Find the real deals after the shopping madness goes away

• Re-check carts, Google exact model names across retailers (including smaller ones), and sort by biggest percent-off to mine quiet Cyber Week leftovers

• Use abandoned carts, email sign-ups, and Free Shipping Day (Dec. 14) to trigger extra coupons, free shipping, and one big stacked order

• Set a firm walk-away price, let price tools track it, and stay flexible on brands (store brands, dupes, lookalikes) to grab the best deal

Have you noticed that retailers are throwing everything at you this holiday season to try and get your money? Fake limited-time discounts, celebrity denim campaigns, and shiny new flagship stores. Noneof which aregoing to save you any money, quite the opposite actually.

Now that your Black Friday hangover is finally wearing off, here are some highly clever real-life ways to save money on the rest of your Christmas shopping.

Work the quiet Cyber Week leftovers

Retailers blew all their fireworks on Cyber Week but a ton of those prices are still quietly hanging around with way less hype.

Heres how to find the leftovers and save:

• I always recommend going back to your online carts and wish lists and re-check prices instead of starting from scratch. Youll often find the same pricing or better.
• Google the exact product name and compare at 23 big rivals (Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, Target, Best Buy). Youll see a lot of still Cyber-ish pricing hiding under boring online deal labels.
• When in doubt, sort by biggest % off on sale pages. Leftover doorbusters float to the top even after the banners are gone.

Pro tip: Check out smaller retailers too. Just last night, on Ace Hardwares website, I found a Blackstone Grill Ive been wanting for $100 less than any other store. I found it by doing a Google search for the exact model that I wanted. I did a quick price check on Amazon to verify, and the Ace Hardware price was $50 less than Amazon has ever sold the grill for. I paid for it immediately, chose store pickup to avoid shipping fees, and Ill grab it from Ace this weekend.

Use the abandoned cart trick to shake loose better prices

Online retailers hate it when you leave stuff in your online cart and never complete the purchase. This is especially true in December when theyre chasing every last sale.

Use this information to your advantage and try and get them to send you a discount to come back and complete your purchase.

Heres how it works:

• Add any big stuff youre eyeing for Christmas (TV, headphones, laptop, small appliance, toy sets) to your online cart while logged in, then sign-out completely and never complete the purchase. Many stores will nudge you to come back with a reminder email, often including a coupon, extra promotion, or free shipping offer.
• Also, before you buy, try toggling back and forth between delivery and in-store pickup. Some retailers quietly offer a lower price or extra discount for pickup because its cheaper for them than shipping.
• If you get a come back coupon in your inbox, use it on one big, planned order instead a few random add-ons. That way you get the most bang for your buck.

Think of it this way, youre basically letting the retailer negotiate with you first, then saying yes only when the price is right.

Pro tip: Stores where Ive personally had this work include Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowes, B&H Photo, and Newegg. Also, I recommend a mix and match strategy. Meaning logout of some sites completely, stay logged-in on others, or sign-up for theiremail list first, then log out. Try different things in an effort to trip the "please, come back"automated email with a discount inside.

Treat Free Shipping Day as your real deadline, not Christmas Eve

Free Shipping Day, on December 14^th this year, is basically the last realistic day to get gifts delivered by Christmas Eve without paying rush fees.

Its the day when over 1,000 online retailers come together to offer free shipping with guaranteed delivery by December 24^th.

Use this day to your advantage by doing the following:

• Build one big cart for that day: gifts that are heavy, bulky, or annoying to ship yourself (small appliances, toys, board games, bedding).
• Then stack any site-wide promos with any coupon codes you can find, PLUS the free shipping offer, and get a perfect storm of savings.
• After the 14^th has passed, assume shipping costs are part of the price and shift to more of an in-store clearance and gift cards strategy. By shifting strategies youll save more than if you chase those 40% off banners that get eaten by expedited shipping charges.

Set a walk-away price and makea few tools do the works

Between now and Christmas, your brain is the weak link. Youll see the same item at eight different prices and forget which one was actually a solid price.

To help with this, I like to pick a 'walk-away price' for each big gift (like Ill only buy this tablet under $249 or these headphones under $99) and then let a few online tools do the watching:

• Set an Amazon price alertor use browser free extensions likeKeepa,CamelCamelCamel, or Honey to ping you when something drops below your line.
• If it never hits your number by, say, Free Shipping Day, you either adjust or swap to a cheaper model.
• This keeps you from panic-buying at a meh price just because a timer is yelling at you.

