02.27.26 Clark Answers His Critics on Clark Stinks / Exposed: Tiny Hotel Rooms Sacrifice Privacy

Summary

The Clark Howard Podcast: Episode Summary

Date: February 27, 2026
Episode: 02.27.26 — Clark Answers His Critics on Clark Stinks / Exposed: Tiny Hotel Rooms Sacrifice Privacy
Host: Clark Howard
Co-host: Krista

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Episode Overview

This episode features the recurring “Clark Stinks” segment, where Clark reads and responds to critical listener feedback, clarifying and sometimes revising previous advice on a range of personal finance topics, from debit card safety to saving for college, emergency funds, and international travel. In the second half, Clark exposes a new trend in the hotel industry: the rise of ultra-small hotel rooms that sacrifice guest privacy in favor of affordability and efficiency.

Clark’s signature tone is present throughout: practical, self-deprecating, always eager to learn from listener feedback, and focused on helping consumers save money, avoid ripoffs, and make smart decisions.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Clark Stinks — Listener Critiques and Clark’s Responses

(01:24 – 16:39)

Schwab Debit Card: Debit vs. Credit Card Use

• Listener (Curtis in California): Questions Clark’s shifting stance on debit cards, after previously promoting the Schwab debit card but more recently warning against debit card usage.
• Clark’s Response (02:42):

  “The advantage...I can use it to get cash anywhere in the world, fee free, and that’s why I have it. Do I ever use it for a purchase of anything? No way.”

  • He carries the card only for ATM cash withdrawals because of zero ATM fees, but advises never to use debit cards for purchases due to weaker fraud protections versus credit cards.
  • “It’s about weighing risks versus benefits.”

Distracting Gestures on Video/YouTube

• Listener (SJ in Utah): Finds Clark’s hand and body movement on the YouTube version dizzying. Suggests Clark “plant anchor” with his hands like news anchors do.
• Clark’s Reflection (04:44):

  “You know how there are people who talk with their hands? As best I know, I have no Italian blood in me, but I talk just like an Italian, being very expressive.”

  • Explains his lifelong habit of talking with his hands and past attempts to reign it in for TV.

Nationwide Toll Transponder Solutions

• Listener (Tavin in Colorado): Recommends “Open Roads” transponder by Innovative Toll Solutions for easier toll payments, especially when renting cars.
• Clark’s Interest (07:31):

  “I am going to check this out…to have a device where they don’t get ripped off by the car rental company every time they rent a car and go through tolls.”

Safety of Zelle with Navy Federal Credit Union

• Listener (Molly in Texas): Notes that Navy Federal offers zero liability protection on Zelle and similar apps.
• Clark’s Promise (08:12):

  “If they go beyond the lame lack of protections that are provided under the law, then I certainly need to say that here on the podcast.”

  • Clark plans to review the credit union’s policy; he’s also a Navy Federal member.

Filing FTC Complaints

• Listener (Barbara in Arizona): Suggests filing an FTC complaint to resolve stubborn cable company issues.
• Clark’s Surprise (08:58):

  “I’m really surprised…the FTC normally tracks complaints but…they may forward complaints…to the organization. More homework for me.”

  • Encourages experimentation with consumer complaints; he’ll look into process effectiveness.

Roth IRA as Emergency Fund – Risks

• Listener (Matt, MD): Points out Clark omitted a key risk: market downturns could decimate an emergency fund held in a Roth IRA.
• Clark’s Concession (10:07):

  “You are completely right. Money that is for potential emergency use needs to be in a simple savings account because you can’t afford market risk as you stated.”

  • Praises Matt’s football joke and shares tips for affordable concessions at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Food Safety and Store Practices

• Listener (Bruce in Florida): Advises that grocery items meant to be refrigerated shouldn't be returned to shelves after being left out – it’s unsafe.
• Clark’s Agreement (12:23):

  “You’re bringing up the danger that that item could have already gotten spoiled to be dangerous to a consumer.”

  • Urges shoppers to return refrigerated items to their rightful place.

Using 401(k)s for College Savings

• Listener (Chantel in Washington): Suggests that for parents over 55, using a 401(k) may be more effective for college savings than a 529 plan, due to FAFSA and tax considerations.
• Clark’s Nuanced Take (14:04):

  “Your first priority as a parent is to make sure you’ve properly funded your own retirement…there are no scholarship plans for your retirement.”

