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Think you’re paying $139 for Amazon Prime? Think again

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When’s the last time you checked how much Amazon is pulling from your bank account? If you guessed around $100 a year, you’re in for a surprise. You could be spending over $300 annually without realizing it. Let’s break it down.

🧓 Back in my day…

When Amazon Prime launched in 2005, it was a sweet deal: $79 a year for free two-day shipping. That price held until 2014, when it jumped to $99. Then $119 in 2018. By 2022? We hit $139 a year, and I’m predicting it now: Next year, it’ll go up to $159.

Oh, and that’s just the base price.

Now there’s a $9.95 delivery fee for Whole Foods orders, a $36 annual upcharge if you want Prime Video without ads, and sky-high grocery minimums for Amazon Fresh (originally $35, now $100). Want more?

Amazon Music Unlimited: $99/year
Audible: $14.95/month
Amazon Kids+: $5.99/month
Kindle Unlimited: $11.99/month
Streaming add-ons (HBO Max, Paramount+, etc.): $7.99 to $20.99/month each

That $139 membership? It’s just an appetizer.

✅ Here’s how to check what you’re paying:

Go to Your Prime Membership to see if you’re billed monthly or annually.
Then check Your Subscriptions for all those sneaky add-ons like Kindle Unlimited, Music, channel bundles and more.
From your account, click Memberships & Subscriptions or Subscribe & Save Items for a full list.

(Pro tip: The layout may shift depending on the browser, the app or which way the tech winds are blowing that day.)

🤑 Easy ways to save

Amazon Family: Share your Prime perks at no extra cost.
Pay annually: It’s $40 cheaper than month-to-month.
Gas savings: Get 10¢ off a gallon at 7,000+ stations.
Grubhub+: Unlimited $0 delivery fees for as long as you’re a Prime member.
Rx savings: Discounts on prescriptions at almost 60,000 pharmacies.
Amazon Photos + Shutterfly: Get 45% off regular-priced orders and free shipping if it’s $35+.
Prime for Young Adults: Half off & a six-month free trial.
EBT/Medicaid: Get Prime for just $6.99/month.
Prime Visa: If you shop a lot on Amazon, this card gives you cash back to help offset the cost. Bonus: Get a $50 gift card when you’re approved.

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We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

5 free AI tools you’ll want to try the second you see them

Midjourney

You’re really gonna love this.

I’ve been diving into the latest AI tools, and some of them are so jaw-dropping I couldn’t wait to get them in your hands. They don’t feel like tech. They feel like creative black magic.

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Labor Day tech upgrades

💻 My pick: Laptop screen extender (26% off)

What a view! Your laptop just grew two extra screens. Perfect for travelers, gamers or anyone pretending to multitask during video calls. Yea, you!

🖥️ Dual monitor stand (32% off, two-pack): No more hunching. This riser lifts your screens to eye level. Your neck will thank you.

🔌 Cable management box (39% off, two-pack): Cord chaos? Not anymore. Just pop on the wood lid, and act like you’ve always been this tidy.

⌨️ Redragon wireless keyboard (26% off): Creamy keys, hot-swap switches and a control knob will make you feel like a power user.

🎒 Laptop backpack (14% off): One built-in USB port + 17 pockets + 45 color options = 4.8 stars and 8,500+ happy reviewers.

⚡ More deals, more power: The sale’s just getting started. Hit my Amazon page for the whole parade of Labor Day tech steals.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

How do I get my $200K back?

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I talk with Randy from Kansas City, Missouri, who lost big time to a dating scam. Plus, one man tried to profit off a missing dog with face-swapped pics. Then, tech billionaires’ survival pods, license plate trackers, and Will Smith’s AI video fail.

Teens trading hacks for clout: The FBI says criminals are recruiting kids on Discord and video games into “The Com,” an online world where a hack gets you street cred. Thousands are caught up, some just for bragging rights, thinking it’s all fun until someone knocks on the door with a badge and felony charges. Parents, talk to your teens.

0%

That’s the critics’ score for Ice Cube’s War of the Worlds remake. When critics and audiences agree, you know it’s … something. This Prime Video disaster-piece did the impossible though. People are actually watching it.

Add subtitles to YouTube videos: They’ll help you reach a bigger audience. On desktop, go to YouTube Studio and select Subtitles on the left. Choose your video, Set the language and Confirm. Then click Add under Subtitles. Upload a file or type them out manually. When you’re ready, hit Publish.

