Smart Spending
Consumer trends, deals, price changes, subscription services, comparison shopping, and making smarter purchasing decisions in everyday life.
Latest in Smart Spending
The Sandoz share alone is $275 million in the open generic drug settlements
Sandoz Inc. and its subsidiary Fougera Pharmaceuticals have committed $275 million to settle claims that the companies helped inflate the price of generic prescription drugs...
State Farm’s auto refund runs from 4 to 10 percent of last year’s premium and is still going out
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company began sending a one-time, $5 billion policyholder dividend to auto customers on July 31, 2026, the largest cash-back payment...
Amazon agreed to pay $309.5 million over refunds that never arrived
Amazon has agreed to pay $309.5 million into a settlement fund to resolve a consolidated class action alleging the company systematically failed to issue refunds...
A federal rule now bans hidden junk fees, forcing hotels and ticket sellers to show the full price upfront
A federal rule that took effect in 2025 now bans hidden junk fees on live-event tickets and short-term lodging, forcing sellers to show the full...
More than 328,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees are recalled for springs that can detach, with a free fix that redoes earlier repairs
More than 328,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees are back in the shop under a new federal recall after two earlier attempts to fix the same problem...
A record 1.27 million Ram 1500 trucks are recalled for unbolted seat belts, with free repairs
About 1.27 million Ram 1500 owners are entitled to a free repair after Chrysler’s parent company, FCA US, told federal safety regulators that a second-row...
Some Hyundai and Kia owners hit by the theft flaw can claim up to $4,500 by March 2027
A separate $9 million multistate settlement between Hyundai, Kia and 35 state attorneys general is now paying claims to owners whose vehicles were stolen, or...
Pork buyers can claim a share of a $117 million price-fixing settlement with no receipts by October 29
A $117.065 million antitrust settlement is now taking claims from anyone who bought raw pork or bacon at a grocery store between June 28, 2014,...
Google is paying $8.25 million over apps that collected children’s data, and eligible users must file by September 14
Google and its advertising subsidiary AdMob have agreed to pay $8.25 million to resolve a federal lawsuit alleging the companies collected personal information from children...
A federal weatherization program pays to seal and insulate a low-income home to cut the energy bill for good
The U.S. Department of Energy is currently funneling $325 million toward sealing drafts, adding insulation and tuning up heating systems inside homes owned by people...
Free IRS-certified volunteers file taxes for seniors and lower-income households
Two federal programs quietly prepare millions of tax returns for free every filing season, yet Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly...
Kroger pharmacy customers who paid with insurance can file a claim by December 21
Kroger customers who used prescription insurance at a Kroger-owned pharmacy any time between December 9, 2018, and August 23, 2026, now have a court-cleared path...
A prescription discount card can beat an insurance copay at the pharmacy counter
At many pharmacy counters, the price on an insurance copay isn’t automatically the cheapest option available. Federal regulators moved years ago to stop pharmacies from...
The Earned Income Tax Credit can add thousands to a lower-income worker’s refund
The Earned Income Tax Credit is one of the few federal tax breaks capable of turning a modest return into a refund worth thousands of...
Prepaying a funeral can lock in today’s price against years of rising costs
Funeral costs have climbed steadily for years, and a casket, service, or plot priced today will almost certainly cost more by the time it’s actually...
Airlines must now refund a canceled flight in cash, not just a voucher
For years, an airline that canceled a flight could steer a passenger toward a travel credit or voucher by default, leaving many travelers to assume...
States are holding billions in unclaimed money, and a free official search can reunite you with it
State governments are currently holding more than $70 billion in unclaimed property nationwide, money and assets that once belonged to ordinary people before contact with...
Google is automatically paying 102 million app buyers through PayPal or Venmo, with no claim to file
A federal court in the Northern District of California granted final approval on April 30, 2026, to a $700 million settlement resolving a five-year antitrust...
A Casely power-bank recall follows a reported death, and owners can get a free replacement
Casely will send a free replacement power bank to owners of about 429,200 recalled MagSafe wireless chargers, an offer that has stayed open since mid-April...
Walmart re-recalled 165,000 tip-over dressers and is offering full refunds
Walmart is offering full refunds on another 165,250 Mainstays nine-drawer fabric dressers after regulators discovered that dressers from an earlier recall of the same product...