Streamline workflow with these automation tips

Use this guide to master small business automation in a few steps.

Data brokers are selling your life. Here’s how to stop them.

You could spend the rest of your life trying to remove your personal data online, but I’ve found the best way to handle it FOR me.

Yes, you can add a VPN to your TV - Here are a few reasons you should

How to get all the benefits of using a VPN on your TV.

Your employer can use this data against you – Don’t let them

One of the three largest credit bureaus is collecting data that could screw you out of thousands of dollars — or a job.


Haven't logged into LinkedIn lately? 5 reasons you really should be using it

5 ways to use LinkedIn to network, poach employees, boost your career and more.


See when your gift list items hit the lowest price

Christmas shopping doesn’t have to be stressful or break the bank. Here are some clever ways to track down the best deals this holiday season.

Breaking news and tips

Streaming costs inching up? Cheapskate secrets you need to know

The top-tier Netflix plan is now a jaw-dropping $22.99 a month. I remember being shocked when it hit $19.99, and here we are again. And Netflix isn’t alone; Disney+ and Hulu have raised their prices, and you can bet every other streaming service will soon follow suit.

It’s the perfect time to take a step back and really examine what you’re paying for. Here are tips to help you trim down those monthly charges.

Audit your subscriptions

Streaming services thrive on autopilot subscriptions — you know, those monthly charges you barely notice till they all add up. My golden rule? If I’m actively watching a show, I keep the service, and if I’m not, I’ll cancel and only resubscribe when there’s something new I want to watch.

Set a reminder a few days on your calendar before each subscription payment to review whether you still need the service. This simple habit can save you from unexpected charges.

Canceling on mobile?

Streaming companies make canceling tricky. They know most of us are too busy or frustrated to follow through. The process can be especially confusing if you’re using a smartphone, so cancel from a desktop or laptop computer, where it’s much easier to navigate.

Don’t miss out on freebies

You might already have access to free movies and TV shows and not even know it! For example:

  • Max (formerly HBO Max): Included with some AT&T phone and internet plans.
  • Apple TV+: Free for three months with the purchase of a new Apple device or for T‑Mobile customers with specific plans.
  • Paramount+: Some Walmart+ members get a free Paramount+ subscription included with their membership.
  • Peacock: Free access to limited content for Comcast Xfinity internet and TV customers.
  • Spotify Premium with Hulu: If you’re a Spotify Premium student subscriber, you get Hulu (ad-supported) and Showtime included.
  • T-Mobile: Free Netflix with certain plans.
  • Verizon: Offers the Disney+ bundle (Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+) free with some unlimited plans.
  • Amex Platinum: Includes monthly statement credits for services like Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ as part of its Entertainment Credit (check the terms!).
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve: Offers subscription credits for select services like DoorDash, which sometimes bundles free streaming perks.
  • Capital One Rewards: Occasionally offers free trials for streaming platforms via their rewards marketplace.

It’s worth checking if your cellphone provider, credit card company or internet provider includes streaming perks. I bet they do!

There are also great free streaming services, like Pluto TV, Tubi and Crackle, each offering a surprising variety of shows and movies without a subscription. Here are seven ways to stream TV and movies for free.

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Useful gifts under $20

🤑 Because who doesn’t love lots of bang for the buck?

  • The first aid kit they’ll actually use. Slip one into every stocking. Hopefully, they’ll never have to use it.
  • Pimple patches are all the rage. These look like little stars and come with a mirror compact. The teen in your life wants this but is embarrassed to tell you.
  • A suction phone case mount (under $15!) sticks to walls and mirrors for prime picture-taking. Get it for the butterfingers in your life!
  • Two words: Jar openers. They’re under $10 and so helpful, it doesn’t even matter they’re a little boring.
  • Cooks can never have enough stovetop spoon rests (under $15 and 30% off!). This one looks like a little crab. It made me LOL!

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Is your uncle always posting? Snooze him on Facebook so his posts won’t show up on your News Feed. Click the three-dot icon (top left corner) on one of his posts and select Snooze [friend] for 30 days. Don’t worry, you can still pick Unfollow [friend] for a more permanent solution.

🤖 Kim’s new BFF: Nope, not me Kim — the other Kim K.! Kim Kardashian’s showing off her new butt Tesla robot on X and Instagram. In one clip, she makes half of a heart with her hand and the bot completes it. In another, she teaches it to blow a kiss and tries the game Rock, Paper, Scissors. Optimus goes into full production by 2026 for $20,000 to $30,000 a pop. I wonder if this Kim K. can get a freebie …

Kim Kardashian hangs out with $30K Tesla robot

🤖 Kim’s new BFF: Kim Kardashian’s showing off her new Tesla robot on X and Instagram. In one clip, she makes half of a heart with her hand and the bot completes it. In another, she teaches it to blow a kiss and tries the game Rock, Paper, Scissors. Optimus goes into full production by 2026 for $20,000 to $30,000 a pop. I wonder if another Kim K. can get a freebie …

Is Google selling Chrome?

