02.17.25 Joining A Gym + Health Trackers & Privacy / Payment App Warning

Summary

The Clark Howard Podcast – Episode Summary (February 17, 2025)

In this engaging episode of The Clark Howard Podcast, host Clark Howard and his co-host Mark delve into several pressing consumer issues, offering valuable advice on gym memberships, the privacy concerns surrounding health trackers, and the hidden dangers of popular payment apps. Additionally, they address listener questions ranging from fitness app subscriptions to gas price variances at Costco. Below is a detailed summary capturing all key discussions, insights, and conclusions.

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1. Navigating Gym Memberships: Avoiding Long-Term Contracts

As winter resolutions fade and gym memberships dwindle, Clark and Mark discuss the pitfalls of long-term gym contracts. Mark emphasizes the instability of the fitness industry, advising listeners to avoid being locked into lengthy agreements that can become burdensome if circumstances change.

Mark (02:05): "My thing is for you to join a gym month to month even if you end up staying for years to come."

He highlights Planet Fitness as a prime example of a flexible, month-to-month option that offers affordable membership levels without the pressure of long-term commitments. Clark warns against gyms that employ high-pressure sales tactics and rollover provisions, which can trap consumers into unfavorable agreements.

Clark (04:50): "A contract gym is only about the contract and they actually have the opposite interest signing you up and hoping you don't work out."

Key Takeaways:

• Opt for Flexibility: Choose month-to-month gym memberships to retain control over your financial commitments.
• Beware of Contracts: Long-term contracts can lead to unexpected expenses and limited flexibility.
• Consider No-Frills Options: Gyms like Planet Fitness provide essential facilities without the hefty price tags and binding contracts.

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2. Health Trackers & Privacy: Protecting Your Personal Data

Clark expresses concern over the privacy implications of using health and fitness trackers. Citing a Consumer Reports investigation, he reveals that many fitness apps monetize user data by selling personal information, often without explicit consent.

Clark (06:30): "Consumer Reports found again and again these apps are taking your personal information and making money from it, selling off your info."

He advises listeners to carefully review the terms of use and consider the potential risks associated with data sharing. For those uncomfortable with these practices, Clark suggests discontinuing the use of such devices.

Clark (06:50): "And if that really freaks you out, then you shouldn't be doing what I'm doing and wearing any of these things."

Key Takeaways:

• Review Privacy Policies: Always check how your data is being used and shared by fitness apps.
• Limit Data Sharing: Consider minimizing the information you provide to these devices or opting out entirely.
• Stay Informed: Stay updated on privacy practices to make informed decisions about the technology you use.

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3. Payment Apps Warning: The Hidden Risks of Cash App, Venmo, and Zelle

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to warning listeners about the vulnerabilities associated with modern payment apps like Cash App, Venmo, and Zelle. Clark explains that unlike traditional banking methods, these apps often lack robust consumer protections, making users susceptible to fraud and unauthorized transactions.

Clark (17:05): "The problem with them is it's not a matter of if. It's only a matter of when you're going to get burned."

He details recent penalties faced by Cash App, including over a quarter-billion dollars in fines and restitution due to security failures that allowed criminals to steal funds. Clark advises using separate financial accounts for these apps and limiting the amount of money linked to them to mitigate potential losses.

Clark (21:10): "What would be smarter is if the banks realized... you don't have to be afraid using one."

Mark reinforces these points by explaining that Zelle, being directly embedded within bank accounts, poses even greater risks due to its lack of security measures compared to traditional banking systems.

Mark (23:02): "Because it's not about paying Kim the dentist... it's about the other things that happen with Big Bad Zelle."

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the Risks: Payment apps may lack sufficient consumer protections against fraud and theft.
• Use Separate Accounts: Link these apps to a dedicated account with limited funds to minimize potential losses.
• Stay Vigilant: Regularly monitor transactions and report any suspicious activity immediately.

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4. Listener Questions and Real-Life Scenarios

a. Oura Ring Membership Confusion

Listener Krista from Pennsylvania inquires about an unexpected requirement to pay for a membership after purchasing an Oura Ring. Mark clarifies that some Oura Ring purchases included lifetime memberships initially, but updates or new models may require additional fees.

Mark (07:44): "Aura never when they started had any idea of doing what so many apps do and charge you a monthly subscription fee or an annual fee."

