Smart Spending
Consumer trends, deals, price changes, subscription services, comparison shopping, and making smarter purchasing decisions in everyday life.
Latest in Smart Spending
States are holding about $70 billion in unclaimed money, and a free official search can turn up accounts in your name.
Roughly $70 billion sits in state unclaimed-property accounts across the country, money separated from its owners by a move, a forgotten account, or a misspelled...
Target recalled 211,000 Cat & Jack sandals and is offering full refunds
Target recalled about 211,000 pairs of Cat & Jack children’s sandals after receiving reports that decorative pearls detached, creating a choking hazard. The remedy is...
Walmart and Sam’s Club cut prices on thousands of summer essentials
Walmart and Sam’s Club are promoting thousands of lower summer prices, stretching from groceries and beverages to pools, toys and apparel. The announcement is broad,...
The FTC is mailing 9,419 checks after a deceptive marketing case
The FTC’s Trend Deploy refund is unusual because affected buyers do not have to discover a settlement website and submit a claim. The agency is...
Florida returned $88 million in unclaimed money this year, and a free state search shows if any is yours.
Floridians collected $88 million in unclaimed property in February alone, a record monthly disbursement announced by Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia. The money, which had...
Walmart shoppers can get full refunds on recalled Marketside salads in a nine-state outbreak
If you bought a Marketside salad from Walmart in the past few weeks, check your refrigerator before your next meal. Nearly 2,000 people across nine...
Recalled salmonella-linked eggs at Kroger and other stores can be returned for a refund
Midwest Poultry Services, L.P. has recalled more than 1,589,577 dozen shell eggs tied to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 98 people across six states...
Tom’s of Maine buyers can claim part of a $2.9 million marketing settlement
Consumers who bought Tom’s of Maine toothpaste between November 21, 2020, and March 6, 2026, can now file claims against a $2,900,000 class action settlement...
Ford is fixing more than 565,000 Broncos free after wiring that can catch fire, and owners who already paid for the repair get refunded
Ford is recalling more than 565,000 Bronco and Bronco Raptor vehicles sold in the United States because engine compartment wiring can overheat and catch fire....
Francesca’s is liquidating all 460 of its stores, so spend any gift cards before they lose value
Shoppers holding Francesca’s gift cards face a shrinking window to use them. The women’s clothing and accessories retailer filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection...
Disney streaming subscribers can claim a $50 million settlement share by August 27
Subscribers to Disney’s streaming platforms face a hard deadline to file claims in a $50 million antitrust settlement tied to the case Biddle et al....
Ford is recalling 288,314 Explorers over roof-rail covers that can fly off, and the fix is free, with refunds for owners who already paid
Ford has recalled 288,314 Explorer SUVs because their roof-rail covers can detach while the vehicle is in motion, turning a cosmetic trim piece into a...
Kia will repair 462,869 vehicles free after power-seat motors were found to overheat and catch fire
Nearly half a million Kia Telluride owners now face a direct fire risk from a defect in their front power seats, and federal regulators want...
Macy’s is closing 150 stores through 2026, so shoppers should spend gift cards and rewards before their store shuts
Shoppers holding Macy’s gift cards or loyalty rewards face a shrinking window to use them. The retailer disclosed plans to close approximately 150 locations over...
Shoppers are suing Amazon and Costco to get unrefunded tariff surcharges back
Consumers who paid tariff-related surcharges on purchases from Amazon and Costco are now taking both retailers to court, demanding refunds for fees that were collected...
Kia is recalling EV6 and EV9 models over a battery-fire risk, with a free battery replacement
Kia owners of certain EV6 and EV9 models face a direct safety risk after federal regulators flagged a traction battery defect that could lead to...
A listeria recall pulls Clover Hill and La Colonia cheeses, and shoppers can return them for a full refund
If you’ve bought soft cheese from a Latin market or grocery store in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C., in recent weeks, check your refrigerator. A...
Whirlpool will give refrigerator owners a free repair or cash back in a settlement
Owners of certain Whirlpool side-by-side refrigerators stand to receive either a free repair or cash payment after a federal court granted preliminary approval to a...
Honda is recalling 325,588 Odyssey minivans over a rearview camera that can fail
Honda has issued a recall covering 325,588 Odyssey minivans after determining that the rearview camera in affected vehicles can fail, leaving drivers without a picture...
A listeria outbreak tied to recalled cheese has killed one person and hospitalized 10, and the recall keeps expanding
A listeria outbreak linked to soft cheese has now killed one person and sent 10 others to the hospital, and the company at the center...