← So Money with Farnoosh Torabi
So Money with Farnoosh Torabi
1850: New Grants for Small Business Owners in Midlife (Plus: Amazon Prime Day Deals)
00:29:22
Loading summary
Transcript55 lines
- [00:00]
Capital One Bank Guy
Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One Bank Guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Ah, really? Thanks Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Term supply see capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC breaking up is never easy, but saying goodbye to your old clunky work tools, well, that's easy. Just repeat after me. It's not me, it's definitely you, you rigid, unfriendly software. It's time to freshen things up with Monday.com the first work platform you'll love to use. With stunning dashboards, customizable templates, and built in AI that actually works. Switching to a new work platform has never felt this good, so move on to Monday.com.
- [01:00]
Farnoosh Torabi
Hiring foreign nationals often feels overwhelming, and with shifting federal policies, it's never been more important to have a guiding hand. That's where Meltzer Hell Rung comes in. They're a corporate immigration law firm that helps companies navigate the ins and outs of business immigration with a high touch technology driven approach. Their immigration management platform makes the process easier, more transparent and more efficient. So whether you're already sponsoring foreign national employees or or just realizing your dream hire needs expert work visa services, Meltzer Hell Run can help you do it right. They stay ahead of policy changes so you don't have to start by signing up for their free weekly news alert emails and monthly webinars. They're full of practical tips, compliance guidance and insights that help you stay smart and strategic. Visit meltzerhellrung.com that's meltzerhellrung.com and tap into a world of talent so Money Episode 1850 A New Way for Midlife Entrepreneurs to Score free money.
- [02:00]
Trey Bodge
You're listening to so Money with award winning money guru Farnoosh Torabi. Each day get a 30 minute dose of financial inspiration from the world's top business minds, authors, influencers and from Farnoosh yourself. Looking for ways to save on gas or double your double coupons. Sorry, you're in the wrong place. Seeking profound ways to live a richer, happier life. Welcome to Sew Money.
- [02:26]
We started Threadneedle Alley too because I realized I know so many entrepreneurs and there were so many entrepreneurs in my family and at this time in my life I feel like I'm at the top of my game. And I think part of that is because I'm in midlife because I have decades of experience under my belt. I have that maturity that comes with all of these years, and I think that there's something really magical and powerful about that.
- [02:50]
Farnoosh Torabi
Welcome back to Sew Money, everybody. I'm Farnoosh Tarabi. Our guest today has been a long trusted voice in the world of smart shopping and consumer advice. And now she's turning her attention and resources to a new mission that I know will interest many of us. Empowering midlife entrepreneurs. Trey Bodge is a journalist, television commentator, and consumer expert who's helped millions of people save at the checkout. But after the passing of her mother in 2023, Trey felt a calling to do something deep and more personal. In this episode, we'll talk about her newest venture. It's called Threadneedle Alley Foundation, a nonprofit she recently launched with family members to offer multiple $5,000 grants and mentorship to entrepreneurs in midlife who are facing financial hardship. The organization is named after the street where her mother ran a beloved small business for decades. And this work is Trey's way of honoring that legacy while addressing a gap she's long observed in her professional life. Great small business ideas without the resources or support to thrive. In our conversation, we talk about why midlife is often the best time to launch a business, the biggest misconceptions around starting over at 40 or 50, and how we can all think more creatively and fearlessly about what's next. And before she leaves, I had to ask for her best prime day shopping tips. The shopping event is currently ongoing and how to make sure you're not getting duped by false deals. Here's Trey Bozh. Trey Bos, welcome to Sew Money, my friend.
- [04:27]
Trey Bodge
Thank you so much for having me.
- [04:29]
Farnoosh Torabi
I am so thrilled to have you on the show. We've been friends for many years, and you've worn so many hats in your career. You're a journalist, you're a consumer expert, and now you're a nonprofit founder, which is really why I wanted to bring you on the show. Later, I'll ask you for your prime day savings tips. But more importantly, what led you to start Threadneedle Alley Foundation? I know that this is a new venture for you. It's very personal and it's very exciting for our listeners.
