A woman with a Macy's credit card reports getting a letter showing a concerning rise in its APR—which has her contemplating closing the credit card and not shopping there again.

The TikTok video warning, which starts with the creator saying, "Here's a warning, everyone," can be found on the Latina Plant Priestess (@latinaplantpriestess) account. It was put up Friday, getting more than 366,000 views since. In it, she shares a letter she got from Macy's informing her of changes to her credit.

"I got this letter as an update from Macy's, my credit card," she says, adding, "I have excellent credit."

She then says, "Oh, look at what it says now," showing that the APR on the card is jumping up to 34.49%. "They are out of their damn minds. They can close my account."

Rising credit card interest rates

She goes on to explain that it's possible to call and challenge the rate by August 26, but if a customer doesn't do that, the rate will take effect, based on her interpretation of the letter. She also points out, "You know that they lost me. I was a customer. They are cray cray."

She also advised people to close their accounts, which can actually negatively impact one's credit score.

Experian advises, "In general, keep unused credit cards open so you benefit from longer average credit history and lower credit utilization. Consider putting one small regular purchase on the card and paying it off automatically to keep the card active."

The rate might seem outrageous, but according to Forbes, current credit card rates are more expensive than you might think. For the week of July 29, "The average credit card interest rate is 27.62%."

The article adds, "The Federal Reserve keeps tabs on the average interest rate that U.S. consumers pay for a variety of different financial products—credit cards included. In May 2024, the average credit card interest rate in the U.S. on accounts with balances that assessed interest was 22.76%, according to The Federal Reserve."

It then adds, "Of course, the annual percentage rates (APR) you pay on your own credit cards might not match up with the national average. Credit card APRs can vary widely based on a number of factors, from your credit score to your debt-to-income ratio and beyond."

Commenters weigh in

One remarked, "Tjmaxx, Marshall’s, HomeGoods card is the exact same! I hate that I even opened a card with them."

Someone else said, "Same here! Had this card for 15 years! Never once late!! Great credit! I’m over it!"

"There is not one thing in Macy’s that is worth me buying at 34% interest," another observed.

The Los Angeles-based creator, whose real name is Laura Jardon, responded to the Daily Dot via email. She said, regarding contacting Macy's, that she hasn't reached out after further consideration. "I don’t believe there’s room for negotiation. I had recently reached out to another CC company, Capital One, about lowering their interest rate (24%) and they refused."

@latinaplantpriestess #outoftheirminds #fyp #warning #viral #foodblogger #losangeles #warning #creditcarddebt #debtfreecommunity #crazystory ♬ original sound - Latina Plant Priestess

The Daily Dot reached out to Macy's via email for comment.

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘They are out of their damn minds’: Woman says she regrets opening up Macy’s credit card, says she will never shop there again appeared first on The Daily Dot.

At some point, everyone who’s ever made a car payment has felt that they’re being ripped off. In October 2023, Money noted that car payments in America had reached a record high of over $700 per month, and a 2021 article from Consumer Reports found that a significant amount of Americans were overpaying on their car loans.

The reason for these high payments has much to do with the incredible interest rates that are being charged on car loans. In December 2021, the average interest rates on a 60-month new car loan was 3.85%; by last month, this average had rocketed up to 7.92%, per Statista.

Seeing this, many with car payments are trying to find any way to get rid of their car payment faster. One user on TikTok has sparked discussion with a possible solution.

Why you should make multiple payments on your car

In a video with over 6 million views, TikTok user Sierra (@sishowman) revealed a ‘hack’ that she says was shown to her by a car salesman.

“He told me to pay half every two weeks instead of paying in full once a month,” she states in her video. “This is the most basic f***ing hack ever, but I cannot f***ing explain the difference it has made.”

According to Sierra, she paid her initial car payment in full. However, 80% of that payment went to paying off the interest on her car loan, while 20% of it went to her principal.

“Now that I've been paying every two f***ing weeks because it knocks off the interest like crazy, 80% of my money goes towards the principal amount of my car payment,” she says. “Do you f***ing understand how much money I am saving?”

