Black Friday's coming, your inbox is screaming deals at you, and you're trying to figure out: is this tech actually worth it, or will it be collecting dust by Valentine's Day?

Joe Saul-Sehy, guest co-host CFP Anna Allem, and Neighbor Doug bring in Bridget Carey from CNET to cut through the holiday tech chaos. Bridget's spent her career testing gadgets, and she's here to tell you what's actually worth your money this season—from Nintendo's surprisingly strong lineup to handheld gaming devices like Steam Deck and Xbox Cloud that might replace your console. She also warns you away from AI-powered appliances that still feel like they're arguing with you instead of helping.

Bridget breaks down the smart way to approach Black Friday and Cyber Monday without wrecking your December budget, which deals are real and which are manufactured hype, and why some tech gifts send a very specific message to your in-laws (and maybe not the one you want).

Then the conversation shifts from tech temptations to investing platforms—specifically Robinhood. The confetti animations are fun, the interface is slick, but is it actually built for serious long-term investing? Joe and Anna dig into where Robinhood works, where it distracts, and why your retirement plan might need something more substantial than gamified stock trading and crypto side quests.

Plus: Doug delivers Thanksgiving-adjacent trivia, and the crew takes a nostalgic detour through Skip-Its and Long Furbys that'll fuel your next holiday gathering conversation.

What You'll Walk Away With:

• Bridget Carey's insider guide to which holiday tech deals are legit and which are overhyped garbage

• The best gaming and gadget gifts this season (from someone who actually tests this stuff for a living)

• Why some AI appliances still feel like expensive beta tests you're paying to debug

• Smart strategies for Black Friday and Cyber Monday that don't demolish your December budget

• The honest truth about Robinhood: where it shines and where serious investors should look elsewhere

• How investing platforms subtly influence your behavior—and whether that's helping or hurting you

• How to stay grounded when shiny objects (tech or financial) start calling your name

This Episode Is For You If:

• You're staring at Black Friday ads wondering which deals are actually worth it

• You want tech gift advice from someone who isn't trying to sell you something

• You've been using Robinhood and wonder if it's actually helping your long-term investing goals

• You're curious whether the flashy features on investing apps are making you a better or worse investor

• You need a reality check before holiday spending turns into January regret

Before You Hit Play, Ask Yourself:

What's the worst tech purchase you've ever made? Bonus points if it broke before New Year's. Drop it in the comments—misery loves company, and we're building the ultimate "do not buy" list together.

Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201

Enjoy!

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Brainwave 201: Lectionary Texts for Oct. 30, 2011