Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel - Are Celeb Products Worth the Hype? (Why We’re ALL Shopping Under Their *Influence*)

Episode Date: November 10, 2022

Vinyl, skin care and tequila, oh my! Rachel and George spill their thoughts on celeb products, cool kid brands and how to swap FOMO for JOMO (the joy of missing out).   In This Episode:   ·   �� The iconic first CDs Rachel and George bought with their own money ·     A casual battle of celebrity tequilas ·     The brilliant question Rachel asks herself to stop a spending spiral   Helpful Resources:   ·     Be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card when you take our listener survey! Click here to let us know what you think.    ·      Get your finances organized, make a plan, build up your confidence, and kick money stress out of your life for good with the EveryDollar budgeting app. Click here to get started today! ·     Do you have a Guilty As Charged question for Rachel and George? Send a DM to @rachelcruze or @georgekamel on Instagram! Be sure to type “GUILTY?” at the top of your message so we don’t miss it.   ·     Learn more about your ad choices. https://www.megaphone.fm/adchoices ·     Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy   This Week’s Happy Hour Special:    El Diablo ·     1 1/2 ounces tequila ·     1/2 ounce crème de cassis ·     1/2 ounce lime juice ·     3 ounces ginger beer Fill a shaker with ice. Add tequila, crème de cassis and lime juice. Do a little dance until sufficiently mixed. Strain over fresh ice and top with ginger beer.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey guys, I'm Rachel Cruz. I'm George Camel. And this is Smart Money Happy Hour. Yeah, it is. That's what's up. Ding. So, Rachel, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about all the things you guys are talking about out there in pop culture, current events,

and, of course, how it all ties to your money. That's right. So in today's episode, we're going to dig into celebrity and influencer products that have gone viral. We're going to talk about different ones that really have defined our generation, George. And there are some brands and products out there that failed. Didn't work out. We'll talk about those too. And of course, we're going to teach you how to put on your marketing glasses and see through the hype and make better decisions when it comes to your money.

But first, you know how this goes. It's called Smart Money Happy Hour. So we've got a new drink in hand in every episode. And today's drink is the El Diablo. Have you had this one, Rachel? I think I've heard of it, George. Well, it means the devil in Spanish, I think. Oh, wow.

So, Mom, if you're listening, listen. I'm sorry. There's a lime wedge. How is the lime wedge doing? It's beautiful. It's kind of got a pinkish shoe. I might just... It's got a full lime wedge.

And we're going to give you the breakdown of what it costs to make it, give you the recipe, and give the drink a rating when we're done, so stick around until the end. Yes. Okay. So the term influencer, it's kind of a little bit newer in a sense because I feel like social media has kind of brought that out. But before all of that, it was a real thing that celebrities influenced us and we didn't even realize it. When social media took hold, I think it's when the influence. Like AIM days, AOL Instant Messenger, there was no influencers.

We were the influencers. No, the celebrities were the MTV. Like those days. It was on TV. That's, yeah, yeah, yeah. So back then, do you remember, like, can we just go back to, like, I don't know, Laguna Beach days, Britney Spears days? I had a perfume from Britney Spears. Can I be honest, Rachel?

My first CD I ever bought. Oh, great. Was Britney Spears. Yes. No. It was light pink? Baby one more time? Yes.

Light pink cover. With a flower? Was the disc an extra, like a painted flower on it? That feels aggressive, but maybe. I don't have that level of recollection. Do you know my very first CD? What's that? Crazy, sexy, cool.

TLC. Oh, that's a good. That's way cooler than mine. Would you've ever guessed? I know. Mom and Dad let me buy. I was like in like the third grade, I think. Way to go.

Went to Salmon goodies? Remember salmon goodies? Yep. We had strawberries. I'm from the Northeast. We had strawberries. That was our CD store. No.

Really? There was a, there was a, clothing store called strawberry. That's different, for sure. So we all get influence, and we fall for this stuff. You can't claim that you're innocent here. We've all done this, and it's okay. Some of us have done it more than others, right, Rachel?

