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Eligible customers could receive an average of about $100 per vehicle

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• State Farm has begun distributing its record $5 billion dividend to eligible auto insurance customers, with payments being sent in waves by state.

• Customers generally qualify if they had an eligible State Farm Mutual personal auto policy at any point during 2025 and their calculated dividend is more than $10.

• Payments vary by state and premiums paid, ranging from roughly 4% to 10% of 2025 premiums, with State Farm estimating an average of about $100 per insured vehicle.

State Farm has started returning billions of dollars to its auto insurance customers, and some policyholders are now receiving their share.

The insurer is distributing a one-time $5 billion dividend, the largest policyholder dividend in State Farm's history. The company announced the payment in February after stronger-than-expected financial results in its auto insurance business during 2025. Distribution began this summer and is expected to continue in waves over several months.

The dividend applies to more than 49 million vehicles insured by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. State Farm says the average payment will be about $100 per vehicle, although the amount individual customers receive can be considerably higher or lower.

Who qualifies for the State Farm dividend?

According to State Farm, customers qualify if they had an eligible private passenger auto insurance policy issued by State Farm Mutual that was active at any point between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025. State Farm's FAQ specifies that a customer's calculated dividend must be more than $10.

Customers do not need to still be insured by State Farm to receive the money. Someone who had an eligible State Farm Mutual auto policy during 2025 but has since switched insurers can still qualify.

The dividend is specifically tied to State Farm Mutual's auto insurance results. Customers with only homeowners, renters, life or other types of State Farm insurance aren't eligible on the basis of those policies.

Eligibility details can vary somewhat by state. For example, Louisiana regulators said the dividend there applies to State Farm Mutual Private Passenger Auto Voluntary Preferred policies that were in force on Dec. 31, 2025. Georgia regulators similarly described eligible policies as Private Passenger Auto Voluntary Preferred policies.

How much will policyholders receive?

State Farm says dividends are calculated as a percentage of the auto premiums a customer paid in 2025. That percentage ranges from 4% to 10%, depending on the state.

That means there isn't a universal $100 check for every customer. The approximately $100 figure is an average per vehicle.

State regulators have already disclosed significant differences. Louisiana customers, for example, are expected to receive an average of about $138 per vehicle, while qualifying Georgia drivers are expected to average roughly $135 per vehicle. In Washington, D.C., the average is approximately $173 per vehicle.

State Farm says the percentage varies because each state's results contributed differently to the company's nationwide underwriting performance in 2025.

How the money will arrive

Customers shouldn't necessarily be watching only their mailbox.

Policyholders with an email address registered with State Farm will receive an email with instructions from payment administrator Veritas directing them to a payment portal, where they can select a digital payment or a check. Customers without an email address on file will automatically receive a physical check through the mail.

The payments are being released in waves based on the state where the policy is assigned, so one State Farm customer may receive a payment weeks or even months before another. State Farm says processing payments covering more than 49 million vehicles will take several months.

The company says the dividend is possible because of its financial strength and stronger-than-expected underwriting performance in 2025. State Farm has also been reducing auto insurance rates in dozens of states, saying reductions across 40 states are saving customers about $4.6 billion annually.

Customers who believe they qualify but haven't heard from State Farm can check their status through State Farm's dividend website, contact their State Farm agent or call the dividend information line at 1-888-808-9532.

The products were sold nationwide

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Dreyers Grand Ice Cream is recalling certain Outshine fruit bars because they may contain pieces of glass.

• The recall covers select batches of five flavors sold in 6-count, 2.5-ounce packages: Strawberry, Grape, Watermelon, Black Cherry and Tangerine.

• No illnesses or injuries have been reported, but consumers should throw away affected products or return them to the store for a full refund.

Consumers with Outshine fruit bars in their freezers should check the packaging after the manufacturer announced a recall over possible glass contamination.

