Arizona’s Family On Your Side

Every single month, we are flooded with 2.1 billion robocalls. They’re annoying, sometimes illegal, and a lot of them aren’t supposed to get through. But according to a new report from the Public Interest Research Group, less than half of phone companies have installed technology that’s required to protect consumers. On this episode, we’re talking with consumer watchdog Teresa Murray. What does this report mean? Why aren’t phone companies complying? And what can we do in the meantime to protect ourselves from scams that often start with a ring?

Hosts Susan Campbell and Christine Stanwood share their wedding experiences and love of wedding planning before welcoming guest Bobbi Rebell, chief financial education advisor at Accredited Debt Relief, to discuss the financial realities of weddings for couples and guests. Rebell advises couples to gain clarity early on priorities, rank what matters most, and make deliberate choices, noting many items are negotiable beyond price and that vendors’ underlying costs should be respected. They discuss overlooked expenses like alterations and shipping, creative cost-saving ideas, and how family contributions can affect decisions. For guests, they cover managing travel, hotel rates, childcare solutions, outfit renting or re-wearing, seeking price adjustments, and booking flights early. Rebell explains etiquette for declining unaffordable invitations, suggests flexible approaches to gifts for destination weddings, and encourages avoiding unpayable debt while being proactive if bills become a problem.

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.