Possibly. You've probably done it today while scrolling Instagram. Okay, this is what's funny. I'm like, I'm more apt to buy a product of a, quote-unquote, like, social media influencer than a celebrity. Than a celebrity. Then Britney Spears these days. That's fair.

But I'm not going to buy perfume from you. Well, I'm not innocent either, Rachel. Recently, I was at Costco. As you know, I'm the Kirkland King, the Costco cowboy. And I saw that the Rock's energy drink called Zoa Healthy Warrior Energy Drink was on sale at Costco, and I got myself a case of it. How was it? It's actually really, compared to other energy drinks, it tastes great. And he released this just last year in 2021, and it went from non-existent to the fastest growing energy drink brand in the United States.

No way. That's intense because there's like monster energy, Jared, like really faint. It's hard to compete with the big dogs and he just came out of nowhere. And they even had a Super Bowl commercial featuring Dwayne the Rock Johnson, The Rock, just working out and drinking it.

And so in my head, I'm like, yeah, I look like that. I'll continue to look like that if I drink this. Is that a mirror? Is that me? Oh, no. No, that's the Rock. So I get mistaken all the time in public, Rachel.

It's actually annoying. Okay, would you have bought it if the Rock hadn't endorsed it? I would say yes. So it just happened to be by the Rock. You didn't do it because you were like, I love Dwayne. And I wasn't mad that it was The Rocksend, because I like the Rock as a celebrity. As a person.

Yes. He's very likable. Things he puts out, I think are high quality, and so I do it. Now, one drink that is very popular right now that people, celebrities are putting out, tequila. Yes. And there's a lot, 818 tequila. Which is actually... Kendall Jenner.

Is in our drink today? It is, yes. Does it taste like a celebrity of tequila? No. It doesn't taste any different, to be honest. Great. I don't know. I'm sure if I had it on its own, maybe I could tell the difference. I know that's all I was going to say.

But there's so many now. We got George Clooney with Casamigos. I need a like, yeah. George straight. All the Georges. Maybe I'm not straight. Oh my gosh. I didn't realize Casamigos was George Clooney.

Is it like a white label with a little blue? Yes. Oh my gosh. I bought that and didn't even know it was George's. Look at that. I'm funding George's life. You were secretly influenced and you didn't even know it. How much do they get like per bottle, I wonder?

That's a good question. I'm sure it's all different depending on the deals and with the business ownership. So Nick Jonas also has a tequila. Yep. And then Dwayne Johnson, the rock, not only in the energy. So he's got the uppers with the energy drink. He's got the downers with his Taramana tequila, which is also a good tequila.

Gosh, I don't think I've had any of these. Adam Levine? Oh, boy. How do you say that? Calerosa? Galeiros. threw a little spin on it. So this is a trend among celebs, the high-end tequila's.

And it's a great business opportunity because tequila has been surging in popularity in the last decade. Maybe because it's like a fun, like, party, you know. Yeah, okay, so I hate to say it. I don't want to be one of those people. But I'm like, yeah, now that I know it's George's, I'm like, I'm probably going to buy it. It feels a little like, oh, George Clooney had something to do with this tequila. Kendall Jenner had something to do. It does feel.

Because it's partially connected to a celebrity. Yeah, it kind of feels cool. Thank you for admitting that. Am I a cool mom? I'm a cool mom. You were the cool mom before. No, but really. Why is that, though?

I feel shallow. That makes me feel shallow. The fact that I just, like, when I just learned that that's George Clooney's tequila, I was like, oh, that's cool. But, like, I buy La Croy. There's no celebrity tied to La Croy, but I buy it because I like it. I know. So I think if you start with liking it, not because of the celebrity, that's fine.

I know, but when I see 818, I think of Kindle. Brand association, Rachel. They know what they're doing. And that's a big marketing play. So they know that, which is obviously why they have. higher in these celebrities to have their input, have the face be part of the brand. Because people like me, George, who are shallow and just go and are influenced. Love the vulnerability today, Rachel.

I do. I feel a little, I feel a little, a little honest here. That's fine. Well, even if you haven't been influenced to buy high-end liquor from celebrities, this type of influence can happen in often subtler ways. And our friend Cody, who works here at Ramsey, he convinced me that I need to get this canned water called Liquid Death. And the branding is like rock and roll. Cody's rock and roll. He's like a Patagonian model meets a lumberjack. And so in my brain, I'm like, well, I'll be cooler if I get this canned water.

