Okay, I am not a lawyer so I only understood about half of what just happened. But I am fairly sure, given the context, that Elon Musk’s lawyers may have just fucked up big.
Technology
10 things to stop paying for to save money now
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Money can start to feel tight faster than you expect. It is not always one big expense. More often, it is a series of small charges that quietly add up over time.
When that happens, it is easy to think you need a major reset. You don’t. In many cases, the fastest way to create breathing room is to stop paying for things that are not adding real value to your day.
That is where this list comes in. These are 10 common expenses you can cut back on right now. Start with one or two, and you will likely notice the difference quickly.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
VIRAL GROCERY SHOPPING METHOD PROMISES TO SLASH SPENDING: ‘WAY EASIER, WAY CHEAPER’
Cutting back on recurring costs like delivery apps, gym memberships and bottled water can create quick financial breathing room. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
1) Daily ‘treat’ habits that quietly add up
That quick coffee run or snack feels harmless. It takes a minute and gives you a boost. Over time, it adds up fast. A $6 drink every weekday can reach around $1,500 a year. You don’t have to cut it completely. Just change how often it happens.
Tech tip: Use your banking app’s spending insights to see how much you’re actually spending in this category. Most major banks now auto-categorize purchases.
Quick step: Open your banking or credit card app, then go to transactions or spending insights. Use the search bar and type “coffee” or filter by a category like “dining” or “food and drink.” Most apps will show how much you’ve spent over the last month.
Seeing the total makes it easier to cut back without guessing.
2) Convenience spending you barely notice
Convenience costs more than it seems. Delivery apps, one-click checkouts and saved payment methods make it almost too easy to spend. That is when purchases start happening without much thought.
Tech tip: Remove saved cards from your favorite shopping apps. Making yourself enter your payment details each time can help slow down impulse buys.
Quick step:
- iPhone: Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay > select a card > Remove Card
- Android: Open the Samsung Wallet app > tap All or Menu > Payment cards > select a card > tap More (three dots) > Remove card. (Settings and menu names may vary slightly depending on your software version.)
- Google Pay (Android): Open Google Wallet app > tap your card > three dots (top right) > Remove payment method
- Apps (Amazon, DoorDash, Uber, etc.): Open the app > go to Account or Profile > tap Payments, Wallet or Payment methods > select a card > tap Edit or Remove. (Menu names may vary slightly depending on the app version.)
A small pause at checkout can stop a purchase you did not really need.
3) Subscriptions you forgot you had
Streaming services, apps, cloud storage and free trials that turned into charges. Most people are paying for at least one thing they rarely use.
Tech tip: Your phone already tracks this.
Quick steps:
- iPhone: Settings > your name > Subscriptions
- Samsung Galaxy (Android): Open Google Play > Profile icon > Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions (Menu names may vary slightly depending on your device and software version.)
You’ll see everything in one place and can cancel in just a few seconds.
4) Storage you never visit
Storage units feel temporary, but the monthly charge sticks around. If you have not used those items in a year, you likely do not need them.
Tech tip: Sell items quickly using apps like Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp instead of letting them sit.
Quick step: Take photos on your phone, list items in minutes and price to move.
Turning unused items into cash is better than paying to store them.
7 FOOLPROOF WAYS TO SAVE MONEY IN A TOUGH ECONOMY
Small daily purchases, unused subscriptions and convenience spending can quietly drain your budget faster than expected. (Douglas Rissing/Getty Images)
5) Gym memberships you are not using
Signing up feels productive. Showing up is what counts. If you are not going, it becomes a recurring charge with no benefit.
Tech tip: Replace it with free fitness apps or built-in phone features.
- Apple Fitness: Basic tracking is free with iPhone
- YouTube: Free workout videos are easy to find
- iPhone: Open the Health app > tap Steps to track your daily movement
- Samsung: Open the Samsung Health app> tap Steps (or install it if needed)
Quick step: Set a daily step goal in your Health or Samsung Health app and start there.
Consistency matters more than where you work out.
6) Bottled water and repeat small buys
This one slips under the radar. Buying a drink here, a snack there or a bottle of water on the go does not feel like much in the moment. But over time, it turns into a steady drain on your budget. If you have access to clean tap water, you are paying for something you already have. The real issue is not the item. It is the pattern. These are repeat purchases that happen automatically.
Tech tip: Use your phone to break the habit before you leave the house, not after you are already out.
Quick step:
- iPhone: Open the Reminders app > tap New Reminder or the + sign > type “Bring water bottle” > tap the (i) icon > set it to alert you at a specific time or when leaving your home location > Click the blue check mark in the upper right of the screen.
- Samsung: (Menu names may vary slightly depending on your device and software version.)Option 1: Open Reminder app (Samsung Reminders) > Create reminder > add “Bring water bottle” > set time or location.Option 2: Say, “Hey Google, remind me to bring my water bottle when I leave home.”
