03.12.25 Attention Shoppers: The Retail Pricing Game / New Flight Requirements

Summary

The Clark Howard Podcast: Attention Shoppers – The Retail Pricing Game & New Flight Requirements

Release Date: March 12, 2025
Host: Clark Howard

---

1. Understanding the Retail Pricing Game

Timestamp: [00:59]

Clark Howard delves into the complexities of retail pricing, emphasizing the importance of unit pricing in making informed purchasing decisions. He highlights how traditional assumptions about bulk buying—where larger quantities should equate to lower unit prices—are often misleading due to deceptive pricing strategies employed by manufacturers and retailers.

Key Points:

• Unit Pricing Oddities: Clark explains that, contrary to expectations, the smallest packages of snacks or similar items often carry the highest unit prices, while the mid-sized options present the best deals.

• Deceptive Promotions: Retailers frequently utilize "limited time" or "special" labels to manipulate consumer perception, leading them to believe they're securing a bargain when, in reality, they may be paying a premium.

• Economic Pressure: In the current tariff era, manufacturers and retailers are experimenting with pricing to navigate softer or declining sales, making it crucial for consumers to remain vigilant and compare unit prices diligently.

Notable Quote:

“Don’t just see sale or special or anything like that and grab that item without comparing the prices on those items.”
– Clark Howard [05:30]

---

2. Navigating Economic Uncertainty

Timestamp: [05:30]

Amidst economic instability and potential long-term impacts from tariffs, Clark advises listeners to adopt cautious spending habits. He underscores the importance of conserving cash in anticipation of possible layoffs, rising unemployment, and slowed economic activity.

Key Points:

• Financial Preparedness: Emphasizes hoarding cash and minimizing optional expenditures to safeguard against economic downturns.

• Economic Indicators: Discusses how tariffs may not be temporary and could have lasting effects on the economy, necessitating long-term financial vigilance.

---

3. Listener Questions and Clark's Advice

---

a. Purchasing Hearing Aids from India Mart

Timestamp: [06:27]

Question: Tom from North Carolina inquires about buying affordable hearing aids from India Mart, a reseller similar to AliExpress or Temu.

Clark's Response:

• Quality Concerns: Warns against purchasing hearing aids from overseas resellers due to uncertainty about product quality.

• US Alternatives: Highlights the emergence of FDA-approved hearing aids in the U.S. starting around $200 per ear, offering a more reliable and affordable option compared to the traditional $6,000 price tag.

• Technological Alternatives: Touches upon the use of AirPods as hearing aids, noting their affordability and compatibility with iPhones, although comfort may be an issue for extended use.

Notable Quote:

“Instead of spending $6,000 on hearing aids for people with light to moderate hearing loss, it's a great idea to spend a lot less.”
– Clark Howard [07:15]

---

b. Saving Money on Blood Work Costs

Timestamp: [10:07]

Question: Jennifer from Connecticut seeks advice on reducing expenses for blood work under her high deductible HSA plan, which recently cost her $283 for a single test.

Clark's Response:

• Negotiated Rates: Suggests checking if her HSA-eligible plan has negotiated rates with various facilities to potentially lower costs.

• Independent Labs: Recommends exploring independent laboratories for possible lower prices, provided her doctor accepts these results.

• Preventive Measures: Advises securing a credit freeze to protect against potential data breaches targeting frequent flyer accounts.

Notable Quote:

“Your HSA eligible plan health plan may have negotiated rates with various facilities that even if you're just meeting your deductible, you may be able to get the insurer's rate for the blood work instead of paying the street price.”
– Clark Howard [11:26]

---

c. Refinancing Mortgage in Alaska

Timestamp: [11:26]

Question: Natalie from Alaska contemplates whether to refinance a $773,000 30-year mortgage with a 7.18% interest rate or to pay down the principal using proceeds from selling her debt-free existing home.

Clark's Response:

• Financial Strategy: Recommends applying the $500,000 proceeds toward the mortgage principal, effectively reducing the balance and leveraging a guaranteed return of over 7%.

• Refinancing Consideration: Suggests evaluating the cost-benefit of refinancing to a 15-year or even 10-year loan once the mortgage balance is significantly reduced, especially given the current lower interest rates driven by economic factors.

Notable Quote:

“You're getting a guaranteed 7 +% return on your money. I think that's awesome.”
– Clark Howard [12:39]

---

d. Upcoming Real ID Requirements and Travel Changes

Timestamp: [18:44]

Clark alerts listeners to the imminent enforcement of Real ID requirements, effective the first week of May, which mandates updated identification for air travel within the U.S. He explains the implications for travelers and the necessary steps to comply.

Key Points:

• Identification Standards: Travelers must possess a Real ID-compliant driver’s license (e.g., with a star in the upper corner) or alternative accepted IDs like passports or military IDs to board flights.

• Global Travel Updates: Mentions the implementation of Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETSA) for the UK and upcoming requirements for European travel, emphasizing the need for timely compliance.

• Digital Solutions: Discusses the availability of digital driver’s licenses and passports in mobile wallets (Google Wallet for Android and forthcoming options for iPhone users), providing additional verification methods at security checkpoints.