I'll check it out. What's the hype around the canned water? How was it? Let me tell you, it's actually very good. The sparkling one. Okay, so you were influenced by just a regular Joe. Yes. And the branding.

Like the branding plus the person. I was like, oh, this is for cool people, you know, in your head. Wow, really? So I like it. I don't like, it's expensive. It's like $1.50 a can for sparkling water. I know. That's silly.

Stick with La Croy. I know. So the Kardashian family is big into the influencer products. And I know you are a big fan of cosmetics, Rachel. And this is huge among celebrity, cosmetic products. I know. And I'll be honest, I have not, I'm not influenced in that way. I don't buy, yes, cosmetics from a celebrity.

brands. No. So Kylie Jenner is obviously, I feel like she's known for this the most. And what's crazy is that she basically broke the internet or breaks the internet constantly when she releases products. So in 2016, her lip kit sold out in 10 minutes. Then in 2019, her skin set, which was $125, sold out in six minutes. So people are, they spend hundreds of dollars. Part of this now is scarcity and urgency. Because you know, if you're not there within the first 10 minutes, you're not going to get it ever. Yes, that's a good point. That's a good point. But you could get it everywhere all the time. It's not as special. Yep. So that's part of the marketing around these products. What could we sell George? That's just like we only have 10.

Oh, that's smart. It's sold out for five minutes. So George and I, our product in 2022 sold out in 18 minutes. All right. You messages on Instagram with what products we should create and make only 10 of. I think we're missing an opportunity. But a lot of people, they fall for that urgency and scarcity. Because if they know, if they don't get it now, there's the fomo. If you're missing out. Yeah, so it's that. And then the other way, I feel like they do it well.

Taylor Swift is really good at this, where they, like, bring you in on, like, you're part of this, like, secret club. You're on the inn. And because you're on the inn, you get all this stuff, you know, you got to buy it, but you have the information of what's going on. And you feel like better than people, too. You're like, well, I was one of the people who got in first. No. She is brilliant. She used to do, I don't think she does anymore, like album release parties.

And she would, like, bring people to one of her houses, because I think she has multiple houses. One of. Mm-hmm. Classic. And she would invite, like, 200, like, of her biggest fans, and they could listen to the album before she released it. And I was like, that is brilliant. To say you were there. Yes.

I would shut that from the rooftops if I was one of those 200. Well, our friend Taylor Swift, and by our friend, I mean, I don't know her, but Taylor, if you're listening, big fan. We know you have multiple houses, Taylor. We basically know everything about you. So she dropped a new album recently. and with this new album Midnights, she also released a vinyl version that within a single day

sold more vinyl than any artist ever had in seven days. That's insane. Wow. Vinyl. Do you have a vinyl record player? You would. I knew you would. It's Bluetooth. So I'm like, that's next last...

Now, the true vinyl guy's like, oh, that's lame. You've got to connect it to like some old speakers and hyphen it. No. I'm connected to the Bluetooth speaker. Oh, my gosh. But I do have it. Ask me if I have one.

What do you think? No, 100% no. Yes. You have one? Yeah. No, I don't. I don't. Why don't you lie to me?

I thought you were being vulnerable. Just to be cool for a second. Just to be cool for a second. I'm cool and hip and retro. I don't use it a lot to be honest. I have a lot of friends here. Our friend, like Thompson, who runs all of Ramsey Network over all the shows, he's heavy into vinyl.

I know. I think it's a little, I don't know. Pretentious? There's something you walk in and you're like, oh, you're trying to be really cool. Like, we have state of the art technology in our hands called our phone, an iPhone or an Android. Don't tell

George you have an Android because he won't like you. Wow. True, but wow. Why? Is there a different sounds that comes out of the record player? That is exactly why. And that's a lie. I do not believe that. It is true. Now, Rachel, it's because of your ears. You don't have the kind of ears necessary

to appreciate the warmth, the crackle, the tone. I just think it's a marketing scheme. So I'm sorry you fell for it, George. But I think there's a push against, hey, every song in your pocket digitally on your earphone. Like, there's a push against that to go back to the OG experience. So I respect that. That's fine.