Power plays

👩‍💻 Life runs on tech. Here’s the gear that’ll keep you connected.

🤖 Upgrading your Android? Save $250 on the slim, lightning-fast Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (20% off).
⌚ Band together: These elastic nylon Apple Watch bands (15% off, three-pack) feel comfy from work to the gym.
📱 Twist of genius: Scroll hand-free or film your next viral overhead video with a gooseneck phone holder (10% off).
🔋 Fast fuel: This portable charger (10% off) can power up to four gadgets at once. Bonus: built-in wall plug.
🔊 Big sound, small box: Over 35,000 shoppers gave this waterproof Bluetooth speaker (15% off) 4.6 stars.

🎉 Labor Day came early: Why wait? Click this secret link for the first steals. Then, swing by my Amazon page to shop smarter, not harder.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

🧠 Excel in PowerPoint: Incredible. Google’s NotebookLM can now make video explainers in over 80 languages using your uploaded notes. Slides, voiceover, zero hallucinations. It’s like a multilingual teacher who lives in your laptop. It’s not sexy, but it’ll explain your white paper while you fold laundry.

🎙️ Finding her voice: I love this. Only eight seconds of fuzzy ’90s home video, that’s all it took for AI to bring back Sarah Ezekiel’s real voice after 25 years with motor neurone disease. Her kids had only ever heard her speak through a robotic voice. Until now. This is what AI gets right. Changing lives in ways we never imagined.

Got videos eating up space on your PC? HandBrake is a free tool that shrinks them down. Drag and drop your video into the app, choose a Save location, pick a Preset like Very Fast 1080p30, and click Start Encode. FYI: Quality may drop depending on the Preset, so keep testing until you find your sweet spot. This tip alone is worth the price of this newsletter.

I tracked my stolen phone to China

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Thomas got pickpocketed at a bar. Using Apple’s Find My to track it down, he watched it go from a pawn shop to a church … and then all the way to China. Plus: Mark Zuckerberg’s AI manifesto, Epstein video updates, and why you might soon get delivery in 15 minutes or less.

🤯 Fake YouTubia: A Wired report found at least 120 YouTube channels cranking out AI-generated celeb drama, like phony talk show fights using still images and robotic voice-overs. One video shows Mark Wahlberg getting roasted on The View. Didn’t happen. This isn’t fake news, it’s full-on delusion theater.

💻 Buying a new computer? Know the specs you need. For basic browsing and streaming, look for at least a dual-core 2.0 GHz processor, 4-8 GB of RAM and an SSD for quick loading. For heavier stuff like gaming or video editing, get a recent multi-core 3.0 GHz+ CPU, a dedicated graphics card and 16 GB+ RAM. Click here for 20 laptop and desktops I trust. You’re welcome.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

▶️ Control Facebook video autoplay: You can choose whether videos in your feed play automatically. On PC, go to Settings & privacy > Settings > Media and toggle off Autoplay animations. On mobile, go to Settings & privacy > Settings > Media > Autoplay and tap Never or On Wi-Fi only.

🌡️ Stop your Android from overheating: First one’s obvious, don’t leave your phone in direct sunlight. Next, avoid using it for heavy tasks, like streaming video, while it’s charging. And make sure it’s running the latest updates! Go to Settings > Software Update and follow the prompts.

▶️ Find your liked videos on YouTube: Tap the three-line menu in the top left and select Playlists. Your liked videos will be right there. To keep something for later, tap the Save button below the video player and select Watch Later. Head back to Playlists to find it in the list.

🗣️ AI’s new favorite party trick? Stealing your TikTok rants, word-for-um-filled-word, and deepfaking them with a totally different face and voice. A wild “incinerator at Alligator Alcatraz” video hit 20M views, copied from a real person, made by a robot. And TikTok barely flinched. Next up: a deepfake of you reacting to this deepfake.

Swifties, avert your eyes: Grok’s “spicy” video mode just casually turned AI Taylor Swift into a nude dancing avatar on the first try. No warnings, no real age checks. While other tools block NSFW celeb content, Grok was like “Sure, let’s get weird.” Somewhere, a lawyer just woke up sweating and didn’t know why.

A stolen iPhone's trek around the world

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