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  • The Summer Bill Shock: T-Mobile Plans a Massive Nationwide Price Hike on July 13—Here’s What You Need to Know

    The Summer Bill Shock: T-Mobile Plans a Massive Nationwide Price Hike on July 13—Here’s What You Need to Know

    If you are a long-time T-Mobile customer who has happily clung to an older, “grandfathered” plan for years, your wireless bill is likely about to get more expensive.

    Promises… Promises from the “Un-carrier” T-Mobile

    A wave of notifications has begun hitting consumer smartphones ahead of a major nationwide restructuring. Starting July 13, 2026, T-Mobile is officially retiring more than 1,100 legacy billing codes. For hundreds of thousands of accounts, this shift is forcing automatic “upgrades” to newer plan structures—bringing price increases of up to $6 per line, per month.

    For households with multiple lines, this is a shocking blow that mirrors the sting of last year’s policy change, which stripped away Autopay discounts for anyone paying with a credit card. If you’ve received a text or an account alert, it is time to audit your bill and prepare a strategy.

    T-Mobile is no longer the “Un-carrier” or the lovable Sprint PCS charmer you would once get with their customer service. The Tmo you see today is more like AT&T and Verizon.

    Why “Grandfathered” No Longer Means Protected

    For a decade, T-Mobile aggressively marketed itself as the “Un-carrier,” promising that prices on active plans would remain locked. However, the carrier is utilizing a calculated corporate strategy to bypass those old marketing pledges:

    • Retirement vs. Rate Hikes: Instead of simply raising the price of your current plan, T-Mobile is completely deleting older plan configurations (including variants of Simple Choice, T-Mobile One, One Plus, and legacy Sprint plans). Because the plan itself no longer exists, they are moving you to a new contract structure entirely.
    • The Price Lock Loophole: T-Mobile’s legal defense for their previous “Price Lock” promises relies on a fine-print clause: if they raise your rates and you choose to cancel, they will merely pay for your final month of service. It doesn’t stop them from changing the price; it just softens the landing if you decide to leave.
    • The Post-Merger Expiration: Many consumers assume strict regulatory agreements from the 2020 Sprint merger protect them. However, those state-enforced price guarantees were legally capped at a 3-to-5-year window, which has now officially expired.

    Smart Ways to Soften the Financial Blow

    While you cannot stop T-Mobile from altering its corporate rate structures, you do have options to mitigate these rising costs.

    1. Strip Away Overpriced Add-Ons (The AppleCare Hack)

    One of the easiest ways to offset a $5 to $6 per-line rate hike is to look at your secondary features—specifically device protection. T-Mobile frequently charges upwards of $19 per month per device for its protection tiers.

    If your family uses iPhones, you can claw back significant cash by migrating your coverage directly to Apple. Apple offers an AppleCare+ Protection Plan for Coverage of Multiple Devices, allowing you to cover up to three devices on a single plan for a flat, heavily discounted rate instead of paying individual $19 carrier premiums. Dropping T-Mobile’s insurance on just two phones completely wipes out the cost of a multi-line rate hike.

    2. Audit for Demographic Discounts

    Before making a drastic move, check if you qualify for targeted legacy or specialized tiers. T-Mobile offers dedicated 55+ (Senior), Military, and Veterans plans. If your rate is being adjusted, speak with a representative to ensure you are utilizing these specific discounted pools, and double-check whether those segmented tiers are being protected from the July 13 migration.

    3. Prepare to Shop the Competition

    If your monthly total jumps significantly, the era of absolute T-Mobile loyalty is officially over. Take the time to audit current plan structures from major competitors:

    • AT&T and Verizon: Look for competitive promotional switching credits or bundled offers that might match or beat your new T-Mobile monthly pricing.
    • MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators): If you like the T-Mobile network infrastructure but hate the bill, look into prepaid carriers like Mint Mobile or Consumer Cellular, which lease space on the same towers at a fraction of the cost.

    Fight Back Against T-Mobile


    T-Mobile used to be a great carrier that I was loyal to. Now I can’t wait to leave them! In the past 18 months they have now increased the price per line by 55%.

    Former Sprint customers/T-Mobile customers affected by the price increase may have found the clause/contradiction T-Mobile
    does NOT want people looking at.

