Author: Trae Bodge

Trae Bodge is an accomplished lifestyle journalist and TV commentator who specializes in smart shopping, personal finance, parenting, and retail. Trae has been named a Top Voice in Retail by LinkedIn and a top personal finance expert by GoBankingRates and Flexjobs. She is a contributor at Millie Magazine and CNN Underscored, and her writing and expert commentary have appeared in Newsweek, Woman's Day, Forbes, USNews.com, Kiplinger, Marketwatch, MSN.com, Yahoo Finance and numerous others. She has also appeared on TV hundreds of times; including Good Morning America's GMA3: What You Need to Know, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Inside Edition, CNBC and local network affiliates nationwide.

Featured

Travel essentials you’ll want on your next trip

Written by:

Bravo – You’ve booked your next trip!  Now you need all the gear to make your travels as comfortable and efficient as possible. From easy-to-store carry-on …

FeaturedLifestyleMoney

20 clever items you didn’t even know you needed (but won’t be able to live without)

Written by:

  Let’s face it, life is already complicated enough without little inconveniences like brown sugar that’s as hard as a rock, butter that’s impossible to spread, …

FeaturedLifestyle

Last-minute holiday gifts that look anything but

Written by:

  Calling all procrastinators: do you still have gifts to buy? There’s so much to do and only so much time to do it, but never …

FeaturedLifestyleMoney

Holiday gift ideas under $100 for everyone on your list

Written by:

If you’re struggling to come up with unique gift ideas for that special someone, I’ve found over 20 gifts that will please even the most finicky …

FeaturedLifestyleMoney

$50 holiday gifts for everyone on your list

Written by:

  The holiday season is here again. Doesn’t it feel like just yesterday you were wracking your brain for a budget-friendly gift for that special someone? …

Featured

Personalized holiday gifts you should order right away

Written by:

  When buying a gift for a person who has everything, a reliable route is a bespoke gift. After all, if the present is made just …

FeaturedLifestyle

Great gifts for almost any occasion

Written by:

  You just remembered that a special someone’s birthday is coming up. Or you want to send a little token for a kindness. Or does a …

FeaturedLifestyleMoney

Back-to-school shopping deals for clothes, food, gear &more

Written by:

  Believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about back-to-school shopping! No matter how well your kids care for their gear, they always need more for …

FeaturedLifestyleMoney

How to find the best deals on Amazon Prime Day

Written by:

  Can you believe that Amazon Prime Day is in its 8th year? This now-massive sale event kicked off on July 15, 2015, as a 24-hour …

FeaturedLifestyle

These companies make it easy to buy American

Written by:

With Independence Day just out the rearview mirror, a deep dive into American-made brands was in order. What I discovered was a treasure trove of creativity, …

FeaturedLifestyleMoney

Fun but frugal gifts for Father’s Day

Written by:

  Is it just me or are Father’s Day gifts getting better? My inaugural Father’s Day gift guide was in 2010, and I had to dig …

FeaturedLifestyle

Father’s Day gifts under $100

Written by:

  Dear old Dad. We love him with all of our hearts, but man is he hard to buy for! He probably just wants to spend …

FeaturedLifestyle

Father’s Day gifts for under $50

Written by:

  Is it just me or are Father’s Day gifts getting better? My inaugural Father’s Day gift guide was in 2010, and I had to dig …

FeaturedLifestyle

Great Mother’s Day gifts for every budget

Written by:

  Mother’s Day is heading our way, and as usual, you are racking your brain for unique, affordable gifts for the moms in your life. Moms …

FeaturedHealth & Fitness

CBD essentials that we’ve tested & love

Written by:

  CBD is one of my favorite natural remedies. In case you’re not familiar, CBD stands for Cannabidiol, which is a compound extracted from the cannabis …

FeaturedLifestyle

How to keep Daylight Saving Time from ruining your sleep

Written by:

  According to the CDC, about 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems. That’s 70 million of us tossing and turning at night! And we …

EntertainmentFeatured

Great Valentine’s Day gifts for under $100

Written by:

  According to the National Retail Federation, Americans planned to spend just under $200 on their Valentines last year. After the year we’ve just had, I …

FeaturedLifestyle

Great Valentine’s Day gifts for under $50

Written by:

  There are many wonderful ways to celebrate your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day, and you don’t have to dig deep into your pockets to do it! …

FeaturedMoney

January’s best shopping deals & discounts

Written by:

  Now that the holidays are over, perhaps it’s time to do a little shopping for yourself!  And just because the holidays are behind us, doesn’t …

Featured

Beauty gifts under $100

Written by:

  Happy Holidays!! For the beauty junkies on your list – or for yourself as a special treat – there are so many fabulous gift sets …

FeaturedMoney

These Christmas gift deals won’t last much longer

Written by:

Happy December! Hopefully, you scored some great deals over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but the discounts don’t end there! The holiday shopping season continues with …

Featured

Great gifts for under $100

Written by:

Happy holidays! If you’re looking for something special for that special someone, I’ve found a broad range of gifts under $100 to suit every taste. From …

Featured

Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals you won’t want to miss

Written by:

It’s that time again, where retailers big and small toss their sales into the Holiday shopping ring. My favorite categories over this big sale weekend are …

FeaturedLifestyle

The best & worst things to buy in October

Written by:

  October is a high point of the year for many of us, with its colorful leaves, sweater-worthy days and Halloween fun. And from a shopping …

FeaturedLifestyle

Great Mother’s Day gifts that won’t leave you broke

Written by:

Mother’s Day is May 9th this year and as usual, you’re probably racking your brain for unique gifts for the moms in your life. Moms do …

FeaturedLifestyle

Some of the most innovative CBD products you can buy

Written by:

CBD is one of my favorite ingredients. It has been a popular topic of conversation these days largely due to the recent legalization of marijuana in …

FeaturedMoney

How to pamper your pets on the cheap

Written by:

Any pet owner will tell you that the best thing they ever did was to get a pet. We just got a new bunny named Willow …

FeaturedLifestyle

18 great Valentine’s Day gifts under $100

Written by:

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans planned to spend just under $200 on their Valentines last year. After the year we’ve just had, I wouldn’t …

FeaturedMoney

20 ways to save money at Starbucks & Dunkin’

Written by:

If you follow me regularly, you know I urge folks on a budget to make their own coffee to save money. But I know that DIY …

FeaturedHealth & Fitness

10 ways to save money at pharmacies

Written by:

You might think that because you’re paying for something that the doctor ordered, you have no other options. In some cases, the price is the price, …