- [04:59]
Trey Bodge
Yeah, this is. It's so brand new. And I've been wanting. And this might sound trite, but I've been wanting to give back in a real way, and I haven't been able to figure out how to do that. Besides just writing checks for the causes I care about. After my mom passed in 2023, my husband, who is an amazing idea guy, encour me to do something with the nest egg that she for many years just cobbled together for me, her only daughter. And I loved this idea and I thought, what do I want to do? And I just, I'm really passionate about the midlife space. And we'll talk about this more about people in midlife, I think are just like superheroes. And I wanted to put some of my own skin in the game as well. And I found two other family members to join in. And that's where Threadneedle Alley was born. And Threadneedle Alley is named after the street that mom's store was on for over 20 years. And I grew up watching her run this business. And so our goal ultimately is that we are going to be giving three $5,000 grants to entrepreneurs in midlife who are facing financial hardship. And we, in addition to those funds, we'll also be giving a year of mentoring. And we have 25 plus mentors, all of whom are 40 and up, all of whom own at least one business. And I feel like I have this great sort of brain trust built in to help our entrepreneurs because I think it's not only about money, it's about support and advice.
- [06:32]
Farnoosh Torabi
Wow. And I know that's many of us in our audience who are in this age range. It's a big age range. I know your mom was a huge positive influence in your career. How did your career help shape the idea for the foundation?
- [06:50]
Trey Bodge
I think it's more about what I've encountered, especially in this recent part of my career in the last decade or so. I'm a smart shopping expert, which means that I help people save money throughout the year on their shopping. But that also involves writing about products a lot. And part of that is also interacting with a lot of small business owners. And what I've encountered are a lot of great ideas. But then the businesses come and go and I feel like support is needed. And so that's where this came from. I just felt like there are so many great ideas out there, but it's hard out there. And so I thought, what can we do to help out?
- [07:29]
Farnoosh Torabi
And it's truly living your mom's legacy out. Talk a little bit about the inspiration that she was to you as an entrepreneur and to others. And she herself was an entrepreneur.
- [07:39]
Trey Bodge
She was, in my mind, the OG entrepreneur. She created this beauty boutique in this Massachusetts town. And she was also one of the only people of color in the town running this business. So she was, like. Everyone called her, like, the cute black lady who runs the store. Whatever you want to think about that now. But she was a hustler. She was really innovative and creative, and she brought me in very early, age 12 and up. I was working at the store, helping her with her buying. I thought that I was going to own a beauty business later in my life, which I eventually did. That's. That was before I met you, actually. I had my own beauty brand. And so she was a huge inspiration to me. And something that she taught me was that hustle. To keep going and keep trying and keep experimenting. And I just love that about entrepreneurship in general. I feel like it's such a part of who I am. And we started Threadneedle Alley, too, because I realized I know so many entrepreneurs, and there were so many entrepreneurs in my family. And at this time in my life, I feel like I'm at the top of my game. And I think part of that is because I'm in midlife, because I have decades of experience under my belt. I have that maturity that comes with all of these years, and I think that there's something really magical and powerful about that.
- [08:58]
Farnoosh Torabi
Yeah, I feel the same way. Where I feel like I'm in my mid-40s, I'm just getting started, which is terrifying because I've worked so hard the last 20 years. I'm like, do I have it in me to work? But I'm not going to work in the same capacity I have to your point, all of this knowledge, this bank of knowledge that will inevitably help me make smarter decisions, to work smarter, not just harder, in the next 20 years. I wonder, when you were in your 40s or even your 30s or 20s, like, how did you perceive, quote, unquote, midlife and where you are now? Did you ever think this is where you would say, I'm at the top of my game?
- [09:38]
Trey Bodge
No, I definitely didn't think that. And I was afraid of getting older. I thought that I had limited time to do what I needed to do and worked really hard. And I think that it was like, the whole hustle culture thing, that's. Thankfully, I feel like falling out of fashion because I'm not a fan of that. Like you were saying, like, you're busting your butt and you're working so hard, and it's like you can barely breathe. I just don't believe in that. I don't think that's the most productive way to run a business of Any kind. Or to succeed, really. I don't think you have to kill yourself to succeed. I think there's a way to create balance. I think maturity. Maturity plays a big part in that. Now that I'm in my mid-50s, I'm like, oh, I get it now. Like, I understand how I can carve out time to exercise and spend time with my friends and run a business successfully all at the same time. But I think that takes a while to get to that place. But, yeah, when I was younger, I thought that it all had to be done then. And to look back, I wish I could have told myself, like, slow down, take a breath. It's okay. You don't have to rush.