    T-Mobile’s own 2026 FAQ says the legacy plans being retired were covered by Un-contract or Last Month Price Lock, described as promises that “only you” can change what you pay.

    But Sprint/T-Mobile also told Sprint customers their plan would stay the same and they didn’t have to change it unless they wanted to.

    So how can T-Mobile force us onto new plans and charge more?

    We don’t even have my old Sprint plan docs anymore because everything was online and Sprint/T-Mobile deleted or buried the records. But T-Mobile has them.

    Every former Sprint customer should demand, in writing:

    1. My old Sprint plan name/SOC
    2. Whether it had Un-contract or Price Lock
    3. The exact clause allowing forced migration
    4. The exact clause allowing a price increase

    And if our old Sprint records disappeared because everything was online, that’s not on us. T-Mobile has the records. Make them produce the plan name, SOC code, and price-lock terms.

    What To Do Now:

    Send a written billing dispute / Notice of Dispute before 60 days from the first bill with the forced change or new charge. Use T-Mobile’s listed Customer Relations address: T-Mobile Customer Relations,
    P.O. Box 37380, Albuquerque, NM 87176-7380.

    1. Sprint/T-Mobile’s own archived Sprint transition page told Sprint customers: “One thing that will stay the same is your plan – you don’t have to change it unless you want to.”
      Source: Archived Sprint “Welcome to Your New Experience” page (https://web.archive.org/web/20230303013351/https://www.sprint.com/en/landings/welcome-to-your-new-experience.html)
    2. T-Mobile’s current 2026 plan-update page says these old plans are being retired, some customers will see an increase, and the affected plan was covered by either Un-contract or Last Month Price Lock. It
      describes those promises as “only you have the power” to change what you pay.
      Source: T-Mobile 2026 Plan Update (https://t-mobile.com/customers/plan-update-2026)
    3. T-Mobile’s own current Terms say they generally can change plans with notice, but they carve out accounts with a “price-related promotion” and say the monthly recurring service charge will not increase
      except according to that promotion’s terms.
      Source: T-Mobile Terms & Conditions (https://t-mobile.com/responsibility/legal/terms-and-conditions)

    A forced retirement/migration is not you choosing to change plans. If your Sprint-origin plan was covered by a price promise, T-Mobile should have to identify the exact term that lets it involuntarily retire the plan and raise the price anyway.

    What to Expect Next

    #1 Bookmark this site we will be looking for a HUGE SETTLEMENT coming your way! We will not let them get away with this!

    Keep a close eye on your text messages and your primary T-Mobile account portal. By law, the carrier must provide clear transparency regarding billing modifications.

    If you feel you have been misled, or if T-Mobile refuses to honor its commitment to cover your final month of billing upon cancellation, you have the right to file a formal grievance with the FCC Consumer Complaint Center or your local state Attorney General’s office. Stay vigilant, look at your statements, and don’t let your wireless bill creep up without a fight.

  • Freedom Rise: A Starter Credit Card for Beginners

    Freedom Rise: A Starter Credit Card for Beginners

    Do you want to start building your credit history? If so, you might be interested in a new credit card from Chase. It’s called Freedom Rise and it’s part of the Freedom family of cards.

    Chase already has two other Freedom cards: Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited. These are great cards that don’t charge you any fees and give you some money back when you sign up. Freedom Flex also lets you earn more money back on different things every three months.

    Freedom Rise is a new card that Chase will launch later this year. It’s designed for people who are new to credit or have bad credit. This means that it might be easier to get approved for this card than for other cards.

    We don’t know much about Freedom Rise yet, but we have seen what it looks like. It has a similar design to the other Freedom cards.

    Possible card rendering of the Freedom Rise.

    Chase mentioned Freedom Rise in a presentation for investors. They said that they will launch the card for new-to-credit customers this year. They also said that they will offer the card in some places first, like their branches. This means that you might have to go to a Chase branch to apply for the card.

    Freedom Rise could be a good option for you if you want to start or improve your credit history. We will update you when we learn more about the card and its features.

    There are not many credit cards for no credit that are similar to the Freedom Rise card, as it is a new product that has not been launched yet. However, based on the limited information we have about Freedom Rise, it seems like it is a card for people with no credit or bad credit that does not require a security deposit and may offer some rewards.

