The Clark Howard Podcast

Credit Karma is making it easier to know ahead of time whether you'll be approved for a credit application; Beware taking supplements. Many have harmful substances in them; Car sales are slowing down which is a sign of potential economic changes but could also net you a deal on a vehicle in the near future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Toys R Us having gone bankrupt, Clark discusses how to approach toy shopping for Christmas; Mobile check depositing is a gift from above. But some folks are abusing this gift and new rules about how you can deposit mobile checks are coming to a banking app near you; Prescription drug companies might have to disclose their drug prices on TV ads in the near future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The prices of brand name goods are going up and up. There's even more reason to shop for generic and store-brand items in this environment; YouMail created a survey and found that scam calls are proliferating. Clark tells you what to do about that; What zip code you live in can be a huge determinate in what you pay for car insurance. This fact makes it even more important to shop around for better insurance rates often. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark talks about his recent trip to the Big Apple and how things have changed there; More than 1/4 of Americans are earning 0% in their savings accounts. That's not good!; Non-compete clauses are awful for individuals and for our economy as a whole. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here; Kayak has a new app that can help you quickly and easily avoid baggage fees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Banks are offering great deals to lure savers right now. Clark runs through a couple of the best ones you should consider; The Facebook breach was worse than we initially thought; In Mexico Beach, only one home survived the devastating hurricane. Clark discusses why and how we should move forward when building homes along the coast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark refers to a Clark.com article about how kids can get free stuff for getting good marks at school; The tariff discussion continues. Next up on the chopping block are mattresses being shipped from China; Opening up a Roth or other investment account is a great idea. But don't forget to allocate the money inside of those accounts well to grow your wealth! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hotels continue to fight Airbnb in many states and municipalities. But they seem to be losing; T Mobile has just launched a 3-year lease payoff for some smartphone purchases. It's crazy to pay for your cell phone over 3 years!; The true cost of college is actually declining slightly. That's the first time in a long time this has been the case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sears filed for bankruptcy and will be closing a lot of stores. Clark tells you what you need to know if you have items on layaway or have a Sears credit card; United Airlines is threatening its customers that use skip lagging to get lower fares; Clark has updated the 529 plan guide and offers you the best advice on which states' 529 plans you should consider investing in for your child's education. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here; The Waze carpool app is a game changer as it makes finding fellow commuters to share a ride with incredibly easy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Obamacare premiums are going down to the surprise of many. Also, a couple of new laws could make it easier for you to save on prescription drugs; Google's security breach was not handled well. Clark tells you to start using Duck Duck Go instead of Google's search tool; The stock market has had a tough couple of days. Clark gives his thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Experian had a security flaw potentially exposing your credit freeze PIN number. Clark tells you how you should respond to this awful news; Some companies that are contracted to move military families are having major issues and it is hurting the men and women that serve our country. That's not ok; Mattress Firm is closing hundreds of stores. Online mattress companies are completely changing how we buy mattresses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark shares a personal story of a listener that paid off a massive amount of debt; Watch out for this new timeshare scam that only steals your money; Cyber attacks are on the rise and Clark talks about how banks are combating it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New loyalty programs are bringing bigger perks to loyal shoppers; Men are forsaking college in bigger numbers; E SIM cards will make switching cell phone carriers much easier in the near future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a special episode of the Clark Howard Show where Clark has a conversation about technology with his son, Grant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here; Millennials are all about design and minimalism. That is definitely the case when it comes to the hotels they want to stay in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Solar power is taking off in Puerto Rico post hurricane destruction; Ticketmaster has been accused of knowingly selling tickets to scalpers to increase its profit; Clark discusses the new changes in the cell phone plan marketplace. Shopping could save you big money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon is upping its base pay in the near future to $15 an hour and companies are falling all over themselves to hire you for holiday work; Moviepass is auto enrolling former members. Not cool; Suze Orman made some ill conceived arguments against the financial independence movement recently on the Afford Anything podcast. Clark gives his rebuttal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook's data breach affects more than 50 million people. Clark has some big takeaways for users of the popular social media site; Lawsuits are flying accusing many of the airlines and cruise companies of selling travel insurance that isn't very good at an extremely inflated price; New food tracking techniques could prevent you from being sold potentially harmful food. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thawing your credit might not require PIN numbers anymore. And that's not good; Spam calls to your cell phone are becoming a pervasive problem; There are new online bank offerings that you should consider that pay more and offer more benefits and convenience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here; Car dealerships have had a hard time keeping younger employees and keeping up with the times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robots are changing the way you get food - and contributing to cost savings as well; The budget deficit is out of control; A complete guide to the best robo advisor offerings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shopping malls and homes are being built with shipping containers. Shipping containers can potentially create more affordable housing in this country; Tuition insurance is a thing now. And not a good thing; Raises are tiny inside major companies right now. Clark talks about how to change the way you ask in order to actually get a bigger raise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google has a new USB security key and there are other companies selling these as well. They could save you from hackers; Merrill Lynch is scrapping its plan to be a fiduciary. Not cool; Products for aging baby boomers are, well, booming! Some of these products could be amazingly helpful for your aging parents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a new driving app that helps your family drive more safely; Google is working to shut down customer support number scams; The FIRE movement is all about financial independence. Clark talks to producer Joel about the specifics of the movement and how it is gaining ground. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here; Credit freezes are free now as of today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google and T-Mobile have made it much easier to call 911 from your cell phone; Watch out for food fraud in your local grocery store and in nearby restaurants; There's a new great place to buy used cars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will the tariffs and trade war with China impact the holiday shopping season? Clark explains; Ancestry.com updated its ethnicity criteria and some people are reeling from it; One life insurance provider has introduced an incentive for policy holders to get or stay healthy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watch out for this social security scam. Clark bring David Lazarus of the LA Times on to discuss; Amazon has a problem with employees taking bribes to delete bad reviews for certain products; You can avoid baggage fees a few specific ways. Clark discusses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can you best help the victims devastated by Hurricane Florence? Clark tells you; A new proposal could allow teenagers to drive big rigs across the country. That's scary!; What happens to your personal information when you take an at-home DNA test...Clark tells you how to protect your information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here; Banks are now offering the equivalent to payday loans...at much lower interest rates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Verizon is launching in-home 5G in less than two months; United Airlines wants families to spend more to sit together on its airplanes. Clark takes the CEO to task; Big pharma price gouging continues yet there are ways for savvy consumers to save on prescription drugs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you believe it? Comcast is doing amazing things to reduce healthcare costs for their employees; Missouri passed a new law that crushes "fake" meat companies; Clark talks about how to prep for a hurricane as Florence approaches the eastern seaboard of the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark reflects on 9/11 on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks; There's a good chance you'll pay more for Rx drugs when you use your insurance vs paying cash; How long should your home appliances last? Clark has info and some advice to go along with it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Debit card fraud can cost you as the consumer dearly; Non-compete salaries are awful for our country and suppress employee salaries; The real cost of car ownership is far more than you think it is. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here; A millennial landlord of a triplex shares her horror story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new iPhone is just about to be released. Clark tells you how long you need to wait in order to get a deal on one; Video game makers are making video games more addictive for kids. And it's becoming a major problem; Clark talks about the pros of flood insurance and how to go about shopping for it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NFL is allowing you to stream local games on your smartphone for free this season; Illinois tried to crack down on P2P car sharing services like Turo; When and how to book Thanksgiving and holiday travel in order to save the most money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Medicare cards are arriving in mailboxes, but scammers are coming out of the woodwork at the same time; Have you seen this scam? Offers for free flights from Delta and other airlines are making their way around the internet...and they look insanely real; Net neutrality is making a comeback thanks to California - but this law could impact all Americans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Impossible burger is proof that meatless/vegetarian options have come a long, long way; The financial adviser crowd wants you to think that investing is hard. Clark discusses how to go it alone with confidence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here. Walmart partners with Handy in order to offer inexpensive installation service for certain electronic purchases. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark's brother Gary comes on the show to dish the details of how he has been living like a nomad for the past two years. LOTS of actionable travel advice in this fun conversation!; Watch out for this car warranty scam showing up in mailboxes around the country; Google has launched a new Jobs for Veterans service that could go a long way in helping former and current military men and women find jobs that fit their specific skill set. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon is using Sears to do installation of tires that they sell. This could be good for both companies; Paying someone to quit your job for you? It's a thing. And Clark tells you why it's ridiculous; Having trouble saving for retirement? Well, now employers can contribute to your 401k even if you can't because of student loan debt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doorbell cameras are almost everywhere now. And they are great for being able to answer your door without actually opening it. But those doorbell cameras have also created some problems and Clark explains; As colleges go back in session there are a couple of major scams that you need to tell your college-age children or friends to be aware of; Personal loans are hot right now. But should you be taking one out? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aretha Franklin, the queen of soul, recently died and left an $80 million fortune. But she didn't have a will. Clark talks about how and why you should create a will. You can also score 50% off on of the best will making software bundles right now on Nolo.com. Verizon left fire fighters in the lurch without data due to terrible customer service and throttling tactics. Chase is going to offer free stock market trades to its customers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here. Working too hard can be harmful to your health and to the actual work itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vocational training is roaring back into some school districts and calls into question the seemingly common notion that college is valuable for everyone; Facebook met with major banks asking for your banking information. Really!?; SIM card hacking is one of the worst scams around right now. Clark explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Certified pre-owned cars aren't all they are cracked up to be. Clark tells you what to watch out for any why you should be wary of dealerships selling CPO vehicles; A hacker ring with more than 15 million credit card has been busted up; Neighborhood grocery stores are popping up and serving consumers in ways the major grocery stores just aren't. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark brings LA Times columnist David Lazarus on the show to discuss how he thwarted potential scammers and followed the scam to its logical conclusion; Elon Musk is apparently working 120 hours a week. Working that much actually has harmful effects on your creative output; Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have introduced new 3% down mortgages. There are pros and cons to these new offerings and Clark discusses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5G is coming to certain markets by the end of the year. Home internet prices are currently on the rise...but not for long. Clark discusses how 5G technology will create more competition in the home internet space and drive prices down over the long haul.; Clark recounts a story of one man taking the time to help his fellow man having a really difficult time.; Credit scores are going up for many Americans. Clark discusses why that is happening and how you can maximize your credit score. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices