Clark Biweekly 12 15 25

šŸ’µ Today’s Top Stories
Lock financial accounts

The system used to transfer your assets from one brokerage to another is full of security leaks. Thus, criminals can swipe all your investments. Clark says do this today to play defense. Read more.

Aldi

A Gilmore Girls mug for $5.99, a karaoke machine for $14.99 and a game of Uno All Wild for $5.99 are among the best deals from Aldi’s middle aisle right now. Read more.

Credit cards in hand blue

Earn $300 when you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months with this credit card, a $100 increase from the previous welcome bonus offer. Read more.

Cell phone satisfaction

Switching to a discount carrier is probably the best way to lower your cell phone bill. But many people want to stay with a major carrier. Use this guide to find the best plan for you. Read more.

Amazon Prime Christmas holiday

If you’re searching for the lowest price, ā€œAmazon ain’t it most of the time,ā€ Clark says. But it’s so convenient. Here’s a bushel of tricks to bend Amazon’s prices toward something more reasonable. Read more.

šŸ ļø Today’s Current Mortgage Rates

According to Freddie Mac, 30-year mortgage rates are 6.22% and 15-year rates are 5.54% as of December 11, 2025. The following chart shows the 30-year mortgage rate trend over the last year.

Mortgage Rates 121125
šŸ’°ļø Millions To Get Payout From $700 Million Google Settlement

If you made purchases through the Google Play Store between Aug. 16, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2023, you may have money coming to you automatically from a giant Google settlement.

Oregon’s attorney general and 52 other attorneys secured $700 million from Google, they announced last week, due to ā€œthe company’s alleged anticompetitive practices.ā€

Dan Rayfield, the attorney general, claimed Google ā€œquietly controls the choices and prices that millions of people rely on every day.ā€

Google ā€œcut deals to keep rival app stores off Android phones, required many developers to use Google Play Billing for in-app payments on certain devices, and took fees of up to 30% on the way through – costs that were ultimately baked into what users paid,ā€ Quartz reported.

According to a Fox Business report, if you made a Google Play Store purchase in that date range, ā€œonce the settlement has been approved by the court next spring, payments will be issued automatically through PayPal or Venmo using the email or phone number tied to each user’s Google Play account.ā€

No longer have access to the email or phone number tied to your account? Don’t have PayPal or Venmo? Expect to get a payment and don’t? The Oregon Department of Justice says it will create a path for you to get paid as well.

šŸ“Š Stat of the Day
šŸ’°ļø Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
Holiday Gifts
Mexico
šŸŽ™ļø Podcast

Criminals are exploiting a weak link in the brokerage industry to quietly loot your investment accounts, and once the money is gone, it can be nearly impossible to recover. Clark reveals details of an insidious fraud --making your money disappear in a puff. Clark details why you must proactively set up a crucial security lock, similar to a SIM lock, with your brokerage firm to prevent this theft. Also, the medical industry is finally starting to catch up with technology, moving away from archaic methods like fax machines and clipboards to digital check-in systems. Clark urges listeners to adopt these new digital health systems, which build valuable, accessible medical history that could save your life in an emergency. However, he gives a stern warning: NEVER write your Social Security Number on any medical form, electronic or paper, as it gives criminals a key piece of information on a silver platter. Adopt the digital convenience, but always protect your most sensitive data.

ā˜Žļø 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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