  • Notes recent legislative changes now allow limited 529-to-Roth IRA conversions, reinforcing his preference for 529s but acknowledging the complexity and tradeoffs.

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2. Hotel Industry Changes: Micro-Rooms and Privacy Concerns

(19:22 – 25:08)

The Trend Toward Ultra-Small Hotel Rooms

• Clark explains hotel builders are now modeling new “micro-room” hotels due to soaring construction costs.
• Features:
  • Smaller rooms (down from 300+ sq ft to 150 sq ft or less)
  • Elimination of “non-essential” furniture like dressers and closets.
  • "Magical" cruise-ship-style bathrooms with shower, sink, and toilet in a single unit.
  • Sometimes, lack of full bathroom privacy—walls/doors are sacrificed for space.
• Clark’s Personal Experience (19:22):

  “The smallest hotel room I ever stayed in was in Japan…70 square feet…sink, shower, and toilet were all like one unit.”

• Advice:
  • Check square footage before booking.
  • Be aware of privacy (especially if not traveling alone).
  • Budget/mid-tier hotels most affected; luxury and older hotels retain large rooms.
  • “That's the future of the hotel business, it seems.”

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3. Listener Q&A: Travel and Financial Advice

(25:08 – 34:50)

Pocket WiFi for International Travel

• Listener (Larry in Colorado): Uses Pocket WiFi in Japan as an alternative to eSIMs.
• Clark’s Take (25:51):

  “Pocket WiFi is a viable option, especially if you’re traveling with kids and they’re on their tablets.”

  • Better for those with locked phones or traveling in groups; may cost more than eSIM.

Booking International Flights—India Example

• Listener (Gail in Oregon): Advice for booking premium/business class flights to India for a family wedding.
• Clark’s Tips (27:45):
  • Book international flights further ahead (but not too early—await sales cycles).
  • Premium Economy offers comfort at roughly half the price of Business Class.
  • Consider flying out of nearby major hubs (Seattle over Portland for better deals/competition).
  • Set alerts on Google Flights.
  • For significant savings, sometimes connect via another US city, but weigh logistics with group size.

Best Credit Card for Foreign Exchange Rates

• Listener (Jeffrey in Georgia): Asks, “Which network/card gives consumers the best exchange rate overseas?”
• Clark’s Complex Answer (32:12):
  • Amex: consistent but has its own rate system.
  • Visa/Mastercard: “It’s up to each issuer how they process.”
  • The best cards use “bankers buying rate” with low/zero foreign transaction fees.
  • “If you get taken by [currency conversion] scam… you’re paying as much as 10% more…Always clear in local currency.”

Traveling With Dogs: Clark’s Solution

• Listener (Kay in Wisconsin): Wonders what Clark does with his dogs when traveling.
• Clark’s Approach (34:50):

  “If we are flying somewhere and we can’t take them, we have a house sitter who stays with the dogs…The most difficult dog in the bunch is the one that you have to adapt to.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On using debit cards only for ATM withdrawals:

  “Do I ever use it for a purchase of anything? No way. Because debit cards don’t have the protections that you have with a credit card.” (Clark, 02:42)

• On listener feedback and learning:

  “This is something we always have to deal with in life, is judging the risk of something versus the benefits of it.” (Clark, 03:30)

• On micro hotel rooms in Japan:

  “Seventy square feet…It was not great.” (Clark, 19:22)

• On the new style of limited-service hotels:

  “The sweet spot of the hotel business, the most profitable part, is limited service hotels. And they’re putting their designs into the shrink ray.” (Clark, 23:36)

• On returning refrigerated items in the store:

  “Get some extra steps in your day. Take it back to the refrigerated case or freezer case where you found it…” (Clark, 12:23)

• On retirement vs. college savings:

  “There are no scholarship plans for your retirement.” (Clark, 14:04)

• On currency conversion at checkout:

  “Always clear in local currency.” (Clark, 34:13)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Clark Stinks Segment Start: 01:24

