Give your PC a boost: Trim down startup programs that take forever to load. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc, then hit the Startup tab to view all the programs that fire up when Windows starts. Right-click and disable any you don’t need right away when your system reboots.
The fresh face of payday loans: Cash-advance apps
You get paid next week, but your credit card bill is due this week, and, oops, so is that new car payment. You’re only a few hundred bucks short — you just need a way to bridge the gap.
Unfortunately for you, there’s an app for that. Actually, there are dozens. They’re called cash-advance apps. And most things about them tick me off.
Their names make it sound like you’re borrowing from a friend, like “Dave,” “Albert,” or “Brigit,” or like they’re giving you a leg up, like “Empower.” But trust me, there’s nothing empowering about them.
I dug up the dirt they don’t want you to know about and how to avoid getting caught up in their scheme.
What has two thumbs and owes 376% interest?
You, if you fall for this BS. These apps are just big yellow Payday Loan signs with a fresh coat of paint. They target folks living paycheck to paycheck, and once you’re in their clutches, it’s nearly impossible to get out.
Get this: The average APR on an advance from these apps is 376% — pretty much identical to a typical payday loan’s 400% markup. And that’s if you manage to repay it in one to two weeks.
And you probably won’t. Studies show that 75% of people take out another advance the same day or day after making a repayment. And if you’re using one, there’s a good chance you’ll get hooked into others, too.
On top of ludicrous fees …
They ask you to “tip” for the service. Some apps even try to guilt you, saying they’re helping “vulnerable people” with the money. Sure, they’re not gonna break your kneecaps or repo your car, but these companies are still laughing all the way to your bank.
One home health aide in Texas pays a day-and-a-half of work per month in fees. She didn’t know about the free option to transfer money immediately instead of one to three days — these apps make it hard to find on purpose.
My (free) tips to avoid the trap
Update roundup: Windows, iOS, macOS, Google, Adobe and more
When it rains, it pours — and I’m not talking about the weather! A bunch of operating systems, apps and programs just released critical security updates. To make your life easier, I rounded up the most important ones right here.
You have my Word: Now, any text you copy and paste in Microsoft Word will automatically match the font, size and color of your existing document. Nice! Prefer the old way? Go to File > Options > Advanced > Cut, copy, and paste > Pasting from other programs, and choose Keep Source Formatting.
$20-$70 fee increase
Starting Oct. 1 for customs-expediting programs Global Entry, NEXUS and SENTRI. Global Entry (U.S. airports) application fees will go from $100 to $120, NEXUS (U.S. land borders from Canada) fees will rise from $50 to $120, and SENTRI (U.S. land borders from Mexico) fees will cost ya $120. Mark the deadline to save some bucks. Yup, I’m air-mazing to pass this along.
Tech how-to: Set up multiple desktops to keep work and home separate
Multitasking can feel overwhelming when working from home. You’ve got work and personal tabs open at once, not to mention all the new work-related programs you must use. Worse still is if you share a computer with family. But you can separate work-from-home programs by using multiple desktops.
Shopping for a new computer? 3 specs that really matter
We’re all suckers for a good deal. When buying a computer, jumping on a shiny new laptop is tempting if it’s at a great price. While cost is a definite factor, it’s not the only thing you must consider. Need help to find the perfect laptop for you? Tap or click here to take our quiz and find the right one.
Alt + Tab: A keyboard shortcut pro Windows users know. Use it to cycle through your open programs quickly. On a Mac, it’s Cmd + Tab.
Waiting, waiting, waiting: If your Windows PC takes forever to start up, you’re not alone. Microsoft just released a new support page to help you spot the issue and fix it. Pro tip: The fewer programs that open on startup, the speedier your machine will be.
🚀 Houston, pass the popcorn: NASA’s free streaming app, NASA+, is awesome. Watch it for free on NASA’s website or download the app on your phone, TV or favorite streaming device. All programs are family-friendly and ad-free.
Need to brush up? Microsoft offers free online training for its Office programs, including video tutorials, interactive guides and practice exercises.
Alt + Tab: A keyboard shortcut pro Windows users know. Press those keys to cycle through all your open programs quickly. On a Mac, it’s Cmd + Tab.
Where the heck did Excel go? On Windows 11, it’s handy to pin the apps and programs you use most to the Start menu. Open the app list, right-click on a favorite, then select Pin to Start. You can drag them around to any order you like. Right-click to unpin.
Programs love to sneak their way into your Mac’s dock (usually found at the bottom of your screen). You have two ways to kick them out: Click and drag up on the program icon, then let go, or use two fingers to click > Options > Remove from dock.
Alt + Tab: A keyboard shortcut pro Windows users know. Use it to cycle through your open programs quickly. On a Mac, it’s Cmd + Tab.
500 citywide ordinances in the US banning single-use plastic bags
Five of the biggest programs account for 5.5 billion fewer plastic bags per year. This is your reminder to put the reusable bags in your car.
How to check what's hogging your internet connection
Bandwidth is a hot commodity, even more so when living in a rural area or a region with notoriously lousy internet service. But sometimes your slow internet is caused by your ISP. Tap or click here to see if your ISP is throttling your speeds.
Tech trick: Pin important messages on your iPhone so you don’t forget about them
Social media platforms let you pin a post to the top of your page so your audience always sees it first. You don’t have to be an influencer to unleash the power of pinning.
Now you can do the same thing on your iPhone and computer. Go ahead and save entire conversations or pin just important links and computer programs.
3 tricks to see if your passwords are being sold on the Dark Web
Hackers can make a ton of money by selling your private information on underground forums. It’s possible that your passwords are being sold on the Dark Web right now. That’s why you should run a cybersecurity check now and then.