Dreyers Grand Ice Cream Inc. is voluntarily recalling a limited number of Outshine Fruit Bars after determining that certain products could contain foreign material, specifically glass, according to an Aug. 16 recall notice.

The affected products are limited to five flavors of Outshine 6-count, 2.5-ounce fruit bars:

• Strawberry

• Grape

• Watermelon

• Black Cherry

• Tangerine

No other Outshine products or varieties are included in the recall, the company said.

How to tell if your Outshine bars are recalled

Not every package of the five flavors is affected. Consumers need to check the batch code and best-before date printed on the bottom of the package.

The recalled Strawberry bars have UPC 041548610047, while Grape bars have UPC 041548244044, Watermelon bars have UPC 041548000121 and Tangerine bars have UPC 041548612041. Multiple batch codes and best-before dates are included in the recall, so shoppers should compare the code on their package with the company's complete recall list.

Affected products have best-before dates extending into 2027.

Consumers who have one of the recalled packages should not eat the fruit bars. Dreyers said they should either dispose of the product or return it to the retailer where it was purchased for a full refund.

No injuries have been reported

As of the recall announcement, Dreyers said it had received no reports of illnesses or injuries connected with the affected fruit bars. Anyone who believes they may have been injured should contact a health care provider.

Foreign objects such as glass can pose a risk of cuts or other injuries if they are swallowed.

Dreyers said the recall is limited to the specified batches and that its other Outshine products are not affected.

The safety, quality, and integrity of our products remain our highest priority, the company said in its announcement.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Dreyers Grand Ice Cream at dreyers@casupport.com.

The airline is also adding more premium seats, Bluetooth entertainment and USB-C charging

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• American Airlines plans to install seatback entertainment screens at every seat across its narrowbody fleet, including 4K displays, Bluetooth audio and USB-C charging.

• The airline is also expanding premium seating, with premium and Main Cabin Extra seats expected to grow from about 25% of narrowbody seats today to roughly 40% in the coming years.

• New Airbus and Boeing aircraft will begin arriving with the screens in 2028, while existing planes will be retrofitted, with the fleetwide installation expected to be finished early next decade.

American Airlines passengers will soon have another option for passing the time in the air: watching movies and TV directly from the seat in front of them.

The airline announced a major overhaul of its narrowbody fleet that will put seatback entertainment screens at every seat while substantially increasing the number of premium and extra-legroom seats available to travelers.

The investment represents a notable shift for American, which has relied heavily on passengers streaming entertainment to their own phones, tablets and laptops on many domestic flights.

Were making one of the most significant investments in the onboard experience in our history, American Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden said in announcing the changes.

What travelers can expect from the new screens

American said its next-generation entertainment system will include some of the largest seatback displays available on narrowbody aircraft in North America. The screens will support 4K video and offer movies, television, music and games.

Passengers will also be able to pair their own wireless headphones and earbuds with the screens using Bluetooth. USB-C fast-charging ports will be available at every seat.

American also plans to make the entertainment system more personalized, including recommendations for movies and shows as well as enhanced interactive flight maps with destination information and real-time details about the flight.

The airline already has seatback screens on more than 140 long-haul aircraft. Starting in 2028, all newly delivered Airbus and Boeing aircraft will come with the new displays, while American will retrofit aircraft already in its narrowbody fleet. The carrier expects the fleetwide installation to be completed by early next decade.

American is adding more premium seats, too

The screens aren't the only significant cabin change.

American said premium seating currently accounts for about 25% of the seats on its narrowbody departures. It plans to increase that figure to approximately 40% in the coming years through aircraft retrofits and new deliveries.

The airline is already adding an additional row of First Class seats to its Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. Its future Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft are slated to have 24 First Class seats, while American also plans to reconfigure its A321neo fleet with additional First Class seating.

Most of the narrowbody fleet will also receive additional Main Cabin Extra seats, which offer more legroom along with benefits such as earlier boarding and dedicated overhead-bin space.

