Check out my money newsletter this week for details on deadlines for using Bed Bath & Beyond gift cards, Facebook and IKEA settlements, and more

Photo: Raysonho

My newsletter this week has a lot of helpful information so I’m posting a copy here. You have until May 8 to use Bed Bath & Beyond gift cards and rewards and until May 4 to file a claim for an IKEA settlement.

You’ll also find tips on how to save money on gas and a list of some store brands that are better than name brands.

I also included in my newsletter what I posted about Thursday: You have to ask at Office Depot to get the online price if it’s cheaper. Although I only saved $3, imagine the millions that Office Depot makes every day by having this price difference and not telling customers about.

Enjoy this week’s money tips and sign up at https://tinyurl.com/makeyourmoneywork if you’re not already a subscriber:

Rita R. Robison Newsletter   1. Look for bargains in May on appliances, mattresses, and spring clothing. Wait to buy computers and electronics, grills and outdoor furniture, summer clothing, and swimsuits.   2. Be aware if you used Facebook between May 2007 and December 2022, you’re eligible to apply to claim your share of Facebook’s $725 million privacy settlement. The payments are likely to be small. The lawsuit charged data from as many as 87 million users may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica during the 2016 election. The deadline to file a claim is August 25.   3. Ask at checkout for the online price at Office Depot stores if it’s cheaper than the store price.   4. Take a look at this analysis of what could make a $2,000 TV worth it when a $500 TV is usually good enough.   5. Be aware you have until May 8 to redeem gift cards, gift certificates, and loyalty certificates from Bed Bath and Beyond, which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It’s no longer accepting its famous coupons. However, some of its competitors, The Container Store and Big Lots, are accepting them for a limited time. Some stores are open, for now, but the company expects to close all remaining 360 Bed Bath & Beyond and 120 Buy Buy Baby locations unless there’s a buyer. Over the past year, the company shut down about 400 locations.   6. Be aware if you shopped at IKEA and used a payment card between October 18, 2017, and December 31, 2019, you could be eligible for compensation from a $24 million settlement of an IKEA class-action lawsuit. It was accused of violating federal credit laws by printing more than the last five digits of the credit card number on receipts. The deadline to submit a claim form is May 4. Estimates are each claimant will get between $30 to $60.   7. Take a look at this list of 10 cheap generic brands that are better than name brands including generic brands for almond milk, canned tomatoes, organic eggs, and Greek yogurt.   8. Check out these gas-saving tips including get the junk out of the trunk, combine your trips, and don’t let your car idle.   9. Take a look at these recommendations on how to choose a money market account.   10. Trade in your child’s car seat at Target’s twice-annual car seat trade-in event, which lasts until April 29. Bring in an old car seat or car-seat base and put it in the drop-off box near the customer service counter. Use the Target app to scan the code on the drop-off box and you’ll get a coupon for 20 percent off on any new child car seat or car-seat base.   Thanks for subscribing to my newsletter. Tell your friends and co-workers about it so they can make savvy money choices, too. Here’s the sign-up: https://tinyurl.com/makeyourmoneywork. And, for a big bonus, they’ll also get my free e-book on how to optimize their personal finance decisions. April 27, 2023

Copyright © 2023 Rita R. Robison Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist, All rights reserved. You are receiving this newsletter because you requested it. Our mailing address is: Rita R. Robison Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist PO Box 1383 Olympia, WA 98507

Comments

[Laurie Stone]

Great advice, Rita. I want to look into those generic brands since Greek yogurt, almond milk, and organic eggs are staples for me!

[Rita]

Yes, my readers like my money tips newsletter. It's great fun to write because it reaches a different audience than my blog. I get lots of compliments on it. A friend said she and her wife read it religiously when she asked if I'd written about buying hearing aids.