Happy Friday the 13th, friend. Some people keep houseplants alive (not me!). Others keep podcasts alive (that would be me!). Either way, it takes patience, attention and probably more water (or caffeine) than anyone admits.

👻 Here’s a spooky stat: There are over 4 million podcasts floating in the internet ether, and most are ghost towns. How many of those podcasts do you think are updated weekly? A) 3.2 million, B) 2 million, C) 750,000 or D) Less than 500,000? Find the answer yapping at the end! 

🚀 Share the know-how. When you see the icons for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and email, click one to instantly share that story with your coworkers, family and friends. Btw, no AI algorithms here! I put this newsletter together for you by hand. (Yup, even the bad jokes!) — Kim

I’ll never forget helping Robert from Virginia find $24,578 sitting in a bank account he didn’t know existed. He heard me talk about how to find hidden money on my national radio show.

Every year, I shout about this from the rooftops (and my national radio show). Lost money isn’t a myth. It’s trillions just chilling in government vaults and banker spreadsheets, waiting for someone like you to claim it. 

Unless you’ve kept flawless records since the womb, it could absolutely be yours. And no, this isn’t a scam, it’s your money.

We’re talking about forgotten paychecks, closed bank accounts, unused refund checks, overpaid bills, life insurance payouts, security deposits, retirement accounts like 401(k)s, and even savings bonds. 

If you’ve ever moved, changed jobs or had a relative pass away, sit up and pay attention. Look up your name and others you know. This tip is mint.

Start with the big one

Go to MissingMoney.com, a free site backed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. Type in your name and any states you’ve lived in. 

If there’s a match, you can usually file a claim right then and there. Just be ready to upload proof of identity. A driver’s license or utility bill will do.

If your state isn’t listed there, check Unclaimed.org. It links you directly to every state’s own unclaimed property site.

Your 401(k)

At least $1.7 trillion languishes in lost or forgotten 401(k) accounts. That’s enough to buy several billion avocados or one small California studio apartment. The average unclaimed balance is $56,616! 

Check the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits to see if your money’s ghosting you. If you left a job and forgot to roll over your 401(k), your money might be sitting in a holding account. 

Banks and credit unions

Closed a bank account years ago? Visit the FDIC’s Unclaimed Funds site. For credit unions, use the NCUA’s asset management site.

Savings bonds, IRS refunds and VA life insurance

• Unclaimed tax refund? Go to IRS.gov/refunds.
• Matured savings bond? Check TreasuryHunt.gov.
• VA life insurance benefits? Search insurance.va.gov.

It only takes five minutes to search, which is less time than you spent looking for your AirPods this morning. It could also mean finding hundreds, even tens of thousands of dollars. 

Go ahead. It’s your money. Go get it. P.S. I don’t even want a referral fee, even though girls like to have funds.

👑 Your bathroom should be fit for a queen (or king).

• This soap bar ($15) is gentle on skin but tough on odors.
• Grab a double soap dish (6% off) for you and your partner.
• Reach those tricky spots with a flexible toilet brush (15% off).
• Tap an auto-dispenser (10% off) for a shot of mouthwash.
• A tongue scraper (40% off) helps freshen up bad breath.
• These moisture absorbers (35% off) fight mold growth.

🛒 Peek at my cart: I’ve got a whole list of essentials I reorder all the time. Nothing flashy, just solid.

🛒 Visit my Amazon store for more of my recommendations.

🧠 AI now mandatory: It’s come to this. Companies are tossing résumés for ChatGPT prompts. Two-thirds of execs say AI proficiency means more than job experience. 71% would pick the less experienced candidate if they’re AI-savvy. LinkedIn endorsements now include “Knows when to ask Claude for help.”

Smile, you’re streaming: Change your cam’s default password. You can watch 40,000 live security cams like Netflix, no hacking required. From U.S. data centers, hospitals, random gyms and even residential homes, the internet of things just became the internet of oops. Most of the cams were accessible through a basic browser. 

🌪️ Storm streamers are taking over: Folks like Ryan Hall are going live on YouTube to warn people about extreme weather, sometimes faster than the National Weather Service. They’re using radar tools, storm chaser feeds and AI bots that chat with viewers and give 24/7 updates. Watch this video. His setup is wild!

