Are there fake reviews on Amazon? You bet your galoshes there are. Here's a CNET story for further reading: How to spot fake reviews on Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and other sites.

We also discussed a great deal on the Amazon Echo Studio at Best Buy -- you not only save $30 on the speaker, you get a free Echo Show 5 and Philips Hue bulb. be sure to check out the deal, which is still running as we write this on Aug. 19, and hopefully (fingers crossed) will be when you see it.

 

In the second segment, we discussed how to use RBDigital and your digital library card to read magazines for free. Here's how to get started with RBDigital and your local library, step-by-step.

 

In this week's listener question segment, Stacy Alesi wrote, “As a librarian, I was delighted to see you point out the Chrome extension. But I'm not sure if you have ever recommended BookBub? They send out a daily email based on your reading preferences with cheap (usually $2.99 is the priciest ebook) along with a few that are free. The books run the gamut from the big 5 publishers to self-published.”

 That's a great tip, Stacy! Here's BookBub for your book-reading please.

You can ask Rick and Dave your own question by sending an email to [email protected].

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This week, it's all about saving money. Well technically, every week is about saving money at The Cheapskate Show, but we're kicking things off with a discussion of 7 items we've found that are always either on sale or about to go on sale, so if you buy any of these products at full list price, you're just setting your money on fire. In this segment, we mentioned good deals on Apple AirPods, and this article is frequently updated with the best prices we could find:

 

https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-airpods-pro-flash-sale-199-for-a-limited-time/

 

We also mentioned how Echo Dots or other smart speakers are frequently bundled with other products for free. Here are a couple of examples from this week:

 

Eero router and a Echo Show 5: https://www.cnet.com/news/get-the-excellent-eero-3-piece-mesh-router-for-199/

 

Echo Studio and a Echo Show 5: https://www.cnet.com/news/buy-an-amazon-echo-studio-get-an-echo-show-5-and-philips-hue-light-for-free/

 

In the next segment, we discussed a handful of deals. Here are all the links we referred to:

Hulu annual plan: https://www.cnet.com/news/hulus-discounted-annual-plan-makes-a-great-deal-even-better/

 

CNET Giveaway: https://www.cnet.com/news/enter-cnets-virtual-school-giveaway/

 

Moto G sale: https://www.cnet.com/news/get-the-excellent-moto-g-fast-budget-phone-for-just-153-save-47/

 

 

In this week's listener question segment, Derek from Idaho asks: "Are those protective cases for Apple Watch useful, or are they just a scam?" You can ask Rick and Dave your own question by sending an email to [email protected].

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This week, Rick and Dave start the show by pulling back the curtain on cash-back services. Here is the article they referenced:

https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/best-cash-back-services-for-2020/

 

In the second segment, they discussed a library extension for your browser:

 https://www.cnet.com/how-to/this-browser-extension-shows-you-which-amazon-books-are-available-free-at-your-local-library/

 

And finally, here's what you need to know about the new 4-lines-for-$100 plan that T-Mobile is offering:

https://www.cnet.com/news/why-im-thinking-seriously-about-switching-to-t-mobiles-new-4-lines-for-100-plan/

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Home security system prices have dropped like a rock since your dad installed one 20 years ago. Even so, you can still save a bundle by looking past the obvious choices. At the top of the show this week, we talked about home security services. We mentioned the security system roundup at CNET, and talked about Kangaroo as well as all the cheap security gear at Wyze.

Also, don't forget that you can put your Alexa in Guard mode.

In the Tip of the Week, Rick told you about how to get a free (or sort of free, depending upon how you look at it) exercise bike and referred to this article:

Get a Peloton-style indoor studio bike free with your monthly iFit membership

 

In this week's Listener Question, -Valerie Stott asks: “How do I save money on Internet service at home? I live in a Detroit suburb and only have AT&T and Comcast to choose from.”

 In case you're curious, Valerie Stott is not an anagram for Rick Broida. Dave checked.

You can ask Rick and Dave your own question by sending an email to [email protected].

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In our first segment this week, we talked about meal kit delivery services, and referred to this article: Best meal delivery kits for 2020: Home Chef, Sun Basket, Blue Apron and more

Later in the show, we discussed apps you can use to chat with others online for a little bit of empathy: Lonely? Need to talk? Chat confidentially with these apps for free

This week, Jonathan Lane asks us this question: I'm interested in finding a good, albeit relatively inexpensive, CD player that doesn't take up much space. Or easy ways to switch from CDs to digital, such as a NAS server. Rick pointed out this portable CD player.

