The Clark Howard Podcast

October holiday shopping is Clark Smart this year. Clark surveys the retail landscape with money saving strategies involving bargain product categories. Early birds SAVE MORE!  Also today - how we pay for things continues to change. As the use of cash & checks fades into history, modern forms of payment are evolving into biometrics. Electronic methods often mean we lose track of our spending. Not cool.  Holiday Shopping: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 E-Spend Control: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Factbox: U.S. retailers unveil hiring plans ahead of holiday shopping season Christmas is on hold: Stores’ holiday hiring plans are the lowest since 2008 Amazon’s New Challenge: Bargain Retailers That Are Playing a Different Game Christmas shopping starts earlier every year – here's why, and how to shop smart — The Conversation Planning To Spend Less on Gifts This Holiday Season? Join The Club Clark Deals - Today's Best Deals of the Day Amazon.com faces an array of US consumer, state antitrust lawsuits Why You Might Want To Dump Your Delta Credit Card Now Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: 6 Things To Know in 2023 Why Clark Howard Added This Credit Card to His Wallet in 2022 Paper checks are dead. Cash is dying. Who still uses them? Airline consolidators  / The Complete Guide to Business Class Flights 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.  Something else stinks - Medicare advantage plans! Clark explains the Medicare advantage plan trap in existence in most states.  Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 Medicare Dis-Advantage Plans: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Google Fi Wireless Review: Things To Know Before You Sign Up Longevity Insurance: What Is It and Do You Need It? 2 Ways To Guarantee Yourself a Lifetime Stream of Income What Is an Annuity, and Why Does Clark Think They Stink? Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: 6 Things To Know in 2023 Why Clark Howard Added This Credit Card to His Wallet in 2022 Many Medicare Advantage Members Find Challenges With Plans, Survey Finds Why I Think Medicare Advantage Plans Stink - Clark Howard Here Are Your Home Warranty Horror Stories What Does a Home Warranty Cover, and Is It Worth The Money? Clark Howard's Guide to Saving Money on Your Wedding Free Audiobooks: 11 Places Online and Apps 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 explains how the credit card reward game goes through cycles, and where we are now in terms of you applying for credit. And with interest rates high, if you do carry debt, know the best kind of card to use.  Also today - fees are creeping into everything! Get Clark’s warning about new online shopping fees you could easily miss. Credit Card Offers & Interest: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Junk Fees Are Morphing: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show 5 Ways Credit Union Credit Cards Can Beat Flashy Bank Offers Credit Card Offers Are Eroding The most insidious part of online shopping is about to get even worse Safe Browser Alternatives That Promise Not To Track You Brave: Secure, Fast, & Private Web Browser with Adblocker Get Firefox browser — Mozilla (US)  /  DuckDuckGo — Privacy, simplified. How To Freeze Your Credit With Experian, Equifax and TransUnion 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

One of the best decisions you can make is to start saving for retirement early. Clark discusses the psychology behind saving. Also, pharmacy errors have become all too common and can cause great harm. Clark has an important tip to help make sure you’re getting the correct medication.   Get Psyched For Saving: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Pharmacy Errors: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show WSJ.com: The Secret to Saving for Retirement: Start Before You’re 20 How Our Brains Affect Our Savings Habits -- and What Experts Say to Do About It If you start early and save this much a month you could have a decent retirement Bloomberg Industry Group: Benefits & Executive Compensation News: Retirement Savings Shortfall in US Will Cost $1.3 Trillion Cheapest Way to Rent a Car: Expert Tips Turo: 5 Things To Know About the Cheap Car Rental Service Pharmacies fight to keep errors secret How To Find and Choose a Financial Advisor What Is an Annuity, and Why Does Clark Think They Stink? 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

Professor Clark provides a 101 refresher on credit scores and shares the best approaches for small businesses to obtain working capital. The importance of credit scores beyond borrowing money is discussed. Challenges faced by small business owners in obtaining working capital are explored, emphasizing the importance of local banks and credit unions.