Advice:

• Check Membership Status: Review your account details and original purchase terms to confirm if a lifetime membership applies.
• Contact Support: Gather all purchase documentation and reach out to Oura’s customer service for resolution.

b. IRS Fillable Forms Legitimate?

Daniel from California asks about redirecting to a seemingly unrelated website when accessing IRS fillable forms, raising concerns about legitimacy and security.

Mark (10:38): "Free File is a cooperative effort between the IRS and a bunch of tax prep software firms where people who qualify... can use a third party software package for free."

Advice:

• Verify URLs: Always ensure you are accessing official IRS resources directly through irs.gov.
• Understand Program Differences: Familiarize yourself with IRS programs like Direct File and Free File to choose the appropriate method for filing taxes.

c. Variable Gas Prices at Costco

Listener Charlotte from Arizona notices significant gas price differences between two Costco locations close to her and seeks explanations.

Mark (24:42): "Costco prices gas competitively adjacent to a store depending on the metro market, usually within a 2 or 5 mile radius of a store."

Advice:

• Market Competition: Gas prices vary based on local competition and market conditions.
• Consistency: Recognize that while Costco gas is generally a loss leader to drive store traffic, prices can fluctuate based on location-specific factors.

d. Donating Through Stores vs. Direct Donations

Lynn from Florida questions the effectiveness and transparency of rounding up purchases for charitable donations through retailers.

Mark (28:05): "There is a benefit to you if you take advantage of it and just positive publicity for the retailer or the restaurant."

Advice:

• Direct Donations Preferred: Whenever possible, donate directly to nonprofits to ensure that funds are utilized effectively.
• Understand the Process: Be aware that store-driven donations may serve more to benefit the retailer’s public image than the intended cause.

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5. Inspirational Listener Story

Daniel from California shares a remarkable personal story about his wife’s financial journey, highlighting the importance of saving and financial discipline.

Daniel (27:38): "She saves over 20% of her earnings, lives modestly, and is debt free with an 800 plus credit score."

This anecdote serves as a testament to the power of consistent saving and prudent financial management, inspiring other listeners to adopt similar habits.

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Conclusion

Throughout this episode, Clark and Mark provide actionable insights into avoiding financial pitfalls related to gym memberships, safeguarding personal data from fitness trackers, and navigating the risks of modern payment apps. By addressing real-life listener questions and sharing inspiring stories, they empower their audience to make informed financial decisions and steer clear of common consumer traps.

For personalized advice or to pose your own questions, visit Clark Howard's Ask Clark. Join the conversation and take control of your financial well-being with The Clark Howard Podcast.

Transcript

[Clark Howard]

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[Krista]

My friends still laugh at me to this day.

[Mark]

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[Clark Howard]

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[Mark]

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[Clark Howard]

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[Mark]

