Clark Howard

@ClarkHoward
Clark Howard on resolutions: Take it slow!

Clark Howard on resolutions: Take it slow!

By Dave Siff
updated 9:14 AM EST, Mon December 31, 2012
The new year brings with it a sense of possibility. Although we can make positive changes in our lives at any time, there's something about the flipping of the calendar that makes us believe now is the time to hit the reset button and make a fresh start.

And so, as surely as the Ball, Peach, and Shoe dropped and fireworks lit up the sky, millions of us woke up today, cleared away the cobwebs and resolved to do all sorts of things in 2013. And they're not all about losing weight, eating more healthfully, and being a better spouse/parent/friend/boss/employee/listener.

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Free credit report: Any takers?

Free credit report: Any takers?

By Dave Siff
updated 10:50 AM EST, Thu December 20, 2012
Having good credit opens a lot of doors. It helps you qualify for a mortgage and other loans and can get you lower interest rates on those loans. It can also make the difference if you're trying to find work, or a house or apartment to rent -- most landlords will check your credit report, and employers increasingly are looking at the credit of job applicants.

A big step toward cleaning up your credit is checking your credit report for unpaid debts and errors. It's easy to do, and you can do it three times a year for free. And yet, according to a new study, most people aren't doing it. And a majority of those who do are paying for it.

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Gas prices keep dropping, but for how long?

Gas prices keep dropping, but for how long?

By Dave Siff
updated 11:16 AM EST, Tue December 18, 2012
Good news for the tens of millions of Americans who'll be hitting the road to visit family and friends over the holidays: gas prices are the lowest they've been this year.

AAA reports the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.24. That's a single-day low for 2012. One state, Missouri, has an average price less than $3, and several other states are close. GasBuddy reports the average price in 25 big cities is under $3 a gallon.

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Question of the week: Aging parent dilemma

Question of the week: Aging parent dilemma

By Dave Siff
updated 3:46 PM EST, Fri December 14, 2012
HLN Money Expert Clark Howard answers your questions every night on Evening Express. His email question of the week comes from Linda in Indiana.

"My mother is 90 years old and lives alone. She's in great health but her mind is fading a little, and she doesn't make very good decisions on her own. Is there any way I can stop charities, etc., from calling her and asking for money? She can't seem to stop herself from donating, and the scariest part, giving her credit card number over the phone, even though we've warned her repeatedly not to do this."

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Free Shipping Day: Is it a deal?

Free Shipping Day: Is it a deal?

By Dave Siff
updated 9:46 AM EST, Fri December 14, 2012
With little more than a week to go before Christmas, millions of Americans are taking part in a long-held holiday tradition: procrastination.

According to a recent poll from Reuters, 58 percent of us have done half or less of our holiday shopping. Twenty-eight percent haven't even started yet. That adds up to a lot of last-minute traffic in stores and online over the next seven days.

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Turning down the volume on LOUD COMMERCIALS!

Turning down the volume on LOUD COMMERCIALS!

By Dave Siff
updated 9:56 AM EST, Thu December 13, 2012
It's a scene repeated in living rooms across the nation every day. TV watchers, hands on the remote control's volume knob like an Old West gunslinger with an itchy trigger finger, nervously waiting for the show to go to commercial break, because the ads are going to be REALLY LOUD!

Well, here's something to shout about: As of today, those high-volume commercials could be a thing of the past.

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Looking for a job? Things may be looking up

Looking for a job? Things may be looking up

By Dave Siff
updated 11:15 AM EST, Tue December 11, 2012
Fiscal cliff? What fiscal cliff?

According to a new survey, the people who make hiring decisions are optimistic about 2013, and more are planning to add jobs than to cut them in the first three months of next year.

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Email question of the week: Kids & i.d. theft

Email question of the week: Kids & i.d. theft

By Dave Siff
updated 12:56 PM EST, Fri December 07, 2012
HLN Money Expert Clark Howard answers your questions every night on Evening Express. His email question of the week comes from a viewer who wanted to remain anonymous.

"My daughter-in-law had her purse stolen and my grandchildren's Social Security cards were taken. They are only 2 and 4, but we're worried about identity theft. Is there a way to protect them?"

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Ford's hybrid mileage claims: Hit the brakes!

Ford's hybrid mileage claims: Hit the brakes!

By Dave Siff
updated 11:40 AM EST, Fri December 07, 2012
For drivers looking to spend less on gas -- and who isn't, in this year of record-high prices -- a hybrid vehicle may be an attractive choice. But two hybrids are coming under scrutiny for claiming mileage they may not actually get.

Consumer Reports says advertised gas mileage on the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid sedan and C-Max Hybrid wagon is way off.

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Pain at the pump: 2012 hurt the most

Pain at the pump: 2012 hurt the most

By Dave Siff
updated 9:12 AM EST, Fri December 07, 2012
If you think filling up your car took a bigger-than-normal bite out of your wallet this year, you're right.

GasBuddy.com says the national average for 2012 so far is $3.63 a gallon. If that number holds up, it would easily surpass last year's average price of $3.51. And that's almost certain to happen.

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