Must-know AI info for 2025: Download “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning, free from NetSuite, no matter what you do. You need to know more about AI; it’s not going anywhere.
Tech to-do: Get your free credit report and look for these mistakes
The other night, I was out to dinner with a friend who works in medical billing. She shared a story that really stuck with me.
One of her coworkers forgot to include a patient’s disability status on a billing report. That disability status covered her medical treatments. When the bills came due, the patient didn’t pay — why would she? The medical office sent thousands of dollars to collections, and it tanked her credit.
Mistakes like these are a lot more common than we think, and they can do some serious damage. I’ll let you in on some of the most common credit report mistakes and what you can do to fix them.
Step 1: Get your free credit report
The three credit reporting agencies (TransUnion, Experian and Equifax) are required by law to provide you with one free credit report a year. Sweet. There are a few ways you can request a copy from each agency.
Online is the fastest route. If you submit a request via phone or mail, expect to wait two weeks after the paperwork is received.
- Online: www.AnnualCreditReport.com
- Phone: 877-FACTACT (877-322-8228)
- Mail: Download and complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form. Send it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
Pro tip: Grab your report from the fourth credit bureau, Innovis, too.
Step 2: Look for the most common mistakes
Typos or wrong info: Anything from your name spelled incorrectly to your address or your birth date off by one number. Tiny mistakes can mix up your credit with someone else’s.
Accounts you don’t recognize: If you see something you don’t recognize, don’t ignore it! This includes credit cards you never applied for, loans in your name or purchases you didn’t make.
Duplicates: It’s not normal to see a debt twice on a credit report. This includes things like the same collection account, transferred debts showing as separate accounts or paid-off debts still sitting there.
A clutter-free inbox: Your simple guide to email zen in 2025
Right now, I’m sitting here beaming because my inbox is empty. Really! Did I read and reply to every single message? Well, no. I’m not an “Inbox Zero” person. Watch this quick video if you have no clue what that means.
Tech how-to: Relive 2024 in a picture-perfect recap
Whoa, 2024 was a big year. I went to Japan for the first time and Hawaii for the 70th time, really. I used to live there part-time. I became obsessed with a new hobby (sailboat racing in my Harbor 20 that I named “Goddess”), started doing Pilates three times a week to get stronger, took my business to the next level and set the foundation to launch another business with my son, Ian.
Start fresh: You can reset your browser’s settings to wipe out bugs and improve its performance. In Chrome, go to Settings > Reset settings. Look for a similar option in your browser of choice.
I hope you don’t need these: Reporting junk can help officials stop these creeps. Forward spam texts to the FCC at 7726 (that’s SPAM). For scam calls where you lost money or info, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For quicker reporting, go to DoNotCall.gov.
🆓 Free magazines: With an Amazon Prime account, you get access to a rotating library of popular magazines for free. Check them out here. Now you can read the latest weird royal rumors without paying for the mag.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Cash back on gas, groceries and dining out: No gimmicks — it just works! Download the free Upside app and use promo code Kim to get an extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas.
Game changer: Snap a pic with your phone’s camera, and you can copy, search or translate the text. On iPhone: Open the image in Photos. Tap and hold the text and select an option. On Android: Open a pic in Google Photos, then tap on the Lens icon. Select the text, then tap the action you want to take.
AI prompt of the day: Try this one with your chatbot of choice: “How can I make this better?” Then, add in anything you’ve written — a blog post, a travel plan, a resume or even a heartfelt email. This prompt works wonders for polishing your work and pointing out improvements — like a personal editor at your fingertips.
No fires, please: Power strips rock, but they’re not for everything. Stay safe and never, ever use one for a fridge, freezer, microwave or other small appliance, space heater, heating pad, hair dryer, or gaming console. They all draw too much power, and power strips aren’t built for that.
No one needs to know: Archive Amazon orders you don’t want someone else to see. On a computer, hover your cursor over Account & Lists and click Orders. Find the order you want to hide, click View order details, and tap Archive Order. Click Archive Order again to confirm.
⚠️ “Synthetic identity fraud”: That’s when scammers use stolen Social Security numbers (often from kids) and add bogus names, birth dates and email addresses to create fake personas. They open credit cards, max them out and leave a trail of debt. Losses from this scam are projected to hit $5 billion next year. Have a kid 13 or younger? Fill out this form to see if they have a credit report, and freeze it if they do.
Make this year the one you take care of you: Hearing aids aren’t expensive and bulky like they used to be. The tech has come such a long way. Get a free evaluation with a doctor. You’ll be glad you did.
Teach Alexa your voice: I had Barry do this because she only understood me. In the Alexa app, go to More > Settings > Your Profile & Family > Your Profile > Add Your Voice. Even still, Alexa likes me better.
What are you tackling in 2025? Even if all you have is a vague idea, AI can help you with an action plan. Here are a few prompts to try with ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude.
- “I have a goal for 2025 to [fill in the blank]. Can you help me make it SMART?” (SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-related.)
- “You’re a life coach who wants to help me have my best year yet. Help me figure out some goals for 2025. Ask me questions one at a time to help me decide what to focus on.”
- “My goal is [fill in the blank]. What are some obstacles that might come up and ways I can overcome them? Give me specific examples for each obstacle.”
- “I want to [fill in the blank], but it feels overwhelming, and I don’t know where to start. Can you help me by breaking it down into more manageable tasks?”
⭐ AI isn’t going anywhere: Instead of sticking your head in the sand, make this the year you embrace AI. You’ll get daily tips here in this newsletter and, coming soon, my AI 101 guide for total newbies.
In the meantime, give this list of AI trends for 2025 a read and grab NetSuite’s free knowledge drop, “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.”* You’ll sound smart (and know what you’re talking about!) when it comes up in conversation.
Oops: To delete an entire word at a time, hit Ctrl + backspace on a Windows computer. On a Mac, it’s Option + Delete.
✋ Now that your inbox is clean: Stop the junk overload. In Gmail, add a + (plus sign) and any word or number combination before the @ symbol in your email address to make a new address you can easily filter right to the trash if it gets clogged. Say your email is bobjones@gmail.com. You could use bobjones+coupons@gmail.com. Have an Apple iCloud+ subscription? You can get free addresses ending with @icloud.com with their Hide My Email feature. I use this all the time.
👂 Who’s listening? Buried within all the legal mumbo jumbo you said “yes” to when downloading an app, you may have given the app permission to listen using your phone’s microphone and collect data.
Security system flaw: Most systems alert you after a break-in occurs. SimpliSafe uses live guard monitoring to detect intruders before they enter your home. So smart. Use my link to save 50% on a new system right now.