We can agree to disagree. Anyways, Taylor Swift, genius marketer. Can we just put that out there? So another friend here was influenced by Taylor because she released, if you get all four vinyl albums of different versions of the album, it creates a clock in the middle. Did you know this, Rachel? Wait, no. Say it again? Because the album's called Midnights, and if you get all four of these special vials, it creates a special clock. So there's like numbers in the vinyl. Yes. And then it comes with an attached piece to actually form a clock that works. Like a functional... Stop it. And it's

genius because what do you have to do to get the clock? You have to be one of the first ones to get the... It's already sold out within minutes, and if you have that, you've spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars. Now it's the secondary market on eBay. People were spending two, three times more to get it. So that's the power of influencers and marketing. So what do we feel about that? How do we feel about all this? I don't feel good about it.

I know. Well, if you have the money for it, let's talk about that. That's for starters. So if it's in the budget, you have the money, you know, you're debt-free, have an emergency fund, you're being wise with your money. It's not a moral thing. But do you think we're getting sucked into like this, I don't know, marketing scheme of all these celebrities to be like, you should buy my thing? Well, it's the FOMO culture that they're all playing into of like, well, I don't want to be the one who missed out on this. And I want to be able to claim to my friends because it elevates your status a little bit.

And some people do it for really personal. Like, I just love Taylor Swift and it would mean the world to me to have this very special thing she put out there. Okay. I think that's the best version of it. It's innocent. It's just for you. Yes. You're not trying to impress other people.

Okay. So in my head, I'm like, there's like this brand association of like the celebrity. And then you have like the brands that people just know. like, oh, you have a Yeti cooler. There's like a stereotype with like, you're a Yeti cooler person, or you have a certain, you know, jacket or something. Like, there's also that. The Patagonia jackets. That's where I.

Trends. The Ugg Boots, you were part of the Ugg Boot phenomenon back in high school. Yes. Yes, I was. I was. So I think I'm more up to fall for that stuff than, sorry, George. Love the tequila, but like, Clooney, not you, George. Thank you.

Sorry. I really have to be careful with that. I know you're getting confused. George Strait, George Clooney, George Campbell. But I think versus a celebrity putting something out versus like a overall brand. Fair. I think I'm more, I get more sucked into the overall brand. Does that make sense?

Yeah. Because you know what I just bought? And I feel like such a. More vulnerability here on the podcast. I know. I bought one of the Stanley Cups. Oh, no. I did.

It came last night. You're a Stanley girl now. And I never had been until last night. and Winston got out his old Stanley Cup that he's had since high school. The OG. It's like the legit old Stanley Cup. Like, dad was a construction worker.

That level. Not like, it's cute. It comes in pastel colors. Why did I buy it, George? Here's the thing. My wife has multiple of those. And they kept showing up. I was like, what is happening here?

And she was like, well, it has a handle. Like, that's the brand different. They're like, oh, it has a handle. And it fits in your cup holder. I'm like, for years, they have made tumblers that have handles and fit in cup holders. I know. And I just want people to admit, and by people I mean you, Rachel, women like you who have spent $50, $60 on these, which urgency and scarcity, this color is going to sell out.

I need to get this color for it sells out. And they have three of these now in different colors to fit their mood. So it fits in their cup holder. Just go listen to your vinyl record player towards and sh. Don't be convicting me. But I do not understand the Stanley phenomenon. I know. I don't either.

Why did I? I surrendered. It's like Beanie Babies. And a year from now, it's going to be like, oh, you still have a Stanley Tumblr, lame. I know. Princess Diana Bean Baby. And you probably, with fashion, this happens a lot. You've probably had a lot of fashion trends that were cool for a season and they weren't cool.

Oh, man. I can't keep up. I know. Like, oh, skinny jeans are out. Where was the news on that? No one told me, Rachel. I know. They are, though.

Mom jeans are in. And I pushed against it for a while, and now I have succumb to. Here I am with. The frayed leg mom jeans. Oh, I know. It's crazy. It's crazy. There's a lot of other brands out there.

