How to Money Podcast: Friday Flight – Richer Refunds, Best Costco Buys, & $3 Dinners (Don’t Have to be this Sad!) #1095

Date: January 30, 2026
Hosts: Joel and Matt
Podcast: How to Money (iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

This Friday Flight episode delivers a fast-paced roundup of timely financial headlines and practical money tips for everyday listeners. Joel and Matt, friends and finance geeks, cover a grab bag of topics: from tax refund trends and low-cost cell plans to America’s shifting tipping culture, secret Costco deals, and the real math behind $3 dinners. As always, the duo blends practical advice, banter, and genuine curiosity—all with an accessible, friendly tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Richer Refunds: Tax Season Tips and Traps

• Tax Season Kickoff: You can file your taxes as of this week (13:55), and for many Americans, larger refunds are likely this year due to increased deductions and rule changes (“the so-called big beautiful bill”—15:00).
• Refunds on the Rise: Average refunds hover around $3,000 and could go higher for those over 65 or eligible for targeted deductions.
• Smart Refund Use: Joel notes, getting a lump sum help “jumpstart paying off debt or funding a Roth IRA” rather than feeling like you’ve just given the government an interest-free loan all year (16:21).
• Refund Advance Loans—A Trap: Beware refund-advance “loans.” These often hide fees, require pricier prep services, or force you into high-fee debit cards and accounts (16:34).
• Best Free Tax Filing: The hosts recommend Cash App Taxes for truly free federal and state filing (18:06). “Cash App Taxes rocks… a really good one.” (18:06)

2. Cell Service Savings and Customer Care

• US Mobile Shoutout: Matt commends US Mobile for giving customers free extra data during Winter Storm Fern, helping them stay online amid potential power or home internet loss (03:57).
• Current US Mobile Deal: $10/month for unlimited everything in the first year—a huge contrast to major providers (05:16).
  • “$120 for a year of cell phone coverage with unlimited everything. A lot of people pay that per month.” – Joel (05:28)
• Affiliate Transparency: They note their affiliate status with US Mobile yields minimal earnings, prioritizing trustworthiness (03:26).

3. The Tipping Point: Culture Shifts & Consumer Fatigue

• NYC’s Mandatory Tipping Prompt: New law requires a minimum suggested 10% tip on food delivery and rideshare orders, though it’s optional to increase/decrease (05:55).
  • “I think this might cause sticker shock… leading folks to rethink the knee-jerk habit of ordering food via apps.” – Matt (06:49)
• Tipping Fatigue: Number of retailers requesting tips has doubled since 2019, “everybody and their mom is holding out their hand for a tip...” – Joel (09:56)
• How to Handle Tipping Pressure: The duo suggests mentally pre-setting your tipping standards for different situations to avoid being guilted at the moment of purchase (10:53–11:02).
• Notable Tipping Scenarios:
  • Beer at local bar: “A dollar per beer… especially if we order at the counter.” – Joel (11:08)
  • Great Clips haircut: Tip options often 50-90% of service cost; Joel tips more for good personal service, balancing not being cheap with purposeful giving (11:56–12:35).
  • Yard/lawn service: Open question about expectations; more personal services tend to warrant tips, but for things like plumbing, tipping isn’t the norm (13:01–13:36).
• General Principle: Be proactive in your tipping philosophy—give generously where it matters, but don’t give in to guilt-based pressure.

4. Travel Savings and Airline Trends

• Rideshare Price Variance: Testing shows significant price differences between Uber and Lyft—on average $5 per ride; always check both apps (18:32–19:49).
• Frequent Flyer Miles Shrink: American Airlines stops awarding miles on economy, but hosts agree they'd rather have lower prices than more miles (20:02–20:33).
  • “Makes me feel like a second-class citizen… but I’m okay with that if I’m saving money.” – Joel (22:48)
• Broader Debate: Matt wishes for more “ultra-budget” options in US travel—akin to cheap European hostels and discount airlines. Both note most Americans would prefer more choices, even if it means fewer frills (22:48–23:30).

5. Ludicrous Headline of the Week: Water Sommeliers & Designer H2O (26:41)

• Headline: "Can Water Sommeliers Convince Us to Pay More for Premium H2O?" (Bloomberg)
• Hosts’ Take:
  • Joel: “They can’t convince me, Matt. I am an immovable force…” (26:41)
  • Discuss the absurdity and “conspicuous consumption” of $150 bottles of Norwegian iceberg water (27:23).
  • Most bottled water is just filtered tap water; reusable bottles and home filters are way cheaper (29:58–31:38).
  • The hosts gently mock water bottle fashion trends (Nalgene, Hydro Flask, Stanley) but admit the cost isn’t a big deal if it makes you happy.