- [10:46]
Farnoosh Torabi
Yeah, for sure. Going back to these generous grants that you've set aside for the recipients through Threadneedle Alley, who is the ideal candidate for these grants? Obviously, we talked about midlife entrepreneur financial difficulty, but when, as you're reading through the applications, what's making you smile? What's making you go, oh, this person sounds right for this? And so for those of us listening who want to apply, any advice?
- [11:13]
Trey Bodge
Sure. So we have not opened applications yet. It's our first year, so we will open applications in the fall. And so what I'm trying to do between now and then is to spread the word. So thank you for this opportunity to do that. We're building our newsletter list, keeping people in touch. So when we open them in the fall, the gauntlet opens, and I can't wait to see what comes in. What we're really looking for is we're looking for a hustler. We're looking for someone who is scrappy, innovative, creative, has lots of ideas, who has really worked through these ideas and just gotten the ball rolling in their business, but is facing financial challenges. So no shade. You and I live in the same town, and it's quite wealthy here. This is really not for that Monclair mom who lives in a mansion on the hill and wants to start a business. Sorry about that. So this is really about high financial stakes. Our grants are small. They're $5,000. Like, it's got to be someone to whom $5,000 is going to mean a lot. And then that mentorship is going to mean so that's really who we're looking for. And for me, I've just, as I've written about products for so many years, and I've seen a lot of good ideas, like I mentioned, but I've seen a lot of kind of not great ideas. I'm quite fussy I'm going to want to see some innovation, some real deep thought about what it is that you're wanting to put out into the world that's special. So that could be a product, that could be a service, that could be something amazing that you're doing for your community. But I want to see that creativity.
- [12:49]
Farnoosh Torabi
Really an idea for you is to co, maybe co brand or partner with Montclair State University. They have an entrepreneurship school and they give out grants through their own. They had a, almost like a shark tank type of small business pitch event. When I met the woman who won that, her name is Chantal. She owns Crepe Chantal. She makes these delicious crepes. And she was awarded, I think $10,000, which it was transformative for her because she's like, now I can hire the right kind of package to get into Whole Foods because you have to have a sort of certain kind of partner for that that meets those requirements. But back to what you were saying about 5,000, 10,000, that is very meaningful. We don't often think it's going to go very far when you're starting out as a business because we hear about businesses raising millions of dollars. But as I'm even launching the Montclair pod, $5,000. We could hire an editor full time freelance for maybe a whole year to do our weekly show, which would free up time to go and do more enterprising things. Yeah, I think it's very meaningful money. It's a generous amount of money. Remind us again how many you're giving out.
- [14:00]
Trey Bodge
We're giving out three. And so the way that we've set it up is that I have two co founders who are also members of my family and then mom is co founder number four. So we are each contributing $5,000 each year. And so that funds the three $5,000 grants plus $5,000 operating budget. So what I foresee and hope is that I'm looking for partnerships. I love that you have with MSU. $5,000 for us would be huge because that would allow us to maybe pay an admin to research opportunities like this. Who should we be partnering with? What grants should we be going after writing those grants? And then I would love to launch a podcast starting out with interviews with our board members and our bench of mentors to share their knowledge in a more public way. And yeah, to your point, I think $5,000 can be really meaningful. And that's really who we're looking. Looking for is like that person to whom it would be a game Changer.
- [14:57]
Farnoosh Torabi
Yeah. Do you care about what they're creating? Service, product, something that scale, something that's local. Does it matter?
- [15:05]
Trey Bodge
Nope. It can be anything. Just something that. Like where we've designed the application already and I'm really excited about it. I think it's going to create an opportunity for people to really show us who they are. We know there's a video component that we're going to be want to see you. We're going to want to see what you're doing and feel your energy and get a sense of who you are and what you want to do. And yeah, it can be something with very modest goals or someone who wants to take over the world. Open to both.