Swap brands (not categories) where the deals are best

If youre willing to switch labels and not be tied into a specific brand, December is a great month to find deals. Store brands and second-tier labels are where a lot of the real value is hiding this year.

Here are some smart ways to play it:

Keep the category but drop the brand flex. So instead of having the Dyson or nothing mindset, make the goal a decent stick vac at 40% off or more. Then filter your options by price + reviews and youre going to save a ton of money.

Change your grocery mindset. When shopping for groceries and pantry gifts (coffee, snacks, chocolates, baking stuff), check the store-brand version right next to the name brand. Why? Heres a hintmany are made by the name-brand manufacturer anyway.

Find cheaper holidaydcor dupes on Amazon. One of my favorite ways to shop on Amazon is to find the look I want, but at a major discount.

Instead of buying expensive dcor items from Pottery Barn, Anthropologie or Crate & Barrel, Ill just go to Amazon and search Pottery Barn furniture or Anthropologie holidaydcor.The search results will give me the exact look I want, but from much cheaper manufacturers.

Honda Odysses owners say their airbags are exploding for no reason

• Federal investigators are now probing Honda Odyssey minivans after multiple reports of airbags deploying without any crash or impact

• Honda is denying responsibility and refusing to cover repair costs, leaving owners to pay thousands out of pocket

• The sudden airbag deployment creates a dangerous distraction that could cause drivers to crash

If you own a Honda Odyssey minivan, you need to know about a terrifying safety issue that's now caught the attention of federal regulators. Multiple drivers report their airbags are exploding without warning and Honda is refusing to pay for repairs.

What's happening with Honda Odyssey airbags

Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into Honda Odyssey minivans after receiving multiple complaints about spontaneous airbag deployment.

Georgia driver Pavan Nanduri experienced this firsthand while driving his 2018 Honda Odyssey. "It was an explosion, right? It was like a bomb," he told investigators. "All the passenger side curtains, airbags, everything popped up, deployed."

The sudden deployment nearly caused Nanduri to crash, putting him and other drivers at serious risk. "I'm lucky, right, and probably the people around me that day. Everybody's lucky," he said.

Honda is denying responsibility

When Nanduri reported the incident to Honda, the company refused to take responsibility. In a written response, American Honda told him their review found "no evidence of defects in factory materials or workmanship."

This leaves affected drivers facing massive repair bills with no help from the manufacturer. "Essentially, you're left with nowhere to turn but your own wallet to pay for the problems," said Michael Brooks from the Center for Auto Safety. "It's incredibly frustrating for owners in that situation."

What you need to do right now

If you own a Honda Odyssey, especially a 2018 model or similar year, take these steps immediately:

1. Report any spontaneous airbag deployment to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov or by calling 1-888-327-4236

2. Document everything with photos, videos, and written records if your airbags deploy unexpectedly

3. Contact Honda customer service to create an official complaint record, even if they deny responsibility

4. Keep all repair receipts you may need them if Honda is eventually forced to reimburse owners

5. Consider consulting with an automotive attorney if you've been affected, as this could become a class-action issue

The bottom line

Honda Odyssey owners are facing a dangerous defect where airbags explode without warning, creating crash risks and leaving families with expensive repair bills. While Honda denies fault, federal investigators are now involved meaning this issue is serious enough to warrant official scrutiny. Don't wait for Honda to act; report any problems immediately and document everything to protect yourself financially.

The company claimed it could improve credit scores

• Personal Tradelines charged upfront fees for unauthorized user schemes that violated Colorado law

• Company made false claims about improving credit scores through "sharing" others' credit history

• Settlement forces company to stop operating in Colorado and pay $20,000 in penalties

If you've been promised a quick credit score boost by being added as an "authorized user" on someone else's credit card, you need to know about a deceptive practice that just cost one company big time.

What happened in Colorado

On December 4, 2024, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced a settlement with PersonalTConsulting LLP, which operated as Personal Tradelines, for running an illegal credit repair scheme.

The Denver-based company was marketing "piggybacking" services to consumers desperate to improve their credit scores. Here's how the scam worked: They charged people upfront fees to add them as authorized users on credit card accounts belonging to strangers with better credit.

The company falsely advertised this as "one of the best methods for potentially improving your credit score" and claimed consumers could "share the credit history" of another person's account. But there was a catch consumers were explicitly prohibited from actually using these accounts or contacting the account owners.

