Clark Biweekly 4 15 24

Author

Anthony Hazzard
April 15, 2024

This weekend, Clark Howard officially finished his 100th Habitat for Humanity home. Learn more and check out some photos later in this email!

💵 Today’s Top Stories
Shopping cart in supermarket groceries

Trader Joe’s just lost its multi-year championship belt. Find out which three supermarkets are more in favor with customers, and whether Clark’s favorite store is in that group. Read more.

City

The difference in average monthly bills from San Jose, California, and Detroit, Michigan, is $1,933 (more than $23,000 a year). Here are the other most and least expensive cities. Read more.

Credit Card

Two-thirds of Americans are making a big mistake by running a balance on rewards credit cards. Here’s why they’re the wrong cards to carry a balance. Read more.

Money

A Clark listener recently got an offer in the mail. Upon investigating, he realized a credit bureau sold his Social Security Number and credit profile. Is that legal? Read more.

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Team Clark evaluated dozens of deals to determine the five best places to buy printers for less than $100. Read more.

🔨 Clark Howard Finishes 100th Habitat For Humanity House

This weekend, Clark Howard officially finished his 100th Habitat for Humanity home.

He and his wife Lane have been sponsoring homes with the organization for 28 years now. Clark dedicated the first house in memory of his father.

Zeroline Rogers, a 65-year-old first-time homeowner, received house No. 100, telling WSB-TV: “I can’t even put into words how excited I am. I never thought I would ever get a house.”

Clark never imagined he’d reach triple digits when he saved up money from speaking engagements in the mid-1990s and dedicated his first house in 1996.

He’s been a strong believer in affordable housing since an Atlanta-area freeze killed six homeless people in 1984.

In response to the tragedy, Clark's dad, Bernard Howard, opened Temple Zaban Night Shelter. While Clark thought this was noble, he argued that affordable housing was part of the problem.

Bernard challenged Clark: "If you think you are so smart, do something about it."

Clark accepted his dad's challenge and founded a company called Cardinal Industries that built factory homes for $19,000. The company went under but it planted the seeds for his interest in Habitat for Humanity, which he learned about in 1994.

The rest, as they say, is history.

🏠️ Today’s Current Mortgage Rates

According to Freddie Mac, 30-year mortgage rates are 6.88% and 15-year rates are 6.16% as of April 11, 2024. The following chart shows the 30-year mortgage rate trend over the last year.

Mortgage Rates
📊 Stat of the Day

📊 39: Number of months that the U.S. has added jobs. That includes 303,000 in March, outpacing expectations. Unemployment fell to 3.8%. Since 1953, there have only been two periods where unemployment was lower.

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

It's time for "Clark Stinks!" Christa reads the latest "Clark Stinks!" submissions and Clark responds. We've received so many submissions that we're doing a double dose of "Clark Stinks!" today. Submit why you think "Clark Stinks!" at clark.com/clarkstinks.

☎️ 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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