Cabins will receive other updates including redesigned seats, additional storage and enhanced lighting.

Part of a larger overhaul of the flying experience

The upgrades are part of a broader effort by American to improve its onboard product and compete for travelers willing to pay more for premium experiences.

The carrier previously announced plans to install SpaceX's Starlink internet service on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in the first quarter of 2027. Starlink is designed to support bandwidth-heavy activities including streaming, gaming and video calls.

American is also investing in new and expanded Admirals Club and Flagship lounges, upgrading food and beverage offerings and introducing digital tools intended to make booking, baggage tracking and other parts of a trip easier.

For passengers, the combined upgrades could make American's domestic flights look considerably different over the next several years. Instead of choosing between using a personal device or going without a screen, every passenger would eventually have built-in entertainment along with faster connectivity and more opportunities to pay for additional space.

Free TV is having a comeback and it's better than you think

• Free streaming is getting surprisingly good, with services like Tubi, Pluto TV, and Philo offering thousands of shows, movies, and live channels.

• Your library card can unlock even more, including commercial-free movies on Kanopy, as well as movies, audiobooks, ebooks, and music through Hoopla.

• Mix free and paid streaming to cut costs, keeping one favorite subscription while using free services to fill the gaps.

Remember when cutting the cord was supposed to save money?

For millions of Americans it diduntil streaming subscriptions started piling up. Netflix. Disney+. HBO Max. Hulu. Peacock. Paramount+. Apple TV+. Before long, many households are spending well over $100 a month just to watch TV.

Fortunately, there's another option, as free streaming has exploded over the past few years, thanks to what's known as FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV).

And to be 100% honest, some of these even rival popular paid streaming services. Here are the eight free streaming apps worth downloading today.

1. Tubi Best overall

If you only install one free streaming service, make it Tubi.

Owned by Fox, Tubi has become the closest thing you'll find to a free version of Netflix. Its catalog includes tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes covering nearly every genre imaginable action, comedy, horror, documentaries, anime, reality TV, kids programming, and a growing lineup of Tubi Originals.

One of Tubi's biggest advantages is simplicity. You don't need to create an account, enter a credit card, or even provide an email address. Just download the app and start watching. If you do sign up for a free account, you'll unlock watchlists, recommendations, and the ability to continue watching across multiple devices.

The recommendation engine is surprisingly good, helping users uncover older movies and forgotten TV series they might otherwise miss.

Best for:

• Movie lovers

• Families

• Horror fans

• Anyone replacing Netflix

Pros:

• Massive on-demand library

• Easy-to-use interface

• No account required

• Available on nearly every device

Cons:

• Commercial breaks

• Limited brand-new releases

Bottom line: Tubi remains the benchmark that every other free streaming service is chasing.

2. Pluto TV Best cable replacement

If you miss flipping through channels instead of endlessly browsing menus, Pluto TV may become your new favorite app.

Owned by Paramount, Pluto pioneered the FAST model and now offers hundreds of live channels covering everything from sitcoms and crime dramas to cooking shows, sports highlights, reality TV, local news, and classic movies. It also includes an extensive on-demand library for viewers who prefer watching on their own schedule.

Unlike most streaming services, Pluto feels remarkably similar to traditional cable. Open the app and you're immediately watching television instead of scrolling through endless recommendations.

It's ideal for people who like having something on in the background or simply enjoy channel surfing.

Best for:

• Former cable subscribers

• News junkies

• Live TV fans

• Classic television

Pros:

• Hundreds of live channels

• Cable-style program guide

• Large movie library

• No account needed

Cons:

• Can't pause or restart live channels

• Some channels repeat programming

Bottom line: If you miss the simplicity of cable but not the monthly bill, Pluto TV is the closest replacement you'll find.

3. Philo Best new free streaming service

Most consumers know Philo as one of the least expensive live TV subscriptions.

What many don't realize is that the company now offers an impressive free service featuring more than 150 live ad-supported channels along with thousands of on-demand movies and television shows.

