Arizona’s Family On Your Side

Every single month, we are flooded with 2.1 billion robocalls. They’re annoying, sometimes illegal, and a lot of them aren’t supposed to get through. But according to a new report from the Public Interest Research Group, less than half of phone companies have installed technology that’s required to protect consumers. On this episode, we’re talking with consumer watchdog Teresa Murray. What does this report mean? Why aren’t phone companies complying? And what can we do in the meantime to protect ourselves from scams that often start with a ring?

Hosts Susan Campbell and Christine Stanwood share their wedding experiences and love of wedding planning before welcoming guest Bobbi Rebell, chief financial education advisor at Accredited Debt Relief, to discuss the financial realities of weddings for couples and guests. Rebell advises couples to gain clarity early on priorities, rank what matters most, and make deliberate choices, noting many items are negotiable beyond price and that vendors’ underlying costs should be respected. They discuss overlooked expenses like alterations and shipping, creative cost-saving ideas, and how family contributions can affect decisions. For guests, they cover managing travel, hotel rates, childcare solutions, outfit renting or re-wearing, seeking price adjustments, and booking flights early. Rebell explains etiquette for declining unaffordable invitations, suggests flexible approaches to gifts for destination weddings, and encourages avoiding unpayable debt while being proactive if bills become a problem.

The holiday season will be here before you know it. And if you haven’t yet, it’s time to make your travel plans. We’re chatting with Julian Kheel, the founder and CEO of Points Path. We’ll talk about the best time to book flights for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Is there actually a cheaper day to book flights or a cheaper day to fly? Should you pay with cash, or the miles and points you’ve built up all year?

Needohs aren’t in stock. Stores are limiting Squeezies. Dumplings are being recalled. And counterfeits are everywhere! There’s so much parents need to know when our kids are begging for these darn things. We’re tapping into the Toy Insider’s expertise to help us figure out what to buy, what to avoid, and if there’s hope these things will be restocked before the heart of the holiday shopping season.

With a couple taps in an app on your phone, you can wager on just about anything in sports. For some people, that easy access is fueling a gambling addiction. Sites tout guardrails to help problem gamblers, so ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson put them to the test. Today, he is taking us inside his investigation to explain how he gambled like an addict and earned VIP status with DraftKings. We’ll also talk about the consumer protection questions raised by his reporting.

If you’re getting ready to retire… you know you have to have a plan, and it has to include how you’ll spend your savings. Turns out – a lot of retirees struggle with spending. Even if there’s a big balance, they don’t want to see it go down. So, we’re talking with Jean Chatzky about her new book called ‘The Forever Paycheck’ and how to plan to spend the money you worked so hard for. We’ll also talk about one of the biggest mistakes retirees make the day their employment ends – and how retirement planning has actually changed over the years.

How many credit cards do you have in your wallet? Do you get cash back? Maybe you prefer points or rewards. Companies spend a lot of money – marketing credit cards trying to get our business. The benefits may sound exclusive, but a lot of them are actually standard across the industry. Today, we’re talking with Sara Rathner, a credit card expert at NerdWallet, about some of the so-called benefits that you don’t need to worry about and how to compare cards to find out the best option for you.

When the deadly Cyclospora outbreak happened, a lot of people stopped eating lettuce, even if it wasn’t part of a recall. Today, our guest is Melanie Nuce-Hilton, the Senior Vice President of Customer Success at GS1 US, an organization best known for the UPC barcode. We’ll talk about consumers’ changing habits and the future of food safety you may be able to hold in your own hands.

Are you saving for retirement? Are you saving enough? According to a Vanguard report, just 14% of people with a 401k saved the maximum amount allowed. We’re talking with Darcy Bergen from the Bergen Financial Group about the biggest mistakes people make with their 401k plans. We’ll also talk about savings strategies for young workers and workers nearing retirement.

Believe it or not, it’s already time to talk about all of that toys that will soon land on holiday wish lists. We’re talking with the Toy Insider’s James Zahn about one of the hottest toys of the season, a throw-back to 30 years ago that caused fights in toy stores across the country. We’ll also talk about this year’s toy supply chain, the impact of tariffs on the industry, and what has happened to toy sales as consumer confidence slides.

FBI Supervisory Special Agent Troy Cofer joins Susan Campbell on the On Your Side Podcast to break down today’s most damaging scams. He explains how criminals build trust, manipulate victims and make fraudulent investment pitches look legitimate. Cofer also shares red flags that can signal a scam before money is lost.

Scam losses hit nearly $21 billion in 2025 alone. Susan Campbell sits down with R.O.S.E. nonprofit’s Brian Watson, a former IRS Special Agent, to break down the newest and most sophisticated scams — from Mexican timeshare fraud and gold bar cons to jury duty calls and crypto ATMs. Learn why victims are never to blame and how to protect yourself and loved ones.

We have a warning about the 764 Network. Federal investigators say 764 is a nihilistic, violent extremist group, and according to the FBI, its members are online predators who prey on children. Today we're talking about the threats with Matt Dolman, an online safety expert and founding partner of the Dolman Law Group. We'll talk about how predators are reaching kids on popular gaming platforms, the signs parents and caregivers can watch out for, and some strategies to stay safer online

Do you have a bad boss? There are some nightmare stories out there, and a lot of people are calling them out on social media. Today, we’re talking with George Stern. He’s worked in corporate America, advised Fortune 500 companies, and now he coaches leaders to be better bosses. We’ll talk with him about some of the bad habits of bad bosses, what to look for in a good boss, and how to be an employee everyone wants on their team.

More people are filing for bankruptcy. A new LendingTree analysis shows personal bankruptcy filings have soared 47 percent since 2019. Today, our guest is LendingTree’s chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz. We’ll talk about why there are more bankruptcies, the different types, the things to consider before you make that drastic decision, and what happens if you do.

It’s time to go back to school, and families are stocking up on back to school supplies, new clothes, and new shoes for the school year. It all adds up, and we’re seeing some signs that consumers are changing their spending habits. We’re talking with Kylee Hall. She’s the vice president of marketing at B-Stock, a company that helps major retailers liquidate unsold merchandise. We’ll talk about the back to school shopping season, why brand loyalty’s the loser this year, what’s next as companies deal with returned and unsold back to school merchandise, and what that means for shoppers hoping to get great deals.

New vehicle prices have now surged to around $50,000 on average! Susan Campbell talks with Joseph Yoon from Edmunds about how this is driven by pandemic-era supply chain disruption and automakers prioritizing higher-margin mid- and high-trim models, leaving few truly affordable new cars under $30,000 after fees and options. They discuss how higher interest rates and rising living costs are pushing buyers into longer 72- to 84-month loans, increasing the risk of being underwater and paying substantial interest, especially for shoppers focused only on monthly payments. Yoon explains how reduced leasing during the pandemic shrank the supply of late-model used cars, making today’s “best value” closer to a five- to seven-year-old vehicle.

Trump Accounts for kids officially launch on July 4th. We’re taking politics out of the conversation, and just talking about the facts with our guest, Christina Lamar, the VP of member services at Copper State Credit Union. What are these accounts? Who can get them? How do you get started? What are the incentives?

For millions of student loan borrowers, a massive change is right around the corner. The Save Plan is going away, and now it’s time to make decisions about new repayment options. On this episode, we’re talking with Chris Hicks, a senior policy advisor at Protect Borrowers. He’ll walk us through the changes, what borrows can and should do right now, and how much it could cost if borrowers sit back and do nothing.

Do you want to save money on the things you use every day? We’re talking with couponing expert Kiersti Torok. She’s all over social media, showing shoppers how to make the most of couponing. We’ll ask her how to find the best deals, if certain stores are better than others for couponing, and what’s happened to the value of coupons as inflation pushes up prices.