Black Friday and Bad Fees

With Halloween in the rear-view mirror and the cold weather setting in, the holiday season is officially here. You can’t get by this time of year without discussing Black Friday, but Brian and Bo are adding in another topic up for discussion today — fees.

We’re Done with Fees!

Brian’s taking a stand on the absurd amount of fees that we all encounter in our daily routines. From ATM fees, to the fees we get charged when upgrading our phones, to foreign transaction fees… isn’t it time we stop paying for them?

The guys think so, and cover a few ways to avoid paying the worst of bad fees:

• What banks give you access to millions of ATMs, so you don’t have to worry about fees when withdrawing your money.
• What cards don’t have foreign transaction fees associated with them.
• How to sweet talk customer service agents on the phone into dropping fees they shouldn’t charge in the first place.

After the guys talk fees, they shift their focus to getting the most you can out of Black Friday deals.

Making the Most Out of Black Friday

Wait — what’s a tightwad doing talking about spending money for the holidays? Don’t worry, Tightwad Nation. The guys discuss this retail “holiday” as an opportunity to buy things you actually need and at a much lower cost than any other time of the year.

In order to have a successful Black Friday, you must have a game plan. Take inventory of what you need and create a shopping list to take with you. Brian suggests using the TGI Black Friday app to keep track of items and deals you want to score on.

Additionally, the guys recommend using Ebates or Upromise to save even more on top of those Black Friday deals.

You should also look to shop at certain stores that offer discount cards (like Target using their REDcard for 5% off), or take advantage of the credit cards that offer quarterly bonuses if you shop at certain stores.

Another tip to make the most of the money you plan to spend is to shop through your credit card company’s website. There’s usually a shopping portal you can go to, and they’ll offer cash back as well.

Challenge yourself to stretch your dollar as far as it will go this holiday season, and listen in for more tips on how to save.

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