The red flags you should watch for

Personal Tradelines violated multiple consumer protection laws by charging advance fees, making misleading claims about results, and failing to provide required legal disclosures, Weiser said.

While this specific case happened in Colorado, similar credit repair operate nationwide. Here's what to watch out for:

The company promised unrealistic results and charged money upfront before delivering any services. They also failed to explain the risks and limitations of their approach.

How to protect yourself from credit repair

1. Never pay upfront fees for credit repair services legitimate companies work on a pay-as-you-go basis

2. Be suspicious of any company promising to add you as an authorized user on strangers' accounts

3. Avoid services that claim you can "share" someone else's credit history

4. Research any credit repair company through your state attorney general's office before paying

5. Remember that anything a credit repair company can do legally, you can do yourself for free

6. Report suspected credit repair to your state attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission

What this means for consumers nationwide

While Personal Tradelines specifically violated Colorado's Credit Services Organization Act, similar laws exist in most states to protect consumers from predatory credit repair practices.

The "piggybacking" practice itself isn't necessarily illegal, but charging upfront fees and making false promises about results violates consumer protection laws across the country.

If you've been harmed by a credit repair company, you can file complaints with both your state attorney general's office and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The bottom line: Credit repair prey on people's desperation to improve their financial situation. This Colorado settlement should serve as a warning if a company demands upfront payment for vague promises about boosting your credit score, walk away. Legitimate credit improvement takes time and doesn't require paying strangers to add you to their accounts.

A new report reveals how stress, loneliness, and emotional baggage shape the way we celebrate

• 45% of Americans say their urge to drink or use substances increases during the holidays, with 41% pre-gaming before gatherings just to cope.

• Nearly three-quarters report feeling lonely or emotionally triggered this time of year, especially by past losses and family pressures.

• Experts say stacked stressorsfrom money worries to social expectationsdrive people to self-medicate, but simple boundaries and more meaningful connection can make the season feel lighter.

The holidays may be wrapped in twinkling lights and good intentions, but for many Americans, the season feels a lot heavier than it looks on social media.

A new report from the Freeman Recovery Center shows just how tough this time of year can be.

In a survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, 45% of people say their urge to drink or use substances spikes during the holidays, and more than 4 in 10 admit they pre-game with alcohol before family gatherings just to take the edge off.

Researchers also found that nearly three-quarters of Americans feel isolated or lonely during the holidays, and many say the season brings up painful memories of loss. Add in tight budgets, complicated family dynamics, and the pressure to be merry, and its no wonder so many people turn to substances to cope.

ConsumerAffairs interviewed the Freeman Recovery Center Communications Team to learn more about the impact the holidays can have on substance use.

How emotions lead to substance use

Experts at the Freeman Recovery Center explained that the holidays are full of different emotional triggers that can complicate the holidays and affect our behaviors.

Our new research shows that 73% of Americans say the season riles up feelings related to past loss, and nearly half feel emotionally worn out after gatherings, they explained. This emotional strain can be the catalyst for folks to reach for substances, not to enhance the holiday experience, but as a means to handle the weight of it all.

What really sets this season apart is how all of these stressors stack together. You have high expectations of the perfect gifts, travel fatigue, and the frequent reminders of whos no longer with us; especially if youre looking through old holiday photos. When all of this hits in a short timeframe, even the strongest person can feel overwhelmed.

Avoiding alcohol as a coping mechanism

One of the key findings from the survey was that 41% of Americans pre-game their holiday gatherings with alcohol.

For those who may be struggling and turn to alcohol, the experts shared some coping mechanisms to try this holiday season:

• Try showing up later to cut down on your time spent there, or give yourself a time limit that feels safe.

• Create a code word(s) with someone you trust, so if its time to exit, you can do so. Our research found that nearly 1 in 3 Americans already use code words or signals at holiday events to cut down on stress, which is proof that even a small boundary can go a long way.

• Put something in your hand to feel grounded. It can be tea, sparkling water, or just something non-alcoholic. This offers up identical social rituals without the crash, and it can help you stay in the moment versus numbing yourself down.

Feeling more connected

Loneliness was another common theme that came up during the study results. Despite family or friend gatherings, many Americans feel lonely during the holidays which is another reason for the spike in substance use.

The Freeman Recovery Center team shared how we can all strive for more meaningful connection this holiday season.

Loneliness during the holidays is not always about being physically alone; it often involves feeling emotionally overlooked or forgotten, they explained.

