Ready or not, the holiday season is upon us again. Retailers like Amazon and Costco have already sent their gift catalogs, and kids have begun making their wish lists. Life isn’t all about saving and investing, so we asked our team members to recommend some of their favorite ways to shop and travel:

 Favorite purchase this year?

 Katie: our 8 Sleep Mattress Topper changed the way we sleep, and saved thousands over a new memory foam mattress.

 Joe: This lightweight pullover black hoodie is my favorite. It’s soft, stretchy, and goes with everything.

 Karla: PaddleTek Bantam Pickleball paddle. I use it 4x a week on the pickleball courts.

 Renee: a Mediterranean cruise with my son, Jay

 Favorite Shopping Hacks?

 Renee: I usually shop for brands I like on Poshmark.

 Joe: a quick look at Retailmenot.com will turn up coupon codes for almost any website. Also- eBay has a robust collection of discounted brand-new, brand-name clothing and apparel.

Katie: Capital One Shopping offers a web browser plugin/coupon finder that has saved me over $300 this year.

Karla: I do most of my shopping through LTK (Like to Know It). They partner with several of the Instagram stylists I follow and have discounts on products they’re promoting.

Favorite Travel Hacks?

Joe: Booking condos through a timeshare listing site has saved us thousands. With kids, It’s nice to have the extra space with a living room and a kitchen. Redweek.com has Marriott and Hilton properties worldwide. During ski season, HeavenlyVillageCondos.com has dozens in South Lake Tahoe.

Katie: I am a travel agent, so I have access to great deals, resort grand openings, and promotions :)

 Ways to Pay- What’s your favorite Credit card?

Renee: The Costco Citi Card

Benefits: Cashback on all purchases, more for Costco purchases (my annual average cash reward has been $500)

Joe: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Benefits: $300 travel credit annually, extra points for travel and dining out.  The points are worth more when redeemed for travel, and it works out to about 4.5% back. They can also be cashed for statement credit, or gift cards at Christmas

Katie: Capital One Venture Card

Benefits: 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, 5 miles for travel expenses. $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck registrations.