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5 ways to save this holiday shopping season

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This holiday shopping season is shaping up to be longer, pricier and in some ways more chaotic than in previous years, which makes it easy to overspend. But there are also opportunities for significant savings if you know where and how to search for them.

“There are supply chain issues, inflation, major retailers reducing inventory — when you put all of that together, it looks like a recipe for disaster,” says Jill Cataldo, a consumer coupon expert based in Chicago. Her solution? “I started shopping now. If you see something and it looks like a good deal, it’s time to pick it up.”

In Kimberly Palmer’s latest for the Associated Press, find out the best ways to save money this Black Friday season.

This week’s money news

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This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on when your bank stiffs you, and co-signing risks. In other news: Job growth despite slight rise in unemployment, a high cost to stop inflation, and when the Fed hikes interest rates, who gets hurt.

Smart Money Podcast: When Your Bank Stiffs You, and Co-Signing Risks
This week’s episode starts with a discussion about what to do when your bank stiffs you with a low annual percentage yield.

Job Market Still Strong Despite Slight Rise in Unemployment
Job growth continues and wages remain strong despite forecasts predicting job losses in 2023.

A High Cost to Stop Inflation: Sink the Economy and Spark Unemployment
Money News & Moves: Fed interest rate hikes so far this year have been slow to move the needle on inflation.

When the Fed Hikes Interest Rates, Who Gets Hurt?
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said in September that he wishes “there were a painless way” to lower inflation. “There isn’t,” he said.

What are your employee benefits really worth?

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Benefits make up more than 30% of the typical job’s compensation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . But figuring out what your benefits are worth isn’t always easy.

You may need to do a little digging to find how much your employer contributes toward health insurance, retirement plans and other perks. Some benefits also have nonmonetary value, and people can value the same benefits in different ways. In my latest for the Associated Press, learn what your employee benefits are really worth.

This week’s money news

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This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on financial fears, and if you need life insurance or not. In other news: What makes a good store credit card, and how to avoid bad ones, tackling financial insecurity, and why stocks and bonds are both falling.

Smart Money Podcast: Financial Fears, and Do You Need Life Insurance?
This week’s episode starts with a discussion about overcoming our financial fears.

What Makes a Good Store Credit Card, and How to Avoid Bad Ones
It’s not that store cards can’t deliver value — in some cases, they can be ideal picks. But before you’re pressured into opening one, know which red flags to watch for.

When Pinching Pennies Isn’t Enough: Tackling Financial Insecurity
Financial counselors, nonprofits and other organizations can help you find your financial footing.

Stocks and Bonds Are Both Falling. Here’s Why.
A look at why the markets declined in 2022, and how to cope with falling stocks and bonds as you near an important financial goal.

How to spot a great 401(k)

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Any 401(k) can help you save for retirement. A great 401(k) allows you to save a whole lot more.

The difference between a mediocre plan and a great one could translate into tens of thousands of dollars in future retirement money. Plus, a 401(k)’s quality can show how serious a company is about attracting and retaining good workers.

That’s not to say you should leave or turn down a job if it doesn’t offer a great 401(k). But knowing how to spot a best-in-class retirement plan can help you evaluate job offers, negotiate a raise to compensate for what you’re missing and perhaps encourage your employer to make its plan better. In my latest for the Associated Press, learn three features of great 401(k)s.