    Some of the current credit card offerings for no credit that are similar to Freedom Rise are:

    • Most Recommended: Capital One Platinum Credit Card: This card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. It does not offer any rewards, but it gives you access to a higher credit line after making your first five monthly payments on time. It does not require a security deposit, but it may require a credit score or a limited credit history.
    • Petal 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa Credit Card: This card has no annual fee, no late fee, no foreign transaction fee and no returned payment fee. It also offers up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments. It does not require a security deposit or a credit score, but it uses your income and spending habits to evaluate your application. Your credit limit can range from $300 to $10,000.
    • Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card: This card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. It also offers 1.5% cash back on every purchase. It requires a security deposit of $49, $99 or $200, depending on your creditworthiness. Your credit limit will be equal to your deposit amount. You can also access a higher credit line after making your first five monthly payments on time.

    Discover Card also offers cards for those with no credit:

    • Discover it Secured Credit Card: This card requires a security deposit of at least $200, but it offers 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. It also matches all the cash back you earn in your first year. It has no annual fee and may review your account for an upgrade to an unsecured card after seven months of responsible use.
    • Discover it Student Cash Back: This card is for students with no credit or limited credit history. It offers 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. It also matches all the cash back you earn in your first year. It has no annual fee and a $20 statement credit each school year your GPA is 3.0 or higher for up to the next five years.

    Our Take

    We love the name of the card indicating credit freedom which is what this website has always been about. The Banklady has helped people with their personal credit since 1999. Unless you are a college student you may not get the opportunity to start building credit if you do not take out an auto loan or are given the opportunity to get your first unsecured credit card. Capital One will normally give non-college students a $300 credit on an unsecured card but now Chase may get into the game with the Freedom Rise Card and that is a great development.

  • Financial Freedom should be your goal this season

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    • Bad Credit Cards: For individuals with poor credit, there are several trustable credit card issuers who can give you a line of credit and help improve your score.
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  • $7.70 Google Class Action Payout (without proof needed)

    If you used Google between 2006 and 2013, Google may owe you some money. The company is settling a $23 million class-action suit that accuses it of sharing users’ searches and information with third-party companies and websites without their consent. Google has denied any liability or wrongdoing. Please note, there is no proof of purchase needed to claim what is owed to you, so no need to go digging through old receipts. The deadline for signing up for this settlement is July 31, 2023. You can claim up to $7.70 with no proof.

    How do you file a claim? Go to the site refererheadersettlement.com.

    First, click submit claim. If you already got an email about this, you’ll have a class member ID to put in the box. If not, click register. Then you’ll register and get an email with a class member ID. Go back to the form, fill it out completely and that’s it!

    Right now, you’re going to get about $7.70, but that number could go up depending on how many people file. You have until July 31 to file.

    Some other Class Action Settlements that are still available:

    • $4.2M Fashion Nova Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $300 Juul Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $29.10 Robocall Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $6.5M Tuna Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $725M Facebook Privacy Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $15 Coors Vizzy Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $110 Discover Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $10 TV & Monitor Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $25 Booster Seat Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $200 Pork Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $125 Equifax Class Action Payout (without proof needed)

  • Claim Your Share of $6.5M Settlement for Foodservice-Size Packaged Tuna Products – No Proof of Purchase Needed!

    If you’re someone who bought Foodservice-Size Packaged Tuna Products (40 oz or greater) from DOT Foods, Sysco, US Foods, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart, or Costco from June 2011 through December 2016, then you may be eligible for a class action settlement! The best part? You don’t need to provide any proof of purchase to claim what is owed to you, so no need to go digging through old receipts. But hurry, the deadline for signing up for this settlement is June 21, 2023. While payments may vary, the entire payout is estimated to be $6.5M. So don’t miss out on this opportunity and check it out now!

    Some other Class Action Settlements that are still available:

    • $725M Facebook Privacy Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $110 Discover Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $125 Equifax Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $15 Coors Vizzy Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $10 TV & Monitor Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $50 Juul Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $60 IKEA Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $25 Booster Seat Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $200 Pork Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $25 Xtend Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $50 Dickey’s Barbecue Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $10.50 Thinx Underwear Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $80 South of France Class Action Payout (without proof needed)
    • $6.5M Tuna Class Action Payout (without proof needed)