Arizona’s Family On Your Side

The holiday season will be here before you know it. And if you haven’t yet, it’s time to make your travel plans. We’re chatting with Julian Kheel, the founder and CEO of Points Path. We’ll talk about the best time to book flights for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Is there actually a cheaper day to book flights or a cheaper day to fly? Should you pay with cash, or the miles and points you’ve built up all year?

Needohs aren’t in stock. Stores are limiting Squeezies. Dumplings are being recalled. And counterfeits are everywhere! There’s so much parents need to know when our kids are begging for these darn things. We’re tapping into the Toy Insider’s expertise to help us figure out what to buy, what to avoid, and if there’s hope these things will be restocked before the heart of the holiday shopping season.

With a couple taps in an app on your phone, you can wager on just about anything in sports. For some people, that easy access is fueling a gambling addiction. Sites tout guardrails to help problem gamblers, so ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson put them to the test. Today, he is taking us inside his investigation to explain how he gambled like an addict and earned VIP status with DraftKings. We’ll also talk about the consumer protection questions raised by his reporting.

If you’re getting ready to retire… you know you have to have a plan, and it has to include how you’ll spend your savings. Turns out – a lot of retirees struggle with spending. Even if there’s a big balance, they don’t want to see it go down. So, we’re talking with Jean Chatzky about her new book called ‘The Forever Paycheck’ and how to plan to spend the money you worked so hard for. We’ll also talk about one of the biggest mistakes retirees make the day their employment ends – and how retirement planning has actually changed over the years.

How many credit cards do you have in your wallet? Do you get cash back? Maybe you prefer points or rewards. Companies spend a lot of money – marketing credit cards trying to get our business. The benefits may sound exclusive, but a lot of them are actually standard across the industry. Today, we’re talking with Sara Rathner, a credit card expert at NerdWallet, about some of the so-called benefits that you don’t need to worry about and how to compare cards to find out the best option for you.

When the deadly Cyclospora outbreak happened, a lot of people stopped eating lettuce, even if it wasn’t part of a recall. Today, our guest is Melanie Nuce-Hilton, the Senior Vice President of Customer Success at GS1 US, an organization best known for the UPC barcode. We’ll talk about consumers’ changing habits and the future of food safety you may be able to hold in your own hands.

Are you saving for retirement? Are you saving enough? According to a Vanguard report, just 14% of people with a 401k saved the maximum amount allowed. We’re talking with Darcy Bergen from the Bergen Financial Group about the biggest mistakes people make with their 401k plans. We’ll also talk about savings strategies for young workers and workers nearing retirement. 

Believe it or not, it’s already time to talk about all of that toys that will soon land on holiday wish lists. We’re talking with the Toy Insider’s James Zahn about one of the hottest toys of the season, a throw-back to 30 years ago that caused fights in toy stores across the country. We’ll also talk about this year’s toy supply chain, the impact of tariffs on the industry, and what has happened to toy sales as consumer confidence slides.

FBI Supervisory Special Agent Troy Cofer joins Susan Campbell on the On Your Side Podcast to break down today’s most damaging scams. He explains how criminals build trust, manipulate victims and make fraudulent investment pitches look legitimate. Cofer also shares red flags that can signal a scam before money is lost.