- [15:35]
Farnoosh Torabi
We've talked a bit about what are the strengths when you're starting a business in midlife. One, obviously, is that you have decades of experience and failures and successes to bring with you into the next adventure. But what are some of the challenges you think for those who are starting at this stage in life?
- [15:52]
Trey Bodge
Yeah, so I think this is an interesting question because I think that sometimes in midlife, and I hear this a lot, you're feeling like you've peaked and you're like, going down the other side of the hill and that's the rest of your life, like, downhill. And so I think that if you're approaching life with that energy, that's a really sad place to be. And I feel like midlife doesn't have to be that way. What I really hope to see is a sense of hope, a sense of excitement, a sense of challenge. I feel like I can do almost anything I put my mind to right now. I want to see that in our grant applicants. And so I think there is that problem with midlife. And I'm so glad that so much light is being shown on the midlife space right now, especially. And this is not only for women. The grants are for people of all genders, but for women in particular, you're not only middle aged, but you're also going through menopause and encountering all this crazy nonsense that your body and your mind are going through. And I think that can be a real drag, a real sort of change around your legs. And so what I'm hoping is that we keep talking about the midlife space in a really positive way with a sense of hope. I don't want it to be like a ball and chain problem, the midlife thing, but then also I feel like as we get older, we get set in our ways. And so I think that's also A problem where you know you're set in your ways, you have the way that you do things and that's it. My way or the highway. And if you're starting a business, it's like you have to be like, eyes wide open. There's so much to learn. And so you have to be willing to ask for help to make mistakes. And then the third piece, and this ties into this a little bit, is a lack of curiosity about technology. And this is something that I see a lot with midlife and older people where they're like, oh, I don't do that. I don't try that. I chat GPT not doing it. Like, I think you see that. And my fear is that if you allow that to take over, then you become a dinosaur. And even if you're doing something really traditional, like you're making heirloom quilts for people, if you're not willing to try, say, a new billing software or if you're not willing to use Instagram to promote your business, like, you're going to be left behind. So I think, like, that openness to technology is really important, especially for people in midlife.
- [18:11]
Farnoosh Torabi
Right now, my family and I are in full on vacation planning mode for later this summer. And the hardest part, it's not finding a place, it's narrowing down where we want to go. Do we head out east to the Hamptons? Go north to Cape Cod? Stick closer to home with one of New Jersey's beach towns? There are so many great options on Airbnb, it's actually kind of overwhelming, but in a good way. What's also struck me is how thoughtful so many of these listings are. Welcoming, well organized, full of personal touches that make a space feel like a home. But behind every great stay is a host or a co host making it all happen. Not every property owner has the time or bandwidth to handle bookings, guest questions, and everything else else. That's why Airbnb's co host network is such a great resource. A co host can help manage the day to day, from messaging guests to restocking supplies to making sure the home is guest ready all season long. If you've been thinking about hosting but don't want to go it alone, now's a great time to team up. Visit Airbnb.com host to learn how a co host can help you earn extra income without taking over your life. Hey, so money friends. I know many of you are thinking about starting your own business or you're already in the trenches making smart, strategic money moves. If that's you. I want to personally recommend a podcast that can seriously help you get to that next level. This is Small Business what I love about this new season is how real it gets about something we talk about a lot here. Risk Every episode shares honest stories from founders who faced tough financial decisions, taken bold but calculated risks, and made it through the highs and lows of building a business. Host Andrea Marquez breaks it all down in a way that's actionable and relatable. You'll hear exactly how these entrepreneurs tackled things like funding, pricing, and knowing when it's worth betting on yourself. If you're looking for real, practical insights that can help you move forward with clarity and confidence, this podcast is it. Follow and listen to this Is Small Business now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Don't wait to start making smarter money moves today. Introducing the new Dell AI PC. Powered by the Intel Core Ultra processor. It's not just an AI computer, it's a computer built for AI. That means it's built to help do your busy work for you so you can fast forward through editing images, designing presentations, generating code, debugging code, running lots of apps without lag, creating live translations and captions, summarizing meeting notes, extending battery life, enhancing security, finding that file you were looking for, managing your schedule, meeting your deadlines, responding to Jim's long emails, leaving all the time in the world for more you time and for the things you actually want to do. No offense. Gift Get A new Dell AI PC starting at $699.99 at Dell.com AI PC how those ahead Stay ahead.