  • Schwab Debit Card Clarification: 02:21
  • Listener on Clark’s gestures in video: 04:06
  • Nationwide Transponder Solution: 06:37
  • Zelle safety with Navy Federal: 07:49
  • FTC complaints for cable issues: 08:39
  • Roth IRA/emergency funds risk: 09:27
  • Food safety in groceries: 11:37
  • 401k vs. 529 for college savings: 13:12

• Hotel Micro-Room Industry Trend: 19:22

  • Personal experiences with tiny rooms: 23:12

• Listener Questions: 25:08

  • Pocket WiFi in Japan: 25:08
  • Booking international flights to India: 27:12
  • Credit card exchange rates: 31:44
  • What to do with dogs when traveling: 34:43

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Summary Takeaways

• Debit/credit card safety distinctions are crucial—use debit cards for ATM withdrawals only.
• Expect much smaller and less private hotel rooms in new construction, especially at mid-price points.
• Listener feedback shapes the show, sparking revisions and nuance in financial advice.
• Clark remains focused on helping you save, avoid fees and ripoffs, and travel smarter—whether it's by choosing the right card, avoiding “dynamic currency conversion,” or driving further to save on flights.

For more personalized financial advice and hot deals, Clark encourages listeners to connect at clark.com and clarkdeals.com.

Transcript

[Sponsor/Announcer]

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[Clark Howard]

Howard show where Our mission is to serve you with advice and information that empowers you so you make better financial decisions in your life. What are you running away for? Krista? One way I always learn something is through our Clark Stick segment where each week you tell me what I have gotten wrong. And after some of your questions, I want to tell you what you need to know about a change sweeping the hotel industry and how it might not be something you're going to be that comfortable with. Coming up later in this podcast, but without further ado, let's hear how I stink. I should have never encouraged you to speak. You almost think I'm pretty stupid.

[Krista]

You should be ashamed of yourself.

[Clark Howard]

Well, maybe I'm wrong.

[Krista]

Maybe I'm wrong.

[Clark Howard]

Maybe you're right, pal.

[Krista]

Okay, Curtis in California says, clark, you stink so much your breath could probably start a windmill in an old Dutch painting. Just kidding. You've extolled the virtues of the Schwab debit card for a long, long time. And I finally got one. Since they don't offer a credit card. Now you're saying I shouldn't use Any kind of debit card. What gives?

[Clark Howard]

Okay. What a great question. Okay, so, first of all, Schwab does offer American Express series of products for people who want credit cards that give them rewards that go into a brokerage. It's kind of like how Fidelity has credit cards that give rewards. The debit card, the advantage of it. Somebody who hates debit cards. Why do I carry a Schwab debit card? Because I can use it to get cash anywhere in the world, be free, and that's why I have it. Do I ever use it for a purchase of anything? No way. Because debit cards don't have the protections that you have with a credit card. So, Curtis, in my case, this is something we always have to deal with in life, is judging the risk of something versus the benefits of it. So in my case, I would never routinely use a debit card to buy things. Not going to happen. But it's worth the risk to me in order to be able to get cash anywhere I go without having to worry about any fees to carry a card. That could be a problem for me if it was used in a different way or somebody stole the number and duplicated the card.

[Krista]

Okay. SJ in Utah says, Clark, you stink like kimchi left out in the sun. Huge fan. Listen to every episode, even though it's only three days a week. But we know Clark needs his time. But enough is enough. In the YouTube version, Clark moving his hands left and right and body is dizzying like a clown. This is to the point that I have to have to only listen to the audio version, not the YouTube show, because it's so distracting. I. I know Clark likes other people's perspective. And here's my suggestion. I want Clark to try plant anchor. It's a concept that most anchors use. Place their hands on the table like a planet in orbit, and only use it occasionally and intentionally. You are welcome.

[Clark Howard]

Thank you. Okay. Got to say something funny about that. All right. So early in my TV career, this is going back up in TVs for 36 years. And early in the career in my career, the consulting firm the TV station used had a session with me, and they said, here's what we want you to do. We want you to take a piece of paper and wrap it, you know, so that you're holding the piece of paper with one hand, so that then at least you'll only be moving one hand, not two. And it's like, okay. Because it's really distracting for the viewer that you're always moving your arms. And I Did that for like a week. And it's just, you know how there are people who talk with their hands. And as best I know, I have no Italian blood in me, but I talk just like an Italian, you know, being very expressive.