Even better, you don't need to register to start watching. No credit card. No subscription. No hidden trial.

Simply open the app or visit the website and begin streaming.

If you decide to create a free account using just your email address, you'll unlock one of the most unique features in free streaming: an unlimited 30-day DVR for free channels. You can also create up to ten viewer profiles, save favorite channels, and receive personalized recommendations.

That's functionality many paid streaming services don't even offer.

Best for:

• Live entertainment

• Lifestyle programming

• Reality TV

• Families

Pros:

• 150+ live channels

• Thousands of on-demand titles

• Unlimited 30-day DVR

• No login required to watch

Cons:

• Not much live sports

• Smaller movie library than Tubi

Bottom line: Philo has quietly become one of the biggest success stories in free streaming.

4. The Roku Channel Most underrated

One of the biggest misconceptions in streaming is that you need a Roku device to use The Roku Channel. You don't.

The service works on smartphones, tablets, browsers, many smart TVs, and competing streaming devices, giving nearly anyone access to its growing collection of live channels, movies, television shows, and Roku Originals.

The interface is polished and easy to navigate, making it especially attractive for viewers who aren't particularly tech savvy.

Roku has also done an excellent job licensing recognizable movies and television shows, giving the service a more premium feel than many free competitors.

Best for:

• Families

• Casual viewers

• Live TV

• Roku owners

Pros:

• Excellent interface

• Strong live TV lineup

• Roku Originals

• Available beyond Roku devices

Cons:

• Original programming remains limited

• Some content rotates frequently

Bottom line: Easily one of streaming's most overlooked free services.

5. Kanopy Best for movie lovers

If Hollywood blockbusters aren't your thing, Kanopy may become your favorite streaming service.

Available through participating public libraries and universities, Kanopy specializes in award-winning independent films, foreign cinema, documentaries, educational programming, and many Criterion Collection titles.

Even better? There are no commercials.

Instead of showing advertisements, Kanopy is funded through participating libraries, making it feel more like a premium streaming service than a free one.

The only downside is that most libraries limit how many titles you can stream each month.

Best for:

• Film buffs

• Documentary fans

• College students

• Families

Pros:

• No advertising

• Award-winning films

• Excellent documentaries

• High-quality educational programming

Cons:

• Requires a participating library card

• Monthly viewing limits

Bottom line: Kanopy is arguably the highest-quality free streaming service available.

6. Hoopla Best library bonus

Many people discover Hoopla while looking for ebooks. Then they realize it also includes movies, television shows, audiobooks, music, comics, and educational videos.

Like Kanopy, Hoopla partners with public libraries, meaning your library card unlocks an incredible amount of digital content.

One major advantage over Libby is that most Hoopla titles are available immediately without long wait lists. It's almost like having Netflix, Audible, and Spotify rolled into one library benefit.

Best for:

• Families

• Readers

• Audiobook listeners

Pros:

• Movies and television

• Audiobooks and ebooks

• Music and comics

• Instant borrowing

Cons:

• Library participation varies

• Monthly borrowing limits

Bottom line: If your library offers Hoopla, you're already paying for it through your local taxes so you might as well use it.

7. Plex Best for power users

Plex started life as software that organized your personal movie collection. Today it's become much more than that.

Alongside its famous media-server features, Plex now offers free live television channels, movies, and television shows inside a single app.

Its biggest strength is convenience. If you have your own digital movie collection, Plex combines your personal library with free streaming services, rentals, and recommendations in one place.

It can feel overwhelming at first, but advanced users love the flexibility.

Best for:

• Tech enthusiasts

• Home media collectors

• Live TV

• Movie fans

Pros:

• Combines personal and streaming libraries

• Live channels

• Cross-platform support

• Powerful organization tools

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve

• Interface can feel busy

Bottom line: No other free streaming service offers as much flexibility.

