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Soon Your AI Will Haggle for You. Until Then, Five Moves That Work Right Now
I’ve been writing about money since 1991. In that time I’ve watched a parade of new technology promise to make shopping cheaper. Mostly it made shopping faster. That isn’t the same thing. Here’s what’s different now. On June 3, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince posted that “bots have now passed human…
The Same Surgery Can Cost 30 Times More Across Town — and a New Rule Finally Lets You See It Coming
Two people walk into the same hospital on the same morning for the same knee surgery. One is billed a few thousand dollars. The other is billed tens of thousands. Same operating room. Same surgeon. Same titanium. That’s not a horror story. That’s any Tuesday in American health care. For years, you…
Trader Joe’s Is Bringing Back Its Halloween Mini Tote Bags
A new, spooky Trader Joe’s mini tote bag will soon be available in stores nationwide. The company says it is set to have its Halloween totes in stores beginning Sept. 30. The bags, called “Trick-or-Treat Mini Canvas Totes,” will be available in black, green, purple and orange. When the Halloween…
2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid Is Affordable, Efficient and Fun to Drive
The 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid is a subcompact SUV that combines strong fuel efficiency with useful cargo space and standard all-wheel drive. After a week behind the wheel, here’s what it’s like to drive and who this hybrid SUV may suit. What Stands Out About the Crosstrek Hybrid? Subaru’s…
Burger King Responds to Customer Outcry Over ‘Nugget-Sized’ Bag
Burger King’s “Le Nugguette” micro bags are selling like hotcakes, disgruntling customers in the process. Daily drops of a limited-edition, “nugget-sized” handbag to celebrate BK’s new and improved chicken nuggets and updated sauces have piqued many customers’ interest — and drawn the ire of…
How to Skip the Grocery Store Aisles (and Hefty Delivery Fees)
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on The Penny Hoarder. After a long day, navigating crowded grocery aisles isn’t always appealing. Delivery is convenient, but fees and tips can add up quickly. Grocery pickup offers a middle ground: you order online and pick up curbside — often for free…
18 Free or Cheap Activities for Seniors on a Tight Budget
Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com When I told Tony Brooks, activist and advocate at ADAPT Philadelphia, that I was writing a story about free and cheap activities for seniors, he let out a laugh. “You mean like adult day care?” ADAPT is a disability advocacy group that explicitly includes seniors…
How This DIY Garage Helps Drivers Save Money on Car Repairs
A group of women crouched under a vehicle lift inside the Momentum Motorsports garage, watching as thick, dark motor oil streamed from an older model Toyota RAV4 into a drain pan. Some took notes on their phones while others looked intently at the SUV’s undercarriage as the group learned a new…
6 Ways Stores Are Quietly Making It Harder to Get Your Money Back
You bought something online. It didn’t fit, didn’t work, or just wasn’t right. So you box it up, ship it back, and wait for your refund — only to find the store kept a chunk of your money. If that’s happened to you lately, you’re not imagining it. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that
Amazon Set Its October Sale for Oct. 6-7 — and Built a Button That Shops While You Sleep. Set These 5 Rules First
Amazon just announced that Prime Big Deal Days, its fall version of Prime Day, will run Oct. 6-7. The 48-hour sale kicks off at 12:01 a.m. Pacific on Oct. 6, with deals in more than 35 categories and fresh batches dropping at midnight, 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pacific. That part is the same old