[Krista]

It does crack me up. When you sit at an anchor, like you'll sit sometimes and do an interview on tv and it looks weird to me because you're just like sitting and you don't move very much. And it is. You gotta let Clark be Clark, man.

[Clark Howard]

No, no, no, no. It's a very valid point. And it's come up obviously in television

[Krista]

why you wear a headset. People ask, why does he wear a sports caster headset?

[Clark Howard]

Because the reason. Because if I had to. Okay, so those of you watching our YouTube show, if I'm having to stand just like this the whole time, oh my goodness, it would be just. I don't know what would happen. So I can never sit still. Can you imagine what I was like for a teacher in elementary school? Because, you know, some kids are like always moving like they're sitting on a seat that's a stovetop. They can't sit still. Imagine me.

[Krista]

All right. To have in Colorado says just the faint scent of leftovers on their last day of palatability. In response to the issue of a lack of a nationwide toll trans transponder, there is a workable provider. Innovative Toll Solutions provides a nearly nationwide transponder for commercial truckers. I think limited to the continental US and there are a handful of toll bridges not supported yet. They have introduced a consumer program and product that's called Open Roads which is targeted to RV travelers. However, I don't see any reason why someone with a regular vehicle couldn't use it. It isn't the most user friendly interface and requires an actual phone call to be set up. However, once you're rolling along, a new car, which they call a tow vehicle, such as a rental car, can be added and removed on your individual portal. There is a small service fee, but for an even moderate traveler, the simplification and cost savings on preferred toll rates and fees might make it worthwhile.

[Clark Howard]

Well, I appreciate you bringing this up and I am going to check this out and see if it gives us a viable way to give people who rent cars frequently to have a device where they don't get ripped off by the car rental company every time they rent a car and go through tolls.

[Krista]

Molly in Texas says Zelle is safe with Navy Federal and then she linked to Navy Federal Credit Union's zero liability policy. And it does say even on apps like Zelle and Venmo and Cash app, the Navy Federal operator that I called laughed at me and said Navy Federal has protections. It would give me all funds back if they were stolen. And P.S. i love the show Clark, you don't ever stink.

[Clark Howard]

Well, maybe I do, but I'm a Navy Federal member myself and I don't have the issue. But I'm going to go read what Navy Federal actually says and if they go beyond the lame lack of protections that are provided under the law, then I certainly need to say that here on the podcast. So thank you for giving me the heads up on that.

[Krista]

Barbara in Arizona says Clark, I think you missed the mark on the lady who couldn't get the father's cable service turned off. I think the mention about the TV on your side is great, but what about contacting the FTC and filing a complaint? I used this recently and boy did I get a result within a week and I couldn't be happier.

[Clark Howard]

Really? Wow. Okay. I'm really surprised because the FTC normally tracks complaints, but even in their information on their site they say they don't get involved in individual issues. So maybe they forward complaints that they receive to the organization and you give I'm getting more homework today.

[Krista]

I know.

[Clark Howard]

I'll check on that too.

[Krista]

Okay, Matt, MD says Clark, you stink worse than my Baltimore Ravens this past season. Kidding, of course, but I think you missed the mark with the listener that wrote in asking if there would be any harm putting his emergency fund into a Roth IRA instead of a savings account, you correctly stated that retirement accounts are meant for long term growth and that using a Roth for an emergency fund could potentially encourage the bad habit of pulling from the account that's supposed to be for your future financial security. However, you forgot to mention the most important part the risk. Emergency funds are meant as a source of funds that can be accessed reliably at any time you can. What if the market takes a dive right before you need access to them? It could be disastrous.

[Clark Howard]

You are completely right. Money that is for potential emergency use needs to be in a simple savings account because you can't afford market risk as you stated. And as for the Baltimore Ravens, wow, their season was crushing to me because they were likely odds on favorite from preseason prognosticators to be in the super bowl and they did not have a super season.

[Krista]

So I also want to read the end of the end of Matt's post. He said I love the show. Appreciate all you do. I'm debating A trip to Atlanta for the Ravens Falcons game next season. If I end up going, I'll keep an eye out for you in the water fountain line.