Small changes in how we connect can do wonders. You might invite someone who is spending the day alone or arrange a one-on-one conversation instead of relying on small talk or surface-level chitchat. Families can also prioritize shared experiences rather than these idyllic moments, such as cooking together or taking a walk. Real connections usually happen in simple moments, not in grand gestures. Not everything needs to be internet ready.

The power of conversation

The findings from the survey highlight that many Americans are all feeling the same way around this time of year. The best thing to do? Talk about it!

Our research really nails just how common these struggles are, yet most people shy away from talking about them, the Freeman Recovery Center team said.

The holidays put an unfortunate amount of emotional pressure on everyone, even those who seem fine. The more we normalize asking for help, setting boundaries, or choosing not to drink, the less individuals will feel the need for substances just to feel okay. The season should not be something people merely endure. With support, it can actually feel lighter and more manageable for everyone.

A fresh-fruit habit may support insulin sensitivity without adding weight

• Eating two cups of fresh mango every day improved insulin sensitivity in adults with overweight or obesity.

• Study participants had better beta-cell function and stable body weight suggesting mango didnt raise diabetes risk despite its sweetness.

• The research focused on people with chronic low-grade inflammation, a group more likely to have trouble managing blood sugar.

When we think about sugar and blood sugar control, its easy to focus on cutting out sugary foods.

But what if one of the sweetest foods fruit could actually help your body handle sugar better? Thats the idea behind new research that looked at whether eating fresh mango daily could improve how well your body manages sugar.

Turns out, the naturally sweet, juicy fruit might be more than just a tasty treat. For a group of adults with overweight or obesity many of whom had chronic low-grade inflammation adding two cups of fresh mango to their daily routine seemed to support healthier blood sugar control.

The study

The researchers studied a group of 48 adults aged 2060 who met certain criteria: they had a BMI at or above 25 kg/m, signs of low-grade inflammation, and elevated fasting blood sugar (but not diabetes).

For four weeks, one group of participants ate two cups of fresh mango every day. The other group ate a calorie-matched control food in this case, Italian ices (a sweet frozen treat). Participants kept their usual diets and lifestyle otherwise.

Researchers measured blood sugar related markers: how much insulin the body produced in response to glucose, how sensitive the body was to insulin, and how efficiently the bodys insulin-producing beta cells worked. Body weight and inflammation markers were also tracked.

The results and what theymean

After just one month, people eating mango daily showed improved insulin sensitivity compared with those on the control diet. Their beta-cell function meaning the pancreass ability to produce insulin when needed was also better. Importantly, their body weight didnt increase despite the added natural sugars.

In contrast, in the control group (who ate Italian ice), body weight slightly increased over the same period. Markers of inflammation and cholesterol levels didnt differ significantly between groups.

Whats interesting is that even though mango is sweet, eating it as a whole fruit didnt seem to cause the kind of blood-sugar problems people often fear. The fiber, vitamins, and natural plant compounds in mango might help modulate how your body processes the sugars making mango a potentially smart choice when eaten as part of a balanced diet.

Because this study focused on a small group and was relatively short (four weeks), it doesnt prove mango is a cure for blood sugar issues. But it does suggest that replacing some sugary snacks with fresh fruit like mango might be a tasty, simple step toward better metabolic health.

"The growing body of research identifies mango's promising role in supporting metabolic health," researcher Britt Burton-Freeman, PhD, MS, Director of the Center for Nutrition Research, Illinois Institute of Technology said in a news release.

"Findings suggest that mango can be a valuable addition to a balanced diet, helping to regulate blood glucose and support weight management benefits that many people may not always associate with fruit. As we continue to explore mango's unique nutrient and phytonutrient profile, we're uncovering even more ways it can contribute to overall well-being."

Tips for enjoying mango in a balanced way

• Pair mango with protein or healthy fatssuch as yogurt, nuts, or lean meatsto help slow digestion and support steadier blood sugar levels.

• Stick to reasonable portions. Starting with about a half cup to one cup works well for most people, depending on individual needs.

• Choose whole mango over juice or dried versions. Whole fruit contains fiber, which helps your body handle natural sugars more gradually.

• Use mango as a nutritious swap for sugary snacks. Adding it to smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt can offer sweetness along with vitamins and fiber.

• Incorporate mango into savory dishes like salads, grain bowls, or salsas for a balanced mix of flavors and nutrients.