Welcome to the Clark Howard Show. You know our mission is to serve you with advice and information that empowers you so you make better financial decisions in your life. So it's mid February and so many people who made New Year's resolutions to hit the gym are now driving a different route just so they're not reminded of that gym they joined. I got some key advice for you about that, about joining a gym. And also, you know, I wear three fitness and health trackers. Are they doing bad stuff to me or about me? I want to talk about that. And later. I routinely pick on big bad Zell. But they're not the only bad boy payment app in town. In fact, you got to know why. Payment apps by their very nature can be playing with kryptonite. But right now I talk about the gem thing. So we got all these people who did the New Year's resolution stuff about six weeks ago. And you know, the gym rats don't like the New Year's resolution crowd because they fill up all the parking spaces and they got to wait for their favorite machines in the gym and all that. And then, man, something starts happening by now because about six weeks in after the New Year's resolution crowd joins that, they kind of vanish. It's hard to start new habits. But a lot of those folks who signed up last month from that barrage of advertising on social media and on websites and on television and all that, a lot of those people sign long term contracts with gyms. And this is a terrible idea. Not just for a New Year's resolution person but for anyone because you never know what happens in your life and never prepay for a long period of time for a gym because the fitness business is an unstable business, a lot of places closed down and all the rest. My thing is for you to join a gym month to month even if you end up staying for years to come. And gyms are all different kinds. The biggest no frills chain Planet Fitness. What's great about Planet Fitness is it is a month to month gym with different membership levels but dirt dirt cheap and all it's got is it's got machines to work out on that versus signing up for a place where there's a long term contract. And depending on the state, long term contract usually means three years and then you get injured or you don't go or you can't afford it anymore, you're still stuck. And a lot of those contract membership gyms have what are known as rollover provisions, one of the most unsavory, ugliest practices and high pressure sales. It's like how a lot of burglar alarm companies sell you those hideous burglar alarm contracts where you're obligated for a long period of time and then if you don't notify exactly as they require by a certain date, you are automatically re renewed for a long period of time at whatever the prevailing rate is. Same kind of junk with the gems. A lot of the contract gems, anytime you've got a commission salesperson trying to sign you up and pressuring you and say well if you sign today, we're going to do this for you or waive that or whatever, that's a danger signal. So when you want to work out, the key is consistency, habit, whatever your workout is. But also you don't know when you sign up for a gym that you're actually going to like the facility over time or find that it's clean or that the equipment is well maintained or available during the cycle of when you're most likely to work out and you sign that long term deal. Bad idea. A month to month gym or a non profit like a ymca. They earn your business day after day by providing you a facility that works for you. A contract gym is only about the contract and they actually have the opposite interest signing you up and hoping you don't work out. So don't fall for it. The other thing is Consumer Reports has done an investigation of all the different fitness apps, the fitness trackers of which I have three those of you watch the YouTube show, you can see I have my Oura ring, I have my Samsung smartwatch, my Garmin fitness tracker. I'm obsessed with these numbers and I'll look and I'll see what my heart rate is on one is reporting what the other's reporting right now. My Samsung and Garmin are reporting virtually identical heart rates at the moment. All this data you agree to terms of use and how they can resell it and Consumer Reports found again and again these apps are taking your personal information and making money from it, selling off your info. And if that really freaks you out, then you shouldn't be doing what I'm doing and wearing any of these things.

[Krista]

Krista okay, Speaking of that, Mark in Pennsylvania wrote in with this I purchased my first Oura ring in December of 2021 and have not paid for a membership, thus thinking I had a lifetime membership status. I purchased a new Oura ring earlier this month and connected it to my existing OUR account. Now I'm being told that I will have to start paying for my membership. I thought that the membership status was not tied to the ring, but when I tried to talk to customer no service via email they are saying that they have no record of my lifetime membership. What can I do? I have no actual record of having any lifetime membership. But the fact that I have never paid for my membership and or even had a credit card on my account should be proof enough, shouldn't it?

[Mark]

Mark this is one of the weirdest things involving Aura. So Aura never when they started had any idea of doing what so many apps do and charge you a monthly subscription fee or an annual fee. And then there are a lot of people who signed up for Aura when they specifically offered when you bought the ring you got a lifetime membership. And if you go to your Aura sign in, you'll see when you go to your membership portal it will show you if you in fact originally bought your Aura ring with an attached lifetime membership. So people. Gosh, this sounds like a bunch of gobbledygook double talk, doesn't it? It's just I've been reading a lot about this.

[Krista]

Do you have the lifetime?

[Mark]

I don't know. I should. I've never paid a fee and I'm on the Aura 3.

[Krista]

Okay.

[Mark]

I'm certainly going to check to see if it says I have a lifetime membership before I sign up for an Aura 4 which has a lot more sophisticated tracking than the original, the two or the three. But you have to sign in, then you'll see. And I don't even know if they checked when they said, well, we don't see that you had lifetime membership, but if it's not listed there, then do a search of your email. Way back when you got your original aura, if you have not deleted it back from the end of 2021 because it would have said when you bought your ring, apparently based on what people have said on Reddit, that you have lifetime membership. If not, then if you're wearing an Aura 4 now or you bought an aura for you have to with the aura for pay the monthly fee. And that's not very good news that I just described. But talking to Aura Customer no service. They're a pretty small but scrappy organization, but they have developed customer no service like one of the big behemoths now and it is hard to talk to anybody there.

[Krista]

Alyssa in Washington says thank you so much for having this podcast. You've really made a big difference in my life.

[Mark]

Thank you for that.

[Krista]

I had a quick question about the new ability to file taxes with the irs. I went to their website and clicked on the Fillable Forms link, but it looks like it takes me to a different website. And the website is freefilefillableforms.com Nowhere in this URL does it seem to connect to the IRS or say it's a.gov page. Is this legitimate? And why isn't it still on the IRS website directly? I, I don't want to create an account and provide any sensitive information when I don't quite understand how it all works and connects back. And I don't know if you've done this, Clark, but I went to the IRS website and it did click me over to this exact site.