Notable Quote:

“If you don't have that star in the upper corner of your driver's license, it means you're not compliant. You need to go take care of this so you'll be able to fly.”
– Clark Howard [19:30]

---

e. Protecting Frequent Flyer Accounts

Timestamp: [24:06]

Question: Susan from California reports multiple hacks of her Southwest Rapid Rewards and United Mileage Plus accounts, compromising personal information and miles.

Clark's Response:

• Security Measures: Advises implementing two-factor authentication, using a password manager for complex passwords, and freezing credit to prevent unauthorized access.

• Account Safety: Highlights the importance of securing frequent flyer accounts due to their attractiveness to hackers seeking to exploit accumulated miles and personal data.

• Best Practices: Recommends avoiding leaving physical boarding passes with visible frequent flyer numbers on airplanes to prevent data theft.

Notable Quote:

“Criminals are targeting specifically frequent flyer accounts because there's such large amount of miles and points that are unused in people's accounts.”
– Clark Howard [25:08]

---

f. Reigniting the Travel Mind-set Post-Pandemic

Timestamp: [27:40]

Question: Micah from Texas, a single man in his late 20s, struggles with rekindling his passion for travel after the pandemic, despite having ample financial resources and reward points.

Clark's Response:

• Work-Life Balance: Encourages embracing travel as essential for preventing burnout and enhancing overall well-being.

• Utilizing Rewards: Suggests leveraging accumulated Chase points to explore new destinations, emphasizing the plethora of affordable airfare options available to make travel more accessible.

• Inspirational Advice: Motivates Micah to rekindle his adventurous spirit by planning trips to exciting global locations, highlighting the personal and professional benefits of taking time off.

Notable Quote:

“Life is a marathon, not a sprint. And if you've not heard me say there's never a day of vacation I don't use, hasn't that been true?”
– Clark Howard [28:37]

---

g. Using Cash App for Tax Filing

Timestamp: [30:40]

Question: Wally from Georgia inquires about the safety and reliability of using Cash App for tax filing, especially for simple returns and refund deposits.

Clark's Response:

• Safety Assurance: Confirms that using Cash App for filing taxes is safe for straightforward tax situations and refund deposits, provided users follow standard security practices.

• Alternative Options: Recommends utilizing free filing services available through the IRS website, such as Free File for eligible taxpayers, to avoid unnecessary fees.

• Best Practices: Advises maintaining strong security measures, including using antivirus software, complex passwords, and credit freezes to protect against potential data breaches.

Notable Quote:

“Using Cash App for taxes for simple returns. It's free and it's absolutely fine. No risk to using it versus any other tax software.”
– Clark Howard [31:10]

---

4. Conclusion and Empowerment

Timestamp: [31:40]

Clark wraps up the episode by reiterating his mission to empower listeners with the knowledge to save more, spend less, and avoid financial pitfalls. He promotes his various platforms, including Clark.com and ClarkDeals.com, offering free resources and one-on-one advice through the Team Clark Consumer Action Center.

Key Points:

• Continuous Learning: Encourages listeners to stay informed and proactive in managing their finances.

• Resource Accessibility: Highlights the availability of advice through multiple channels, ensuring that financial empowerment is accessible to all.

Notable Quote:

“We're about empowering you so that you have the knowledge to save more, spend less and avoid getting ripped off and have a great rest of your day.”
– Clark Howard [31:40]

---

Overall, this episode of The Clark Howard Podcast provides listeners with invaluable insights into navigating deceptive retail pricing, preparing for economic uncertainties, and addressing specific financial concerns through practical advice and strategic thinking. Clark’s engaging and informative approach ensures that both regular listeners and newcomers gain a comprehensive understanding of how to make smarter financial decisions in today’s complex market.

Transcript

[Ad Sponsor]

Want a website with unmatched power, speed and control? Try Bluehost Cloud, the new web hosting plan from Bluehost, built for WordPress creators by WordPress experts. With 100% uptime, incredible load times and 24,7 WordPress priority support, your sites will be lightning fast with global reach. And with bluehost Cloud, your sites can handle surges in traffic no matter how big. Plus you automatically get daily backups and world class security. Get started [e-mail] this episode is brought to you by Atlassian. Atlassian makes the team collaboration software that powers enterprise businesses around the world, including over 80% of the Fortune 500. With Atlassian's AI powered software like Jira, Confluence and Loom, you'll have more time to do the work that matters. In fact, Atlassian customers experience a 25% reduction in project duration per year. Unleash the potential of your [e-mail] Atlassian.