One that comes to mind is hearth in hand from Target. You know, we both love Target. And Chip and Joanna launched hearth in hand. And that's a big, it's a big line. Oh, but it's beautiful. They do great. They have some great stuff. I will agree with that.

Yeah. And so it's not all bad. It's not like if a celebrity puts something out, it's immediately equals, this is bad. Don't fall for it. I don't want people to think that. But I do want you to think. And most people are just impulsively. Here's someone that I like, that I look up to.

They released a thing. I'm going to go buy it today. Yes, and it's a justification in their head of like, oh, yeah. Well, I love the celebrity, so I'm going to go do it. Or I love that brand and they came out with something new. So I have to go buy it. So you do have to unplug that emotion very much so because it can be so easy just to jump in and buy.

Now there are some celebrities that, well, it bombed. It was a train wreck on some of the stuff that they put out into the world. Can all be George Clooney. That's right. So the kiss. casket all with a K. Yep, Kiss, the... Hair metal band? Hair. Yes. Is that what it's called a hair metal band?

That's what I call it. Not a heavy metal band? Because they're long hair thrashing. Yeah, okay. You could buy a caskets, a coffin in 2001 that was decorated with the images of the band Kiss. Yikes. Yeah, and they discontinued it in 2011. You got to wonder, Rachel, though, like someone is bare. buried in a kiss casket today, like the biggest kiss fan of all time. How funny would that be?

Six feet under... If it was like your grandmother and you went... Just Jean Simmons with the tongue sticking out. And you just see the caskin, you think, wow, granny, man, that's a... Wow. Listen, let me tell you, my mom is not going to let that fly. She will not... Miss Campbell will not approve.

So that was discontinued. But it was discontinued after 10 years. I mean, so something was going right. That's a pretty good run. Another one that's near and dear to our heart. Rachel, the Mary Kate and Ashley, aqua fresh bubble cool toothpaste. Yes. And they had a lot of products.

They had a ton of products. They were like the OG influencers, I feel like. They may have been. Seriously. Board games, the magazine, CDs. I mean, I was a huge fan at the Scholastic Book Fair of buying their books. You did. The Adventures of Mary Cane Ashley?

Well, yes, the Adventures of Mary Kate and Ashley. My favorite was the case of the U.S. Space Camp Mission. Stop. And I love their movie How the West was fun. Do you remember that movie with Bar Gafooley? A classic. Watch it with your kids this weekend. Gosh, Mary Kay National movies were so good.

So when the toothpaste was released, they were actually already 17 years old, but the marketing had a photo of them at 13 years old so they could market it to the tweens and the younger audiences. To the younger audience. That's some genius marketing. Wow. So did you have this toothpaste? I don't think so.

I wouldn't be shocked. No, I don't remember. Cher Ramsey was like, we're a Colgate family. We're not following for this. Christ. Wow. No, yeah, I don't think I had the Mary Kane Ashley. Here's a gross one.

Sylvester Stallone, Rocky himself, released a high-protein pudding that came in a can. Sick. Yeah. And it's disgusting. This is from 2004 and G&C sold it up until 2012. Gosh, it's an eight-year runoff. How are these, like, going like for years?

Should we release products, Rachel? This, George, we're missing an opportunity. Something has to be. You're right. We got to do something. I got it. The Rachel Cruz wallet. Okay. That is some influencer marketing.

I see what you did there. I see what you did. But that's actually, that's a very useful product that is also beautiful. Yes, thank you. I appreciate that. And the new camel color and the slim is just, that is, that's all me right there. You love it. I know.

Okay. So my question to you is, do you think fandom, you're a fan of something or someone, so you're going to go all in? Has it gone too far, George? I think so. I think it can go too far. and we've become a very obsessive culture because we can follow as celebrities every move.