[Mark]

But not under Direct File.

[Krista]

No, it's under Fillable Forms.

[Mark]

Right, right. So, so that's where it gets confusing when you go to irs.gov so you're going to have a three part decision tree for doing tax stuff through irs.gov One is the free fillable forms. I'm not sure what the value of that is because then you're sending in a paper return. The other two, the one that I talked about in January, Direct File, which is an IRS program that was a pilot before, now is available to, I think about two thirds of taxpayers and about half or a little bit more than half the states where you can file your return for free directly with the IRS. And you click on their little [e-mail] that says direct File. And so that's one program you get to see if you're eligible with the complexity of your tax Return. And also if you're eligible in the state you live in, the second IRS program is Free File. Free Free File is a cooperative effort between the IRS and a bunch of tax prep software firms where people who qualify and I think somewhere close to 90% of taxpayers income qualify for Free File. And instead of paying to buy a third party software package, you can use a third party software package for free. So those are the two programs that essentially automate your tax prep. The form filler, I just don't get it. I don't see what benefit that is to people.

[Krista]

Hugh in Ohio says when buying a new car the dealer had a manufacturer financing offer above the cash discount offered by the dealer. The deal was an additional $5,000 off the sale price if financed through the manufacturer. We took the deal when doing the paperwork. The finance officer told us we had to keep the loan account open for 90 days, which we did. And, and then we paid off the note. The loan officer told us if we closed the loan in less than 90 days, the $5,000 would be quote unquote added to the loan. We found out later that that was not the case but that the dealer would lose manufacturer reimbursement for originating the note.

[Mark]

Okay, so I'm familiar with this. So when you are sitting with the finance and insurance, the F and I person at the dealership, their job is to generate the profit for the dealership and that's why they try to sell you all those terrible extended warranties that are just a bunch of junk and all kinds of add ons like paint protection packages and blah blah blah. They're trying to score as much profit as they can from the loans so they only get a kickback from the manufacturer. On manufacturer provided financing from a lot of brands. If you keep the loan in place for three to six months, most common amount of time, so you as a borrower there's no requirement that you keep it in place that long. Unless and often this is true. The dealer had you sign an addendum and all the paperwork they had you sign that said you were subject to having to pay this money back to them if you didn't keep the loan in place for a period of time. So there would have been no requirement for from the manufacturer's finance arm. The requirement is a separate document that the dealer generally makes you sign. It's always a trick to the trade at the dealers. Right. And coming up ahead, something that's more trick than treat. If we were doing a Halloween show, that's the payment apps like Cash App Venmo and Big Bad Zell. I want to tell you, there's so many ways you can get burned with these apps. We're going to talk about that straight ahead. This message comes from Schwab With Schwab Investing Themes, it's easy to invest in ideas you believe in, like online music and videos, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and more. Schwab's research uncovers emerging trends, then their technology curates relevant stocks into over 40 themes to choose from. Schwab Investing Themes is not intended to be investment advice or a recommendation of any stock or investment strategy. Visit schwab.com thematicinvesting this episode is brought.

[Clark Howard]

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[Mark]

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[Clark Howard]

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[Mark]