6. Best Costco Buys & Membership Payback (31:38)

• Classic Costco Wins:
  • Items quickly paying for the annual membership include baby formula, diapers, coffee, cheese, bacon, toilet paper, and pet food (31:47–32:19; 43:00).
  • Specific favorites: Kirkland bacon (“so evenly sliced… oven bacon is the best”—33:15), Ho My Rice, and kimchi (“the kimchi is so good”—34:14).
  • Meat Pro-Tip: Buying whole primals (e.g., ribeye) at markdowns slashes per-pound prices for high-quality beef (34:55).
• Costco vs. Aldi: Generally, Costco is better for higher-quality bulk items, Aldi for lowest possible price. But some items (like certain staples or exclusive imports) can make Costco a better value (33:24–34:14).

7. The Affordability Squeeze: Why $3 Dinners Matter (35:41)

• Affordability Poll: 58% say education is unaffordable, 54% for housing, 47% for healthcare (35:59).
  • Matt: “Is it any surprise these are all areas with massive government involvement?” (37:47)
• Reclaiming $3 Dinners: USDA’s “chicken, broccoli, tortilla” meal gets mocked for being boring (“looks so pathetic… a divorced dad meal”), but the hosts argue that $3/person dinners are possible with creativity, using whole ingredients over multiple meals, and smart pantry-stocking (39:21–41:15).
  • “If you choose the right items, it’s very possible… eating out less, filling foods, eggs instead of cereal.” – Joel (41:52)
  • “It’s totally doable—and you don’t have to eat trash to do that.” – Matt (42:23)

8. Money Stress: Why Feelings Don’t Always Match Facts (43:00)

• Subjective vs. Objective Security: More money doesn’t always equal less stress. Both high and low earners report financial anxiety.
• Hosts’ Advice:
  • Track spending and set objective benchmarks—actual progress, not just “vibes,” reduces financial anxiety (44:36).
  • Facing your financial situation removes more stress than avoidance: “Looking reality in the face can help people develop a plan… and reduce stress.” – Joel (45:52)
  • “Continuing to listen to How to Money—three days a week—is what the doctor recommends.” – Matt (46:23)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On US Mobile’s Storm Response:
  • “I absolutely love the kind of customer service and thought process… making sure customers were taken care of ahead of the storm. It makes me so happy we’re with a company like US Mobile…” – Matt [04:02]
• On Tipping Fatigue:
  • “You just might assume, oh, people who make more money are less stressed out… but high earners don’t report less stress, either.” – Joel [44:36]
  • “That’s why you have a pantry… to find new ways of creating delicious, wholesome, affordable food.” – Matt [40:53]
• On Water Sommeliers:
  • “You can get Norwegian iceberg water for $150 a bottle... It’s getting pretty ridiculous, pretty over the top.” – Joel [27:42]
• On Costco Bacon (and Oven Bacon):
  • “Bacon… so evenly sliced… oven bacon is the best.” – Matt [33:15]
• On $3 Dinners:
  • “$3 per person per meal? That’s far-fetched? If you choose the right ingredients, it’s possible.” – Joel [41:52]
• On Financial Stress:
  • “Looking reality in the face… can help you develop a plan, make changes, and reduce current and future stress levels.” – Joel [45:52]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• US Mobile’s Data Boost – [03:57]
• Current Cell Phone Deals – [05:16]
• NYC Tipping Prompts and Tipping Fatigue – [05:55–11:18]
• Rideshare Price Comparison – [18:32]
• Travel Rewards: Losing Miles for Low Fares – [20:02]
• Ludicrous Headline: Water Sommeliers – [26:41]
• Best Costco Buys and Membership Payback – [31:38]
• Affordability and $3 Dinners – [35:41–41:52]
• Money Stress: Fact vs. Feeling – [43:00]

Tone & Language

Joel and Matt keep the conversation jargon-free, practical, and packed with relatable stories (and dad-level jokes). Their approach is egalitarian and clear-eyed, prioritizing actionable advice over doom-and-gloom, and championing everyday financial wins.

For Listeners

If you haven’t tuned in, this episode offers actionable tax filing tips, inspiration for cutting recurring expenses, a reality check on tipping trends, food and travel hacks, and urgent reminders to ground financial decisions in objective data—not just vibes—even when “affordability” feels out of reach. And, as ever: “Best friends out!”