Catching the habit before you leave helps you avoid spending later.
7) Premium gas your car does not require
Many drivers pay extra for premium gas without needing it. If your car is designed for regular fuel, premium will not help performance.
Tech tip: Look up your car’s fuel requirement online in seconds.
Quick step: Search: “Does [your car model] require premium gas” or check your manual digitally.
Using the right fuel can save you money every time you fill up.
8) Upgrading your phone too often
New phones are appealing. The upgrades feel important. In reality, most changes are minor, and your current phone likely still does everything you need. The biggest issue most people run into is not performance. It is battery life. That is often fixable.
Tech tip: Check your battery health and storage before deciding to upgrade. Those two things usually explain why a phone feels “old.”
Quick steps:
- iPhone: Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging (look at Maximum Capacity)
- Samsung: (Menu names may vary slightly depending on your device and software version.)Settings > Battery > Battery usage > tap Diagnostics or Device care > check battery status
Battery health above 85% means you are in good shape. Keep your phone. Around 80% or lower means the battery is wearing out. Replace the battery instead of upgrading. Still running slow after updates and clearing storage? It may be time to move on.
HOUSING EXPERT WARNS PRE-PANDEMIC AFFORDABILITY LEVELS MAY NEVER RETURN IN AMERICA
Saving money often starts with fewer automatic charges, fewer impulse buys and better use of the tech you already have. (Juanmonino/Getty Images)
9) Lottery tickets and quick-win promises
It is easy to justify a few dollars here and there. But over time, it adds up, and the odds stay the same.
Tech tip: Set up an automatic transfer instead.
Quick step:
- Go to your bank app
- Set recurring transfer (even $5 a week) to savings
You turn a habit into something that actually builds money. Plus, small, steady savings will always beat relying on luck.
10) Buying out of habit, not need
Scrolling and buying can become automatic. Most purchases are not planned. They happen in the moment. That is how small, unplanned spending starts to add up.
Tech tip: Turn off push notifications from shopping apps. Fewer alerts mean fewer chances to buy on impulse.
Quick step:
- iPhone: Settings > Notifications > select app > toggle off
- Samsung: Settings > Notifications > App notifications > toggle off notifications for the app you wish to stop receiving notifications from (Menu names may vary slightly depending on your device and software version.)
Fewer alerts mean fewer chances to spend without thinking.
Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?
Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaways
You don’t need to cut everything. Focus on the expenses that are not adding real value. Saving money does not always come from doing more. Often, it comes from doing less. Less automatic spending. Fewer impulse purchases. Fewer charges you forgot about. Technology can either make spending easier or help you stay in control. It depends on how you use it. Start small. Stay consistent. That is where the real change happens.
So here’s something worth thinking about: Which app, subscription, or habit is quietly costing you money every month without you realizing it? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Not all trifolds are created equal — just ask our own Allison Johnson, who recently spent time with Samsung’s ill-fated Galaxy phone. Aurzen’s Zip projector is the kind of trifold gadget we can fully get behind, though, and it’s currently on sale at Amazon for $259.99 ($140 off). You can also pick it up in several colors directly from Aurzen for the same price, or in the gold shade for a new low of $249.99.
While not nearly as powerful as Anker’s Nebula P1 and other portable projectors we’ve recently tested, the Zip is surprisingly capable despite its small stature and battery-powered operation. The snake-like 720p projector offers up to 100 lumens of brightness — meaning it will work best in dark environments, or in brighter rooms when viewing a smaller image — while its built-in battery should last about 80 minutes based on our real-world testing. That’s not exactly marathon battery life, but it’s easy enough to top off the Zip using a power bank or wall adapter.
In terms of support, the Zip can quickly connect to iPhones via AirPlay and to Android devices over Miracast, Smart View, and similar standards, allowing you to wirelessly mirror everything you can see on your phone. You can use it to watch any movies you’ve downloaded on your device, peruse your social feeds, or get in a quick session with your favorite game. It works in both landscape and portrait orientations, too, and supports Bluetooth, letting you listen privately with headphones or pair it to your favorite speaker.
The biggest downside to the Zip, at least for some folks, is that you won’t be able to use it to watch content from services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max due to copyright restrictions. Aurzen does make a USB-C dongle that allows you to stream DRM-protected content, if you truly can’t get by without watching the latest episode of Euphoria. You’ll have to pay a whopping $109 for the privilege, or find another way.
Pages from the Anthropic website and the company’s logos are displayed on a computer screen in New York on Feb. 26, 2026. (Patrick Sison/AP Photo)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– Anthropic has an AI model that’s too dangerous to go public
– Melania Trump turns White House tennis pavilion into AI lab for students
– Florida murder suspect asked ChatGPT about dumping human remains days before killings: docs
LOCKS WIDE OPEN: Anthropic’s Mythos AI model, too dangerous to release publicly, is changing digital security faster than anyone is ready for – There is a new AI model called Mythos. Anthropic built it for defensive cybersecurity research. It is so effective at finding software vulnerabilities that Anthropic decided the general public cannot have it.
FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT: From rogue AI blackmailing humans to condensing school days, AI revolution already reshaping life – Fox Business explores how the artificial intelligence revolution is already fundamentally reshaping everyday life, ranging from alarming scenarios of rogue AI blackmailing humans to innovative applications condensing traditional school days.
DIVERSITY FIGHT: Trump DOJ jumps into Musk xAI court battle – The Trump Department of Justice has formally intervened in a high-profile court battle involving Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI, as a broader legal and political fight over corporate diversity initiatives rapidly heats up.
FIRST LADY FUTURE: Melania Trump embraces AI education initiative in White House tech push she’s been championing – First lady Melania Trump is actively embracing a new artificial intelligence education initiative as part of a broader White House technology push that she has long been championing.
Melania Trump an immersive event AI event this week where students used Meta virtual reality headsets and AI-powered glasses to explore British landmarks and examine historical artifacts. (Andrea Hanks)
PRICE PAIN SPREADS: AI boom tests GOP’s midterm affordability pitch – The rapid artificial intelligence boom and its associated energy costs are beginning to test the Republican Party’s midterm pitch on affordability as economic price pain spreads among voters.
CHILLING QUERY: Florida murder suspect asked ChatGPT about dumping human remains days before killings: docs – Newly released court documents revealing that a Florida murder suspect allegedly asked the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT for advice on dumping human remains just days before the killings occurred.
RACE IS ON: Kevin O’Leary details massive Utah AI data center to rival China’s tech dominance – Business mogul Kevin O’Leary detailed plans for a massive artificial intelligence data center in Utah designed specifically to rival China’s growing global tech dominance.
TECH FIGHT: Former Apple CEO sees OpenAI poses largest competitive threat to tech giant in years – Former Apple CEO John Sculley is sounding the alarm on artificial intelligence, warning that OpenAI currently poses the largest competitive threat the massive tech giant has faced in years.
BOUNCING BACK: US economic growth rebounds as AI buildout and consumer spending fuel first quarter – U.S. economic growth rebounded in the first quarter of the year from a sluggish fourth quarter, according to the Commerce Department’s latest estimate.
JOB IMPACT: Zuckerberg says Meta layoffs tied to AI spending, won’t rule out future cuts – Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has explicitly tied recent staff layoffs to the company’s massive spending on artificial intelligence, while pointedly refusing to rule out the possibility of future workforce cuts.
HEAVYWEIGHT LEGAL BATTLE: Elon Musk tells court he was fool for funding OpenAI: report – Tech billionaire Elon Musk told a court that he was a “fool” for his early financial role in funding the artificial intelligence research organization OpenAI.
Elon Musk testifies during the OpenAI trial in Oakland, Calif., on April 29, 2026. (Vicki Behringer)
LEARNING ON THE JOB: Meta tracks workers to train AI agents – Social media giant Meta is actively tracking its own workers and analyzing their internal communications in an effort to train its advanced new artificial intelligence agents.
Subscribe now to get the Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter in your inbox.
FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube
X
SIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS
Fox News First
Fox News Opinion
Fox News Lifestyle
Fox News Health
DOWNLOAD OUR APPS
Fox News
Fox Business
Fox Weather
Fox Sports
Tubi
WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE
Fox News Go
STREAM FOX NATION
Fox Nation
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.
Jared “James Brickhouse” Birchall, Musk’s finance guy and all-around fixer, took the stand after Musk today. Most of his testimony was dull and seemed to exist primarily to get some documents read into the record, which sucks but is a normal part of sitting through trials. But at the very end of his boring testimony something interesting happened. I believe we all got a surprise, something that rarely happens in courtrooms.
The lawyer conducting his direct examination was passed a note by another member of the team, and asked Birchall what was apparently contained on the note: was he familiar with the xAI bid for OpenAI’s assets?
“Sam Altman was on both sides of the table.”
“As I recall, a lawyer we were working with had asked the attorney general of California to ensure that in their fiduciary duty, proper value was being given to the assets of the nonprofit of OpenAI,” Birchall said. In his understanding, there was a negotiation “between Sam Altman and himself on both sides of the table, the for-profit and the non-profit, attempting to discount the value of the non-profit assets. And we made that bid in an attempt to properly account for the value the foundation had, and create a market bid that would need to be considered by the attorney general.”