You know there's financial inventions and improvements all the time. And if you look at what's available because of the ultimate Swiss army knife, our smartphones with how you can instantly send money to a friend, family member, even a stranger or some company using a simple transaction on your phone, using app based payments. With the three most popular being Cash App, Venmo and Big Bad Sell. These are a marvel that you can move money so easily. Why is it that I'm so harsh on these apps? Well, let's take a recent action where Cash App is having to pay more than a quarter billion dollars in penalties and restitution for their customers of Cash App being ripped off because of weak security according to the Feds and the agreement they've agreed to for weak security that has allowed criminals to steal money through people's Cash App and not be able to get any reimbursement from Cash App. By the way, if you beat your head against the wall with Cash App trying to get reimbursement after a criminal somehow tapped into your Cash App, you may be eligible for this restitution fund. And when the procedure becomes available, we'll make sure we have it for [e-mail] but let's go to the core of the problem with Cash App Venmo and Big Bad Sell. So let's look at the progression of let's call modern payment methods in modern times. So one of them may seem prehistoric to you, but when credit cards came into prominence in the 60s and early 70s, there were no consumer protections at all. And there would be these horror stories and people were like, this is too hot to touch, I can't use this thing. They were getting no usage at all. People were still doing everything with cash and checks. So then Congress came up with rules and consumer protections and credit card use exploded. Well, fast forward into a different era, let's call it the 90s, to round things off, but really more like the OOs, the piece of trash fake Visa and fake MasterCard. The debit card came into prominence. But at that time the banks were very short sighted and fought every effort in the U.S. congress. And with all the lobbyists and dirty money the bank spread, they were able to prevent any meaningful consumer protections for debit cards. And so people get burned by debit cards, which is why I have all these rules about when it's not as harmful to use a debit card. Instead of talking about all the reasons it would be great to use a debit card. Now we move forward into the last really seven years that payment apps Like Cash App Venmo and Big Bad Zell have come into prominence. And why am I so afraid of these? And why have I set up so many guardrails for you if you're going to use them? Because there are no consumer protections under law specifically governing this kind of thing. So these apps, the problem with them is it's not a matter of if. It's only a matter of when you're going to get burned. And the bank or Cash App or Venmo are going to say, gosh, joke's on you. Which is why if you want to be safe using these things, you tie them into a separate account at a separate financial institution that what you normally use, set up a fee, free savings account, checking account, whatever, tie them into those and only have the money in there that if you lost it, it would be a bummer. But it's not going to be a huge problem for you because you have to set up essentially your own insurance policy. Like we saw with Cash App where they're now having to pay more than a quarter billion dollars in restitution and fines. So what would be smarter is if the banks realized like they did, why are they so successful with credit cards? Because you don't have to be afraid using one. I mean, how cynical is it to say, yeah, we're going to see how much we can harm consumers and then fool them with advertising and marketing to use our product. And with Cash App Venmo, Big Bad Zelda, I don't want you using at all for specific reasons.

[Krista]

Anyway, check out our YouTube video on that. Yes, YouTube.com clark thank you.

[Mark]

You only pay, I mean, for the safest zone. You've set up the separate account, you limit how much money's in it, and you only pay money to known people, family, friends, period. Until and unless real consumer protections with teeth become the law of the land.

[Krista]

So a quick question. A friend of mine, you know her, Kim the dentist, texted me because one of her tenants saw your video on Zelle and she had just gone through the trouble of setting up LLCs and stuff and using Zelle to have her tenants pay her rent. Is it safe for her tenant to pay her?

[Mark]

Not really.

[Krista]

Okay.

[Mark]

Because it's not about paying Kim the dentist.

[Krista]

Right. It's about the other interest.

[Mark]

It's about the other things that happen with Big Bad Zelle and the bank shirking their responsibility with this. They were so terrified of people using non bank entities like Cash App and Venmo, they rushed this Zell thing out there without proper guardrails or protections in place. The reason Zelle is so much more dangerous even than Venmo or Cash App is that it's embedded inside your bank account. So there are so many ways criminals have been able to use big bad Zell to empty your bank account and you don't know till bills start bouncing, you know, checks start bouncing. It's a mess with the banks who, let me tell you, people in customer no service with banks hate those Zelle calls because they're not given the authority to fix the very problems the banks created with having inferior architecture to protect your money. Enough about that though.

[Krista]

Sorry Kim.

[Mark]

I could talk about it all day long.

[Krista]

Charlotte in Arizona says Regarding Clark's beloved Costco I live equidistant from two Costco stores. I've noticed that the price of gas at each store can vary as much as 30 cents per gallon, but it's usually around 7 to 10 cents. I started checking other Costco's in my metropolitan area and they all differ in price per gallon. Why is this? Are taxes different each location or does Costco charge more based on location that is One store is closer to a freeway. Thanks for all you do. I live in the Phoenix area if that helps.

[Mark]

Okay, I only know this historically and I don't know if there's been any change in this, but Costco prices gas competitively adjacent to a store depending on the metro market, usually within a 2 or 5 mile radius of a store. So they survey what's going on with gas around them and price accordingly. There's a Costco near Krista's luxurious high end neighborhood that she lives in and that Costco charges roughly 30 cents more a gallon than the Costco's that are also a little further from you Krista that are in very competitive retail zones for gasoline. They could have the Walmart gas seller Murphy Gas near them. They could have a Sam's Club gas near them. There could be various factors. So it is a competitive market response. They'll be cheaper than the others that are near them, but they're not going to be nearly as cheap as a Costco gas that's in a highly competitive district.