“And paying every two weeks, you get an extra payment by the end of the year, so you pay off even faster than you already are,” she concludes. “Life-changing.”

Does this hack work?

While this may not be universal and may depend on the specific terms of your loan payment, there’s evidence to suggest that what Sierra is saying is true, at least in her specific case.

“Biweekly savings are achieved by simply paying half of your monthly auto loan payment every two weeks and making 1.5 times your monthly auto loan payment every sixth month,” reads a page on the website for the First National Bank of River Falls. “By the end of each year you would have paid the equivalent of one extra monthly payment.”

“This additional amount accelerates your loan payoff by going directly against your loan's principal,” the site continues. “The effect can save you thousands of dollars in interest and take years off of your auto loan.”

Sierra later posted an update video revealing just how much she’s saving by switching to bi-weekly payments.

@sishowman this works for any loan i think but for car payments especially its SO NICE. world of a difference #cars #carloan #interest #moneyhacks ♬ original sound - si

Commenters speak to the veracity of her claim

In the comments section, several users claimed that they’ve achieved similar results using this method.

“YESSSS. i swear by this!! i pay half my car payment every 2 weeks & my car payment is down sooo much!” exclaimed a user.

“I love making my car payment every 2 weeks,” added another. “I pay 157 every 2 weeks and about 10 dollars go to interest.”

Others offered similar advice.

“Another hack is after 6 months you can refinance your car through a different bank! i went from paying $400 to $265,” noted a commenter.

“Now add an extra $10-$20 to each payment (if you can) and it’ll be paid off even faster,” stated a second.

The Daily Dot reached out to Sierra via Instagram direct message.

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘The difference it had made’: Woman shares hack her car salesman taught her appeared first on The Daily Dot.

The cost of living has gone up dramatically in recent years. According to the Consumer Price Index, the cost of housing went up by 5.2% from June 2023 to June 2024, and Bankrate’s pay raise survey found that around 60% of workers claimed their incomes did not match inflation in 2023.

Given this, it’s no surprise that many American workers are seeking out side hustles, either to make ends meet or to earn a little money to put away for long-term savings. Google searches for the phrase ‘side hustle’ have been steadily climbing over the past decade, reaching a peak in January 2023, and there’s been growing social media interest surrounding this topic.

Numerous internet users have taken to social media to share their own side hustle experiences. For example, one user claimed they earned $25 an hour organizing Beanie Babies at a local store; another alleged that they earned money by hand-writing letters.

One popular side hustle mentioned on social media is being a medical courier. However, one TikTok user says that this popular gig isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Why being a medical courier might (not) be the right fit for you

In a video with over 261,000 views, TikTok user Side Hustle Review (@sidehustlereview) reveals why being a medical courier might not be the easy gig that social media users make it out to be.

According to Zippia, “a medical courier transports medical supplies, equipment, specimens, and records between healthcare facilities, laboratories, and patients.” ZipRecruiter claims that such positions earn an average of $27 an hour, though significantly higher payments are also listed on the side.

In the TikToker’s research, however, these high payments aren’t typical.

“Number one, the hourly rate of $50 to $200 is not the average,” he states. “The average is $10 to $20. In order to make the $50 to $200, you're going to have to get certified in various things.”

Second, he notes that any certifications one may need to earn more as a medical courier also cost money. This means that these costs must be subtracted from any potential earnings. Several Reddit threads regarding this role also mention up-front cost as a potential factor to consider when trying to get this job.

Finally, @sidehustlereview notes that some people go through this training process and expect to immediately start earning, only to learn that their market is flooded with people seeking the same job.

“I’ve spoken to people that have gone through the lessons on how to be [a medical courier], buy [lessons] from these coaches, and then they find that there are so many medical couriers out there, they barely get jobs,” he states. “And some have told me they've even gotten only one to two a year.”

@sidehustlereview Replying to @averageguy86 A medical courier could be a job for you. I just want to make sure you set your expectations right. You will will most likely start at $10 to $20 hr, need to pay for certifications to get to those higher price points and then Network yourself to make sure your preferred courier amongst the competition. #MakeMoneyOnline #HustleExposed #sidehustlereview #SideHustleTruth ##medicalcourier ♬ original sound - side hustle review

Commenters' thoughts on being a medical courier

In the comments section, several users shared their own experiences with either being a medical courier or working in the field.

