Clark Howard

@ClarkHoward
Gas

Pain at the pump: Gas prices hammer Midwest

By Dave Siff
updated 9:03 AM EDT, Fri May 17, 2013
After a late-winter spike in gas prices across the country, things have largely settled down and we haven't seen a repeat of last spring's march toward a $4 per gallon national average. But with the start of summer driving season just a few days away, drivers in several states are getting hit hard at the pump.

GasBuddy.com reports a shrinking supply of gas exacerbated by refinery maintenance and outages, along with the switch to summer-blend gasoline, has led to prices soaring in the Plains states. Drivers in Minnesota are getting the worst of it. According to AAA, the average price per gallon in Minnesota has jumped to $4.27, a spike of 43 cents in a week, and a full 83 cents higher than a month ago. By way of comparison, the current national average per gallon is $3.65.

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Skechers

Three reasons to watch out for your wallet!

By Dave Siff
updated 8:52 AM EDT, Tue May 14, 2013
Hear that sound in the distance? That's a rip-off alert, and HLN money expert Clark Howard can't sound it loud enough right now. Here are three signs you need to look out for your wallet today.

  • Skechers "shapes up", will pay $40 million: A federal judge has approved the sneaker company's settlement (reached a year ago) of a class-action lawsuit which accused it of false advertising of its Shape-Ups line. The FTC said Skechers claimed wearing Shape-Ups could help people gain muscle tone and lose weight. It pointed to several commercials, including this one featuring Kim Kardashian. FTC says more than 500,000 customers are eligible for refunds of between $40 and $84. Skechers didn't admit wrongdoing, saying it settled the lawsuit to avoid legal fees. Clark's take? Be very wary of claims like this. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Are those headphones real?  A word of caution if you're a consumer of high-end electronics. There's a flood of counterfeits on the market, and it could cost you, reports the Financial Times. German company Sennheiser, well-known for its audio products, is leading the fight against fakes. The Times quotes Sennheiser as saying about one-third of headphones and other audio products branded with its name and sold online are counterfeit, and customers often don't know it until the product breaks and they send it to Sennheiser to be fixed. Clark says be careful when buying anything sight unseen. Make sure you're purchasing from a reputable seller.
  • New York steps up fight against "Apple picking": The state's attorney general sent letters to the chairmen of Apple, Samsung, Google and Microsoft, asking what steps the companies are taking to combat cell phone thefts. Eric Schneiderman calls the thefts "Apple picking" because most of the devices stolen in New York are from Apple. According to Schneiderman's office, there were 11,447 cases of stolen Apple products in the first nine months of 2012. Compare that to 3,280 for the same period in 2011. He says the big cell phone makers "have a responsibility to their customers to fulfill their promises to ensure safety and security," and asked why the companies can't develop technology to render stolen phones inoperable. Clark's advice is to password-protect your phone at the very least, and consider using an app that can remotely shut down your phone if it's lost or stolen.
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Tesla

Charge! Tesla aces Consumer Reports testing

By Dave Siff
updated 9:20 AM EDT, Fri May 10, 2013
HLN money expert Clark Howard has been an early adopter of hybrid and electric vehicle technology going back to the late 1970s. So, Clark was grinning ear to ear when he heard Tesla's Model S got the highest scores in the history of Consumer Reports auto testing.

Clark's current ride is the all-electric Nissan Leaf, but he's got a Tesla on the way. Electric and hybrid cars still make up a tiny fraction of overall vehicle sales. But Clark says while the Tesla's price may put it out of range for many buyers, the car's range on a single charge is a potential game-changer.

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Affordable European Hotel Chain

Ikea gets into hotel biz, joins Marriott with Moxy

By Aikeem Hunter
updated 12:51 PM EDT, Mon May 06, 2013
Marriott and Ikea plan to open up an affordable, modern hotel chain in Europe next year. It's called Moxy Hotels. HLN's Money Expert Clark Howard explains what's in it for you!

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Filed under:   Your money
Europe airfare

European vacation: Two ways to save big

By Dave Siff
updated 9:30 AM EDT, Mon May 06, 2013
Hard to believe, but we're just three weeks from the unofficial start of summer and six weeks from the real thing. Travel website Orbitz says 75% of Americans plan to take a summer vacation. Of the top 10 destinations, seven are in the continental U.S., two are in Hawaii, and the other one is Cancun, Mexico.

So, what about Europe? The costs of traveling across the pond, especially with a family, can be daunting. Airfares to Europe are up slightly this year, but that doesn't mean you can't score a deal with a little creativity.

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Tickets

"What stop sign?" And other traffic excuses

By Dave Siff
updated 9:22 AM EDT, Mon April 29, 2013
In 1970, Canada's Five Man Electrical Band famously sang, "Do this! Don't do that! Can't you read the signs?" More than four decades later, the answer is "no" for drivers trying to get out of traffic tickets.

According to a new survey from Insurance.com, people use "I couldn't see the sign" more than any other excuse when they're pulled over. Other popular attempts to wriggle off the hook include being lost or unfamiliar with the roads; not knowing a headlight or taillight was out; being distracted by a minor emergency in the car; and missing a turn or exit.

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Internet tax

Clark's week in review: Cybertax, airfare wars

By Dave Siff
updated 1:18 PM EDT, Fri April 26, 2013
The free ride for online shoppers may be close to hitting a dead end. Legislation moving through Congress would allow most states to demand Internet retailers collect sales tax on purchases.

That's just one of the things on HLN money expert Clark Howard's radar heading into the weekend. Plus, Clark has a spring cleaning tip for your wallet!

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Take Charge, Your Career

Career crossroads: Retired & looking for work

By Dave Siff
updated 8:55 AM EDT, Fri April 26, 2013
The retirement game has changed considerably over the past few years. With retirement accounts hit by the recession and life expectancy increasing, many older workers find themselves having to stay on the job past retirement age.

A recent survey found just 23% of workers expect to retire before age 65, and 7% don't expect to retire at all.

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Illegal Media Downloads

Illegal downloads: What can happen to you?

By Aikeem Hunter
updated 2:41 PM EDT, Wed April 24, 2013
The Supreme Court has developed a new rule to prevent people from downloading copyrighted media. It's called the Six-Strikes system. HLN's money expert Clark Howard explains how it works and how violators can be affected.  

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Filed under:   Your money
Saving

New txt msg: Rmbr 2 sv $$

By Dave Siff
updated 10:06 AM EDT, Tue April 23, 2013
Here are two things that aren't exactly secrets: Americans don't save enough money, and they love text messaging. And a consumer advocacy group is betting on the latter to help solve the former.

America Saves has launched a free service that will send you text-message reminders to save money. You simply go to the website, fill out a pledge to increase your savings, and choose a goal for the money. You'll receive text messages based on your goal, including tips on finding ways to save. It should be noted, standard text messaging rates apply.

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