Clark Howard

@ClarkHoward

Put your vacay on layaway!

By Alexandra Thomas
updated 2:01 PM EDT, Wed June 20, 2012
When your budget is tight, it’s easy to suggest a “staycation” as an alternative to this year’s big summer vacation. But we all know that idea doesn’t work every time. This year, Sears is offering a different solution. In yet another sign of the times, the chain is allowing customers to put vacation packages on layaway.

The age-old American retailer just launched SearsVacations.com, a travel site offering a variety of vacation packages, including flights, hotels, cruises and car rentals. Customers have the option to purchase a pre-paid vacation package that can be financed over time, or put a vacation on hold and pay the total cost gradually. On top of that, Sears customers can purchase vacation packages using their Sears credit card.

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How to avoid travel scams

By Alexandra Thomas
updated 9:50 AM EDT, Wed June 20, 2012
Clark explains why you need to be careful when you book your next vacation.

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What people think about your bank

By Alexandra Thomas
updated 4:43 PM EDT, Tue June 19, 2012
All the smack people talk about credit-card lenders has always been kept under wraps, until now. What people really think about credit-card companies is now at your disposal. The first part of a new online database was launched by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to reveal complaints from customers about the $2.05 trillion industry to the public.

The new site posts complaints made by individuals against credit card companies and will eventually broaden the available data to include complaints regarding other products like mortgages and student loans. The database lists searchable information about complaints, such as the name of the company responsible for the credit card, the concern of the complaint and the customer’s ZIP code. The CFPB says the goal is to “improve the transparency and efficiency of the credit card market to further empower American consumers.”

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Strategies to save on health care

By Alexandra Thomas
updated 9:44 AM EDT, Tue June 19, 2012
More and more companies will soon only offer high-deductible health plans. Clark has some ways for you to save on health-care expenses.

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Make some money with these apps

By Alexandra Thomas
updated 7:03 PM EDT, Mon June 18, 2012
Your smartphone has become a great tool for helping you make a few extra bucks here and there. A variety of different apps help connect users that can make and save each other money in different ways. Here's a round-up of a few that HLN Money Expert Clark Howard thinks you should try.

TaskRabbit

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Deal of the Day: Wireless home security!

By Alexandra Thomas
updated 5:44 PM EDT, Mon June 18, 2012
Clark is a big fan of home security systems, but a lot of them can be a rip-off by requiring you to sign a contract. Simplisafe is a great solution for people looking for a home security system, but don't want to get stuck in an expensive contract.

With Simplisafe, you order the burglar alarm and install it yourself. The cheapest one costs about $170 and only takes about five minutes to install. You don't even need to pay a professional to do it. Then you call the company to set up the monitoring and there are a few different levels to choose from, depending if you want to receive text message or e-mail alerts. The most basic monitoring plan costs only $14.99 a month, and there's no contract required!

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Top gadgets for dad this year!

By Dave Siff
updated 3:56 PM EDT, Fri June 15, 2012
It's Father's Day weekend, and there are plenty of great ways to show dad how much he means to you.

You could make him a big plate of bacon, maybe let him go play golf and then watch the entire final round of the U.S. Open, with a constant supply of snacks and drinks.

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Deal of the Day: Father's Day deals!

By Alexandra Thomas
updated 2:34 PM EDT, Fri June 15, 2012
Do you ever ask your dad what he wants for Father’s Day, or do you just pick up something on the way to family dinner? Although a lot of people wouldn’t admit it, too many sons and daughters are guilty of overlooking Father’s Day. If you would like to get Dad something he wants and will actually use, you can still get a great deal on a gift. Nearly half of all dads say they would want a tech gadget over any other gift this Father’s Day, according to a new survey by the consumer electronics deal site TechBargains. And fortunately for you, and dad, there are a lot of deals out there.

Consumer Reports released its list of the top seven electronics gifts for dads and grads and provides an explanation and pricing details for each gadget. Here are a few:

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New baby? Hope you have $235K

By Alexandra Thomas
updated 1:06 PM EDT, Fri June 15, 2012
For $235,000, you could buy a three-bedroom, two-bath home equipped with a two-car garage and a yard in most places -- or raise a kid for 17 years.

You’ve probably heard that college is not cheap -- and apparently, neither is the 17-year period before college. A new government report found that a middle-income family with a child born in 2011 can expect to spend about $235,000 in child-related expenses from when the child is born through age 17.

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Easy tasks for cash

By Alexandra Thomas
updated 9:35 AM EDT, Fri June 15, 2012
Clark has a way for you to pick up a few extra bucks while you're already out and about.

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