Clark Biweekly (1 18 24)

Author

Anthony Hazzard
January 18, 2024

Last week, we asked for your personal financial outlook for 2024. Later in this email, find out how many of you think your finances are better off vs. last year.

💵 Today’s Top Stories
Debit Card

Did you know that using debit cards can be financially dangerous? Clark explains why you should really think about following this rule. Read more.

Groceries

Do you buy in bulk, use coupons, look for sales and shop with a specific list? If not, chances are you’re wasting money on groceries. Let’s fix that. Read more.

Book flights online

Demand for flights set records this holiday season. With demand comes the need to find a deal. Luckily, we have a secret weapon: Clark’s expertise. Here are three steps to follow to land a bargain even when they’re scarce. Read more.

Robo

Phone numbers that look eerily similar to yours are often “spoof” calls, a type of scam that hopes you’ll answer the phone. Here’s how the scam works and what to do if it happens to you. Read more.

Streaming TV remote

Attacking subscriptions is the “number one area” you can impact to spend less in 2024 according to Clark. From switching to ad-supported tiers to relying on FAST, here are some practical tips. Read more.

💵 Survey Responses: What’s Your Financial Outlook for 2024?

Last week, we asked you whether you feel better or worse about your finances in 2024 vs. ’23.

You answered: 54.0% felt worse about their finances in ’24, 35.8% felt better and 10.2% were neutral. Here are a few responses:

John in California: “A little better because I believe the Fed has reined in inflation and will continue to reduce interest rates through ’24 by 0.5 to 1.0%.”

Paul in Florida: “Worse. Inflation is bad enough on our daily purchases. But in Florida, property insurance, car insurance and property taxes are out of control. And we expect major increases in 2024 – if we can even get property insurance.”

Jennifer in Wisconsin: “Worse because any wage increases I have seen in the past year have been more than gobbled up by inflation. I’m paying more for gas, electricity, groceries, everything.”

Sandy in Kentucky: “It’s about even. Some expenses have increased and others have decreased. I would call it a wash.”

📊 Stat of the Day

💸 47: Number of consecutive years that Ford has claimed the best-selling truck in the United States. The company sold more than 700,000 of its F-Series truck in 2023 and was beating runner-up Chevrolet by nearly 200,000 through November.

💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
eBay
Cruise
🎙️ Podcast

Clark recently had a procedure on his heart. He explains the full story and how he’s feeling now. (Don’t worry, it’s good news!) Also, there are big deals on big TVs right now. Clark shares tips to help you save money if you want a new TV before the Super Bowl!

☎️ 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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