If you’ve ever been to a car lot, you know buying a new car can be stressful. It’s an expensive purchase, and sometimes dealerships tack on extra costs you didn’t see coming. Now, the Federal Trade Commission is warning dealerships across the country to cut it out and stop hiding fees from consumers. For our latest episode, we’re talking with Ray and Zach Shefska. That father/son duo runs a business called CarEdge, which helps empower car shoppers with lots of information. We’ll get their take on the FTC’s warning letters to 97 dealership groups, and we’ll talk about what you can do to make sure you’re getting the best deal without the add-ons.

This year, travelers are looking for flexibility and affordability. Our guest is Maddi Bourgerie, a travel expert with RV Share. According to the company’s new travel trends survey, major events, including the World Cup and the 100th anniversary of Route 66 are shaping travel plans. We’ll also talk about how travelers are using artificial intelligence to make the most of their vacation days.

This week, a U.S. company that makes medical devices was hit by a cyberattack. A pro-Iranian hacking group claimed responsibility, and in a social media post said the Stryker hack was retaliation for a missile strike on a school in Iran. Our guest on this episode is Tim Roemer, former CIA, former Director of the Arizona Department of Homeland Security and the state’s Chief Information Security Officer. Now Tim is the CEO of GMI, a Scottsdale-based cybersecurity company that focuses on IT and security. We’ll ask him how vulnerable U.S. infrastructure is to overseas hackers and how to protect against these groups.

The headline sounds like it’s straight out of a sci-fi thriller; Man accidentally gains control of 7,000 robot vacuums. It actually happened and it’s raising questions about privacy issues as smart homes get "smarter." Our guest is Mack DeGeurin, a tech reporter who reported on this story for Popular Science. We are talking with him about how this situation actually unfolded, what the company has to say about it, and the things to consider when you’re connecting devices all over your home.  

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available for the 2026-2027 school year. Jill Schlesinger, CBS News Business Analyst, walks us through the easier-than-it-used-to-be process. We’ll also talk about education savings strategies for kids at any age, and the three things you should do before you start contributing to a 529 or other account in your child’s name.

Wedding bells are ringing, and more engaged couples are using artificial intelligence to plan for their big day, according to The Knot’s "Real Weddings" report for 2026. Our guest is Esther Lee, the editorial director at The Knot Worldwide. We’ll talk about how artificial intelligence is becoming an important part of planning for engaged couples for everything from ideas and inspiration to writing wedding vows. We’ll also look at the trend wedding guests will notice on invitations, and the significant spike in the number of couples choosing lab-grown diamonds over natural stones.

 As the cost of cars climbs, the value of trade-ins is going up. Good news for consumers, but we have to be able to cash in. So today we're talking with Justin Fischer. He's an automotive retail analyst with CarEdge. He'll walk us through some simple steps to negotiate your deal and we'll ask him how much mileage actually matters for a trade-in. We will also talk about how tariffs could impact trade-ins. 

 Let's talk about love and money. A recent bank rate survey shows 38% of adults in a romantic relationship say financial secrets are just as bad as cheating, and 5% say financial infidelity is worse. So today we're talking with Angelica Prescod, a financial advisor with Edward Jones.

We'll talk about the money secrets people are keeping and how to get back on the same page and create money goals together. 

While we scroll through social media, content creators are making money. Our guest is Giselle Ugarte, an online performance coach and one of TikTok’s top 100 women to watch. We’ll talk about getting started with content creation, how to turn your everyday life into content that connects with people, how to get started if you don’t feel camera-ready, and how to protect your privacy while still sharing yourself with the world.
 

Whether you’re an early filer or you’re already planning for an extension, there are changes this tax season that you need to know about. Our guest is Mark Steber, the chief tax officer for Jackson Hewitt Tax Services. We’ll discuss new deductions that could mean money in your pocket and the benefits of filing early.