Podcast Summary: The Clark Howard Podcast

Episode: 02.09.26 "Gift Cards: Use Or Lose Them / Big Changes For Home Backup Power"
Date: February 9, 2026
Host: Clark Howard
Co-Host: Krista

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on two main themes:

1. The urgency of using restaurant gift cards amid ongoing restaurant closures and financial instability, with Clark giving practical advice for consumers in the current economy.
2. Major improvements and falling costs in home backup power solutions—especially battery backup options that now offer affordable alternatives to traditional generators.

Listeners’ questions address a range of personal finance topics: sending affordable flowers, receipt tracking, digital payment app risks, Roth IRA strategy, a travel visa update for Heathrow, and rental car fees. Throughout, Clark emphasizes practical, actionable advice for consumers, with his signature mix of humor and empathy.

Segment 1: Restaurant Closures & Gift Cards—“Use or Lose Them”

[01:37 – 06:38]

Key Points

• Restaurant Industry Struggles:
  Clark highlights an ongoing wave of restaurant closures, even for long-standing establishments, caused by increased costs, higher labor and rent, and lingering debt from the pandemic era.

  “The cost pressures in the restaurant business are so great. And even at increased price for your bill of seven and a half percent, approximately, a lot of restaurants cannot make it.” — Clark Howard [03:13]

• Gift Card Risks:
  Restaurant gift cards are especially at risk: if the restaurant closes, the card becomes worthless. Clark warns, “That gift card goes up. Poof.” [04:31]

• Advice:
  Use restaurant (and retail) gift cards as soon as possible—waiting “doesn’t make them better with time.” The financial pressure on restaurants means closures could occur with little notice.

• Empathy for Owners:
  Clark acknowledges the pain for restaurant operators: “I know again, if I’m talking to you and you’re an owner of a restaurant, I know how hard things have been for you for the last seven years. I’m just so sorry it’s been so hard.” [05:43]

Segment 2: Listener Questions—Money-Saving Practicalities

A. Sending Flowers Affordably

[07:08 – 09:22]

• Warehouse Clubs Rule:
  Clark and Krista recommend Costco and Sam’s Club for flower delivery, costing roughly $50 for a robust bouquet—far less than traditional florists.

  “The warehouse clubs sell arrangements so much cheaper... Typically, the sweet spot for Sam’s and Costco on flower delivery is 50 bucks.” — Clark Howard [08:00]

• Quality vs. Price:
  Local florists may offer higher quality but at a premium. Warehouse clubs include delivery, usually with a vase, and offer special deals through Valentine's Day (with advance ordering required).

B. Tracking Credit Card Purchases and Receipts

[09:22 – 11:40]

• Clark & Lane’s Method:
  Clark’s household no longer keeps physical receipts. His wife, Lane, checks all statements regularly (on the 1st, 10th, and 20th of the month).

• Apps for Receipts:
  For partial documentation, use smartphone receipt apps—just photograph each receipt to retain digital records for reconciliation.

• Krista’s Practice:
  Krista logs into credit card accounts every few days to spot charges, trusting her memory for recent purchases.

C. Digital Payment Apps—Zelle, Venmo, Cash App Safety

[11:40 – 16:47]

• The Problem with Zelle:
  Zelle is especially risky due to lack of federal consumer protection and its deep connection with checking accounts. Frauds via Zelle are often unrecoverable.

  “Zelle has so much danger with it that you only want to use big bad Zelle when you have manually gone into the app, turned it on, sent the payment, go back and turn it off.” — Clark Howard [12:25]

• Best Practice:
  Only enable Zelle when actively sending money; disable it immediately after.
  Use an entirely separate account at a different institution for payment apps and never link to your main accounts.

  “If a crook gets a hold of your account for Zelle ...the bank does is it goes in and grabs money from your other checking account you have with them... The bank will not care about what's happened.” — Clark Howard [15:04]

Segment 3: Big Changes in Home Backup Power

[20:09 – 26:03]

Key Points

• Recent Power Outages:
  Clark shares personal experiences with winter outages, emphasizing the disruption and food spoilage risks.

• Battery Backup Revolution:
  Advances in EV battery technology have dramatically cut costs—prices are now a small fraction of what they were just two years ago.

  • Entry-level units: ~$3,500 (portable; not wired into home panel)
  • Wired systems: $5,000–$8,000 (can power major appliances)
  • Small units: Under $1,000 for bare minimum backup (phones, a fridge, etc.)