[Clark Howard]

Ah, here's something you need to know about Mercedes Benz Stadium. They sell certain food items at street price. Like an unlimited soft drink is two bucks. Hot dogs two bucks. I think is popcorn. Two bucks too. I'm trying to remember. They have a whole menu of things that are extremely affordable when you go to a game. And it's something that a lot of other teams and venues could learn from that. It's just not nice to rip people off on concessions, which is funny. If you ever go to an event outside the United States, they don't have that mentality. They don't rip off their captive customers in a venue or an arena typically.

[Krista]

Okay, Bruce in Florida says, I've learned way too much information from you to say you stink. But you gave some bad advice when you said products that you find should be kept cool on a shelf and out of a cooler. I think it was like if you find something that should be in the refrigerator, you said that you handed it to the clerk. Right. And then they could decide if it should go back in the cooler.

[Clark Howard]

Yeah.

[Krista]

As a former grocery store manager, you should never put that food back in a cooler for sale. You have no idea how long it's been out of temperature. Well, it might be fine if someone buys it and consumes it right away. Every minute it was out of its recommended temperature. It's allowing bacteria to grow and thereby reducing the length of time it is safe to consume. I understand the thought of not wanting to waste food, but it's better than making someone get food poisoning. Keep up the great work.

[Clark Howard]

Okay, thank you. It drives me nuts when I see somebody abandon a refrigerator to frozen item. Just dropping it anywhere in a supermarket or in one of the warehouse clubs and spoiling that sale for that store. And you're bringing up the danger that that item could have already gotten spoiled to be dangerous to a consumer. And so I guess we need to go back to the source and that's you and me. When you're shopping, if you pick something up and you later decide you don't want it, get some extra steps in your day. Take it back to the refrigerated case or freezer case where you found it in the supermarket or the warehouse club, put it back there so that you don't waste that product.

[Krista]

Okay. Chantel in Washington. The first part of her post I did talk about the other day on the show, which is that she talked to her car insurance agent and they said that she's covered for rental cars. And we said why? You don't want to have to use that with a rental car. But her second part, she says another thing you have failed to mention about saving for college relates to how old you should you will be when your kid goes to College. If you're 55 plus, you can withdraw from your 401k without penalty. 401ks are not counted against your student when applying for financial aid. If someone isn't maxing out their 401k, I would recommend saving for college by augmenting the 401k contribution rather than doing a 529. You have to report the 529 on the FAFSA but not your 401k. One of our kids isn't going to college and I wish we had done this. People manage their 401ks much more closely than 529s and I think it would grow much better than the money in a 529. What are your thoughts?

[Clark Howard]

Okay, so it's up to an employer whether they use the 55 exception or 59 and a half. It's more common as you said, that 55 is the age at which you pay tax but no penalty. With many employers with their 401 plans and doing that as an alternative to the 529, I would say that was true up until the point that the pressure valve was implemented by Congress with 529s, that with a kid who doesn't go to College, that the 529 money can tax free become Roth IRA money for them up to $35,000. So the 529 plans, because you in many states get an upfront tax benefit and they grow tax free and you spend them tax free and then if you don't need them, they can then transition tax free into a tax free Roth IRA. I still love the 529 plans even if college is uncertain. But you do give another alternative. But then you don't have that money for your own retirement later on if you did need it. It's a mixed bag. I mean getting these priorities right. What do you say for yourself? What do you say for your kid? And I'm sorry, this is not anti child. Your first priority as a parent is to make sure you've properly funded your own retirement. Even if it means you can't save sufficiently for a kid's college. And shock of shock, horror, horrors, they got to pay for it. Go to a cheaper school. Get a scholarship, whatever it is. But you got to know there are no scholarship plans for your retirement. Thank you so much everyone who posted. And what's interesting, Today's car extinct. Completely different than last Friday's. Clark stinks. The content Very, very different. I love the diversity of what we hear about on Clarkston. Coming up ahead, I want to talk about big changes going on in the hotel business and how they may or may not affect you as a traveler.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

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[Krista]

moments when we could have done better. Like cutting your own hair. Yikes. Or forgetting sunscreen so now you look like a tomato.

[Clark Howard]

Ouch.

[Krista]

Coulda done better. Same goes for where you invest. Level up and invest smarter with Schwab. Get market insights, education and human help

[Clark Howard]

when you need it.

[Krista]

Learn [e-mail] we all have moments when we could have done better. Like cutting your own hair. Yikes. Or forgetting sunscreen so now you look like a tomato.