8. PBS App Best educational streaming

Not every streaming service needs superhero movies. Sometimes you want something you'll actually learn from.

The PBS app delivers exactly that, offering acclaimed series like Frontline, NOVA, Nature, American Experience, children's programming, and many Ken Burns documentaries.

Parents will appreciate the large collection of educational children's content, while adults can spend hours exploring science, history, politics, and culture.

Some newer content eventually moves behind the optional PBS Passport membership, but there's still an enormous amount available completely free.

Best for:

• Families

• Documentary lovers

• Parents

• History buffs

Pros:

• Outstanding educational content

• Excellent children's programming

• Trusted journalism

• High production quality

Cons:

• Some newer titles require Passport

• Not designed for blockbuster entertainment

Bottom line: Every household with kids should have the PBS app installed.

Five smart streaming tips

1. Pair Tubi with Pluto TV. Together they offer one of the best combinations of on-demand movies and live television available anywhere, and yes, both are completely free.

2. Don't overlook your library. A single library card may unlock both Kanopy and Hoopla, giving you access to premium movies, documentaries, ebooks, and audiobooks at no additional cost.

3. Mix free and paid services. Instead of paying for six subscriptions all year, consider keeping one favorite paid service and supplementing it with several free apps.

4. Expect some commercials. These services are supported by advertising, but most viewers find the ad load lighter than traditional cable TV.

5. Check before renting. Before paying to rent a movie, search Tubi, Pluto TV, or The Roku Channel. You may find it's already available for free.

New research links access to dollar stores with higher rates of several health problems across the U.S.

• A new study found a link between nearby dollar stores and higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

• Researchers compared access to dollar stores and traditional grocery stores across U.S. metro areas.

• The findings suggest that access to healthier food options may matter just as much as access to food itself.

Dollar stores can be an appealing option when grocery prices are putting pressure on household budgets. But new research from the University of California, Riverside suggests that where people shop for food and the quality of the food available there could be connected to their health.

The study, published in BMC Public Health, found that communities with greater proximity to dollar stores had higher rates of several health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. By comparison, greater access to traditional grocery stores was associated with better health outcomes.

The researchers point to differences in the types of foods available. Traditional grocery stores generally offer more fresh produce, whole grains, and lean proteins, while dollar stores tend to have fewer of these healthier options.

I want to raise awareness that higher grocery costs are pushing people to buy highly processed, lower quality food at dollar stores, and it is negatively impacting their health in a similar way to fast food, researcher Ryan Bruellman said in a news release.

How the researchers studied the connection

The researchers analyzed data from 2016 through 2020 covering traditional grocery stores and dollar stores across the contiguous United States. They used geographic mapping software called ArcGIS to measure how close different communities were to each type of store.

The analysis focused on census tracts in metropolitan areas included in the CDC's 500 Cities Project. Researchers then used statistical models to examine whether proximity to traditional grocery stores or dollar stores was associated with various health outcomes.

They also accounted for socioeconomic factors using the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index. That was important because factors such as difficulty affording groceries could influence both where people shop and their health.

What the findings mean for consumers

The researchers found that greater proximity to traditional grocery stores was significantly associated with lower rates of adverse health outcomes, including obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Meanwhile, proximity to dollar stores was significantly associated with all of the health outcomes examined, even after researchers accounted for socioeconomic factors.

That doesn't mean shopping at a dollar store directly causes a particular health condition. Instead, the study identified an association between the food environment and health across communities.

The researchers say the findings highlight the importance of making healthier foods more accessible. Suggestions include increasing the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables at dollar stores and bringing farmers markets and food banks closer to communities where dollar stores are common.

For consumers, the takeaway is less about avoiding dollar stores altogether and more about recognizing that having an affordable place to buy food doesn't necessarily mean having equal access to nutritious choices.

The overarching thing is we shouldnt think of traditional grocery stores as the only places to get food. People need to look beyond that, Bruellman said.