Wallet & Credits

Your Forest SEO wallet is your central hub for managing credits, tracking spending, and funding content generation operations.

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💰 Understanding Your Wallet

What is a Wallet?

Your wallet stores prepaid credits used to pay for Forest SEO services. It's like a prepaid account that deducts costs automatically when you use features.

Wallet Components:

• USD Balance: Dollar amount in your wallet
• Credits: Internal currency for services
• Transaction History: Record of all wallet activity

Credit System

How Credits Work:

Credit Conversion:

• $1 = ~100 credits (approximate)
• Actual conversion may vary by service
• Real-time balance updates

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📊 Wallet Dashboard

Where to Find Your Wallet

Navigation:

1. Open Dashboard
2. Click Settings ⚙️
3. Select Billing tab
4. Choose Wallet section

Or use the quick link: Dashboard → Billing → Wallet

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Balance Overview

Your Wallet Display:

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Wallet Status Indicators

Status Types:

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💵 Topping Up Your Wallet

Top-Up Options

Quick Amounts:

Minimum Top-Up: $5.00
Maximum Top-Up: $5,000.00 per transaction

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Step-by-Step: Top Up Wallet

Step 1: Open Top-Up Dialog

1. Navigate to Wallet section in Billing
2. Click Top Up Wallet button
3. Top-up dialog appears

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Step 2: Choose Amount

Option A: Quick Amount

• Click one of the suggested amounts ($10, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500)
• Most popular: $50 and $100

Option B: Custom Amount

1. Click in the amount field
2. Enter desired amount (minimum $5.00)
3. System validates the amount

Amount Suggestions by Usage:

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Step 3: Select Payment Method

Choose from your saved payment methods:

Recommended: Use your default payment method for faster processing.

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Step 4: Confirm Top-Up

1. Review top-up summary:
   • Amount: $50.00
   • Credits to receive: ~5,000
   • Payment method: Visa ••••4242
2. Click Confirm Top-Up
3. Wait for processing (usually < 5 seconds)

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Step 5: Success!

After successful top-up:

✅ Immediate Updates:

• Wallet balance increased
• Credits added to account
• Transaction recorded in history
• Success notification displayed

📧 Email Receipt:

• Receipt sent to your email
• Transaction details included
• Invoice available for download

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📜 Transaction History

Viewing Transactions

Your wallet tracks all activity:

Transaction Types:

• 💳 Top-Up — Funds added to wallet
• 📝 Content Generation — Article creation cost
• 🔄 Refund — Credits returned
• 🎁 Bonus — Promotional credits
• ➖ Adjustment — Manual corrections

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Transaction Details

What's Recorded:

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Transaction Timeline

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Filtering Transactions

Filter Options:

• Date Range: Last 7 days, 30 days, 90 days, custom
• Type: All, Top-ups only, Expenses only, Refunds
• Amount: Show large transactions (> $50)

Export Transactions:

• Download as CSV
• Export to Excel
• Generate PDF report

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💳 Credit Usage

What Uses Credits?

Primary Uses:

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Cost Breakdown: Article Generation

What Affects Cost:

Example Calculations:

Short Article (1,000 words):

• Base cost: 500 credits ($5)
• • 2 images: +200 credits
• Total: 700 credits ($7)

Long Article (2,500 words):

• Base cost: 300 credits ($3)
• • Language (Russian): +100 credits
• • 3 images: +300 credits
• Total: 1,400 credits ($14)

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Real-Time Cost Preview

Before generating content, see estimated cost:

Cost Transparency:

• See cost before confirming
• Real-time balance updates
• No hidden fees
• Exact credit deduction shown

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🔄 Auto-Reload (Coming Soon)

Automatic Top-Up

Set up automatic wallet reloads to never run out of credits:

How Auto-Reload Works:

Auto-Reload Settings:

• Threshold: Trigger when balance drops below X
• Top-Up Amount: How much to add
• Payment Method: Which card to use
• Max Frequency: Once per day/week/month

Example Configuration:

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🎁 Promotional Credits & Bonuses

Earning Bonus Credits

Ways to Get Free Credits:

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Redeeming Promo Codes

How to Apply:

1. Go to Wallet section
2. Click Redeem Promo Code
3. Enter code (e.g., WELCOME50)
4. Click Apply
5. Credits added instantly

Promo Code Rules:

• One-time use per account
• Expiration dates apply
• Cannot be combined with other offers
• Non-transferable
• Check terms for each code

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💰 Spending Management

Budget Tracking

Monitor Your Spending:

Daily View:

Today: -2,400 credits (-$24)
- Article 1: 800 credits
- Article 2: 800 credits  
- Article 3: 800 credits

Monthly View:

December 2024: -15,000 credits (-$150)
Average per day: 500 credits ($5)
Projected month end: $200

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Spending Alerts

Set Up Alerts:

Alert Configuration:

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Cost Optimization Tips

Reduce Spending:

1. Batch Content Generation

   • Generate multiple articles at once
   • Slight discount on bulk operations
   • More efficient credit usage

2. Optimize Article Length

   • Use appropriate length for topic
   • Shorter articles cost less
   • Quality over quantity

3. Reuse Keywords

   • Keyword research is free
   • Use same clusters for multiple articles
   • Save on research costs

