to save time and money if you have a long drive ahead.
Are you staying in a hotel? Don’t sign into your room TV to access the streaming services. Here are three hacks to help you get the most out of your temporary TV.
Find the best holiday light displays near you with this map
The end of the year is fast approaching, and along with it comes nonstop holiday prep. Among the more stressful tasks is gift shopping.
Do you need help finding gifts for those hard-to-shop-for people? Tap or click here for gift ideas for the person who doesn’t want or need anything.
Watch movies with loved ones from afar
Planning a long-distance movie night this holiday season? Listen to this one-minute podcast for all the DIY tips you need.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Give wisely: Before you donate money, check the charity’s rating
Do you give charitable donations during the holiday season? Many people do, which is why you see so many people in Santa hats ringing bells outside bustling stores.
Have you ever wondered where that money goes? What about other charities like cancer research, children’s hospitals or even places like Ronald McDonald House?
Finishing your holiday shopping? Don't fall for this fake seller scam
In 2021, Americans handed more than $337 million over to scammers while shopping online. The holidays are some of the most dangerous weeks to be buying. What should you be on the lookout for this year? Tap or click here for three of the most viral holiday scams circulating.
Roku just released over a dozen new channels - Here's how to find them
Christmas is still a couple of weeks away, but Roku users just got an early present. You’ll get 13 new Roku channels to stream this holiday season. This tip will break down all the details, from where to watch to what’s available.
The greatest gift: Fix your family's tech this holiday season
We’re well into the holiday season and you’re probably planning lots of get-togethers. Want to be the star of the party? Bring along some beautiful memories, but leave the projector behind. Tap or click here to convert old VHS tapes to digital in time for the holidays.
Amazon scam: Don't fall for this fake text! It'll cost you
Scammers have no morals. That’s why they are out in full force around the holidays. Tap or click here for the top three scams to watch for this holiday season.
But there’s a new scheme to rip you off that you must be aware of. It’s based on online shopping, which millions of people are doing now.
How to record your family’s history and preserve memories
If the thought of everything on your plate during the holidays is stressing you could, let me help.
Tech can ease the burden and make the next few weeks much easier. Tap or click for some of my favorite holiday tech tricks, including saving money and getting to your family party on time.