The Clark Howard Podcast

Today Clark talks about our two biggest cost areas -transportation and housing. There’s good news - and bad, depending on whether you’re looking to buy or sell a used car. Plus, the outlook for new car buyers. And, the American Dream has long included a vision of homeownership. But is it possible to build wealth while renting? Car Prices: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Wealth Building Rewrite: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: CarMax Stock Rises After Earnings Dip. There’s a Used-Car Shortage Axios: Charted: Return of the lower-cost vehicle How To Buy a Used Car - Clark.com How to Buy a New Car in 5 Steps Renting Forever and Trying to Create a Strong Financial Future 10 Big U.S. Cities With the Cheapest Apartment Rents How To Open a Roth IRA Invest & Retire - Clark.com Best Online Banks: Free Checking and High-Interest Savings Accounts 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 Epsode 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

Explore the decline in customer service quality across industries and the importance of excellent customer service. Learn about maximizing cashback rewards, preventing tax ID theft, and safeguarding against delayed refunds. Discover strategies for dealing with unsolicited calls, car security risks, and protecting against voice cloning technology scams.

In this episode - A new stat reveals what percentage of parents go into debt taking their children to Disney. You won’t believe it. Plus Clark has good news & booking tips for fall travelers. Also, AI is certainly shifting the landscape of many industries. So how can workers prepare for the changes it will bring? Disney Debt & Fall Travel: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 AI & The Job Market: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: What's the Best Way To Get a Deal on Disney Hotels and Resorts? Disney trips lead to debt for almost 50% of parents with young children, study finds Holiday Travel Is Booming. Why Are Airlines Doing So Badly? WSJ Beware of This Hot Vacation Rental Scam When You Don't Need 'Cancel for Any Reason' Travel Insurance Cancel for Any Reason Trip Insurance: Should You Buy It? How to post a hotel review online without getting any blowback BBB-File a Complaint Five things Gen Z should do to prepare for AI in the workplace How To Prevent, Report and Repair Identity Theft How to Freeze Your Credit With Experian, Equifax and TransUnion FCC rolls out mandatory ‘nutrition labels’ for internet providers’ plans Liability vs. Full Coverage: Which Auto Insurance Do You Need? 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, Clark discusses how he handles prescriptions in order to save money, and announces our new cash back credit card tool at Clark.com  Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 PBMs and Your Rx Costs: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: CREDIT CARDS - Clark.com Why Our Travel Expert Thinks This New Tool Is a “Game Changer” 7 Ways To Maximize Credit Card Rewards in 2024 ICS® & CDARS Can I Trust the FDIC’s Recommendations on Getting Insured for More Than $250,000 at a Single Bank? Warning: Why You Should Never Buy Visa Gift Cards What Does Clark Howard Think About Vanguard’s New Cash Deposit Feature? NYTimes: The Opaque Industry Secretly Inflating Prices for Prescription Drugs NYTimes: What to Do if You’re Overpaying for Prescriptions Amazon Pharmacy expands $5 monthly subscription to Medicare patients 10 Ways To Save on Prescription Drugs Will Mark Cuban's Prescription Company Really Save You Money? Team Cuban Card - Home Hospitals Are Refusing to Do Surgeries Unless You Pay in Full First 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/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

Americans are learning to save more on groceries - Clark tells you how. Also, Clark discusses the REAL problem with the housing market in America and solutions that exist - mostly elsewhere. We need to get on this now.  Save More On Groceries: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Innovate Home Building: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: US shoppers tighten their belts in a most unlikely place: the grocery store Axios: What's behind the summer of discounts Axios: The case for grocery price progress WSJ: The Era of One-Stop Grocery Shopping Is Over How to Save Money on Groceries: 22 Clever Ways 6 Best Apps To Save Money on Groceries Why You Should Never Use Roadside Assistance These beliefs are what separate wealthy people from everyone else Are You Rich? The Amount Americans Need To Live Comfortably NYTimes: How an American Dream of Housing Became a Reality in Sweden These concrete homes want to take over your subdivision Rollovers From a 529 Plan to Roth IRA: What to Know 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