4. Limit Images

   • Each image adds ~100 credits
   • Use external images when possible
   • Generate only when needed

5. Consider Premium Subscription

   • Unlimited generation for $39/month
   • Break-even at ~10 articles/month
   • Best for high-volume users

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🔒 Security & Fraud Protection

Secure Transactions

Payment Security:

• 🔐 PCI-DSS compliant processing
• 🛡️ Stripe security infrastructure
• 🔒 Encrypted card storage
• ✅ 3D Secure authentication support

Forest SEO Never Stores:

• ❌ Full card numbers
• ❌ CVV codes
• ❌ Card PINs

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Fraud Detection

Automatic Protection:

Fraud Indicators:

• Unusual transaction amounts
• Multiple failed attempts
• Suspicious IP addresses
• Velocity limits exceeded

If Flagged:

1. Transaction held temporarily
2. Email verification sent
3. Contact support if needed
4. Usually resolved within 24 hours

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🎯 Wallet Best Practices

1. Maintain Healthy Balance

Recommended Minimums:

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2. Top Up in Bulk

Why Bulk Top-Ups:

• ✅ Fewer transactions
• ✅ Better tracking
• ✅ Reduced processing overhead
• ✅ Occasional bonus credits

Recommended:

• Top up $100-250 at once
• Avoid frequent small top-ups ($5-10)
• Set reminders for monthly top-ups

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3. Monitor Regularly

Weekly Check:

• ✅ Review current balance
• ✅ Check recent transactions
• ✅ Verify no unexpected charges
• ✅ Plan upcoming content needs

Monthly Review:

• ✅ Total spending analysis
• ✅ Cost per article average
• ✅ Compare to budget
• ✅ Optimize if needed

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4. Use Spending Limits

Set Safeguards:

• Daily spending cap
• Monthly budget alerts
• Large transaction confirmations
• Low balance warnings

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5. Keep Payment Methods Updated

Proactive Management:

• Update expiring cards before due
• Keep 2+ payment methods on file
• Verify billing address matches card
• Remove old/unused cards

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⚠️ Troubleshooting

Issue 1: Top-Up Failed

Symptoms:

• Payment declined
• Funds not added to wallet
• Error message displayed

Common Causes & Fixes:

Steps to Resolve:

1. Check card has sufficient funds
2. Verify card details are correct
3. Try alternative payment method
4. Contact your bank if needed
5. Contact support if persists

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Issue 2: Balance Not Updating

Symptoms:

• Top-up successful but balance unchanged
• Credits deducted but not reflected

Solution:

1. Refresh the page (hard refresh: Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + R)
2. Log out and log back in
3. Check transaction history for pending items
4. Wait 5 minutes for sync
5. Contact support if still incorrect

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Issue 3: Incorrect Charge

Symptoms:

• Wrong amount charged
• Duplicate transaction
• Unexpected deduction

Steps:

1. Review transaction history
2. Verify it's not a pending authorization
3. Check email for receipts
4. Screenshot the issue
5. Contact support with details

Support Will Need:

• Transaction ID
• Date and time
• Amount charged
• Expected amount
• Screenshot of transaction

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Issue 4: Can't Add Payment Method

Symptoms:

• Payment method won't save
• Stripe Elements not loading
• Card validation failing

Solution:

1. Ensure billing address is complete
2. Try different browser
3. Disable ad blockers temporarily
4. Check internet connection
5. Clear browser cache
6. Contact support

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What's the minimum top-up amount?

$5.00 is the minimum. This gives you approximately 500 credits.

Do credits expire?

No! Credits never expire. Use them at your own pace.

Can I get a refund for unused credits?

Generally no. Credits are non-refundable. However:

• ✅ Refunds for service issues
• ✅ Refunds if account closed (pro-rated)
• ✅ Adjustments for billing errors

Contact support for special circumstances.

What happens if my balance reaches $0?

Content generation stops:

• ❌ Can't generate new articles
• ✅ All existing content accessible
• ✅ Other features still work
• 💡 Just top up to continue

Can I transfer credits to another account?

No. Credits are tied to your account and non-transferable.

How are credits converted to USD?

Approximate rate: $1 = 100 credits
Actual usage: Varies by service (LLM costs, API usage, etc.)

Can I see detailed cost breakdown?

Yes! Each transaction shows:

• Service used
• Credits deducted
• USD equivalent
• Remaining balance

Do you offer invoices for top-ups?

Yes! Every top-up generates:

• 📧 Email receipt
• 📄 PDF invoice
• 🔗 Download link in transaction history

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🔗 Related Documentation

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💡 Pro Tips

Tip #1: Top up $50-100 at once instead of frequent small amounts. Easier to track and manage.

Tip #2: Enable low balance alerts to avoid service interruptions during content generation.

Tip #3: Review transaction history monthly to understand your average cost per article.

Tip #4: Consider Premium subscription if generating 10+ articles per month for better value.

Tip #5: Keep 2 payment methods on file to ensure uninterrupted service if one card fails.

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🎬 Quick Actions

Ready to manage your wallet? Choose your path:

• 💵 Top Up Wallet — Add funds now
• 📜 View Transaction History — Check spending
• 💳 Add Payment Method — Save a card
• 💎 Subscribe to Premium — Unlimited content

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Questions? Contact support at [email protected] or visit our Help Center.