[Clark Howard]

Or ouch.

[Krista]

Coulda done better. Same goes for where you invest. Level up and invest smarter with Schwab. Get market insights, education and human help

[Clark Howard]

when you need it.

[Krista]

Learn [e-mail]

[Sponsor/Announcer]

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[Clark Howard]

You know what's funny about free financial advice? It's usually the most expensive kind. I'm Don McDonald from the Talking Real Money podcast. For over three decades, my co host Tom and I have been the antidote to the financial nonsense that fills the airwaves. We don't sell products. We don't have sponsors paying us to recommend their funds.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

We Just tell you what has actually

[Clark Howard]

worked, backed by decades of academic research, not some guru's gut feeling. Our listeners tell us we're like car talk for your money. Minus the car problems with maybe even more bad jokes. You're already listening to a podcast right now, so finding us couldn't be easier. Just search for Talking Real Money or visit talkingrealmoney.com give us a few minutes. The worst that happens, you're mildly entertained. The best, you stop making your broker richer and start building actual wealth.

[Krista]

Just search for Talking Real Money.

[Clark Howard]

Talking Real Money is an educational podcast. Hosts are affiliated with a registered investment advisor. For disclosures, visit talking realmoney.com as we know, the cost of building housing has gone crazy high in the United States. And it's affecting every form of housing, apartments, single family homes, townhouses, and something you and I might not really think about, hotels. So there's a move going on in the hotel business with architects that specialize in building hotel rooms that are ultra small. So in the same footprint, a hotel can have far more rooms or on a smaller piece of land, can have the number of rooms they would have had with a traditional design of a hotel. So architects are employing all kinds of techniques, too. And these are the interior architects, I guess. I guess it would be specialized that way, not the people who designed the whole building. But they are reimagining how the hotel room is laid out. They're eliminating dressers, closets, eliminating anything that doesn't have to be there for a night's sleep. And so now I travel so much that I've learned I'm looking at the square footage. I mean, how obscure this is. I'm looking at the square footage for a hotel room before I book it. Because, I mean, you're talking about them getting smaller and smaller and smaller. Historically, hotel rooms were 300 to 320 square feet. Today, hotel rooms are being built with the first digit being a 1 as little as maybe 150 square feet. More like if you've ever been on a cruise ship and you stayed in an inside cabin in a really, really small space, that's the size of the hotel rooms. And the bathrooms on those cruise ships are kind of like magical because in a space a little larger than what the toilet is, toilet room, bathroom, on an airplane, they're able somehow to get a shower, a toilet, and a sink all in that space. And so that's one of the things that people have been freaking out about with hotels with the new designs, because some of the hotels are now being built with the bathroom not being private. And I've seen a number of stories about it lately. I've experienced it myself. So if privacy when you're going off the bathroom or showering, whatever is important to you and you're traveling with someone else, that's something you want to know before you go stay at a place. Because it's weird to think about. A lot of the other things are just fine. I mean, the smallest hotel room I ever stayed in in my life was in Japan when I was in a 70 square foot hotel room. And it had the smallest bathroom in a hotel by far I had ever seen. And it was very, very odd because the sink, the shower, and the toilet were all like one unit. I can't even begin to explain that to you. It was not great. So why are you double over and laughing?

[Krista]

It's just funny. I mean, you were with.

[Clark Howard]

You were.

[Krista]

I never saw it.

[Clark Howard]

You didn't see it because you were in the same hotel and you had a big room, but I went for this cheap one. Yeah, we were on a staff trip.

[Krista]

Yep, yep. I stayed in a tiny room in Iceland that had a similar thing. But. But it wasn't one unit. I mean, the shower head was like right next to the toilet, though. There was no shower curtain or anything. It was just. Yeah, yeah.

[Clark Howard]

I think the same kind of idea. It was. It was like all like one little. It looked like a prefab that they just put right in there. And it was all three things together. And so just know that the spacious hotel rooms of yesterday are still out there from either the luxury end of the market or hotels built that are older but the new. Big sweet spot of the hotel business, the most profitable part, is limited service hotels. And they're the ones that are putting their designs into the shrink ray. And you just got to be prepared for that. And when I travel by myself, I don't really pay that much attention. I just want a bed. But I remember the first time I was ever in one of these was on a trip to New York when I was going up to meet with our book publisher. And I open the door of the room and I'm looking around and where's the rest of it? I'm just trying to find where's the rest of the room. And the bed was really small and it was shoved up against one wall. And there was. On the other side, there was just enough room to kind of almost walk sideways to get in the bed. And I was. I kept trying to figure out, how does housekeeping make this bet. So that is the future of the hotel business, it seems.

