The Clark Howard Podcast

For many sports events, fields are actually spray painted to make them look beautiful, which has led to lawn painting, especially where water is restricted and costly. How some homeowners, including Clark - are saving water by altering their lawns. Also, It’s not uncommon for people to pull their investments out of the market when it trends downward. Right now with economic uncertainty, people are rotating out of stocks in favor of savings, planning to return to the market when it’s “safe”. What are they missing? Plenty. How Clark handles investing.  Lawns & Water Savings: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Steady Investing: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Do Your Neighbors Paint Their Lawns Green? Increasingly, Yes FuelEconomy.gov Welcome to Bluebird Individual Investors Pile Into Cash, Chasing Higher Returns - The Wall Street Journal. NYTimes.com: A Question About Your Money: Has Anything Truly Changed This Week?  [The Washington Post] Four money rules when financial news is making you nervous Should You Sell or Stay Put in the Stock Market? Dollar Cost Averaging Makes You a Fortune Over Time How To Save and Invest the Clark Howard Way How to Freeze Your Child's Credit A Simple Way To Help Your Kid Build Credit Should You Make Your Child an Authorized User on Your Credit Card? Clark.com resources Episode transcripts 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 in this episode, scammers steal billions of dollars from Americans each year. Clark shares the FTC’s annual summary of top scams, and has a simple rule for avoiding the number 1 scam on the list.  Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 Top Scams & Fraud Schemes: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show 6 Tips for Hiring a Contractor Apple Screen Time Passcode NCUA - National Credit Union Administration CUNA: Credit Union National Association 5 Discount Airlines You Need To Know About Scams Cost Consumers $8.8 Billion in 2022 — The Top Five Frauds FBI says $10 billion lost to online fraud in 2022 as crypto investment scams surged Clark.com - Most Common Financial Scams and How To Avoid Them 5 Best Ways To Send Money Online Is a Costco Executive Membership Worth It? Get a new Sam's Club membership for $25 Clark.com resources Episode transcripts 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

Millions of workers are leaving open retirement accounts with thousands of dollars sitting ignored or forgotten. If you’ve changed employers over the years, Clark’s has an assignment for you to make sure you get ALL your retirement money! Also in this episode, Amazon has announced their internet service to compete with Starlink. Who wins with the additional options we will have? The consumer! Neglected Retirement Accounts: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Amazon Satellite Internet: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show NYTimes.com: Set It and Actually Forget It Clark.com - How To Find Missing or Lost Retirement Accounts How To Find and Claim Missing Money in Your Name How To Open a Roth IRA State Farm® and Ting can help protect your family from electrical fires Cord Cutters News: Amazon’s New Home Internet Service Announces New Details T-Mobile 5G Home Internet: 5 Things To Know Before You Sign Up Verizon Home Internet: Things To Know Before You Sign Up Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card Review: Unlimited 2% Cash Back Credit Card Clark Deals - Today's Best Deals of the Day Clark.com resources Episode transcripts 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

For parents who want to keep their kids safe, an SUV is often a popular choice. If you’re considering buying an SUV, Clark has a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety you need to hear first. Also, several states are suing a retailer for overcharging at check-out - a symptom of a systemic problem. Clark has some ways to help you eagle eye your check out prices, and protect your wallet! SUV Safety: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Beware Retail Pricing Errors: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Ford's Mustang Mach-E scores highest in crash safety test among 13 midsize SUVs - from Detroit Free Press IIHS.org Back-seat safety lags in midsize SUVs Turo: 5 Things To Know About the Cheap Car Rental Service Roth vs. Traditional 401(k): What's the Difference? At Dollar General, a Staple for Many, a Record of Overcharging IRS Payment Plans Installment Agreements Clark.com resources Episode transcripts 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

Regardless of what happens with economic cycles, there are clear patterns in the job market that spell OPPORTUNITY - if your aptitude matches the need. Clark points the way to jobs that pay, with and without a college degree. Also, we all pay for heavy losses inflicted by shoplifting rings, and now the cost of shoplifting can feel like more punishment, as retailers use various tactics to fight back.  Prepare For Jobs That Pay: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Retail Vs Shoplifting Rings: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Report: Top 10 Colleges Whose Graduates Earn the Most 100 colleges whose grads go on to earn the most America Is Trying to Electrify. There Aren’t Enough Electricians. What Is Non-Owner Car Insurance And Who Needs It? - Forbes Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) - Federal Student Aid 4 Things To Know About the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Overhaul WSJ - Shoplifting Climbs as In-Store Shopping Returns What Is Long-Term Care Insurance Cost & Coverage Clark.com resources Episode transcripts 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