Now we’re learning that some apps are spying on drivers for the insurance industry - apps that could be on your phone right now.  Also, when’s the last time you checked your credit report? Clark explains why you should check routinely, and how to fix errors, which - unfortunately, are very common. Know the 3 things you can do right now to protect your credit.  Apps That Spy On How You Drive: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Credit Report Errors: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Is Your Driving Being Secretly Scored? How Strict is the 20/3/8 Rule When Purchasing a Car? How To Buy a Used Car Credit report errors are more common than you think. Here's how to dispute one -USA TODAY How To Get a Free Credit Report (Clark.com) How to Freeze Your Credit With Experian, Equifax and TransUnion How To Set Up Your Own Biweekly Mortgage Plan Without Paying Any Fees HP subscription plan   //   Where To Buy the Best Cheap Printer Should I Update My Income With My Bank or Credit Card Company? Should You Ever Decline a Credit Limit Increase? How Many Credit Cards Should I Have? 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 episode, Clark shares why he recently switched cell phone carriers, what the process was like, and which company he’s with now. There are so many opportunities to save on your monthly bill! Speaking of saving - is it really saving when you spend more to get a bigger discount? Clark talks about “spaving”. Clark’s Cell Carrier Switch: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 The “Spaving” Trap: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon get beaten by small carrier in customer satisfaction - PhoneArena Why Clark Howard Switched His Cell Phone Service After 18 Years With T-Mobile Report: The Best Cell Phone Providers in America (Clark.com) Cheap Phone Plans: Get Exactly What You Want at the Cheapest Price Google Fi Review: My Experience as a Five-Year Customer (Pros and Cons) Should You Buy Cell Phone Insurance? (Clark.com) These Credit Cards Will Replace Your Stolen or Damaged Phone (Clark.com) When Companies Ask for Your Social Security Number, Try Saying No - WSJ How to Freeze Your Credit With Experian, Equifax and TransUnion Buy two, get one half off? How 'spaving' discounts can derail your finances 4 free services to thwart the identity thieves lurking in your mailbox Best 529 College Savings Plans By State How To Find and Choose a Financial Advisor How to Settle an Estate 6 Things To Know About Series I Savings Bonds 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, Clark discusses USAA concerning the terrible customer-no-service we are hearing about in every area of their business - and the fraud going on from bank hackers in general. There are steps you can take to better secure your financial accounts. Also, doing business with a big broker does not mean you are going to have big cash returns. Clark explains full commission vs discount brokers.  USAA & Bank Hacking: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Brokerage Choice & Fiduciaries: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Military and Veterans Guide: Free Resources for Your Finances USAA members say the bank is doing little to stop hackers ‘It's just a nightmare’: More and more USAA members who lost thousands of dollars are sharing stories of fraud USAA: 10 Things To Know Before You Get an Auto Policy AI Is Helping Scammers Outsmart You—and Your Bank How secure are banking apps? Here are some key steps all banks – and users – should be following — The Conversation A Hacker Tried and Failed To Get Into My Account. Now What? How To Open a Roth IRA Target Date Funds: Clark's Favorite Retirement Investment Morgan Stanley Sued Over Paltry Rate It Pays on Client Cash Best Investment Companies for Investors in 2024 Why Big Banks Are a Bad Place for Your Cash What Is a Fiduciary Financial Advisor and Do I Need One? How To Find and Choose a Financial Advisor Wealthfront Review: How It Works, Pros & Cons 5 Best Robo-Advisors in 2024 Credit Karma Review: Free Credit Score and More at Your Fingertips 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

Topics include managing forgotten 401(k)s to avoid risk, best travel credit cards for 2024, tips on investing money wisely, and the importance of planning for educational needs. The episode also covers insights on job loyalty, printer purchases, and reflections on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Happy 4th of July Week! Please enjoy this Best Of episode. Clark returns July 8th with new ways to Save More, Spend Less and Avoid Getting Ripped Off!Because of the pandemic, many employees are entering an office environment for the first time, and companies are having to conduct special training to help them adjust. Clark has sage advice for remote workers making the transition into corporate culture.  Also today - After a period of punishing inflation, consumers are  finally in the driver’s seat on prices. How? Clark explains our collective power in the marketplace.  Workplace Etiquette: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Consumers Rule: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: We don't know how to behave in the office anymore, bosses say. The solution? Charm school  Why Sharing Your Layoff Publicly Feels So Good - The Wall Street Journal. Credit Card Car Rental Insurance: What You Need To Know Hertz is selling 20,000 electric vehicles to buy gasoline cars instead A Different Kind of Price War: Grocers vs. Big Food Makers Mortgage Recasting: What It Is And How It Works Accessible Travel Website Launches Major Expansion The future of U.S. train travel is here—and it’s not on Amtrak Where You Should (and Should Not) Book Your Next Vacation 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