[Krista]

Okay, we'll go to some questions. This one's from Larry in Colorado. I was wondering what Clark thinks about using Pocket WI Fi when traveling. I travel from the US To Japan, sometimes for many weeks at a time, and I've used Pocket WI Fi. All I have to do is join that WI Fi service once and I'm good to go. It provides WI Fi wherever I go, and I have unlimited data if I check. And I can use my Telo phone service to make and receive WI FI calls, since Telo lets me call so many countries, including Japan, landlines for free. We can even call Japanese phone numbers when we're there. No need to set up on an ESIM or try to figure out which one to buy. I've noticed that it helps to speak Japanese so you can get cheaper Pocket WI FI services though.

[Clark Howard]

Yeah. Okay. So Pocket WI Fi I'm familiar with and if you remember what this was, because people used to use it in the United States, like people traveling around in an RV or something like that. It's a separate device that sets up your own hotspot and has its own cellular access. And it's data only. And there's a lot of back and forth arguing among people whether, particularly in Japan, where Pocket WI fi is really popular, are you better off doing an esim? Are you better off doing Pocket WI Fi? And the big dividing line seems to be if you're in a lousy, stinking, rotten contract with AT&T Verizon or T Mobile, where your SIM is locked on your phone, then Pocket WI Fi is a simple, easy, but potentially more expensive option than doing an esim. If your phone's unlocked, you're a free agent and you can do whichever you want. But Pocket WI Fi is a viable option, especially if you're traveling with kids and they're on their tablets. It gives them access with WI Fi available wherever you're traveling on a trip.

[Krista]

Gail in Oregon says, my family, my husband and I and our two 24 year old sons were invited to a wedding in Delhi, India, over the week of Thanksgiving of this year. We'll be traveling from Portland, Oregon. We'd like to fly premium, economy or business class if we can find a really good deal because of the length of the trip. Do you have any advice for us on when to book this trip or other general advice on traveling to India? We get lots of these, like people planning trips to many, like Scotland. I got one like there's, you know, people Want to know like when do I figure out and how do I book international travel?

[Clark Howard]

International, you book further ahead than domestic for a good deal. But we're talking about, gosh, almost nine months from now. Eight and a half months, almost nine. You're too early. Likely not if you were using points, which you didn't say, but if you're using dollars, it's too early because airlines don't know yet how to anticipate what demand is going to be that far in advance. And so you're not in a sales cycle. So the question of premium economy versus business, you're going to find that fares to India in business class are going to be somewhere around four grand and premium economy will be half of that or less. Business class is usually 2 1/2 times more than premium economy. Premium economy, if you're not familiar on most airlines, is a domestic first class seat and in many cases it is identical. It's the same exact seat that may be on an airline's domestic first class. So you don't get lie flat, you don't get your own compartment, but you get a comfortable seat with extra leg room. And I think premium economy for many people is a much more affordable thing on a flight. As far as India though, gosh, you're talking about a long, long, long way. Figure 20 plus hours of travel time from the US West coast to Delhi. That first class type seat is not going to feel that comfortable once you get to about hour 12 and beyond. One thing since you're in Portland and it's about two and a half three hours to SeaTac, there's a lot more competition internationally out of Seattle than there is out of Portland. And I think your flights are going to be a lot better. I think it's worth with a family of four, you do the drive up to Seattle and go from Seattle on the trip. I would set up alerts on Google flights for both business class and premium economy notifications on Google flights and your sweet spot is probably going to be somewhere four to six months out from the travel. But if a really hot deal pops up, go ahead and buy it.

[Krista]

I was going to ask too. I'm not sure how the flight paths go. You, you know way more about that. But is there another city they should look from too? Like should they fly to the east coast first or would they be going out or maybe look at L A or somewhere some other airport for the actual.

[Clark Howard]

So that's a lot more work. I mean Seattle port are so relatively close for interviews.

