Smart Spending
Consumer trends, deals, price changes, subscription services, comparison shopping, and making smarter purchasing decisions in everyday life.
Latest in Smart Spending
Amazon is sending automatic payments of up to $51 to Prime members, and the claim window for everyone else closes July 27
Millions of Amazon Prime subscribers are receiving automatic refund payments of up to $51 from the Federal Trade Commission, with no action required on their...
A mini-fridge recall has grown to nearly 1 million units that can catch fire
Nearly 964,000 Frigidaire-brand mini-fridges sold through Target now carry a federal recall warning after Curtis International expanded its earlier action to include a fifth model....
Used-car inventory is finally rising, giving budget buyers more room to negotiate
Budget-conscious car shoppers are gaining ground this summer as used-vehicle supply grows and federal price data signals softening costs. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics and...
You can shrink a big hospital bill by asking for the cash price or a payment plan
Patients who receive a large hospital bill can often reduce what they owe simply by asking for the facility’s cash price or requesting a structured...
Thermos is recalling 8.2 million food jars and bottles after the stoppers ejected and blinded three people
Three people lost their vision after stoppers shot out of Thermos food containers with enough force to cause permanent eye damage. On April 30, 2026,...
Federal regulators recalled 2,500 Arctic Zone coolers sold at Costco after a latch magnet that can choke a child was found loose
About 2,500 Arctic Zone Titan Pro coolers sold at Costco stores nationwide have been pulled from shelves after federal safety officials determined that a magnet...
Tyson and Cargill agreed to pay $87.5 million over beef price-fixing, and shoppers who bought steak or roasts between 2014 and 2019 can claim a cut by June 30
Consumers who purchased beef at grocery stores or restaurants between 2015 and 2019 now have a narrow window to collect money from an $87.5 million...
Joyin recalled 254,000 pool dive sticks that can impale children in shallow water
Joyin has recalled approximately 254,000 Sloosh Dive Sticks after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission determined the hard-plastic pool toys can impale children who retrieve...
Federal regulators recalled about 5,770 adult bed rails sold on Amazon, warning users can get trapped and suffocate
About 5,770 adult portable bed rails sold through Amazon have been pulled from the market by federal safety regulators, who warned that the products can...
You can ask a hospital for an itemized bill and apply for charity care — many patients qualify and never ask
Tens of thousands of patients have been sent to collections for hospital bills they may never have owed. A case brought by the Washington State...
HSN recalled 86,040 insulated bowls that caught fire in the microwave
Tens of thousands of consumers who bought Kitchen HQ Thermal Insulated Bowls through HSN now face a fire risk every time they use a microwave....
Lifetime Brands recalled roughly 75,700 light-up tumblers because children can pry out the button battery inside
Roughly 75,700 BUILT LUUM light-up tumblers sold by Lifetime Brands are now subject to a federal recall after one child pried a button cell battery...
PQL is recalling about 186,520 LED light fixtures because the panels can loosen inside and start a fire
About 186,520 High Bay Linear LED light fixtures sold by PQL are being pulled from commercial use after federal regulators determined that retaining pins inside...
Vevor is recalling about 11,650 ice crushers sold on Amazon and Walmart after reports of overheating and a fire
Owners of about 11,650 Vevor ice crushers sold through Amazon and Walmart now face a fire risk serious enough to prompt a federal recall and...
Avenco and Novilla mattresses sold online are being recalled because they can catch fire and fail federal safety rules
More than 5,300 mattresses sold through Amazon and two brand websites are being pulled from the market after federal regulators determined they can catch fire...
July Fourth airfare is about 2% cheaper this year, averaging $800 round trip
Americans flying for the July Fourth holiday this summer will pay roughly 2 percent less than they did a year ago, with domestic round-trip tickets...
Hyundai is recalling 421,078 Tucsons and Santa Cruzes because the automatic brakes can slam on when nothing is there
Owners of more than 421,000 Hyundai Tucson SUVs and Santa Cruz pickups now face a straightforward but unsettling problem: the vehicles’ automatic emergency braking system...
Gudook bike helmets sold online don’t meet federal safety standards and may not protect in a crash
Riders who bought Gudook adult bike helmets on Amazon between May 2025 and February 2026 wore headgear that fails the federal safety standard designed to...
GlaxoSmithKline’s Boostrix settlement closes Monday — New Yorkers who saw its “Big Bad Cough” ads and got the vaccine can claim up to $50
New Yorkers who received GlaxoSmithKline’s Boostrix vaccine after encountering the company’s “Big Bad Cough” advertising campaign face a Monday deadline to file claims in a...
Safety regulators told consumers to stop wearing COOWALK heated insoles after 26 reports of fires and 23 burn injuries
Twenty-three people have suffered burn injuries and 26 fires have been reported in connection with COOWALK and COOWALI heated insoles, prompting the U.S. Consumer Product...