The Clark Howard Podcast

Topics include Clark addressing criticism, importance of life insurance, warning about visa gift cards, tips on saving with digital gift cards, benefits of travel insurance, review of Mint Mobile, prescription drug savings, and guidance on buying life insurance.

How do we determine our “magic number” - the amount we need to retire? Clark weighs in on the debate about how much it takes to be financially secure, and how to start and keep making progress. Also today -private placements, hedge funds, limited partnerships, private equity - beware of this type of non-traditional investment “opportunity”. Even when they’re legit, there’s no liquidity, and extremely high expenses. It pays to know why you need to avoid investing with anyone who is not a fiduciary. How Much Do You Need To Retire?: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Risky Investment Pitches: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: The “Magic Number” Needed to Retire Comfortably Is More Than You Think Americans Believe They Will Need $1.46 Million to Retire Comfortably According to Northwestern Mutual 2024 Planning & Progress Study - Apr 2, 2024 Retirement crisis looms as Americans struggle to save How Much Do You Need To Retire? How to Start Investing: 10 Steps (Clark.com) How To Save Money: Spend Less & Build Your Savings Warning: Here’s What Those Debt Settlement Companies Don’t Tell You Clark Howard's 2024 Credit Card Debt Elimination Strategy 6 Things To Know Before Contacting the National Foundation for Credit Counseling Best 529 College Savings Plans By State How To Open a Roth IRA The AJC: Atlanta hedge fund manager charged in $10M fraud scheme Best Financial Advisors in 2024 Should You Make Your Child an Authorized User on Your Credit Card? Best Credit Cards for Students: Top Picks for 2024 Travel Archives - Clark Howard 4 Ways To Get Your Free Credit Score Thank you for listening today, Clarkies! If you want to be part of our “Clarkie” segment, call 404-981-2071 to leave a comment or story. We may play it during a future episode!Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark discusses the big bank response to higher savings rates and spells out your options to make the most of your savings. Also today - small business owners are stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to borrowing money. Beware “quick” loans. Clark has a better way. Maximize Your Savings Rate: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Legal Loan Sharks Plague Small Business: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Banks pay savers more as ‘higher-for-longer’ rates hit interest income Clark.com - Best High-Yield Online Savings Accounts Montway Auto Transport: Top-Rated Auto Transport Company uShip Review: 5 Things To Know Before You Use the Shipping Service Facebook Marketplace Scams: Everything You Need to Know Small businesses are still struggling to get financing, a year after bank failures Best Small Business Credit Cards: Top Picks for 2024 (Clark.com) Best Cash Back Credit Cards With No Annual Fee in 2024 Best 2% Cash Back Credit Cards: 8 Options in 2024 Warning: Why You Should Never Buy Visa Gift Cards Amazon “Prime Visa” Card Review: 5% Back for Amazon Prime Members How To Get the Best Price Possible Shopping Online Clark Deals - Today's Best Deals of the Day How To Spot a Fake Online Store in 6 Easy Steps Thank you for listening today, Clarkies! If you want to be part of our “Clarkie” segment, call 404-981-2071 to leave a comment or story. We may play it during a future episode!Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today - you may have heard that Walmart is closing its health centers. With the failure of this healthcare option, along with the state of the clinic attempts made by Walgreens & CVS, there’s an important healthcare takeaway to be prepared for. Also, are you ready to see a driverless tractor-trailer on the road? Are they safe? Your Primary Care Physician: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Autonomous 18 Wheelers: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: NYTimes: Walmart Is Shutting Health Centers After Plan to Expand Walmart to close its 51 health centers, virtual care service Walmart says it will close its 51 health centers and virtual care service My Neighbor’s Dead Tree Is About To Fall on My House. What Do I Do? Can I Trust the FDIC’s Recommendations on Getting Insured for More Than $250,000 at a Single Bank? Why Are Retailers Adding an Additional $1 Charge on My Credit Card? How Many Bank Accounts Should You Have? - Clark Howard Self-driving trucks are ready to roll Want To Guard Your Privacy Online? Search the Web With DuckDuckGo DuckDuckGo - Get Email Protection: More Privacy, Same Inbox Thank you for listening today, Clarkies! If you want to be part of our “Clarkie” segment, call 404-981-2071 to leave a comment or story. We may play it during a future episode!Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friday - Clark Stinks day! Christa shares Clark Stinks posts with Clark. Submit yours at Clark.com/ClarkStinks. Also, we’ve talked about the cost of college, and how it can hamper parents saving for their own retirement. But what about supporting adult children post-college age? Clark shares some concerning stats. What’s your take? We have a popular thread on our free Clark.com Community on this topic,  linked here and we invite you to share thoughts on financially supporting adult children. Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 Paying For Adult Children: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Streaming TV - Clark.com Do I Really Need To Put Premium Gasoline in My Vehicle? How to Get Your Kids to Step Off the Gravy Train 60% of Parents Pay Bills For Adult Children. Do You? When it’s time to financially cut off your adult children Clark.com Community - What is the appropriate age to wean your child off your financial support? And how much money should you give an adult child if any? Thank you for listening today, Clarkies! If you want to be part of our “Clarkie” segment, call 404-981-2071 to leave a comment or story. We may play it during a future episode!Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark has never been a fan of brand names, and it seems he’s been ahead of the curve. Now consumers, sick of high prices, are fighting back. New private labels are popping up and it’s great for our wallets. Also today, with short-term rental bans proliferating, Clark has a key rule for purchasing investment property.  Private Label Store Brands Vs Big Brand Names: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Buying Investment Property: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Consumers Fed Up With Food Costs Are Ditching Big Brands Barrons: Walmart Is the Nation’s Largest Grocer. Why It Added a New Private Label Food Brand. Walmart Takes On Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods With New Premium Brand - WSJ How to Save Money on Groceries: 22 Clever Ways - Clark.com Are Airbnbs banned in Hawaii? New law seeks to crack down on short-term rentals -USA TODAY What Is a 1031 Exchange? Know the Rules Thank you for listening today, Clarkies! If you want to be part of our “Clarkie” segment, call 404-981-2071 to leave a comment or story. We may play it during a future episode!Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover the benefits of new Series I Savings Bonds with higher interest rates. Learn how to avoid the latest no-show fees that are making headlines. Get insights on ways to save money on mattresses and discuss the implications of Vanguard's new fee structure.