Travel planning season is here and Clark has good info spanning: airfares and when to travel to get the best prices, Airbnb & VRBO issues, hotel booking and more - so you know before you go. Also - Nobody ever got rich paying Visa or MasterCard 19% interest (or more). Clark addresses discretionary spending that undermines your immediate and distant future. Practices and cognitive biases that get us in financial trouble include impulse buying with borrowed money, and only paying credit card minimums. Why you should make FOMO & YOLO a NO Go and Pay in 4 no more.  Summer Travel Planning: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 You Money Mentality: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Travel Archives - Clark Howard 5 Discount Airlines You Need To Know About 5 Steps To Getting a Good Deal on a Hotel Room InsureMyTrip Review: Why We Like It and How to Use It Why we usually can't tell when a review is fake NYTimes: Help! I Canceled My Rental Because of a Wildfire. My Contract Says No Refund. Is That Fair? Frontier Airlines admits it pays staff a $10 BONUS every time they charge customers extra for oversized luggage - even when their bags aren't too big! How To Dispute a Charge on Your Credit Card BBB-File a Complaint Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: 6 Things To Know in 2023 Best Travel Credit Cards: Top Rewards Picks for 2023 NYTimes.com: When It Comes to Money, Your Brain Can Be Your Own Worst Enemy Which Home Security Systems Rank Better Than Ring? / Wyze Security Cams Where Can You Get Some of the Best Deals on Homes Right Now? The New Construction Market. - The WSJ. The One Place You Can Still Get a 3% Home Loan: Your Family What's the Gift Tax Exclusion for 2023? - Kiplinger Clark.com resources Episode transcripts 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! A chance for Clark to learn from you. Christa shares Clark Stinks posts with Clark. Submit yours at Clark.com/ClarkStinks. Also in this episode - Lump sum spring contributions to an IRA for the prior year are not uncommon, and are right for some earners. But that’s the exception - not the rule. Know the most advantageous way to fund your IRA. Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 When To Fund Your IRA: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show NCUA - National Credit Union Administration CUNA: Credit Union National Association You Can Roll Your 529 Plan To A Roth IRA Beginning In 2024 Buying Gas From a Station on This List Is Better for Your Car 12 Things You Never Knew You Could Get From Your Local Library Matching Contributions 101: How to Maximize Your Retirement Savings Now Retirement Savings Contributions Savers Credit - IRS NYTimes.com: Why Investing at the Last Moment Can Hurt Your Returns Where To Buy the Best Cheap Printer How To Dispute a Charge on Your Credit Card Clark.com resources Episode transcripts 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

Panic has turned to confusion in the wake of the SVB failure. Clark summarizes how we got here, how it differs from 15 years ago, and how the moral hazard in the system should be fixed. Clark breaks it down to 2 key points, and what individuals and businesses with funds greater than the quarter million FDIC limit should do going forward to secure their funds. Also, Clark tells you what’s behind the big streaming service increases and your alternatives. With market changes come new opportunities. If you’re willing to adapt and experiment you can save so much money - with more content than you can watch. Bank Failure Update: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 SAVE on Streaming TV: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Midmarket Firms Re-Evaluate Regional Bank Risk Following Crisis NYTimes.com: Two Big Ideas for Preventing Another Banking Crisis Experts, banks look for ideas to stop next bank failure The forgotten rescue plan that could prevent another SVB-like collapse Fed to Consider Tougher Rules for Midsize Banks After SVB, Signature Failures - WSJ. SVB is the first social media bank run in history. Banks Trade Relief Now for Regulation Later - The Wall Street Journal. Yellen Says U.S. Ready to Protect Smaller Banks if Necessary Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service CDARS How To Open a Roth IRA Custodial Roth IRA: How And Why To Start A Roth IRA For Kids Turbocharge your child's retirement with a Roth IRA for Kids Clark.com: YouTube TV Raises Monthly Rate for First Time Since 2020 Clark.com: 5 Cheaper Streaming Alternatives to YouTube TV Best Free Streaming Services in 2023: Movies and TV for Cord Cutters Clark.com - STREAMING TV 4 Things To Know Before You Buy a Digital TV Antenna Submit a complaint | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Automatic Bill Pay: How It Works and How To Do It Safely Clark.com resources Episode transcripts 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

With full employment and increased turnover happening concurrently, burnout, layoffs and “revenge videos” from ex-employees, it’s a confusing time in the job market. Survey says  80% of those who participated in the great resignation now regret it and are heading back to work. Know the key professional strategies for both finding and leaving a job.  Also in this episode, Clark updates his answer to the ongoing question - “is it time to buy an electric vehicle”... with some news from Tesla that for some, may change the equation.  Finding And Leaving A Job-Best Practices: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 The Tesla Model 3: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Your essential guide to thriving through a layoff Why so many who took part in the Great Resignation have regrets Stressed about potential layoffs? You should practice ‘career cushioning’ How Much Should Your 401(k) Account Cost You All-In? Top 10 Small Business 401(k) Plan Providers - Investopedia How To Open a Roth IRA Learn More About the AARP Fraud Watch Network State Elder Abuse Statutes | EJI - Department of Justice Edmunds: The most affordable EVs for 2023 Tesla’s price war on electric-vehicle and traditional automakers alike.  Clark.com resources Episode transcripts 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

Though moderating, new and used vehicle prices are still high. And among those who bought at peak prices, late payments are escalating. Clark offers an overview of the car market, plus - direction for those upside down in loans and for would-be buyers.  Also, owning smart tech connected devices requiring software services - you buy them, you own them outright, right? What’s the catch? Clark explains. Vehicle Loans: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 The Electronics Subscription Game: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show Late Auto Payments Expose Cracks in Consumer Credit - The Wall Street Journal. Are You Following Clark's Maximum Auto Loan Length Rule? Mattress Buying - Clark Howard Community ByeByeMattress-Retailer Take Back WSJ- The Cameras Worked Fine. Their Maker Said They Had Reached Their End of Life. Should I Have Gold in My Portfolio Right Now? ETF vs. Mutual Fund: Which Investment Is Better? Should I Purchase Mortgage Life Insurance? How To Buy Term Life Insurance in 7 Easy Steps Health Insurance Guide Clark.com resources Episode transcripts 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