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The government wants Google to break up, and its Chrome browser could sell for $20 billion. Plus, hackers are slipping malware into podcasts, two Missouri cops were busted using traffic stops to steal women’s private photos, and Google Lens is getting a powerful new update.

🚨 Black Friday alert: Chinese scammers are imitating big brands like L.L. Bean and Ikea with “deals” up to 80% off. They use tracking pixels in Meta and TikTok to detect your location and translate the site so it looks legit. Don’t fall for too-good-to-be-true offers, and shop on official sites only!

Best sites to watch movies for free

Streaming websites are more popular than ever — but free streaming services are even better. It’s easy to overspend on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and other paid apps. That’s why so many of us head to our browsers and type “free movie websites” or “watch online movie sites.”

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Only you can prevent garbage fires: Batteries, especially lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium types, should be taken to a hazardous waste collection center, not tossed in the trash. Search online for your city or town’s name plus the term “electronics disposal.” Or use this handy site.

The fight that broke Netflix

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Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul pulled in 60 million viewers. Paul claimed the win, but the real champ was Netflix. Also coming up: a robot dog patrolling Mar-a-Lago, a QR code email scam warning, and Kim’s chat with NordPass VP Gerald Kasulis about the shocking passwords people still use and how a password manager can save the day.

Why you shouldn’t smile in passport photos

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Wonder why you’re told not to show those pearly whites? Here’s what you need to know about getting your passport ready, including a quick renewal option.

By the numbers

470,000 feet

Altitude reached by the University of Southern California’s student-built rocket. Aftershock II broke the previous record of 380,000 feet, becoming the first non-governmental or private-company-owned rocket to reach this far into space. Oh, space is a vacuum, but it doesn’t suck.

Reset your social media algorithms

Still stuck in election season on your social media feed? Or maybe you bought one bottle of perfume and now Big Tech thinks you’re launching a beauty empire. Algorithms are smart, but they don’t know when you’re ready to get back to your regularly scheduled programming, like cat videos and memes. Here’s how to reset your feed and take control of what you see.

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Coming soon to Microsoft Teams: Real-time AI-powered translation to communicate in other languages. It even simulates your voice. Expect the initial version with support for up to nine languages early next year. Bonus: Soon, Teams will recap visual content (like PowerPoint slides) shared on-screen during a meeting. Thank goodness … I hate presentations.

📝 Spellcheck your ALL CAPS: By default, Microsoft Office programs and Outlook don’t spellcheck words written in all caps, so your BIG TITLES might be full of typos. To fix this in Office apps, go to File > Options > Proofing and uncheck Ignore words in UPPERCASE. For Outlook, go to File > Options > Mail > Editor Options > Proofing and uncheck Ignore words in UPPERCASE.

Did you get a verification code you didn’t request? You could be in danger

Our content marketing queen Allie gets texts with her Uber sign-in code now and then. The problem? She’s not trying to get into her Uber account; someone else is.

She ignores them because she’s well-versed in smishing, phishing and other criminal schemes. Tap or click here for a crash course in smishing scams. But of course, not all texts with verification codes are fraudulent. 

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Shop smarter: Try this Google Lens upgrade next time you’re shopping at a store. On Android or iOS, open the Google app, snap a picture of an item on the shelf, and voila! You’ll see product details, customer reviews, stock and price comparisons (online and nearby), and similar products in the same store. Fun times!

Mark Zuckerberg x T-Pain – ‘Get Low’ (Z-Pain)

I hope you’re ready for Zuck’s “Get Low” cover. Heads-up: The lyrics are pretty explicit. In case you love it, they also dropped it on Spotify under the artist name “Z-Pain.” Does anyone have a Tylenol? I need a Z-Painkiller after listening to that.

By the numbers

10 minutes

Max time doctors recommend you spend on the toilet. Any longer and you’re gonna get hemorrhoids and weakened pelvic muscles. Leave your phone out of the bathroom. I hear you: “But, no!”

🚦 Cop-out behavior: Two Missouri police officers got busted using traffic stops as a way to see naked pics of women. One former officer reportedly searched 20 different phones last year. He told the victims he was looking at their phones for insurance info, then, if he found racy pics on their devices, he snapped photos of them with his own phone. He and another trooper pleaded not guilty.