- [20:58]
Capital One Bank Guy
Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Ah, really? Thanks. Capital One Bank Guy what's in your wallet? Term supply see capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC.
- [21:28]
Farnoosh Torabi
It'S such a huge thing, for lack of a better word. I was at Penn State recently. I'm on a board there advising the dean of the business school and he's facing an uphill battle convincing their staff professors to AI this is the business school. Some of them are doing it great and incorporating it into the curriculum and those students are going to have the skills they need to get great jobs, hopefully. But a lot of resistance, a lot of fear, a lot of doubts they think it's a fad. Really. Okay. I fear for institutions like that. And really, the students are getting a raw deal. I think if you're paying a lot of money to go to college and your professors are anti technology and they.
- [22:12]
Trey Bodge
Don'T know how to do the things that you automatically know how to do as a young person, they're learning it anyway.
- [22:17]
Farnoosh Torabi
Right. The kids are already. But, like, they're already learning how to use AI on their own. But wouldn't it be nice to actually learn the applications for your next job at the institution you're giving lots and lots of money to?
- [22:29]
Trey Bodge
Absolutely. That's so interesting. I also feel like, imagine you and I, like, in our career paths, imagine if we weren't open to trying these things. Like, I'm like, look, I draw lines.
- [22:40]
Farnoosh Torabi
I'm not on TikTok. I tried. I got. Guess you can't blame me for not trying. I have tried. And then you have to make a decision like, is this for you or not? But AI, I know it's. It can be a scary thing, and there's some wacky stories out there about people falling in love with chatbots, but I think that there is such a healthy way to use AI. Right. I don't know. I don't like that it's replacing so many jobs already, but it's.
- [23:07]
Trey Bodge
Me neither. And I use it a lot for research and helping keep me on task and things like that. So I find it to be very useful. But it's. Yeah, it's problematic in the amount of energy it uses and. Yeah, for sure.
- [23:18]
Farnoosh Torabi
And as you're speaking, I can't help but think about this moment as you are launching this nonprofit offering these private grants. We're in a moment economically where not. Is it just difficult as a household to live and manage your needs and live below your means, but also we have federal grants going away, state grants going away. We have just a lot of resources, resources that maybe we had a few years ago, a couple years ago, six months ago, are drying up. And so the. The timing couldn't be better. More meeting the moment. Threadneedral Alley for what people need right now to grow these businesses, these important businesses.
- [24:01]
Trey Bodge
I'm so glad that you say that. And this was not intentional. This idea came about a year ago. I noticed that too, in this new administration. I started to see all of these things going away, and I thought, oh my gosh, the timing. Hopeful we other groups like ours can step in and supplement some of the losses here. And so I feel this is Even more urgent to do this right now, in this moment.
- [24:29]
Farnoosh Torabi
And with interest rates so high on loans and credit. We know so many entrepreneurs take out credit to start their businesses, but even that is more expensive than ever. Where do you hope to take Threadnell Alley in the next few years? I know that you're starting with your. It's self funded, but are you looking to fundraise from you and your relatives?
- [24:51]
Trey Bodge
Yes. And so we are. We're fundraising already, quietly. And what we're looking to do are a couple of things. We are committed to doing these three $5,000 annual grants, but I envision us having more grants, bigger grants. I envision us partnering with larger groups where perhaps there's another nonprofit who wants to have a grant in their name and they have specifications that they'd like to highlight. Maybe it's women or people from certain areas of the country or a certain sector of business. So I'm open to all of that. I like to think big, so I'm thinking partnering with American Express, small business. At the very bottom of that is like, where do we launch from there? And so I do see it growing in a multitude of ways. And this is a brand new area for me. And so I'm a very curious person. I just can't wait to see what the opportunities are. And so I'm just talking to lots of people and asking lots of questions and I just see that this could go in a million different ways right now. So that. So that's where I see it going right now and where you're very bootstrapped at this point. And so I would love to raise money to. I would love an admin to help. I'm the main boots on the ground person and my daughter is building graphics for social media and my partners are helping as well. But it's like I'm the main person and I could really use some help. My business, my shopping business, which, you know, we'll talk about briefly, is I'm super busy. And so I don't want to fall into that hustle culture trap on my own where I'm just like drowning and I can't breathe. See us growing. I see us fundraising. I really would love to have a podcast, but I'm not going to do it myself. I'm not going to edit it and produce it myself. And so that's a goal of mine to fundraise for the podcast specifically, and then bigger and better and more plentiful grants.