Time Capsule time has come: Starting with macOS 27, Apple’s yanking support for Time Capsule and AirPort backups. If you’re still living that 2012 Wi-Fi drive life, it’s almost time to move on. No new hardware is confirmed yet, but the rumor mill’s eyeing Apple’s new Wi-Fi chip for a possible router comeback. PSA: It’s about a year away.

🛡️ 1 billion malware threats: 1 simple fix. Antivirus software protects your devices from viruses, ransomware and more before they can do any harm. Cover five devices for just $19for the first year.* That’s less than a trip to the movies.

💉 Catching cancer sooner: I hate cancer. A new blood test can detect if cancer is coming back months before it shows up on a scan (paywall link). It finds tiny traces of tumor DNA in your blood, which could mean faster treatment.

🧳 Global Entry is getting faster: New camera tech will soon let travelers breeze through passport control without stopping. Your face gets scanned on the move, so no kiosks or lines. It’s being tested at seven airports, including Miami, LAX, Chicago O’Hare and Toronto. Suddenly, that $120 five-year membership doesn’t sound so bad.

Are you still relying on QuickBooks? There’s a smarter, more powerful solution waiting for you. Here’s why NetSuite by Oracle is the right choice for your business:

• All-in-one solution: Manage financials, HR, inventory and more from one platform.

• Boost efficiency: Eliminate tedious paperwork and get real-time insights to grow your business.

• Proven success: Trusted by over 41,000 companies.

Whether your business earns hundreds of thousands or hundreds of millions, who wouldn’t want less manual work, better decision-making and higher profits? Now’s the time to make the switch.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Set your phone’s lock screen to show “If found, call [friend’s number].” It helps an honest finder return your phone without unlocking it or peeking.

🤖 Copy that: Don’t copy text from ChatGPT by highlighting it with your mouse. You’ll grab all the weird formatting. Instead, hit the Copy button (two overlapping squares near the bot’s reply) for a clean, ready-to-paste version. Easy peasy.

Record your screen: OBS Studio is a free app that works on Windows and Mac. It’s easy to use: Just go to Add Source > Display Capture, choose Automatic as your Capture Method and hit OK. Now click Start Recording, and Stop Recording when you’re done. Pro tip: Use this guide for the best video settings.

Cancel what you’re not using: I use Rocket Money,* an app that finds all your recurring subscriptions and lets you easily cancel anything you don’t want. The first time I logged in, it saved me $435!

🔴 Go live, privately: Instagram lets you livestream just to your close friends instead of all your followers. Tap the + button, choose Live, then select Share with Close Friends and start broadcasting. You can add up to three pals. Want to tweak your list? Head to More (three lines) > Settings > Who can see your content > Close Friends.

Get free stuff: Freecycle is a fantastic online community where folks give away things they no longer need or find items they want.

Curbs just got a promotion from hoarding gum and pigeon poop. Germany’s Rheinmetall has secretly been turning sidewalks into snack bars for EVs.

The Curb Charger weighs in at 176 pounds and offers Level 2 charging (aka the Goldilocks zone of EV charging: not too slow, not too fast). It replaces a section of sidewalk curb and connects directly to street power.

There’s no stand, no cables flying like spaghetti in the wind, it’s flush with the sidewalk, and yes, you’ll have to BYO charging cable. But for urban spaces where aesthetics and accessibility matter, that’s a massive win.

Finally, a curb that gives back instead of stealing hubcaps.

Answer: D) Less than 500,000. According to industry trackers like Listen Notes and Amplifi Media, while there are over 4 million podcasts globally, fewer than 500,000 are actively updated on a weekly basis. It’s called podfade, and it’s surprisingly common.

Not with me! Hit this link to listen to The Kim Komando Show!

🎤 One for the road: What do you call a monk with a podcast? An air friar! (lol)

The #1 tech newsletter in the U.S. isn’t stopping anytime soon, we’ll see you tomorrow with secret Amazon clearance deals, vintage Pyrex, Dead Sea Scrolls and metal scams.

Stay savvy, now you’re ahead of the curve, not chasing it. 📬 — Kim

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