You can ask Rick and Dave your own question by sending an email to [email protected].

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On this week's Cheapskate Show, we kick things off by talking about a slew of ways to save money on back to school shopping. Here are some of the deals and discounts we discussed in the first segment:

Apple's back to school deal: Get $159 towards AirPods when you buy a Mac or an iPad

The best cheap and free perks for college students in 2020

Our favorite back to school picks for 2020

2018 Acer 15.6" HD WLED Chromebook 15

Moto G Fast vs. Moto E: Here's which sub-$200 Motorola phone to buy

Best noise canceling headphones under $100 for 2020

 

Here are the free game links we promised you:

Epic is giving away $70 worth of games for free this week

Amazon is giving Prime subscribers 8 free games worth over $100

Get adventure games worth $174 for $15

Software Library: MS-DOS Games

 

Finally, a listener asked: "Thanks for your recent story on free streaming services. I need a movie to watch this weekend. Any recommendations?"

You can ask Rick and Dave your own question by sending an email to [email protected].

 

Rick suggested:

Catch Me If You Can on IMDB TV

Catch Me If You Can on Roku Channel

 

Dave suggested;

The Commitments on Hoopla

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On this week's Cheapskate Show, we kick things off by talking about ways you can save money on live TV streaming video services. Some of the services we discussed include:

Pluto

Philo

Also, here's 10 ways to save money on streaming.

 

Rick talked about his experience with the Wyze Band and Amazfit Bip S. You can read more about them here:

Get the new Amazfit Bip S smartwatch for $63

Wyze Band hands-on: This $25 fitness tracker is light on your wallet, but also on features

 

Finally, in this week's listener question, Joe Calamita asks, "I have a daughter going to college and I need to pick up a cheap router for her. Would love it if I can control it remotely in case she has issues. Any cheap suggestions?"

We recommended these routers:

TP-Link AC1200 Gigabit Smart WiFi Router

TP-Link AC1200 Dual Band Router

ASUS Dual-Band 2x2 AC1300

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On this week's Cheapskate Show, we kick things off with a few drones we recommend for under $100. Here are the models we discussed:

Ryze Tech Tello

SNAPTAIN H823H Plus Portable Mini Drone

EachMini Quadcopter Drone for Kids and Adults

Intermittent fasting: Here's Rick's thorough explainer on how to do it, and some of its health and budget advantages:

Intermittent fasting: How it can help you lose weight and even save money

Listener question: CNET reader Matt Modrich asks, “I was thinking about purchasing a Bluetooth speaker to listen to your show while I work outside for up to 4 hours per day. What Bluetooth speakers do you recommend in the $10 to $40 range?”

Here's the model we recommended:

Anker Soundcore 2

You can ask Rick and Dave your own question by sending an email to [email protected].

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On this week's Cheapskate Show, we reveal some easy ways to "hack" Amazon that'll save you money on every purchase. Some of the links we talked about in that segment::

Try Amazon Prime free for 30 days

Other Amazon Prime plans

CamelCamelCamel

Third-party AirPods cases: Did you know you can buy an AirPods charging case from someone other than Apple? And instead of $80, it can cost as little as $20? Here's Rick's article with some recommendations:

Upgrade your AirPods to wireless charging for as little as $20

Listener question: CNET reader Elissa asks, “What is the best way to use your cell phone overseas for frequent international travelers?” You can ask Rick and Dave your own question by sending an email to [email protected].

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On this week's Cheapskate Show, we debate whether it's worth dropping $160 or more on Apple AirPods. And whatever your opinion, we discuss good, inexpensive alternatives. Here are the CNET articles we referred to:

Best cheap true-wireless earbuds in 2020: Top AirPods alternatives for $100 or less

6 great AirPods Pro alternatives that cost less

The surprisingly good EarFun Free true-wireless earbuds are back on sale for $35

Best under $20: We discussed (and debated) the KeySmart, which sells for $22 or three for $44. as well as the $60 Star Trek KeySmart Pro with Tile.

Listener question: CNET reader Layne asks, “What types of things are the worst to ‘cheap out’ on?" You can ask Rick and Dave a question by sending an email to [email protected].

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