“I’m a pharmaceutical logistics manager. The qualification we require from courier is so stringent many don’t even make it through credit check,” explained a commenter.

“Former medical courier, also car insurance,” noted a second. “If you’re using your basic car insurance they now ask if you’re doing Uber eats etc or things like that and it’s not covered if you get into an accident.”

“Very true when it comes to the amount of work you get,” stated a third. “There are more couriers than work!”

The Daily Dot reached out to @sidehustlereview via email.

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘Here are 3 things they aren’t telling you’: Expert says this popular side hustle isn’t what it seems. Should you bother? appeared first on The Daily Dot.

In these trying financial times, it can be helpful to find ways to increase cash flow, at least for a short time.

One customer of mobile payment app CashApp says she thinks she has figured out a particular method of getting her borrowing limit increased through the app.

In a video posted to TikTok, user Jasmine (@idcimjasmine) says she thinks that paying back the funds she borrowed from CashApp early has contributed to the financial services app raising her borrowing limit.

"When I return my borrowed money to CashApp a few days early and they increase that borrow limit," reads the video's text overlay.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Jasmine via email, as well as to CashApp via email regarding the video.

Do repayment habits factor into Cashapp's borrowing limit?

While having good repayment habits might keep borrowers in good standing with their lender—in this case, CashApp—the money sending app only has one confirmed way to raise the borrowing limit of its account holders.

Per the CashApp site, the only confirmed way to increase a customer's borrowing limit is for them to verify their identity. This can be done by providing their full name, date of birth and social security number.

The app began offering cash borrowing to users in 2020, initially limiting them to $200 paid back over four weeks. Now, CashApp allows users to borrow up to $1,000 and pay it back over four weeks.

Viewers weigh in

Some viewers shared their own tips for getting their borrowing limit increased. A few shared that they believe holding money in their CashApp accounts has contributed to higher borrowing amounts.

"The trick is you gotta add money to your cashapp like every week so they know that you can afford the borrow limit," one commenter wrote.

"You have to keep money in your account at all times," another commenter wrote.

"Pay early and keep money on it limit keeps going up," a commenter wrote.

Others lamented that their borrowing capacities remained low, no matter what tricks they have tried.

"How do they increase it?" one commenter wrote. "Or what we gotta do? Mine still 25$"

"Howww," another commenter wrote. "mines been at 25 for the longest."

@idcimjasmine Perfect! Ayeeee #fyp #idcimjasmine ♬ original sound - BIGMISSTEAK 🤭

"I’m tryna get out this $75 give me the hundreds," a commenter wrote.

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘I’m at $300 right now’: Woman shares trick for increasing borrow limit on CashApp appeared first on The Daily Dot.

If you feel like you’ve been paying too much for contacts, don’t worry. TikTok user Jenny Park (@mohaewithjennypark) might just have a solution for you. 

In a recent visit to the optometrist, Park saved over $1,000 on contact lenses and left with a better prescription. In a recent viral video, she describes exactly how this happened. 

The video opens on Park in her car, on-screen text floating above her head. “You could be eligible for free contact lenses!!!!” the text exclaims.

Park begins by giving viewers a piece of advice. “This is just a PSA that if you are at a doctor’s office, dentist’s office, eye doctor’s office, feel empowered to ask the questions,” she says. “I have such a hard time doing this.”

She goes on to explain that she is 31 years old and has been wearing contacts since middle school. “So for a very, very long time,” she says. Park then notes that she recently met with a “thoughtful, thorough, nice” eye doctor who gave her some life-changing information.

When are contacts 'free'?

“He told me, ‘Did you know that your eye contacts should be for free, because they are medically necessary?’” Park recounts. She says that this was entirely new information to her.

“No one has ever told me that, in all my years,” she elaborates. “And he was like, ‘Wow, I’m really disappointed no one has ever told you that.’”