We know where they are, we read the articles, we're following them on Instagram stories. Back in the day, I didn't know what Britney Spears was up to. We just knew when a new album released and a new music video was on TRL. I get to twirl around all the time. And now we know every post. And so we feel more connected to the celebrities

because of social media, and therefore I think it does something to us psychologically that causes us to be more obsessed, to spend more money at whatever they throw at us. Yeah. But I also, on the other end, let me say this, I think that from sitting in my seat,

there's so much noise that I can't keep up with it. So like the tequila, like I'm like, I had no clue that was George Clooney's to keep. Because everyone's got one now. I guess and it's not, and I didn't, I don't know. So I do think I'm like, I feel a little bit more out of touch with like the quote unquote celebrity.

Now like the influencers on Instagram, like the bloggers of girls that I follow that, I just love their clothes. I'm like, I know what they're doing. Yes, my head's more there, again, than like... The celebrity pop culture stuff. Kylie's lip kit, you know? Yeah, no, that's fair.

So, but they, but regardless, people, companies know how you spend your money and why you spend your money the way you do, and they're really good at marketing it to you. So whether it's an influencer or a celebrity. So marketing is not evil. Let's just say that. Sales is not evil. Buying things isn't evil. Being persuaded is not evil, but make sure that you're thoughtful about it.

Don't just jump on trends because a friend told you about it. Do your research. Make sure it's in the budget. spend wisely. And honestly, with the celebrity stuff, I bet most of that stuff is marked up because of them. So listen, if you are like, yes,

and if you're, you know, if you're living paycheck to paycheck and you're having to use your credit card to, like, cover your everyday expenses, like if you're not in a good place financially, you don't need to be buying this stuff. Let's just say that out loud. Like, no, you need to get yourself a financial foundation,

a strong financial foundation, which is just so, so important, so that you can later enjoy whatever, these products. but that's what's hard as I feel like with inflation and where we are today, just with our money, everything's just tight. It's just like a, it's a stressful time. And so it can be so easy to, again, fall for all this.

You just want to be aware. So even when you're shopping, you guys, like, yeah, buy generic versus name brands. I do this all the time, especially with food. I mean, it's so less expensive. Don't feel like you have the name brands of everything. And that will save you money for sure. Well, John Deloney and I, which was one of our Ramsey personalities, we co-led a course in our flagship money course, Financial Peace University, called Buyer Beware.

And John talks about this question with brand association that we all ask. Our brain is asking subconsciously, do I belong? And so the way companies answer that is through this brand association. And once you buy a Yeti, you want your kids to buy Yeti. And you want this to be like a family legacy. Like, we're a Yeti family. We go outdoors with high, you know, there's this feeling that we all have when we buy these products. and so just be very careful that the purchases that you make

are helping you become the person you really want to be. Yes, that's right. And I would also say that a lot of these celebrities and even influencers are like, oh, here's my promo code. And so you are more tempted to go by because you're like, oh, I'm getting a good deal. But remember, just because something's a good deal, does not mean it's a good deal for you.

So have the patience to wait it out a little bit and see, okay, do I really want it? Because, man, they'll throw out that 25% off or something. And again, if you needed a product, and you have the money, then sure, you can take advantage of that and get 25% off. If you plan for it, great. But it plans, but yes, it has this seed planted in your mind that, oh, my gosh, I get a discount. Okay.

And you justify it, you know? I have never done that, George. Justified a purchase? Well, I love to say that everything is 100% off if you don't buy it. And I love the idea of Jomo, Rachel, the joy of missing out. Sometimes when I don't make a purchase, I get more joy because I'm like, oh, I really didn't need it. And I just waited at a night and I realized, oh, that was just impulse and a buddy was pressuring me or like those family pressure, whatever the thing is. Like dig in deep and go, why am I actually feeling like I need to buy this?

Yes. Is it because I'm sad? Am I tired? You know a question I ask. What's that? If nobody sees this purchase, do I still want it? Mike drop. Yep.

And that's a big filter for me where I'm like, okay, man. So if, yeah, what if that, that energy drink, George? The Lulu crossbody bag, Rachel. Those are in right now. Yes, they are. If no one sees it, would you buy it? If nobody sees that energy drink, would you still buy it? 100%.

Okay. I hide it. I'll drink it during the Ramsey shell and I'll put it under the desk. Oh, wow. See, that's true authenticity. The Rock isn't paying me. He's not paying me to advertise for them. He's not going to get product placement from you.

