It’s time to go back to school, and families are stocking up on back to school supplies, new clothes, and new shoes for the school year. It all adds up, and we’re seeing some signs that consumers are changing their spending habits. We’re talking with Kylee Hall. She’s the vice president of marketing at B-Stock, a company that helps major retailers liquidate unsold merchandise. We’ll talk about the back to school shopping season, why brand loyalty’s the loser this year, what’s next as companies deal with returned and unsold back to school merchandise, and what that means for shoppers hoping to get great deals.

New vehicle prices have now surged to around $50,000 on average! Susan Campbell talks with Joseph Yoon from Edmunds about how this is driven by pandemic-era supply chain disruption and automakers prioritizing higher-margin mid- and high-trim models, leaving few truly affordable new cars under $30,000 after fees and options. They discuss how higher interest rates and rising living costs are pushing buyers into longer 72- to 84-month loans, increasing the risk of being underwater and paying substantial interest, especially for shoppers focused only on monthly payments. Yoon explains how reduced leasing during the pandemic shrank the supply of late-model used cars, making today’s “best value” closer to a five- to seven-year-old vehicle.

Trump Accounts for kids officially launch on July 4th. We’re taking politics out of the conversation, and just talking about the facts with our guest, Christina Lamar, the VP of member services at Copper State Credit Union. What are these accounts? Who can get them? How do you get started? What are the incentives?

For millions of student loan borrowers, a massive change is right around the corner. The Save Plan is going away, and now it’s time to make decisions about new repayment options. On this episode, we’re talking with Chris Hicks, a senior policy advisor at Protect Borrowers. He’ll walk us through the changes, what borrows can and should do right now, and how much it could cost if borrowers sit back and do nothing.

Do you want to save money on the things you use every day? We’re talking with couponing expert Kiersti Torok. She’s all over social media, showing shoppers how to make the most of couponing. We’ll ask her how to find the best deals, if certain stores are better than others for couponing, and what’s happened to the value of coupons as inflation pushes up prices.

It’s a question a lot of people are trying to answer. Is it better to rent or buy? Our guest is TruWest Credit Union mortgage sales manager Melissa Sherman. We’ll get her advice on how to compare true monthly costs. We’ll also talk about how savings, credit, and long-term financial goals play into the decision.

Are impulse purchases derailing your budget? According to a recent survey by PartnerCentric, 81% of consumers have made an impulse purchase this year, and the median price per impulse purchase is $50. That can add up quickly and stall financial goals, so today we’re talking with savings expert, Andrea Woroch. We’ll talk about the pitfalls of "spaving," or spending to save and some simple strategies to avoid impulse purchases.

Just 41% of high school seniors in Arizona have filled out the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. That means families are leaving a lot of money on the table. Today, our guest is Julie Sainz, the Arizona Board of Regents’ Director of FAFSA and College Access Initiatives. She’ll walk us through the application process; what information you need, how long it will take, and what to expect once it’s filled out. She’ll also help us bust some common FAFSA myths.