Trusting Online Reviews (0:00:00)

In today’s digital world, online reviews are often the ultimate factor in deciding whether you buy a product. Understanding these reviews used to be simple: if it has a hundred five-star reviews, it’s reliable; if it has eight reviews and they’re all below three stars, you know to look elsewhere. But as more and more people have started using fake reviews to boost their numbers, it’s hard to know what to believe what we read online anymore. So how can we know when to trust these reviews? Today we are joined by Saoud Khalifah, the founder of a review-tracking software called “Fakespot”, here with us to talk about recognizing authentic reviews.

Excessive Spending (0:22:41)

A car payment. Clarinet lessons. Groceries. All things that might be in your budget this month. But, during this time of economic uncertainty, a lot of families are finding that they have to work with a tighter budget. How do we determine “wants” from “needs” and cut out the excessive spending? Here to help us navigate this issue is Liz Frazier, our favorite family financial planner and new Director of Financial Education for Copper—the teenage banking app.

COVID-19 Holiday Gatherings (0:38:19)

The leaves are beginning to turn and so is the temperature, which can only mean one thing—the holiday season is upon. Before we know it we’ll be tricker treating, roasting a turkey, and decking the halls. However, the holidays this year will likely look a little different from those of years past—thus prompting the question, what will the holiday season look with social distancing guidelines remaining in effect? Here to answer this question and give us some tips on planning intentional holiday gatherings is friend of the show, Carrie Ann Rhodes.

Allergy Proofing Your House (0:52:48)

Does vacuuming send you into a flurry of sneezing? Or maybe it’s the cat hair floating in the air. Either way, certain environmental factors in your home are likely responsible for your swollen eyes and runny nose. Luckily, there’s things we can do to prevent allergy symptoms before they even start. Here to help us understand what might be causing the sneezing and to allergy-proof our homes is Kenneth Mendez, CEO and President of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

The Urban Institute (1:12:50)

Out of the many hats we wear as parents, we never really seem to take off the one of “teacher.” We teach our kids the important things like how to walk, talk, and read. We also teach them the menial things, like how to choose the best brand of ice cream at the grocery store. As our kids grow up and enter their teenage years, do you ever find yourself wishing you could teach them more about the real, working world? Well thanks to youth apprenticeship programs, you can! Today, we’re talking with Zach Boren from Urban Institute on how your children can learn invaluable lessons and be better prepared for the workforce through such programs.

Toxic Friendships (1:27:08)

We often hear the term “toxic relationship” and with the more life experience we get, the more we are able to identify these kinds of relationships in our lives. But, it’s hard to notice the red flags when we truly care about someone. And if we let them go on for too long, these relationships can be emotionally damaging. To help you identify toxic people in your lives and discuss how you can heal from the damage they cause, we’ve invited. Suzanne Degges-White, a counselor, professor and author, on the show today to share her expert advice.