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The Daily Dot

Steve Ecker is a freelance reporter based in Austin, Texas. He has an extensive background in consumer marketing and is also an artist running Get Lost Collages.

Steve Ecker

Clif Bar box (l) Woman shares what the new clif bar packages looks like(r)

clif bar

‘We see what you’re doing’: Shopper buys Clif Bar. Then she exposes what the new packaging really means

Charlotte is a regular Daily Dot contributor with bylines in Insider, VICE, Glamour, The Independent, and more. She holds a Masters&#8217;s degree in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London.

Charlotte Colombo Author Photo

Charlotte Colombo

Screenshot of tiktok user @kaungfi with the caption: Best and ONLY way you should use your points!"; Photo of a credit card being passed over a Hotel front desk.

best_only_Way_credit_card_tiktok.jpg

‘Whether it’s through Chase, AmEx, Capital One, or whoever’: Expert says never make this ‘newbie’ move when booking hotels with credit card points. Then he reveals what to do instead

Chad Swiatecki is a 30-year journalist who relocated to Austin, TX from his home state of Michigan in 2008. He most enjoys covering the intersection of arts, business and local/state politics. He writes regularly for Austin Monitor, and has written for Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Daily News, Texas Monthly, Austin Business Journal, Austin American-Statesman and many other regional and national outlets.

Chad Swiatecki

Doctor physician calculate medical healthcare(l) Woman explains experience at pharmacy(c) Pharmacist comparing medical health(r)

pharma price

Woman’s prescription comes out to $45. Then she asks the pharmacy worker for a discount

Beau Paul is a freelance writer from Austin, Texas. Beau also wrote narrative and dialog for the gaming industry for several years before becoming an entertainment journalist.

Beau Paul

car_note_impound_lot_trick_tiktok.jpg

‘Got my last car from an auction. Nissan Altima $800’: Woman says the trick to getting a reliable car for cheap is auctions. Then she reveals exactly what you should say

Costco wholesale(l) Woman shares the crab legs she bought at Costco(c) Crab Legs on white plate next to lime(r)

crab legs costco

‘I have been looking for this box a couple years now’: Woman buys box of Costco crab legs for $479. Then she sees what’s inside

hundred dollar bill(l) The Home Depot Sign(c) Man with beard shares how to properly check if a bill is real(r)

home depot money check

‘Home Depot machine here won’t take older bills anymore’: Man reveals trick for how to tell if you have counterfeit money. Then he demos it.

Melody Heald is a culture writer. Her work can be found in Glitter Magazine, BUST Magazine, and more.

Melody Heald

2 image split. Someone holding up a pack of thin mint cookies, looking shocked, on left. Girl Scout holding tray of assorted cookies on right.

girl_scout_cookies_smaller_thin_mints.png

Woman says Girl Scout Thin Mints are smaller now. Then someone says Keebler Fudge Mint Delights are made in the same factory and $2.98 at Walmart

2 image split. Woman speaking with text overlayed that reads: "Buy a new car every three years" on left. Someone handing someone else a car key with paperwork on table on right.

buy_new_car_every_3_years.png

‘It’s not a lease’: Woman says you should buy a new car every 3 years because of this little-known ‘courtesy’ loophole. Does it work?

Grace Rampaul is a social and multimedia intern at the Daily Dot. She is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, with a major in Journalism and focus on Media and Entertainment Studies. Grace is based in Austin and covers trending stories, entertainment, cultural phenomenon, and all things social.

Grace Rampaul

Two panel design with a man walking through a gas station, next to an image of a row of drinks in a gas station store

Pepsi_Small_Gas_Station

‘Dropping by $10’: Expert explains the real reason why Pepsi prices may be going up at your gas station

Brooke Sjoberg is a freelance writer who graduated with her Bachelors in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin in 2020.

Brooke Sjoberg

Photo of a T-Mobile store exterior; Screenshot from @sste.ph's Tiktok of a T-Mobile employee cleaning an IPad screen.

t_mobile_screen_protector_tiktok.jpg

‘He said it was free’: T-Mobile customer agrees to ‘free’ screen protector on iPad. Then she sees what the worker charged her

Braden Bjella is a culture writer. His work can be found in Mixmag, Electronic Beats, Schon! magazine, and more.

Braden Bjella

Split image. Woman reacting to restaurant policy on left and right. Waitress being tipped in center.

Y5BMg9Bb-On_Top_Of_Tipping_Restaurant.png

‘On top of tipping?’: Woman flips through restaurant menu. Then she sees the ‘sharing charge’

Photo of a 2025 Hyundai Elantra; Screenshot of Tiktok user @jrodsellscars.

hyundai_elantra_tiktok.jpg

‘I felt bad’: Woman leases Hyundai Elantra. It’s only been 3 months—and she’s already trying to get rid of it

Taco Bell Sign(l) Man explains problem with Taco bell Menu(c) Taco Bell Order(r)

taco bell combo box

‘So you got 2 different menus?’: Man tries to order combo box at Taco Bell drive-thru. Then the workers tell him it doesn’t exist

Natasha Dubash is a freelance writer and editor based in Los Angeles. She loves reporting on entertainment, television, and pop culture.

Natasha Dubash

woman smiling(l) Gift box with keys and keychain of a house(c) For sale Sign Infront of house(r)

house for sale

‘They’re making eggs an incentive now’: Woman sees a ‘for sale’ sign on house. Then she takes a closer look at it

2 panel image: the exterior of a Trader Joe's sign on the left and a display case of eggs on the right.

Money