The vehicle market is going through a slow, steady healing process. Inventory is up. In light of the UAW strike, Clark discusses pricing for both new & used automobiles. Also today, Clark explains how Delta, United and American airlines actively devaluing their frequent flyer programs - is actually good for travel consumers. Vehicle Market Update: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Devalued Miles: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Buying a car? What the UAW strike means – and doesn’t mean – for auto sales Wall Street Bet Big on Used-Car Loans for Years. Now a Crisis May Be Looming. I Don’t Like My Car but I’d Be Upside Down if I Traded It In. Is There Anything I Can Do? 7 Cheapest Cities To Buy a Used Car How Do I Find a Mechanic To Inspect the Car if I Find a Used Vehicle Hundreds of Miles Away? Student Loan Payments Are Restarting: 4 Things To Know SAVE Repayment Plan Offers Lower Monthly Loan Payments 9 Ways To Pay for College Without Student Loans [The Washington Post] A golden era of airline status is ending Points Guy - Delta SkyMiles changes: Airline overhauls how you earn Medallion status in biggest change yet Why You Might Want To Dump Your Delta Credit Card Now (Clark.com) 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 - your privacy online. Europe's Digital Service Act is changing the online experience. Many of us are ignoring new privacy reminders. Clark explains why we’re seeing these, and why you should respond. Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 Enhanced Online Privacy: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show 8 Tips for Staying Cool Without Heating Up Your Energy Bill Travel Insurance? What You Need To Know Before You Buy InsureMyTrip Review: Why We Like It and How to Use It Apple Recycling Programs [The Washington Post] What the E.U.’s sweeping rules for Big Tech mean for your life online Privacy Archives - Clark Howard Who Should Consider Setting Up a Trust? Reasons To Consolidate Retirement Accounts 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.com provides in-depth coverage of cell phone plans, including pre-paid options. While the big 3 push higher bills at a time of marginal growth, 1 in 4 customers have gone to discounters. There are so many new cell phone plans out there - consider switching to save big bucks. Something else that can save  big money is to travel to a foreign country for dental care. This potential alternative is an important, individual, research based choice. Prepaid Phone Plans: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Dental Tourism: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Best Cell Phone Plans in 2023: The Cheapest Plan for Every Need Why You Should Consider a Prepaid Phone Plan Fierce Wireless - AT&T launches new prepaid plan at Walmart, Target Cricket Wireless: New Multi-Month Unlimited Plans From $30/Month Cricket Wireless Review: 5 Things To Know Before You Sign Up Clark Howard's Guide to Saving Money on Your Wedding How a Tiny Mexican Border City Built a Budget Dental Empire - Bloomberg Clark.com - Is Medical Tourism Right for You? Best 529 College Savings Plans By State Families can make a tax-free rollover from 529 plans to Roth IRAs in 2024 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

There’s a brewing war between food delivery services and restaurants and it’s costing customers. Clark discusses the big price difference between food delivery vs pickup or dining in, and the embedded cost of using food apps. Also, due to the unreliability of flight schedules, more people are driving to destinations they can reach in 8 hours or less. As an alternative, there are more discounted bus service options today to consider. A look at regional bus radial routes may save you money on travel Food Delivery Costs: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Bus Travel: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show WSJ: Who Should Eat the Cost of Pricier Delivery Menus? Food Delivery - DoorDash UberEats etc - Clark Howard Community What Is a Spousal IRA and What Are the Rules? 5 Things to Know About the Costco Car Rental Program Credit Card Car Rental Insurance: What You Need To Know Traveling by Bus Is No Longer a Plan B for Many Americans - The Wall Street Journal. Skiplagging: How it works and why the airlines can't stand it Amazon Clinic 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

Thanks to the sheer magnitude of retail theft, until solutions are found, we’ll continue to see more items under lock & key in many retail stores.Mentioned on the show Dollar Tree said theft is such a problem it will start locking up items or stop selling them altogether The Best International Phone Plans Google Fi Wireless Review: Things To Know Before You Sign Up Google Fi Wireless: Free Trial and New Plan Perks How To Freeze Your Credit With Experian, Equifax and TransUnion How Do You Decide if You Should Buy a Leased Vehicle When the Lease Ends? What Are Index Funds? Best Financial Advisors in 2023 Wills & Funerals Archives - Clark Howard 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