Here’s some lore: in February 2025, a Musk-led coalition made a $97.4 billion bid for the non-profit that controls OpenAI. The bid was submitted by Marc Toberoff, one of Musk’s lawyers in the current case. This bid happened as OpenAI was restructuring itself so that the for-profit arm could be cleared to go public. In Birchall’s testimony, that bid was made because Musk, Birchall, and others, thought Altman might undervalue the nonprofit as the company restructured itself. (I’m not really sure why that would be a problem for Musk and xAI, frankly, but whatever.)
The defense counsel objected, and Birchall’s rant was struck for lack of foundation. So we did this piece by piece to establish the foundation, ending with Birchall saying, again, “Sam Altman was on both sides of the table.”
On cross-examination, Bradley Wilson from Wachtell Lipton — OpenAI’s lawyers — picked the thread back up. Wilson asked how much of this Birchall had learned from sources other than lawyers. Birchall said he’d have a hard time being able to untangle that. After a few more exchanges, Wilson moved to strike all of Birchall’s testimony about the xAI bid on grounds that would not be discussed in front of the jury.
“You must have been very convincing. You’re not very convincing today.”
The jury got to leave early while the lawyers duked it out, and this is where it got weird. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers started asking Birchall questions herself, and it clearly was making Birchall nervous. Birchall said he doesn’t remember discussing the xAI bid with Musk or Shivon Zilis or any other principal of the Musk organization. It sure sounded like Musk’s lawyers hadn’t given OpenAI proper discovery on this topic in the depositions, and so we were doing a fast and dirty deposition with the judge right then. At one point, Gonzalez Rogers told the plaintiff’s counsel to quit coaching the witness.
Birchall said he’d spoken to the other members of the consortium about the bid, but that he wasn’t involved in discussions with Musk about when to send the bid letter. He claimed he’d heard some things from Toberoff, but that he wasn’t aware that Toberoff represented some of the other bidders. He didn’t know if xAI was aware that Toberoff represented some of the other bidders, either.
Birchall didn’t know whether other investors had first-hand information about OpenAI, he claimed. No one had documents from inside OpenAI as far as he knew. Gonzalez Rogers remained unconvinced. “I’m still struggling with how you can have conversations with these individuals to raise $97.5 billion but have no recollections even in a general sense,” she said. Birchall said he had a general sense — he called each of the people involved to see if they were interested in joining Musk on the bid.
“Why would they do that?” Gonzales Rogers asked. Birchall said these were people with whom Musk et al had longstanding relationships. “You must have been very convincing,” she said. “You’re not very convincing today.”
Birchall said there were no numbers besides the topline one floated when he called prospective investors, and that after speaking with him, they were passed off to lawyers. He didn’t remember who chose the $97.4 billion number, and said he got it from the legal team, telling Gonzalez Rogers he didn’t get it from Musk. Gonzalez Rogers asked if that analysis was created by anyone besides Toberoff. Birchall said not that he could recall.
“Did a lawyer tell you this was part of litigation?” Gonzalez Rogers asked.
No, Birchall said. It was strictly a business deal.
Apparently Steven Molo, who’d been defending Musk during the deposition, had made multiple objections to questions about the deal, citing privileged communications. Business deals, apparently, aren’t privileged. But all discovery into the xAI bid for OpenAI had been blocked before the trial began. Unfortunately, by asking Birchall about the xAI deal at the very end of the direct examination, Musk’s team may have opened the door for more digging into it. You may be wondering, “open the door to what” and your guess is as good as mine. More discovery? Maybe something about anticompetitive behavior from Musk? It doesn’t sound like it’s going to be good for Musk, I can tell you that much.
Gonzalez Rogers then asked who’d passed the note, and all the lawyers just sat there like guilty children. Finally, the guy responsible said he’d passed it, but he didn’t write it; a junior lawyer did. Who wrote it? More silence. Finally Toberoff — hardly a junior lawyer — stood up and took responsibility. Why had he done it? “I thought it was appropriate.”
“Sounds like you wanted to open the door, then,” Gonzalez Rogers said. We adjourned while she said she’d consider what to do with this testimony. She will probably rule on it tomorrow.
Correction, April 30th: It is Shivon Zilis, not Sharon Zilis.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
-
Health2 minutes agoTop Psychiatrists Call for a Greater Focus on Ceasing Medication
-
Culture14 minutes agoBook Review: ‘Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters,’ by Yevgenia Nayberg
-
Lifestyle20 minutes agoWhen Does a Shoe Stop Being a Shoe?
-
Education26 minutes agoHow a Radical Historian Saved the Schlock of ’76
-
Technology32 minutes agoAurzen’s tiny trifold projector is almost 40 percent off right now
-
World38 minutes agoNorth Korea’s extreme battlefield doctrine revealed by Kim Jong Un during speech
-
Politics44 minutes agoMN governor race to replace Walz sees major shakeup as GOP contender ends campaign: ‘Don’t see a path’
-
Health50 minutes agoThinking about peptides? Doctors reveal key dos and don’ts as ‘Wild West’ market grows