“So starting now, my contacts will be for free,” Park says. “Which is crazy, because I think I spend over $1,000 a year on my contacts.”

What else did Park find out?

Free contacts weren’t the only benefit Park got out of her visit—she also found out that her previous lens prescription was inaccurate.

“Last year I went to Target Optical, just, like, a random optometrist,” she says. The Target optometrist lowered her lens prescription by half a point during that visit, and Park went along with it, despite finding it “a little suspicious.” 

“I was like, ‘Whatever, it’s fine. Like, I’m just gonna do it.’” Park says. However, when she went back to work, she regretted her decision to keep the lower prescription.

“Now that I’ve been going to the office, and I have to look at a screen far away, I notice that, like, I can never read anything,” she says. “Like, it’s always so blurry, which is why I was like, ‘I need to go to the eye doctor.’”

When Park attended her most recent appointment, her new eye doctor expressed concern about how low her prescription was. “He was like, ‘It’s really dangerous that you have been driving around with such poor prescription.’” she says. “[He said] ‘You should not be able to see with the prescription they gave you.’”

Park’s new prescription is two points higher than the one she received at Target, and she claims it works far better for her.

“I have really, really bad eyes,” Park elaborates. “So I most recently was wearing negative point five and negative six, and then he gave me negative eight and negative seven.”

“I see so crystal clear,” Park emphasizes at the end of the video. “Like, I cannot believe this is what the world looks like.”

The audience weighs in

Park’s commenters expressed skepticism and excitement. Some shared interest in applying Park’s experience to their own lives, or told similar stories.

“How do you get eligible to do this?” one commenter asked. “I want to try this.”

“Yesss my eye doctor suggested that my contacts could be free since there was such a difference in vision in both my eyes due to my astigmatism,” another commenter shared. “And they were approved by my insurance!!”

A few users tried to provide necessary context to help people understand if the policy of “medical necessity” was applicable to them.

“This is true, medically necessary contacts are fully covered by insurance BUT you have to qualify!” one user elaborated. “Must have an astigmatism over negative three or distance has to be over negative 10, something along those lines.”

“I have negative 21 and negative 17 (glasses script) & astigmatism, and was told I do not qualify for free contacts,” another user countered. “My prescription is over $1k for monthlies.”

Are contact lenses 'medically necessary' under insurance?

The reason many commenters tended to contradict each other is because different insurance providers define “medical necessity” differently. According to ReVision Optometry, an eye care center based in San Diego, California, “necessary contact lenses are a designation based on criteria set by a third-party payor.” 

To get approved for medical necessity, practitioners must submit the required documentation after an eye exam. If their assessment fits the insurance company’s definition of medical necessity, then the company will help cover the contact lenses.

ReVision also notes that the criteria for medical necessity are “are nuanced and sometimes complex." They note that it helps to work with optometrists when applying for medical necessity. 

@mohaewithjennypark If you wear contacts see if they are medically necessary and if your insurance covers!!!! And feel empowered to always ask questions to your health care provider. Blesssss to all the ones who care about their patients and take time to answer q’s!!! #lifehack #lifetips #lifeupgrades #30sontiktok #freecontacts ♬ original sound - jenny park

Experienced optometrists can “identify situations that would be otherwise overlooked to qualify for necessary contact lenses." However, it might require some prompting on your part. So, if you think you might qualify for medical necessity, in the words of Jenny Park: “feel empowered to ask the questions.”

The Daily Dot reached out to Park via TikTok and Instagram direct message.

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘I spend over $1,000 a year on my contacts’: Woman says eye doctor told her she gets contacts for free—and you might, too appeared first on The Daily Dot.

If someone says "my treat" when covering a meal and insist that they'll pay for it, would you be surprised to later discover that they sent you a CashApp request for the food they just said they would cover?

That's what Emily (@emilyyy.rs) said happened to her after she went out to lunch with a co-worker who offered to cover her grub.

She posted about her experience in a viral TikTok clip that's garnered over 250,000 views. Emily asks viewers if she was wrong to be upset over the interaction with her co-worker. Several other users on the app responded that they thought it was petty of her office mate, but that it was probably in Emily's best interest to just cough up the cash and forget about it.