Clarkonomics! Clark discusses how the US economy stacks up against the rest of the world, including concerns about our deficit. Also, Clark and Christa have a long running disagreement about a payment practice. Christa was right. Clark has changed his mind. Clarkonomics: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Automatic Payments: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: The US dollar is strengthening. Here’s what’s driving the rally and what it means for Americans America’s debt problem is storing up trouble for the rest of the world Inflation Is Stubborn. Is the Federal Budget Deficit Making It Worse? Stubborn Inflation Could Prod Fed to Keep Rates High for Longer With Inflation This High, Nobody Knows What a Dollar Is Worth Where Should I Set Up My Health Savings Account (HSA)? Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Money Talk with Liz Weston: Can my credit score really be marred over $20?  Automatic Bill Pay: How It Works and How To Do It Safely Credit Score Guide   /   Should You Get a Store Credit Card? Is a Self-Directed Real Estate IRA Right for Your Retirement? Real Estate Investing: What To Know BEFORE You Start What Should You Do if Your Insurance Claim Is Denied? Thank you for listening today, Clarkies! If you want to be part of our “Clarkie” segment, call 404-981-2071 to leave a comment or story. We may play it during a future episode!Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode - did you hear about the T-Mobile customer who received a six figure bill for an international trip? Get Clark smart advice for traveling overseas with your phone. Also today - there’s a new warning out about a scam trying to collect money from you from phantom tolls. International Calling: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Toll Collection Scam Warning: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: PhoneArena: This T-Mobile customer got a $143442.74 bill after a three-week Switzerland vacation The Best International Phone Plans Google Fi Wireless: My Experience as a Five-Year Customer (Pros and Cons) Hello Mobile How To Choose the Best Charities for Your Donations What's the Best Way To Donate to a Charity? Alert: FBI issues warning on toll road smishing scam USA TODAY: Road toll 'smishing' texts on the rise, FBI says: Here's what to know E-ZPass Group - Home T-Mobile 5G Home Internet: 5 Things To Know Before You Sign Up How To Prevent, Report and Repair Identity Theft Thank you for listening today, Clarkies! If you want to be part of our “Clarkie” segment, call 404-981-2071 to leave a comment or story. We may play it during a future episode!Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friday - Clark Stinks day! Christa shares Clark Stinks posts with Clark. Submit yours at Clark.com/ClarkStinks.  Also today, we’ve talked a lot about renting vs. buying in today’s housing market. New data makes a compelling argument and provides direction for aspiring homeowners.  Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 Rent Vs Buy A Home: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Best 529 College Savings Plans By State Homes at Menards® Insurers Are Spying on Your Home From the Sky Axios: Unpacking the productivity surge Where should I place a carbon monoxide detector? The $10 Travel Essential Clark Howard Always Packs Big city dwellers are better off renting than buying a home everywhere, analysis says - USA TODAY One-Third of Parents Are Paying An Adult Child's House Down Payment? Are You? Map: Here's Zillow's updated home-price forecast for more than 400 housing markets The cost breakdown of building a single-family home The Only Reason You Should Make an Improvement to Your Home 29 home remodeling projects that offer the best payback 6 Tips for Hiring a Contractor Senior Planning Thank you for listening today, Clarkies! If you want to be part of our “Clarkie” segment, call 404-981-2071 to leave a comment or story. We may play it during a future episode!Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices