TGIF, my friend! Let’s kick today off with tech trivia. Researchers found playing 20 minutes of a certain computer game after a car accident or other trauma can reduce intrusive memories in the coming weeks. Is it … A.) Solitaire, B.) Pac‑Man, C.) Tetris or D.) Minesweeper? Answer’s at the end!

✍️ Anti-check-washing pens: I mentioned these on my show and I got a ton of folks wanting to know where to buy them. The pens use special ink so criminals can’t erase the amount you wrote in and put in their own. A four-pack is $9.35 (38% off today!). — Kim

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 75% of people take out another advance the same day or the day after making a repayment. And if you’re using one of these apps, there’s a good chance you’ll get hooked into using 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 convenient features on purpose.

My (free) tips to avoid the trap

Between layoffs and inflation, it’s been a tough few years for working families. Before you get caught in the lending cycle, consider your options:

• Request a date change: As long as you’re not in default, you can request a due date change for your credit card, utilities and other bills. Change them to align with your paydays so you always have enough cash in the bank. You can do it in your online credit card portal or call the number on a recent bill.
• Consider friends or family first: I know it’s uncomfortable, but I bet they won’t charge you 400% interest. Admitting you’re struggling financially can help others help you before you’re in too deep.
• Call 211: The United Way’s nonprofit hotline can help you find local or federal assistance programs. You can also chat with them online or search their database of programs here.

You’re reading this newsletter, so you’re already savvy — but if you know someone who needs to hear this, please share it with them. Just use the icons below. You’ll save them a world of hurt.

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12. Today, gifts for the mom (or anyone else) who loves hiking and camping.

• Top-of-the-line Darn Tough hiking socks in a pretty floral print.
• She can keep her seltzer (or chardonnay) cool with this trendy Stanley tumbler ($20).
• A classic “it’s for you but really for me” gift: Stainless steel skewers for roasting marshmallows around the campfire.
• A lightweight cork massage ball to pop in her daypack for after-hike muscle aches.
• A long-lasting power bank with a solar panel for battery top-ups. It’s 39% off!

💸 Billion-dollar listing: U.S. investors are lining up to bid on a freshly legislated TikTok. A top contender? Former treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin. If a sale happens, don’t expect China to give up its algorithm — whoever buys it will get the brand … but probably not the tech behind it.

Phone(y) bills: If you use Verizon, watch out for phony invoice emails from “33mail⁠.⁠com.” They link you to a fake Office 365 sign-in page that could allow them to hack your account. Don’t click that link. If you get an email that looks “phishy” or has mismatched sender names and addresses, mark it as spam ASAP.

On your Marx: AI can now tell if your political leanings are conservative or liberal using just your face. Algorithm VGGFace2 can suss you out with over 70% accuracy. Apparently, liberals have smaller lower faces, while conservatives’ faces are typically larger and wider. And independent voters? Theirs go straight down the middle … OK, I made that one up.

So sad: Police arrested a 74-year-old woman for robbing a bank after finding the getaway car at her home. The real mastermind? Scammers. Her family said she’d been sending cash to an "unidentified individual" leading up to the heist. Now she’s facing charges of aggravated robbery with a firearm.

🏎️ May the best algo win: The first-ever autonomous car race kicks off in Abu Dhabi this weekend. No F1 pros, just eight engineering teams duking it out for $2.25 million in prize money. They’re even racing the exact same car — the Dallara Super Formula SF23. Car racing is about the driver’s abilities, not just a car. Dumb.

AI on duty: Taser-maker Axon just launched (paywall link) an AI tool that automatically transcribes body cam audio into police reports. Less paperwork, sure, but we all know AI is notorious for skipping or even inventing details. Doubt this one is ready for primetime.

🐱 Anything is paw-sible: A Utah couple accidentally shipped their cat, Galena, to an Amazon warehouse in California. The kitty slipped into a return box when nobody was looking. Galena went six days without food or water before making it home safely, thanks to her microchip. Or, as I like to call them, the original AirTags.

WFH to WFP (work from phone): Google Meet’s new “Switch here” feature lets you switch from your phone to your desktop without dropping the call. If you’re on a live meeting, just click to Join the meeting on your other device and you’ll see Switch here. Sweet.

💸 Use YouTube Premium? You might be paying more than you have to. Buy through an iPhone or iPad to block all those YouTube ads, and it’s $18.99 per month. On the YouTube website, it’s only $13.99. Yeah, cancel through your phone and buy it again.

Looking for a file? Hit the Windows key and start typing its name. That’s it. On a Mac, hit Cmd + spacebar and start typin’. So simple and saves so much time.

Shocking electric bills? Use a thermal leak detector or an infrared camera attachment for your smartphone to identify where heat is escaping. You can fix these energy wasters with insulation or draft stoppers. Not sure how? Head to YouTube for how-to videos. Figure this out before summer hits!

Smart speakers are great: But if you’re worried about accidental (or intentional) eavesdropping, find and use the mic mute and camera shutter buttons on your devices. On an Echo, the light will turn red to indicate the mic is off.

All right, there’s no club, but there is a better option. Join over 37,000 companies that have upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle. Manage your financials, inventory, HR, e‑commerce and more, all in one spot. No more getting lost in an endless sea of spreadsheets and docs.

Whether your business does a few hundred thousand dollars a year or a few hundred million, who wouldn’t love less paperwork, more insights and higher revenues? It’s time for you to make a move.

Stop running your business on gut feelings. Let the data speak to you. Take a sec and check out what NetSuite can do for you now.

The longest motorable road in the world. The Pan-American Highway passes through 14 countries and is just over 29,825 miles long. I would love to travel this!

The answer: C.) Tetris has been found to help reduce traumatic memories after a car crash. Folks who played for 20 minutes in the hours after a wreck had 62% fewer intrusive memories than those who didn’t play. Worth a try, right? You can play online with no ads here.

👁️ I’m getting a few more stitches out of my cornea transplant today. What a miracle! My vision went from 20/400 to 20/70. Really appreciate all your kind words and prayers. So, Andrew and Allie will be hosting the Kim Komando Today podcast today at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 p.m. Eastern) on YouTube, Facebook and Rumble.

🤗 Want to see something specific in this newsletter? Drop me a note. I’ll be back tomorrow with the best newsletter in the USA! Tell a friend about me, please, using your referral link below. — Kim