• Batteries vs Generators:

  • Battery backups: Silent, maintenance-free, run during short to multi-day outages, best for typical emergencies (not hurricanes/tornado recovery).
  • Traditional natural gas/propane generators: Can run indefinitely (assuming fuel), but require ongoing maintenance and are noisier.

• Where to Buy:
  Hardware stores, warehouse clubs, electrical contractors, and many online retailers.

  “Because of the worldwide, minus the United States, move to electric vehicles … [battery] costs [have dropped] by 95% from where they were 14 years ago. And that's why this is becoming a viable alternative.” — Clark Howard [24:38]

• Extra Advice:
  Solar panels can extend battery backup duration, but battery is still not a total whole-home solution for extended outages.

Segment 4: More Listener Q&A—Smart Money Moves

A. Roth IRAs as Savings Accounts

[26:03 – 28:35]

• Clark’s Take:
  While Roth IRAs grow faster than savings due to tax-free compounding, using them as an emergency fund is risky—people may develop bad habits of frequent withdrawals, undercutting long-term growth.

  “I like for people to think of a 401k or a Roth IRA as where you stash money that stays there and grows there for way down the road for financial security. And that having a separate savings account ... is worth having.” — Clark Howard [27:36]

B. Do You Need a Visa to Transit Heathrow?

[28:35 – 33:00]

• Answer:
  If your transfer in Heathrow might require passing through UK border control (e.g., changing terminal and going through immigration), you should get a UK ETA (Electronic Travel Authority).

  “If your flight connection, you miss it, your flight’s canceled. You could be marooned in the terminal. … Just pay the 22 bucks. Oh my gosh, yeah, have the ETA.” — Clark Howard [29:43]

• Warning:
  Only apply via the official government site—many scam sites exist. This warning also applies to business owners renewing corporate filings.

C. Rental Car Fees at “Off-Airport” Locations

[33:00 – 34:34]

• Fee Creep:
  Some rental locations near airports now impose the same high surcharges/fees as airport outlets to curb fee-avoidance.

  “Within a certain radius… a neighborhood location will charge you the same fees… to try to prevent people from diverting. And so this does happen. You saw it, you stood up for yourself and they remove the charge.” — Clark Howard [33:49]

• Advice:
  Carefully check for fees when booking off-airport; challenge undisclosed surcharges. Fortunately, base car rental rates are much cheaper than recent years.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Gift Card Warning:
  “When you have a gift card for a restaurant … and the restaurant closes and that gift card goes up. Poof.” — Clark Howard [04:31]

• On Receipt Hoarding:
  “You’re unusual and they do so. And that’s the smart thing to do, is to keep receipts. But… there are now apps you can download … and they are receipt apps.” — Clark Howard [10:23]

• Zelle’s Danger:
  “Zelle has so much danger with it that you only want to use it … when you have manually gone into the app, turned it on, sent the payment, go back and turn it off.” — Clark Howard [12:25]

• Battery Tech Revolution:
  “The prices… are a fraction of what they were even two years ago.” — Clark Howard [23:31]

• Travel Visa Humor:
  “If your flight connection, you miss it, your flight’s canceled. You could be marooned in the terminal. … Just pay the 22 bucks. Oh my gosh, yeah, have the ETA.” — Clark Howard [29:43]
  Added by Krista: “Can you imagine?... why didn’t I pay $22? I would pay a king’s ransom right now for a hotel room or something.” [32:38]

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Key Topic | | ---------- | --------------------------------------------| | 01:37 | Restaurant closures/gift card warning | | 06:38 | Listener Q&A begins | | 07:08 | Flower delivery savings | | 09:22 | Tracking credit card purchases | | 11:40 | Zelle/Venmo/Cash App safety | | 20:09 | Home backup power revolution | | 26:03 | Roth IRA vs Savings account advice | | 28:35 | Heathrow/UK ETA transit visa question | | 33:00 | Rental car fees at off-airport locations |

Takeaways

• Don’t delay using restaurant gift cards—closures can leave you with nothing.
• Warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam’s) offer major savings on flower delivery.
• Apps can simplify credit-card receipt tracking; regular statement review is crucial.
• Only use Zelle (or similar) from a dedicated account and with Zelle turned off by default.
• Battery backups for home power are now vastly cheaper, making outages easier to manage.
• Roth IRAs should be reserved for long-term saving, not as an emergency fund.
• When in doubt, get the UK ETA for Heathrow layovers and always use the official site.
• ‘Off-airport’ car rental locations may add hidden airport fees—check and contest extras.

Clark's advice remains focused on practical, consumer-first action, delivered with warmth, humor, and a sense of urgency to help listeners save money and avoid headaches.