The Clark Howard Podcast

Explore the rise of alarm systems, revealing how to avoid high costs and long contracts for your home safety. Dive into the eyeglass industry with insights about a new rule that unlocks deep discounts on prescriptions. Learn essential tips to navigate scams in both markets while protecting your rights. Additionally, the podcast touches on updating legal documents post-marriage and managing credit freezes, making it a treasure trove of consumer wisdom.

Interest rates are shifting, leaving savers to navigate a competitive landscape for the best savings options. Don’t let your CD auto-renew—find out why! Meanwhile, Amazon is launching a new discount initiative to compete with budget-friendly rivals like Temu and Shein. Plus, the podcast dives into retirement planning, discussing the benefits of 403(b) versus 457 plans and the role of longevity annuities in securing financial futures. It's all about staying smart with your money!

Today, Clark explains how, with the economy in slower gear, it is more important than ever to re-shop travel. The savings can be significant. Also- a warning about a common and potentially devastating scam wherein a criminal posing as a fraud specialist, is actually a specialist at committing fraud targeting bank & retirement accounts. Know what this scam looks & sounds like, and what to do when you recognize it.  Save More: Re-shop Travel: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Financial Impersonation Scams: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Holiday Travel Is Booming. Why Are Airlines Doing So Badly? 5 Things You Should Re-Shop To Save Money Should You Ever Book a Nonrefundable Hotel Room? Cheapest Way to Rent a Car: Expert Tips Why You Should Never Prepay for a Rental Car Why You Should Re-Shop Your Cruise 8 Things to Know Before You Fly Spirit Airlines Elliott Report: Home Should I Tip on a Cruise? Warning: Be Suspicious of Fraud Alerts on Your Financial Accounts Got a call about fraud activity on your bank account? It could be a scammer Google Voice Verification Code Scam The Google Voice scam: How this verification code scam works and how to avoid it 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, are you paying too much for your summer soundtrack? With online music services raising prices, find out how to legally stream music for free. Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 Free Music Online: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Why I Think Medicare Advantage Plans Stink - Clark Howard Will Social Security Run Out? When Is the Best Time To Collect Social Security? 7 Things To Know About Costco Pharmacy 10 Ways To Save on Prescription Drugs Stash Review: How It Works, Pros & Cons 13 Places To Listen to Free Music Online Warning: Why You Should Never Buy Visa Gift Cards The One and Only Exception to Clark Howard's 'No Gift Card' Rule How To Spot and Avoid Gift Card Scams 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

Beware of private placements with high fees and risks. Learn about missing money in fintech apps. Tips for managing medical bills. Car donation warnings. Safeguard assets with proper banking and insurance practices.

Semper Paratus! Clark discusses the CrowdStrike outage and what you can do to prepare for any future tech outages. Also - Even as the economy strengthens, financial struggles are real and persistent for many, made worse by today’s high interest rates. Use Clark smart strategies for handling credit card debt. Crowdstrike Lesson: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Credit Card Debt: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Global Microsoft CrowdStrike outage creates issues from Starbucks to schools to hospitals NYTimes: How to Guard Against Scams Tied to the CrowdStrike Crash How a faulty CrowdStrike update crashed computers around the world Massive IT outage spotlights major vulnerabilities in the global information ecosystem Recovering from the global tech outage could be a long, arduous process Largest IT outage in history expected to barely register in the economy Air passenger rights - Your Europe 7 Things To Know About Costco Pharmacy American Borrowers Are on Shakier Ground. These Charts Show Why. WSJ Credit Union vs. Bank: What's the Difference? Clark Howard's 2024 Credit Card Debt Elimination Strategy Credit Score Guide Should I Buy Additional Insurance From a Rental Car Company? Cheapest Way to Rent a Car: Expert Tips 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

Some home buyers are using mortgage products to make houses more affordable, but these types of mortgages can be very dangerous to your wallet. Also, it’s time to do back to school shopping for many parents. Clark shares tips for saving money on everything from supplies to clothes to computers. Dangerous Mortgages: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Back To School Shopping: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: More people are taking a mortgage over 40 years – what this means for young people’s finances Mortgages Archives - Clark Howard How To Open a Roth IRA Clark Deals - Tablets / Clark.com - Cell Phone Guide Best 2% Cash Back Credit Cards: 9 Options in 2024 Why Does Clark Howard Wear 2 Watches? 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

Changes are happening at 2 of Clark’s favorites retailers, Costco & Sam’s Club, that members need to know about. Also, Clark talks about why there are an increasing number of brownouts and blackouts across the country and how to be prepared without spending a fortune. Clark Deals - Generators Changes At Costco & Sam’s Club: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Be Prepared For Power Blackouts: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: New York Post: Sam’s Club members threaten to jump to Costco after wholesale giant chops key perk Costco hikes membership fee for the first time since 2017 Costco to Lift Membership Fees for First Time in Seven Years - The WSJ What's the Best Savings Account for a Teenager? Fidelity Investments Review: Pros & Cons What Is a Fiduciary Financial Advisor and Do I Need One? The Best Time and Place To Buy Small Kitchen Appliances [The Washington Post] How to power your home through an outage without a gas generator Wind energy is on a tear and has beaten coal for two months straight Homes into giant batteries: MIT plans energy cement to power your house AI is exhausting the power grid. Tech firms are seeking a miracle solution. Bitcoin miner CleanSpark buys five Georgia data centers Clark Deals - The top 10 deals of the week! People aren't spending like they used to 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/adchoicesPublic.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. 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 - Seniors are getting scammed more and more. But there are ways to help protect loved ones.  Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 Senior Scam Alert: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Clark Howard's Simple Steps To Get Better Customer Service Do Not Give Your Social Security Number at These Places 403b Wise   /   What Is a 403(b) and How Does It Work? Should You Get a Business Credit Card? | When is it Worth it? 10 Clark Howard 'Never, Not Ever' Rules To Protect Your Money 7 Things To Know Before You Use Zelle Should I Use a Credit Card or Give Up My Bank Account Info To Save 2.3%? How To Create a Safe Password Scamming Seniors Is a Growing Problem. Wall Street Wants Washington to Stop It Elder fraud has reached epidemic proportions – a geriatrician explains what older Americans need to know — The Conversation Are older adults more vulnerable to scams? What psychologists have learned about who’s most susceptible, and when — The Conversation Why You Should Never Prepay for a Rental Car How To Dispute a Charge on Your Credit Card Submit a complaint | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 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 today’s show - this is an election year, and we don’t do politics here. But we’re hearing all sorts of perspectives from across the political spectrum about whether Americans are doing better or worse than they were years ago. Clark cuts through the clutter to get at what’s really going on in a segment called Clarkonomics.  Also, what’s more American than good old USA legal tender? So what do you do when many places no longer accept cash? Clarkonomics: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 No Cash Zones: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: CEOs made nearly 200 times what their workers got paid last year PEW - The State of the American Middle Class  Middle-class Americans are falling behind When Should You File a Claim on Your Homeowners Insurance? One Tech Tip: Use a roaming eSIM on your summer travels to avoid cellphone data fees 10 Things Homeowners Insurance Doesn't Always Cover Want to Pay Cash? That’ll Cost You Extra How to Teach Young Kids About Money How to wipe the hard drive of a Windows computer. 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