"Somebody tell me if I'm wrong, but me and my coworker went to get lunch today and when it's time to pay, she was like, 'Oh, I got it, Emily. I'll treat you,'" the TikToker claims. "And I said, 'Are you sure? 'Cause I'm only gonna give you one chance to say no.'"

But Emily says her co-worker insisted.

"A few hours go by, we're at the office, and then I get a text and it says, 'Hey, I have CashApp,'" she recalls. "And I said, 'CashApp for what?' And she said, 'Oh, for lunch. The total was $10.67.'"

CashApp request accepted

Emily decided to simply pay up, but the situation left her perturbed.

"I'm not about to go back and forth with her because it's $10.67," she reasons. "It's just the principle. If you offered to pay for something, then stay broke for the rest of the week if you don't have it after you paid for it. Because I wouldn't offer to pay for something if I didn't have it."

The TikToker continues her rant. "I wouldn't offer to pay for something and then ask somebody to pay me back," she says. "You literally said, 'My treat,' and I said, 'Are you sure?' I gave you a chance to say no, so I just think that's pretty weird. Am I wrong? I think that's pretty weird to do."

She added in a caption for the video: "is this making sense to anyone or whataxwis this making sense to anyone or what."

What exactly does 'my treat' mean?

There were a lot of folks in the comments section who mentioned that they did, indeed, believe it was wrong for the co-worker in question to do that, but also, that she shouldn't make a big stink about it either, as this is someone she works with.

Numerous TikTokers remarked that they believed the best course of action to be paying back the woman and then never accepting a gift or gesture from her again: "A coworker isn’t your friend . Pay her back and don’t trust her for anything ever again," one wrote.

Another said: "Definitely wrong but I’d give her the money and never accept anything from her again."

In the comments section, viewers said they would've been a lot more petty than Emily.

Someone replied that they would've gone out of their way to pay for her food too. "I would’ve sent her double back and said 'hey girl here’s for BOTH of our bowls, MY TREAT,'" they wrote.

"I'll treat you, means they totally got it. She might need to look up the meaning or just played you. Pay her back and don't accept future offerings," another said.

"I would never talk to that coworker again cause theyll do me dirty and act all sweet like it aint nothing," a third claimed.

The etiquette of Venmo and CashApp requests

After-the-fact Venmo and CashApp requests have become somewhat common areas of social media gripes over the years, and even the source of satire, like this one TikTok user who uploaded a video about how upset they were a teacher Venmo requested her $370 for all of the damage her kid caused in a classroom.

This same user uploaded a video online where she sent a mom a $36 Venmo request after having over her kid for a playdate.

A number of folks have also noticed that some of their "rich" friends "struggle with generosity," sending them Venmo requests for nominal amounts of money. CNBC reported on this phenomena, referencing one X user who penned: "Rich people love to venmo request you $4.72 for like half a bagel because they have no concept of money and don’t understand that working class people operate under an economy of buying someone a beer. I currently owe around 23 beers to friends and am owed around 29 beers."

@emilyyy.rs

is this making sense to anyone or what

♬ original sound - emilyyy.rs

Someone else on the app chimed in and wrote: "Friend making $20/hr as a barista: 'No worries bro, I"ll cover this one and you'll get the next one!' Friend making $450k as a software engineer: 'Can you Venmo me $3.62 for your share of the Uber ride?'"

According to Susan Bradley of the Money Institute, per CNBC, this type of behavior manifests as a result of folks who have a lot of money feeling "isolated" by their wealth as they don't have fiscal peers. What they do end up having, however, is the feeling that the only reason they have friends is because they have money, and they don't want to feel like they're being used for their wealth: "These insecurities manifest as a $4 Venmo request. 'If someone does the small-dollar Venmo, it means they don’t feel good,' Bradley says."

As for what the co-worker's intentions could've been, one person speculated that she may've wanted to get some rewards points on a credit card for paying.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Emily via TikTok comment for further information.

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘Just send it and move on’: Woman gets ‘treated’ to lunch by co-worker. Then, she sends a Cash App request appeared first on The Daily Dot.

When you hand over your security deposit to your landlord, you hold on to the hope that you'll get that money back, especially if you know you're a good tenant. But it's not guaranteed, at least not without a fight.

As many people have come to find out, some landlords will nitpick or outright lie to try and keep your deposit.

This long-term renter in Florida is sick of it and is calling for a class-action lawsuit after her rental company tried to impose charges despite the apartment allegedly being in better condition than when Lex Fitzgerald (@bestiestrystuff) first rented it.

A security deposit debacle

In a series of eight videos, Lex explains that she and her husband had been renters for the last 13 years and always had great relationships with their landlords.

Even though they'd never rented from a rental company before, they felt confident going into their most recent home, owned by Progress Residential, because they knew how to be star tenants and fully expected to get their security deposit back at the end of their lease.

"We always leave the home in better condition than when we find it. That's our goal. We want to bring positivity to the community. We wanna have good relationships with the neighbors," Lex says. "We just find honor and value in maintaining our home whether we own it or not."

Prior to move-out, Lex was given a checklist of things to do to "maximize" the amount of the security deposit they'd get back. Lex reached out to the company Progress Residential because they included unreasonable requests like asking tenants to power wash the home and sod and mulch the grass.

Lex points out that the home was in a bad state when they moved in (there were bugs, feces, and stray animals), but she didn't complain because she felt grateful for the reasonable rent cost.

A rental company's harsh charges

In the document Lex shared, the company wanted to charge $150 for cleaning the home, $276 for a window blind with a broken slot, and $750 to touch up the paint on the walls.

Lex showed the move-out video she took of the property, and it looks clean (even the fridge and oven were cleaned). The walls are hole-free. She stated that she hired professional cleaners and got the walls professionally touched up and color matched.

She also says that instead of doing an in-person final walkthrough, the company had her do a virtual walkthrough through an app.

Lex says she's willing to take the issue to small claims court if necessary because she believes the charges are completely unfair.

"The amount of people who are probably getting so taken advantage of all day long every day," Lex says.

She adds that these companies know that many people don't know how to advocate for themselves in these situations.

"There has to be a class action lawsuit. There has to be new legislation put into place to protect renters, especially with how difficult it is and how hard it is to buy a home nowadays,"

According to Florida State law, landlords must let the tenant know, in writing, within 30 days after move-out if they intend to keep any part of the security deposit. The tenant has 15 days to respond with an objection.

@bestiestrystuff

Im done.

♬ original sound - bestiestrystuff

What is "normal wear and tear"?

Landlords cannot charge tenants for "normal wear and tear" on the rental property, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) states. While what exactly is considered normal wear and tear is subjective, HUD provides some guidelines.

Normal wear and tear can include:

• Fading, peeling, or cracked paint
• Nail holes, pin holes, or cracks in wall
• Cracked window pane from faulty foundation or building settling
• Floors needing coat of varnish
• Carpet faded or worn thin from walking
• Loose grouting and bathroom tiles
• Partially clogged sinks caused by aging pipes

What can landlords charge for?

What a landlord can charge for out of the security deposit are damages beyond normal wear and tear that are more extensive and costly to repair, like:

• Gaping holes in walls or plaster
• Drawings, crayon markings, or wallpaper that owner did not approve
• Chipped or gouged wood floors
• Doors ripped off hinges
• Broken windows
• Missing fixtures
• Holes in ceiling from removed fixtures
• Holes, stains, or burns in carpet

The Daily Dot reached out to Lex and Progress Residential for comment via email.

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘I had things perfectly ready’: Renter hires professional cleaners when she moves out to protect deposit. She can’t believe how much she has to pay appeared first on The Daily Dot.

While the price of new cars is now slightly lower than the market peak of December 2022, buyers can still be faced with high prices when shopping for a vehicle.

As a result of these high prices, many internet users have logged onto social media to gripe about the exorbitant costs they’re paying to own and maintain their vehicles. For example, one user claimed that they were paying $700 per month for a car that they could no longer drive, while another stated that they were paying $900 per month for their new car.

Now, another user’s car payment story has sparked discussion after she shared her monthly payments on TikTok.

A $700+ payment for a Honda Civic

In a video with over 181,000 views, TikTok user Alex (@alexonabudget) explains that she’s paying $739 per month to pay off her Honda Civic Sport car loan. Alex clarifies that her loan term is 48 months.

“The car was $28,000, okay, but the taxes and fees it ended up being $32,000,” she explains. “I didn't put any money down because my interest rate was really low—it's at 3.9%, so I didn't really care to put any money down.”

As for why her payments are so high, she says it’s just a result of the current market.

“Cars right now are expensive, you guys,” she says. “I don't know what kind of cars you're talking about where payments are like $300 if the loan is 48 months. If you're talking about a used car, yes, but if you're bragging to me that your payment is $300, maybe look at the term of your loan.”

Alex’s total cost of $32,000 is generally in line with the market price for the car, per Kelley Blue Book.

@alexonabudget Replying to @Nick Djurdjevic ♬ original sound - alex on a budget

Commenters understand the struggle

In the comments section, several users spoke to the issues mentioned by Alex.

“I don’t understand why people don’t understand short terms = higher payment; longer term = lower payment. It’s 48 months!!!” exclaimed a user.

“I don’t know why people act like cars aren’t expensive,” added another. “I just bought a 2019 GT and we have exactly the same car payment except I put 5K down.”

“When i hear a low car payment i think about all the interest they're paying by stretching it out over more years,” stated a third.

The Daily Dot reached out to Alex via email.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘Lady you lost us at 32K’: Woman reveals what her monthly car payment is on a Honda Civic Sport. Viewers can’t believe it appeared first on The Daily Dot.

One woman is urging fellow customers to do this one simple thing to prevent themselves from getting overcharged at restaurants or retailers. Luckily, it only takes a few minutes to set up and could save you from paying more than you intended.

"I just got overcharged $31 for dinner, and I caught it," Debbie Dujanovic (@debbieradiogirl) says in a trending TikTok video.

Dujanovic, who often posts dating advice for older women but sometimes veers into financial topics, explains that while in Las Vegas, she decided to treat herself to a steak dinner that came out to $79.

"Because I have my notifications on my Apple Watch, every time my credit card is rung, my debit card is rung, I get a sweet little notification from my bank telling me how much it was rung for," Dujanovic says.

Now, remember that $79 amount on the receipt? The notification Dujanovic got was for $110. That's a $31 difference, which is a pretty big jump.

"It was a really good dinner, but I don't want to be overcharged $31," she says.

When the server came back with the receipt for Dujanovic to sign, it, in fact, had the new $110 amount on it.

Dujanovic thought about it for a moment, seemingly not wanting to be a rude or problematic customer, but she called the server over and pointed out the issue.

"Oh my goodness. I am so sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen," the server said apologetically. It seems it was just a human error, and the manager let her know the accidental charge was corrected.

Because Dujanovic had those notifications on, she was able to get the issue fixed quickly, so she urges viewers to take the time to also set their banking notifications on their phone or smartwatch.

Why should you have banking notifications on your phone?

Just a few months ago, Dujanovic shared the incident that originally led her to set up her notifications and take pictures of her receipts.

She bought food from a pizza place, but they allegedly charged her an extra $20. When she called their corporate office about it, they asked if she had a receipt for proof. Since she didn't have a receipt, the company refused to refund her the extra charge.

And it had happened to her before, too, when she was charged twice for snacks at a baseball game. Another twenty bucks just gone.

Because of these incidents, she decided she wanted to be able to be aware of and address the problem then and there, so she set up bank notifications. Now, every time she swipes her card, she can easily verify she was charged the right amount.

“I check the notification as I’m standing at the register,” she said.

If this happens to you and you aren't able to resolve the issue directly with the merchant (like the restaurant or retailer), you have the option to dispute the charge with your card company.

@debbieradiogal Here’s your sign to get a receipt! #money #finance #dinner #restaurant #vegas #lasvegas #food #summer #vacation ♬ original sound - debbieDujanovic ♥️

While filing a dispute is usually pretty simple, it can take weeks to resolve, depending on the situation.

People in the comments section had plenty to say, and some shared their own stories.

"Ran the wrong card on the wrong table I’ve done that many times," a server shared, potentially explaining what happened with the charge.

"Yes, I just experienced this yesterday. It was only 1.30 but it was an extra of my money. I now will always check," a person shared.

"I always take a pic of the merchant copy of the receipt so I can dispute it with the credit card company," another chimed in.

The Daily Dot reached out to Dujanovic for comment via Instagram and TikTok direct message.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘I was refused my receipt’: Restaurant customer issues warning after being charged $31 extra for dinner appeared first on The Daily Dot.

In a video, these mechanics share the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to purchasing an extended warranty for your car. Stay tuned to find out what not to buy.

Dealing with car stuff can already be such a hassle, from high repair costs to untrustworthy mechanics. Now, come to find out that all warranty companies aren't made equal, and some will sell you a dream just to end up not paying for squat when you need them.

In a TikTok nearing 200,000 views, popular Georgia mechanic shop Royalty Auto Service (@royaltyautoservice), which often features owner Sherwood Cooke Jr. and his son, Sherwood III, ranted about what they deal with on a daily basis with these third-party warranty companies.

"No extended warranty company on the planet is going to pay 100% of your bill with your $50 deductible, and they're covering everything," Cooke Jr. says.

However, his son assured him that it had actually happened on multiple occasions.

"It doesn't mean your extended warranty company is doing something bad. It just means that they only cover a certain amount," Cooke Jr. says.

And if you go back to the place that sold you the warranty deal, like the dealership, good luck getting through to them, he says. Cooke Jr. claims that his auto shop deals with them all the time, and it's "generally not fun at all" and referred to it as a "war of attrition."

Cooke Jr. recalls that one warranty company, with no exaggeration, kept them on hold for 12 hours over the course of two days (eight hours on day one and four on day two). Time-sucks like that makes it so the auto shop loses money since they have to pay for a person (seemingly the mechanic themself) to sit on the phone.

Now, the shop has started keeping a spreadsheet tracking how long it takes each warranty company to resolve an issue.

While Cooke Jr. says he doesn't make it a habit to call out people or companies "unless it's pretty bad." But he says that once they had accumulated enough data, he'll share it publicly.

"I'm not gonna say anything bad. I'm just gonna throw the data out. We're gonna show you guys that and let you guys understand what we're dealing with," Cooke Jr. explains.

His son addd that they're giving viewers all this context because he knows customers, through no fault of their own, aren't aware of all the hassle that goes on behind the scenes.

He went on to say that while these warranty companies will make it sound like they'll cover anything that goes wrong, they'll usually only address things like engine and transmission, not other problems like a busted air conditioner.

And without naming names, Sherwood III adds that if you see an extended car warranty advertised on TV, you should probably steer clear.

"They're gonna do everything humanly possible" to get out of paying for repairs, especially big-ticket ones, he says. "It's just the nature of the beast."

Now, if you're in the market for an extended warranty, don't get fully scared off. Instead, do your research and take the Sherwoods' advice into account.

@royaltyautoservice Replying to @fire_free37 We could rant for days on this subject! #mechaniclife #mechanicsoftiktok #cartok #automotive #extendedwarranty #warranty #autorepairshop #viral #tips #cartips #fyp #foryou ♬ Pop beat BGM / long version(1283324) - nightbird_bgm

There are multiple rankings out there, from MarketWatch to Cars.com, and this year, the company to come out on top of multiple lists was Endurance. While Endurance may not be a household name, it does get top marks from professionals for reliability, cost, and coverage.

People in the comments section added their own perspectives and experiences.

"Love this. Companies need to be held accountable," the top comment read.

"Very similar to a home warranty. Got suckered once, never again," a person said.

"Carmax paid 12k to replace my engine when it exploded. I did, however, have to prove every single oil change," another shared.

The Daily Dot reached out to the auto shop for comment via email.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘Absolute worst in the industry’: Mechanic reveals what extended warranties to avoid for your car appeared first on The Daily Dot.