[Krista]

When are you afraid of more work for trying to find a deal on. I mean, you're always telling me to look out of New York and other places. And I did go to India. My cousin lived there years ago, my mom and I went and I found a deal on Qatar Airways, which is

[Clark Howard]

considered in surveys to be either the first or second best airline in the world.

[Krista]

And so were they. Oh, it was incredible. They were great. Yeah. I mean, you stop over in Doha and then we went on to India.

[Clark Howard]

And Krista is right. Everybody in the eastern half of the country always say for an international trip, check fares out of New York in addition to where you live or near where you live. But the, the travel involved in getting to New York, it's quite a bit.

[Krista]

Right.

[Clark Howard]

More hours. It all depends. You mentioned la. I mean, it's up to you how much you're willing to do to save money because it's times four. I mean, it's possible you might find a deal going out of an airport. You haven't thought about where you can go in business class for something close to what you'd go in. Premium economy. That would be worth it.

[Krista]

Yeah. And just fly coach to that airport and then the day before or whatever. Yeah. Jeffrey in Georgia says, I'm trying to find out why no one has actually done a piece on the exchange rate on charge cards like Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Which one is better for the consumer. As we travel, we see the varying rate between all three cards and we find that we end up using Visa. But then when I research it, some say MasterCard is better. I'd like some input from you with your expertise.

[Clark Howard]

So, Jeffrey, this is going to really annoy you. With American Express, they've got their system for setting exchange rates. Visa and MasterCard, it's up to each issuer how they process. And most cards will have junk fees on top of the exchange rate. So you want to get one that charges no foreign currency exchange fees, which are often 3 to 5%. But then what you want to see in the terms for your credit card, again, one Visa could be one way, another another way. Same thing with MasterCard. You want to see that they use bankers buying rate. Often it'll be BBR plus one or something like that. So bankers buying rate is the exchange rate being used for massive transactions between big institutions. And so you and I as consumers with a credit card mate, have one that says bankers buying rate, or it may say bankers buying rate plus some transaction fee. And that's different than a foreign currency junk fee, believe it or not so. I hope I'm not making your eyes glaze over with this explanation. If you're doing an extensive trip, you know, for a period of time, you're doing more expensive things. Finding out up front for each card issuer you have what their process is for converting for, you know, a foreign transaction is really important. And this gives me an opportunity once again to point out beware of the scam that is so hot now, where you go to buy something, could be a meal, could be at a store, whatever where on the device, the where you ring up your transaction, where you tap to pay it will give you an option that they're treating as if it's a benefit or may even default to it that you have to override to clear your transaction in dollars. If you get taken by this scam, you're paying as much as 10% more for your purchase when you clear it in dollars instead of local currency. Always clear in local currency.

[Krista]

And then, Kay in Wisconsin, says Clark, just wondering, you have dogs and you travel a lot. What do you do with your dogs when you're gone so much?

[Clark Howard]

Okay, so Kay, if we're going on a trip that we can drive, we do. One of our dogs is really high strung and is not a good traveler on an airplane. The other one, it could chill all day long on an airplane. It's really funny how dogs have their own personality. So it means we default to driving even distances that are mind numbing to me to have to drive. If we are flying somewhere and we can't take them, we have a house sitter who stays with the dogs and that's how we handle it. Because every dog has its own personality just like every human does. And so the most difficult dog in the bunch is the one that you have to adapt to. That's right. Dogs don't adapt to us, we adapt to them. At least in my world. I hope that you have a fantastic weekend in front of you and that you do something really, really wonderful, enjoyable and all weekend long we're there for [e-mail] clarkdeals.com and I want to mention again that our whole thing is to connect to you wherever you want to be connected to. Pretty much any social Media, we're there YouTube, we're there with YouTube shorts as well as this show, the podcast, our newsletters which you can subscribe to for [e-mail] Newsletters are one on one advice that we offer where you can get information guidance for free from our team at the Team Clark Consumer Action Center. Any way that we can serve you. And if you're in one of the markets where you see me on the evening news, on television, or you hear me on radio, whatever way it is that you like to have knowledge, it gives you more control of your wallet in your life. We want to be there for you. And it's all about you learning ways to save more spend unless and avoid getting ripped off. See you Monday.