10.17.25 Clark Answers His Critics on Clark Stinks / Home Equity Temptation
Friday - Clark Stinks day! Christa shares Clark Stinks posts with Clark. Submit yours at Clark.com/ClarkStinks. Also in this episode - Home prices have inflated so much in recent years, and banks are luring home owners to tap that home equity like it’s a piggy bank. But what does this do to your overall wealth? Before you're tempted, hear what Clark has to say about HELOCs and home equity loans.
Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2
Home Equity Decisions: Segment 3
Ask Clark: Segment 4
Mentioned on the show:
Are Extended Warranties Ever Worth It?
Term Life vs. Whole Life Insurance: Understanding the Difference
4 Common Scams on Cash App, Venmo and Zelle (and How To Avoid Them)
What Is an HSA Account and How Does It Work?
Where Should I Set Up My Health Savings Account (HSA)?
Report: 10 Used Cars With Big Price Drops
HELOC vs. Home Equity Loan: Similarities and Differences
Home Equity Loan Calculator - Clark Howard
Is a HELOC a Good Idea? The Simple Answer
How To Buy a House in 9 Steps
What to know about online purchases and tariffs
Clark.com resources:
Episode transcripts
Community.Clark.com / Ask Clark
Clark.com daily money newsletter
Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275
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Today, Clark updates holiday airfare booking strategy - and discusses high fee travel credit cards. How do you know when they’re worth it? Also - Medicare Open Enrollment time brings a Clark warning about “disadvantage” plans and why you need to study your options this year.
Holiday Flights & Travel Cards: Segment 1
Ask Clark: Segment 2
Medicare Open Enrollment: Segment 3
Ask Clark: Segment 4
Mentioned on the show:
Deadline to Book 2025 Thanksgiving and Christmas Flights (and Other Holiday Travel Tips)
Best Travel Credit Cards: Top Rewards Picks for 2025
American Express Platinum Card® Review: Is It Worth It?
American Express Platinum Card® vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Which Is Right for You?
Citi Launches 2 New Credit Cards to Expand on Travel Rewards Ecosystem
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: 6 Things To Know in 2025
OnePay CashRewards Card: Is the New Walmart Credit Card Worth It?
Medicare: 10 Things To Know
Why I Think Medicare Advantage Plans Stink - Clark Howard
Open Enrollment: Why You Can’t ‘Set It and Forget It’ This Year
Should I Freeze My Credit With the Other Credit Bureaus?
Ooma VoIP Phone Service for Business and Home
Clark.com resources:
Episode transcripts
Community.Clark.com / Ask Clark
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
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10.25.19 Electronic wills are becoming legal in states across the country; Clark Stinks
More people would be willing to create a will if the process was easier. So states across the country are changing laws to allow people to create their will completely online.
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.
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10.22.19 New Walmart health centers; Equifax PIN update; Will the Boeing Max fly soon?
Walmart is launching new healthcare centers around the nation. And up-front pricing is making things more transparent. You can get urgent care, x-rays, counseling, dental, and optical services at these new and innovative health centers.
Equifax has responded to a recent inquiry from the Clark Howard Show. They don't require your PIN number in order to freeze or thaw your credit. This puts you at risk. This is not ok and it needs to change.
The Boeing Max is still being investigated. The software for the planes is being updated in order to attempt to get safe planes into the air. Clark is not happy that no-one has gone to jail over this and that the CEO has not, at minimum, lost his job.
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10.1.19 Schwab eliminates trading fees; Using your credit card overseas; Getting married in a diamond store
Southwest is having a sweet sale right now!
An all-out price war to zero is underway with small company Interactive Brokers and giant Charles Schwab. Both are ending commissions on stock trades. Buying and selling stocks and ETFs will be commission-free. This will penetrate the investing world, with discounters also going to zero. This started earlier this year with Fidelity Zero, offering free mutual funds – no account minimums required. The ability to invest at zero cost is taking hold in the marketplace. Fidelity and Schwab are both trying to deal with the Vanguard juggernaut. Co-op Vanguard, operating as a credit union for investing, has taken investing market share gains for the last 7 years. As these behemoths compete, investors win, regardless of which one you choose. Meanwhile, those still investing with banks, full commission stockbrokers or insurance companies pay massive fees. Invest for free, to keep your money working for you.
There’s a common rip off for credit card users traveling overseas. Often upon card payment, the processing machine will automatically convert your charge from the local currency to U.S. dollars. This is done to rip you off on the conversion rate. When overseas, NEVER EVER EVER say yes when asked if you want to pay in U.S. dollars. Be aware many Visa / MC banks are automatically putting the purchase in dollars, and you need to override that into local currency. The difference could be as much as 10%. Watch closely while purchasing. Before you sign any charge slip, make sure it’s NOT processed in dollars. You always want the charge in local currency. Today many cards don’t charge foreign currency junk fees. AMX doesn’t do this. See Clark’s guide to save while traveling.
Survey says, of people age 38 and under, over 90% would consider eloping over a traditional wedding. The reasons: to save money, avoid wedding planning and make the event more personal. Destination weddings are expensive and limit the number who can be there. Helzberg Diamonds offers a wedding service with ring purchase. No hoopla. People used to go to Vegas for a simple, quick and cheap wedding. Now, just go to the mall to Helzberg. 1700 Helzberg employees are ordained / licensed to conduct marriage ceremonies. If you’re planning a post wedding party, don’t mention the word ‘wedding’ to any vendors involved or the cost can triple.
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Save more and spend less is more than just a motto for money expert Clark Howard; it’s a way of life. Clark and his crew — Team Clark — are on a mission to empower people to take control of their personal finances by providing money-saving tips, consumer advice, hot deals and economic news to help everyone achieve financial freedom. Clark is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host and a consumer reporter for television stations around the country. His podcast, The Clark Howard Show, receives more than one million downloads each month and is a hub for listeners to get valuable advice on-demand any time. Clark answers questions on the most popular business and consumer topics including; how to buy a cars, financing a home, retirement planning, shopping for insurance and getting the most out of your savings. Join the conversation and submit your question to www.clark.com/askclark . Clark spearheads two free resources — Clark.com and ClarkDeals.com — to encourage consumers to save more, spend less and avoid ripoffs.
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