#1 bank in America for customer service (3 16 26)

Author

Sally McDonald
March 16, 2026

💵 Today’s Top Stories
Happy piggy bank cash

Customers ranked national and super-regional banks for 2026. Is your bank at the top of this list? Read more.

carry on luggage suitcase

Whether you’re headed for a cruise, business trip or vacation, here are four things you should always, always put in your carry-on. (And why Clark never checks a bag on a flight.) Read more.

Walmart is synonymous with cheap groceries. But Consumer Reports research shows you can get groceries for even cheaper, including from several places Clark loves. How many can you name? Read more.

Audit

TurboTax and other companies offer free and paid audit defense. Is it worth the price? And does it actually give you everything you need in case of an audit? Read more.

Aldi

Easter Squishmallows for $8.99, a wooden plant ladder stand for $24.99 and ceramic salt and pepper cellars for $7.99 are among the unique deals in Aldi’s famous aisle right now. Read more.

🏠️ Today’s Current Mortgage Rates

According to Freddie Mac, 30-year mortgage rates are 6.11% and 15-year rates are 5.50% as of March 12, 2026. The following chart shows the 30-year mortgage rate trend over the last year.

🛳️ An Inspiring Cruise, Not-So-Inspiring Extra Charges

A new mega around-the-world cruise is hitting the market.

A 115-day, five-continent Princess Cruises trip is setting sail from Fort Lauderdale (Jan. 3, 2028) or Los Angeles (Jan. 18, 2028).

The company is breaking the voyage into segments from 20 to 100 days, so you can still book without needing to drop out of life for four months.

The trip may be more inspirational than realistic. Especially if you subscribe to the spend less, save more Clark Howard ethos. Interior rooms start at $29,430 including taxes and fees.

But what an itinerary! We’re talking 48 ports, including Hawaii, Australia, Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Mexico, Colombia and more.

In other news involving Princess Cruises, the company announced a new “crew appreciation” fee of $1 per guest, per day. In other words, automated tipping. (Guests can bypass this with a Princess Plus or Princess Premier add-on pass.)

Princess Cruises is also adjusting its food and beverage charge for non-passholders from 18% to 20%.

📊 Stat of the Day

📱 55 million: Number of iPhones that Apple manufactured in India last year. That’s up from 36 million in 2024 and represents 25% of global production. (Wall Street analysts had predicted a 25% production share in India by 2027 as Apple decreases its reliance on China.)

💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
Amazon box
🎙️ Podcast

It’s time for "Clark Stinks!" Christa reads the latest "Clark Stinks!" submissions and Clark responds. Also, as college costs finally begin to level off due to a competitive marketplace, more institutions are finding creative ways to attract students – including offering tuition-free degrees. Clark shares several resources to help you find these opportunities!

☎️ Need Money Help?

The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.

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