- [26:40]
Farnoosh Torabi
However I can help, let me know at least sending people your way. Tell Us how folks can sign up, apply, and also contribute.
- [26:49]
Trey Bodge
Yeah. So we are an official 501C3. We all are. Your donations would be tax deductible. You can go to Threadneedle Alley to learn more about everything that we're doing. There is a donate button there. We're partnered with Give Lively, so it's all very easy to donate if you'd like. We do also need help. If you are an amazing admin and you're just retired and you're like, I want to work with Trey and help her do this thing, please, I'm all ears. You can reach me@ Treydneedleally.org we are also really trying to grow our newsletter on our mailing list, so you can easily sign up for that on our site. Site on Instagram. We need to grow that as well. So Threadneedle Alley. Org on Instagram. So please follow us there. Just. I know we talked about it a little bit, but grants will open in the fall of this year, and we hope to award our first three grants on February 15th of 2026, which would be my mom's birthday. So that is the goal. And no matter what you believe, I feel my mom, she is out there going, what? What is happening? This is so incredible because she was such an inspiration to so many. And so I'm just thrilled to be able to do this in her honor with my partners, too.
- [28:03]
Farnoosh Torabi
Oh, my gosh, she would love this. And.
- [28:07]
Trey Bodge
Yeah, she would. Just.
- [28:09]
Farnoosh Torabi
Great. Thank you. We'll make sure to put those links in our show notes. And while we have you, we are recording this on day one of Prime Day, Hunger Games as it is. My friends are texting me like, we have to get stuff for camp for our sons because they're going to a sleepaway camp in August. And there's a whole list of things. This is my first time doing that. So tell us your best tips for. Well, let's start with Amazon prime, because I think as this airs, people are still maybe shopping or considering shopping there.
- [28:40]
Trey Bodge
Yeah. So Amazon prime is a little bit different this year in that it's four days instead of two. I'm curious to see how that'll play out. I didn't see a problem with it only being two days, so not quite sure what's happening there. The only thing I can think of is that Amazon has created their own holiday in July. Right. Years before Amazon prime started in 2015. Prior to that, there was always this, oh, Black Friday in July sale from Best Buy and Holiday in July sale from Walmart Everybody was like trying to make something out of July because it's very slow from a sales perspective. And Amazon somehow managed to make it work. They came in and then everyone else came in. And so what's really important to know about Amazon Prime Day is it's not only about Amazon. We have sales from Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Kohl's, Lowe's, Dollar General. Pick your poison. There are a million retailers out there having sales this week. Individual brands are having sales too. So it actually is a really good time to shop for those things you need. Supplies for Camp, for example. Something to keep in mind is that because of the tariffs, this sort of roller coaster ride of tariff drama that we're seeing, prices are slightly higher on many things already. And even though this kind of pause that was to expire tomorrow through Trump is now, whatever, early August. And so we have a little bit of more of a reprieve at that point, if it doesn't go Trump's way or to his liking, he will create these reciprocal tariffs, meaning that prices could go even higher in the coming months. So if there are bigger ticket items that you have on your list, like if your kid needs a laptop, if you need a new mattress or an appliance or things like that, or just essentials, it's not time to panic by any stretch. But if you have things on your list that you need, it's a good to see if they're on sale. Absolutely. Take advantage. And then be sure to pay with a credit card that gives you extra points so you can make the most of that purchase. And then use a coupon site, see if you can find a cash back offer or extra discounts that you can layer on top of those retailer sales. And that's like in a really long version to answer your question, like my approach to Amazon Prime Day.
- [30:53]
Farnoosh Torabi
Thank you for those tips. I have read that in some cases, Amazon steers you towards priority products that actually haven't gone down in price. Like that, they make it seem like they're at the lowest possible price, but it's not always the lowest possible price. How do you know if you're actually getting a deal on Prime Day? It just seems like everything's on sale and this is the best day to shop.
- [31:13]
Trey Bodge
But is it? Yeah. And that's such an important question on Amazon or elsewhere. Just because something's on sale doesn't mean it's the best deal ever. So a couple things there. I like to use a tool like Yahoo Shopping or Google Shopping. You can enter the name of an item and just get a general idea of the landscape of where it's being sold and for how much. Maybe it is at its cheapest on Amazon, maybe it's not. My friend Rich Demuro from Rich on Tech from KTLA just told me that Amazon is now providing historical pricing through their chatbot, which I thought was so interesting because now you can click on it and say what's the historical pricing on this item? And you'll see right away that it's a historically low price, price or not. And then you can make a well informed decision. So I'm curious as to why Amazon's doing that. I love the transaction intentionally. It is people we're going to be.
- [32:08]
Farnoosh Torabi
So savvy to ask.
- [32:09]
Trey Bodge
I mean there are some other providers that do this as well. PayPal Honey offers this Camel Camel Camel is specific to Amazon and they do that. So maybe Amazon's as they do. I'm going to own this conversation versus letting it find farm out. But it's very easy to be informed now. You can even use AI to say is this the lowest price on this item that I just found on Amazon? Use the tools, use the technology and inform yourself before you check out.
- [32:38]
Farnoosh Torabi
Trey Bodge, we'll have to have you come back for a whole episode on how to shop smart. Especially when we go back to school in the fall. The fall merchandise is already out. I was trying to buy a bathing suit for my daughter a couple of weeks ago. She's growing really fast. None of her stuff from last year's F fitting Slim Pickens in July. Late June actually, as it was.
- [32:59]
Trey Bodge
It's a. Have you seen all the Halloween decor?
- [33:02]
Farnoosh Torabi
What? Come on, people.
- [33:04]
Trey Bodge
Yeah, I did last week on Summerween. So now it's a trend where retailers are launching their Halloween collections in the summer. I think it's actually really fun if you're a Halloween enthusiast because Halloween enthusiasts are having Halloween Summerween themed parties where they're carving not pumpkins but watermelon.
- [33:21]
Farnoosh Torabi
Watermelons.
- [33:24]
Trey Bodge
Getting dressed up. Whatever's in season, they'll get that. Okay, I'm not a Halloween person, but I just love that. So yeah, we're seeing a lot of Halloween out there right now. Don't be alarmed. It's. And you don't have to fall for it. You don't have to get your Halloween decor right now. But if you're a Halloween lover, it's just another excuse to celebrate your favorite holiday.
- [33:43]
Farnoosh Torabi
Trey Boj if you'd like to learn more about how to shop smart you can go to truetray.com that's T R U T R A E dot com and then of course, to learn more about these special grants for midlifers, Threadneedle Alley Foundation. That's threadneedleally.org all of those links in our show notes. Trey, thank you so much. I'll see you in town.
- [34:06]
Trey Bodge
Yes, I'll see you.
- [34:11]
Farnoosh Torabi
Thanks so much to Trey Bosh for joining. Joining us, links to Threadneedle Alley foundation in our show notes. I'll see you back here on Friday for AskFarnouche and I hope your day is so money.
- [34:34]
Trey Bodge
Now at Verizon we have some big news for your piece of mind. For all our customers, existing and new, we're locking in low prices for three years guaranteed on MyPlan and my home. That's future you peace of mind and everyone can save on a brand new phone on MyPlan. When you trade in any phone from one of our top brands, that's new phone peace of mind because of Verizon. Whether you're already a customer or you're just joining us, we got you. Visit Verizon today. Price guarantee applies to then current base monthly rate. Additional terms and conditions apply for all offers.
- [35:04]
Capital One Bank Guy
Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Ah really? Thanks Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply see CapitalOne.com Bank Capital One NA Member FDIC.