No, thanks. Good job, George. Stand your ground. But I take sips in between. I can pour in a cup too. That's how you know you really don't care. You pour in a separate cup. That's great.

No one even sees the can. I love it. It's a great practice. So you have some other good questions, though, to ask yourself? Yes. So in the Financial Peace University course, lesson five, I cover these five questions to ask yourself before making a purchase. And it spells out the word smart. So S is for self-awareness.

Will this add value to my life? Every purchase must serve a purpose. Does it have utility? Is it going to sit in a closet somewhere? Then the M is for motive. Am I buying it for the right reason? Yeah. And if you can truly say yes to that, then you move on to A for affordability.

Is this in my budget? Can I afford this in full in cash without setting about it? my financial goals. R is for research. Is this the best option, retailer, and price? Most people are just impulsively buy something without actually, you know, doing a quick Google search to see, is there a promo code out there

I can use to actually save money on something I need? So take that time to do the research. And then T is for timing. Is now the time to buy it? We talk about opportunity cost. If you buy this, then you can't buy this. If we go on vacation, we can't upgrade the car. And so you have to think about,

is there a better time for this? So I buy it once I'm out of debt. should I buy it when there's the Labor Day sale or Black Friday sale? Those questions will help you filter out all the bad decisions so you have no regrets. No. Which we now know is from the movie, we're the Millers. We are fully aware. Full circle.

Fully aware. That's really good, yeah. And then I think the last thing I'd just say about all of it, and it's, again, where I can, this is where I can be not great in life, is you kind of just think, oh, if I could just, oh, those are cute. If I could just get that, I'm going to feel better about myself. If I could just. I know. And I, it is. And we start to believe, even though life has taught us differently, that if I have this thing, I'm going to feel good about myself and I'm going to be happier.

And the truth is, it doesn't. Like, your stuff does not fulfill you. And it's a lesson I feel like I continually learn. But I tell myself that George, I don't know why. It's like you see a cute sweater up from Target and you're like, oh my gosh, I would love that. Yes, I want it. We all have those things in our life. And it's like, I have a whole closet full of stuff.

I should be fine. But it's important to be self-aware and know what area. of our life because it may not be influencer products for you. It might be furniture, might be food. Who knows? Yep, yep. And our friends, the minimalist, I love this quote from them. More stuff won't make you more complete.

Mm-hmm. Oh, amen, hallelujah. It's a good spot to end right there. So good. So good. All right, George. It's time for our last segment. Guilty as charged.

Yes, so this is where our producer, Lindsay, it gives us a new guilty as charged question every week. And if we are guilty, we take a sip of our drink. So, Lindsay, what is it? I'm so nervous. I was getting nervous on these. This is a good one. Okay. Have you ever brought store-bought food to a party or your own party that you hosted and made it look like you made it homemade? Oh, okay. I might need to, yeah, this is a big swig. Okay, I am going to sip it. But I was truthful, though.

Why is Rachel always a better person than me in every episode? There was a buffalo dip. There was a buffalo dip from Publix. They're a deli. And a jalapeno dip. That is phenomenal. So if I have a party, I will buy both those tips and I will put them in a bowl. Yes.

And it just looks great. Now, if someone asks, wow. Wow. Can I have the recipe? I am honest. And I say, oh, it's actually from Publix, but don't tell anyone. You know. It's like your little secret with them now. I know.

So I don't go around promoting it. But it visually might look like I made it, and I did not. You know, I had a buffalo dip incident, too. What? Same exact scenario. Stop it. Buffalo chicken dip are from Trader Joe's. Okay.

Oh, you would be from Trader Joe's. It's good. I love their stuff. And we put in a bowl. Now, I am more guilty of this. Like, we've done full dinners that were like, we did not make this dinner, and we served it to friends. But do you tell them, like, if they ask?

If they ask, they usually don't ask me for, like, the exact recipe. But they're like, this is so good what's in it. And I'll tell them what's in it. So I always look at the ingredients so I know what's in it in case they ask. What do you bought? Or I'll say secret family recipe. Stop it. Stop it.