[Krista]

So do you think they still abide by their max markup percentage at the gas pump that they do in the stores?

[Mark]

So I'm not sure that Costco makes any money selling gas at all.

[Krista]

It's a loss leader.

[Mark]

I think that gas is like the Costco hot dog and drink. For a buck fifty they won't talk about how many hundreds of millions of dollars they lose each year on that hot dog and drink. But clearly that is not a money maker. What gas does is it gets people to the store a lot more often and while they're there, they're like, oh, I should go in and get some whatever. So it increases the the number of visits per year by a Costco member and increases renewals by having the gas. I was talking to an Uber driver one day. We were talking about gas prices. He said he only joined Costco because the gas was so much cheaper there and he's driving so many tens of thousands of miles a year. Driving for Uber Smart.

[Krista]

Daniel in California says, my wife and I have benefited from your expertise and teamwork for years and we wanted to share a milestone. My wife grew up in communist East Germany. When she was 16 and the Berlin Wall came down, she had not a penny to her name. She completed a tuition free work study position in a US public MBA program, worked on an H1B visa for a few years, and then returned to complete a PhD program at the same state school, Brainiac, this time receiving a small stipend in addition to work study waivers. Upon graduating, she accepted a research position at a prestigious US University. And there's the name of it. She saves.

[Mark]

That's a school I couldn't get into.

[Krista]

She saves over 20% of her earnings, lives modestly, and is debt free with an 800 plus credit score. And as of last month, at age 50, she has an individual net worth of over $1 million. Although according to my calculations, this would be significantly higher if Sephora didn't exist. It's still a great example of what's possible in our amazing country, and I hope it inspires others to know that they can do the same.

[Mark]

Daniel, thank you. Thanks for telling that story. And when I was a young reporter, I had such a privilege to be in Berlin covering the fall of the Berlin Wall.

[Krista]

How do you know that?

[Mark]

You didn't know I was.

[Krista]

You're always full of surprises, Clark Howard.

[Mark]

Yeah, and. And it was still East Germany at that point as the Wall was coming down and there was such chaos and I got detained in, in East Germany by border guards. And then they released me, but they wouldn't let me go back into West Germany. And it was quite a story. Wow, I said the wrong thing. They asked, what are you here for us? That was so stupid. I should have said, oh, I don't know. I thought there would be really fun deals over here.

[Krista]

Wow. Thank you, Daniel. That's an awesome, awesome story. Lynn in Florida wrote in with this I donate money to a lot of causes, mostly nonprofits. More and more frequently large chain stores are asking if I'd like to round up my purchase to the next dollar or contribute money to a cause they are supporting. My questions are, isn't it better to give directly to a nonprofit? Does the store donate all of the money or is there overhead? Do they report it to the IRS as a tax write off? I've asked cashiers and store managers and have been unable to get an answer.

[Mark]

Okay, so Len, what happens with that money? It is just a pass through from that retailer or restaurant to the charity. The retailer or restaurant is not eligible for a tax deduction on that donation. Who is eligible for a tax deduction? You are. But the truth is nobody ever does anything about that. Who at a register donates $0.82 or you know, give $5 to this or that or the other or a dollar, nobody ever keeps track of that. So it goes non deducted by anybody as a charitable deduction. What's in it for the restaurant or retailer? They get enormous publicity from the charitable organization. I used to be on a board where we had a tie in with the supermarket for Roundup and we would get millions of dollars in donations a year from that supermarket chain and then that chain was sold and the new owners weren't interested in our charity. That money stopped right away. So there's a certain vanity about it that it could be connected to a cause that matters to the executives or the chairman of the board of a company or something like that. And that's how they pick that particular organization. There is a benefit to you if you take advantage of it and just positive publicity for the retailer or the restaurant. I want to thank you so much for joining us on today's podcast. I hope that you learned something today that would be really useful to you in your own life. Hearing a question somebody else has or hearing a story or anything like that. Our whole goal is to empower you with knowledge that gives you ways to save more and spend less and avoid getting ripped off. And if you feel like you're on the verge of a rip off or you have been taking advantage or whatever and you don't know what to do or you just have a consumer question, know that 30 hours each week for free will answer your question one on one in the team Clark Consumer Action center. We've been doing this since February of 93. So if you have a question you need answer to go to clark.com cac to get that one on one advice and guidance, and we'll see you Wednesday.