Clark.com Biweekly Newsletter (Mondays and Thursdays)
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Clark Biweekly 1 4 24

Clark Biweekly 1 4 24

Anthony Hazzard
January 04, 2024

Later in this email, we give you an important post-holiday public service announcement.

💵 Today’s Top Stories

How To Stop Spam Calls for Good

Junk calls are out of control again. Want to stop them? We’ve got options for you. Read more .

5 Used Electric Vehicles Under $20,000

Used EVs are a tremendous deal right now if you don’t need huge battery range. Here are the top options according to Edmunds. Plus, you may qualify for up to $4,000 tax credit. Read more .

5 ‘Free Money’ Opportunities You Might Be Missing Out On

From taking advantage of the right savings account to applying for a great rewards credit card, here are some things you can do right now to “find” free money. Read more .

7 Easy Ways To Lower Your Cell Phone Bill

Are you paying too much for cell phone service? Apply our tips and you may be able to cut your monthly bill in half. Read more .

U.S. Airlines Ranked from Best to Worst

There’s a huge gap between the best and worst airlines in the U.S., according to customers. Where does your favorite rank? Read more .

💵 Reminder: Spend Your Gift Card Money ASAP

Check your wallet, purse or bedside table right now. Chances are you have an unused gift card in one of those places.

Americans were expected to spend $29.3 billion on gift cards this holiday season. Yet 47% of adults hold at least one unspent gift card or voucher.

The amount of unspent gift cards is even more shocking: $23 billion, or $187 per person in the United States.

Take restaurants alone. The National Retail Foundation estimated Americans would spend about $10 billion on restaurant gift cards during the holidays.

Of that money, an estimated $7 billion will get spent before July 4. That still leaves $3 billion in holiday restaurant gift cards.

Clark discourages giving gift cards as presents. He prefers cash instead. But if you’ve gotten a gift card, spend it sooner than later.

Inflation will eat away the value over time. Some companies may go out of business.

Federal law stipulates that gift cards can’t expire for at least five years. But, for example, Visa and Mastercard cash cards start charging inactivity fees after just one year.

Plus, the longer it takes to use your gift card, the less likely you are to ever use it.

National Use Your Gift Card Day, created by a public relations executive five years ago and backed by many retailers, is Jan. 20, 2024. It’s a great day to use your cards.

If you’re not going to use your gift cards, you can sell them. Typically you can expect in the neighborhood of 70 cents on the dollar.

📊 Stat of the Day

💸 $1.3 billion+: The amount of money that “Phantom of the Opera” grossed on Broadway. The longest-running show ended in 2023 after 35 years, citing operating costs near $1 million per week.

💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals

The best winter deals on mattresses right now

Get this deal.

Get a $15 Amazon credit with $60 household essentials purchase