Summary: Back away from the shopping carts! Before you do any shopping this week — either in-store or online — take 35 minutes to listen to this episode. We're with Dan Ariely, professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. He's out with his new book, Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter. He gifts us — and our wallets — with a holiday shopping game plan and answers questions like: Why does paying for things often feel like it causes actual pain? When is a sale not really a sale? And how should we think of "free" items? In Mailbag, we discuss how to start investing in your early 20s and how to broach estate planning with your parents. (Good news: The holidays are an opportune time for this.) Then, we cover new research on money anxiety and a simple solution for feeling more at peace. The HerMoney team would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! We're certainly grateful for all of you — and extra grateful for reviews.