It's that. You do not. You've not said that. Maybe. It's called trolling, I feel like. That's a, I don't know if I'd categorize that as a straight lie. I mean, that's pretty. Now, if they're like, how long did it take you to make?

I'm not going to say I toiled for hours. You're going to say, just a few minutes. Just a few minutes. Just a few minutes. Just a few minutes. Just say, I whipped it up. Well, just a few minutes. Also, it is a lie when you say it's a family recipe.

That one, okay, that's fair. Give me an example of a dinner that you'll do that. I'm just curious. Oh, boy. I'm curious. Have I been a recipient? Lindsay has been a recipient. Lindsay was a recipient just weeks ago.

Producer Lindsay, we had a bunch of friends over. Lindsay's a personal friend of ours and that chicken tortilla soup. Shut your mouth. Chicken tortilla soup. And you know where it was from, Lindsay? I'm dying. It was really good, though. Do you feel like you don't know George anymore?

Does that feel like an absolute? I feel like George would do something like this. I'm not even shocked. She never asked us for the recipe. I did think it was delicious, though. So now you do need to tell me where did you find it. Trader Joe's. Costco.

They knew it. And they have a great chicken tortilla soup. And so I'm not going to sit there and get 19 ingredients to make the soup. Did you add anything that was like real? I do add some things. I like to add some fresh cilantro. Okay. And I do like to add my own personal spices to it to really doll it up.

Okay. Can you give me that family recipe? So. I'll give you the secret family recipe from my uncle Kirkland. Can't wait. Camel recipe. Oh, that's good times. Well, hey, if you've got more guiltiest charts questions,

make sure to send us a message on Instagram at Rachel Cruz at George Camel of the K. We'd love to hear them. Yes, we've gotten some great ones. All right, George, it's that time again. Who is closest to finishing their drink? You are. I'm winning. I really like this one. Wow, you are winning. Okay, so this was the L Diablo drink made with tequila, and the cost breakdown comes out to about 3.73 a glass. Rachel, I got to say, I'm going to give this drink a 9 out of 10. I love ginger, I love lime, I love tequila. It all just came together beautifully.

Okay, this is not the bartender's fault for my score. It's I do not like ginger beer. So I mean, Michael Redis, do not be offended. Close your ears, Michael. I mean, I'm going to go like five out of ten because I just wouldn't order it. That's generous. I wouldn't order it. I wouldn't order it. I wouldn't order it. Not bad.

So not my favorite. Okay. His mixing was great, though. You're entitled to be wrong. It's okay. Well, here's the recipe. One and a half ounces of tequila, half an ounce of, how do I say this? Crem de cassis?

Crem de Casis. British and Spanish. You know what, Rachel, I've dogged you for this. That was offensive to all people. That was definitely. offensive, but it's fine. But C-A-S-S-I-S, if you want to go buy some of that to make it, a half ounce of lime juice, and then three ounces of ginger beer, which, by the way, ginger beer is non-alcoholic, so it's a great way to make this a mocktail. If you want to

it's kind of nasty, though, so don't drink. I love ginger beer. Oh, ginger beer's so good. No, no. Some people may like it. Well, if you want to be, uh, me instead of Rachel, go make this recipe in the show notes, and let us know on social if you try it out. And Rachel, people have been enjoying these drinks. They're making them at home. I know. I know, and we've been traveling to some events around the country, and people, yeah, we'll stop us. Like, I made the spicy margarita or whatever it was. So it's super fun. So send us your suggestions as well in the DMs.

If you want us to make a different drink, we do both cocktails and a bunch of mocktails as well. That's right. All right, George, it's that time. It is... Closing time. So good. Sing it, Rachel. So I wish.

I won't. We'll have our producer, Lindsay, who's got a great voice. She'll sing it for you. Yes. Okay, you guys. So make sure to follow us on social and make sure to hit that follow button if you want to subscribe to the podcast. podcast, and we want to hear from you as well. So make sure to leave a review and tell your friends

about this. You know, if you'd love the episode, share it with a friend. That really helps us out. Listen to it with friends. How cool would that be? Oh, that would be great. It's a great hangout. That's right. Love to know your thoughts. And as usual, we'll see you next Thursday on Smart Money Happy Hour.