Smart Spending
Consumer trends, deals, price changes, subscription services, comparison shopping, and making smarter purchasing decisions in everyday life.
Latest in Smart Spending
Lyft will pay $272.5 million to settle California misclassification claims, with at least $237,075,000 reserved for drivers who worked from April 2016 through December 2020
Lyft has agreed to pay $272.5 million to settle California claims that it misclassified its drivers as independent contractors, and at least $237,075,000 of that...
Under a Federal Trade Commission order, Amazon started paying the next round of Amazon Prime refunds on October 1 by Venmo, PayPal or check, with more due by April 2027
A new round of Amazon Prime refunds began on October 1, sent by Venmo, PayPal or mailed check to a group of customers the Federal...
Anyone who bought a listed generic drug between May 2009 and December 2019 has until March 8, 2027 to claim from $320,560,180 that 48 attorneys general secured for consumers
Consumers who bought a generic prescription drug on the settlement website’s list between May 2009 and December 2019 have until March 8, 2027 to submit...
A Cuisinart grill-brush recall pays 20% more when the refund is taken as store credit
Conair LLC’s recall of Cuisinart grill brushes carries an unusual feature for a product-safety remedy: an owner who declines cash can take store credit at...
Amazon’s returns settlement makes the proof-required claim tier show screenshots and an attestation
Amazon’s $309.5 million returns settlement sorts its class into two groups, and only one of them has to produce anything. Members of Subclass A are...
Tuna settlement checks could not be cashed, and the administrator mailed replacements on Sept. 28 with an extra $20
Some class members in the packaged-tuna antitrust settlement could not cash the checks mailed to them in September, and JND Legal Administration, the claims administrator,...
Dollar Tree recalled 360,500 balloon pumps after one caught fire and one exploded
Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. is recalling about 360,500 electric balloon pumps after three customers reported overheating, including one pump with flames inside the unit and...
Amazon Prime refunds now reach shoppers who used 11 to 20 benefits, a group the first round skipped
The Federal Trade Commission has widened its Amazon Prime refund program to a group the first round left out: consumers who used 11 to 20...
Aldi’s fall price cuts, worth $86 million, put chicken breast at $1.99 a pound through Nov. 3
Kirkwood chicken breast family packs are priced at $1.99 a pound at Aldi stores from Sept. 23 through at least Nov. 3, the centerpiece of...
Tesla’s average transaction price fell 2.4% in August to $52,616, Kelley Blue Book says
Down 2.4% from July, Tesla’s average transaction price landed at $52,616 in August, according to Kelley Blue Book’s monthly transaction-price report, a decline that ran...
Homebuyers covered by the At World Properties commission settlement face an October 27 claim deadline ahead of a November 2 hearing
A $120,334,500 fund tied to real-estate broker At World Properties gives affected homebuyers until October 27 to file a claim, six days before a federal...
Some Ram, Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler owners in 11 states have until October 12 to claim extended engine-valve warranty coverage
Owners of certain 3.6-liter Ram, Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler vehicles registered in 11 states have until October 12 to file a claim under a settlement...
Mercedes BlueTEC diesel owners who got the emissions fix have until September 30 to claim up to $2,000
A $2,000 maximum payment for completing a diesel emissions fix on an eligible Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner vehicle closes to new claims on September 30, when...
FedEx adds an $8.80 holiday surcharge on hard-to-handle packages starting September 28, rising to $11.85 on November 23
FedEx will charge an $8.80 Additional Handling surcharge on qualifying packages starting September 28, 2026, then raise that same surcharge to $11.85 on November 23,...
Friedrich offers refunds on about 2,000 recalled Kühl window air conditioners that sold for $1,300 to $2,000
Two reports of a motor igniting inside a KÜHL-brand window air conditioner, including one that caused smoke and fire damage to a home, led Friedrich...
Owners of 3.6-liter V6 Jeeps, Rams and Dodges in 11 states have until October 12 to claim valve repair costs
A seven-year, 70,000-mile warranty extension for certain valve-train parts is now available to owners of 2015-2020 Ram, Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler vehicles built with a...
Owners of 2016-2017 Kia Optimas and 2017 Sportages can claim up to $400 for power-window repairs by November 23
Up to $400 in window-regulator repairs is now recoverable for owners of certain 2016 and 2017 Kia Optima sedans and every 2017 Kia Sportage, through...
Peacock’s price hike hits existing subscribers, with Premium Plus rising to $19.99 a month from $16.99
NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service is raising its Premium Plus plan to $19.99 a month, up from $16.99, and the increase is not limited to people...
Lands’ End data-breach victims whose Social Security numbers were exposed can file for two years of credit monitoring by October 22
A proposed class-action settlement over a data breach that exposed Social Security numbers, birth dates and government ID numbers held by Lands’ End customers gives...
Dr. Squatch soap buyers can claim up to $12.50 from a $9 million settlement by November 27
A $9 million settlement over Dr. Squatch’s “natural” product marketing is paying out as much as $12.50 per claimant, with completed claims due November 27,...