[Clark Howard]

Foreign it's my pleasure to welcome you here 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. And if you're a regular around here, you're probably familiar with how obsessed I am with unit pricing, how I use it all the time to decide what's a better deal and what's not. And you know, historically you think something that is a bigger quantity, a bigger bag, would be the smaller unit price. But there's a lot of weirdness going on right now with the price of goods. And you need to know in a time that retailers and manufacturers are scared what you need to be doing to protect yourself. And also I talked about saving money on airfare in yesterday's show. But do you know we're just weeks away from where you won't be able to travel unless you have an updated id. I'll fill you in on that. So retailers and manufacturers are having a rough, rough time right now. Not to negate what a hard time. So many of us as Americans, so many consumers are having such a rough time. So there's a game going on right now with a lot of manufacturers having softer sales, maybe even declining sales. A lot of retailers reporting things are really hard for them right now. They're all trying games and gimmicks with pricing. And this is an old one. It's still true behind our backs. The snack food companies refer to what they call heavy eaters. Heavy eaters is not a literal thing. That means that people that buy their product are overweight A heavy eater is somebody who is really devoted to a particular snack, whether it's Doritos or who knows what. And when they go into the store, they buy the biggest bag of them. They can get the family size bag or whatever. Well, if you take a moment to look at the unit pricing, the odd thing is the most expensive bag to buy often of a snack item will be the smallest one, followed by the biggest one and the best deal will be on the mid size. That's just one example at how pricing can be really odd. Because you think if you got the biggest bag of something or the biggest version of something that you'd be getting the lowest price. But you're not necessarily going to get the lowest price. Often it'll be the highest price, particularly with anything that's a snack kind of item or cookies or anything like that. And now this kind of thing with unusual pricing is spreading throughout manufacturing, retailing and it already was in the supermarkets. So know that when you see something that says it's special, it may not be special at all. Maybe special for the manufacturer retailer where they're getting a higher price per ounce or per whatever unit of measurement it is. So you and I have got to be aware of that. That because we're in such a difficult economic cycle now in the tariff era, there's going to be a lot of experimentation about how to get you get in our heads and get us to buy something that we think is a better deal, that's actually a worse one. So don't just see sale or special or anything like that and grab that item without comparing the prices on those items. And with manufactured goods and retailers, when you see limited time item or something like that, that is a call to purchase, right? But that limited time item may be more expensive than the regular version of whatever item you'd be buying. I'm talking non food items that you would be buying. Be aware, be wary, be careful with your wallet. Speaking of which, this is going to be a time with such enormous economic uncertainty that being careful with spending and being very, very cautious with optional spending, unless you're just loaded with money, this is going to be a time that hoarding cash a little bit is going to be a good idea because we're going to potentially see if the tariff thing is not just a flash in the pan and it's a long term thing, you're going to really need to be prepared for the possibility of layoffs, rising unemployment in the United States and slowing economic activity. And that means being prepared for a more Likely rainy day in your own life. On that happy note, what you got, Krista?

[Krista]

Okay, well, this question came from Tom in North Carolina. Clark, your opinion on purchasing hearing aids from India Mart. This company is manufacturing hearing aids there and they're relatively inexpensive. And Tom gave the website.

[Clark Howard]

Yeah, so they're a reseller of goods like AliExpress or Temu or something like that. The goods being made available are very inexpensive. And the hearing aids, you know, the hearing aid market has been going through a big transition in the United States where we've been by far the most expensive place in the world to buy hearing aids. And a law was passed by Congress I think eight years ago that only in the last two years has started to bring prices down. And people are trying to, to get to much cheaper prices quicker by buying hearing aids from the Chinese sites or in this one, buying from India Mart. And you just don't know what you're getting. The good news in the United States is there's more and more FDA approved hearing aids that you can buy from retailers and the prices have been going down to the point where they're, they start at about $200 an ear for the hearing aids. Are you going to like them? Who knows? But Instead of spending $6,000 on hearing aids for people with light to moderate hearing loss, it's a great idea to spend a lot less. See if you're actually going to keep them in your ear. Speaking of which, I've been all excited with hearing aids what Apple has done with the AirPods. The problem turns out to be that AirPods are too uncomfortable to keep in your ears all day long. Most people can't do that. Wow.

[Krista]

Teenagers can.

[Clark Howard]

I don't know, they can do it all day. Maybe they can. Maybe they're reshaping the shape of their ears from a young age around the AirPod. But the thing is Earth, if you have mild to moderate hearing loss, which is what These consumer purchased FDA approved hearing aids are for, like the AirPods. And the big thing you're using them for is being at a loud event so you can hear other people. Then if you are an iPhone person, using the AirPods is a great place to start. They're so affordable and only certain of the AirPod models work as hearing aids pros. The AirPod 2 Pro I think is the one that most people are buying.

[Krista]

Boy, we've come so far. I remember when your sweet dear late mom Joy had some hearing issues and you try out like Hunter's hearing aids. Yeah.

[Clark Howard]

So I went, this was like what, 20 years ago? 2015. 20 years ago. My mom had a very, very thick Southern accent. The answer to everything you asked her was, what, darling? So. So I went to Hunter's store and bought a piece app, a personal sound amplification something. And so I bought her psap. And that didn't work any better than the hearing aids we tried with her because she wouldn't put them on.

[Krista]

Right. And she was a very fashionable lady. And you, you had her experiment with every new technology that came out okay.

[Clark Howard]

Yeah. And I failed with everyone. Yeah. What do they call that? Hope over experience.

[Krista]

There you go. Jennifer in Connecticut says Major Clark head here, my fan term. Clark often talks about ways to save money on imaging by going to a standalone facility and not a hospital. But I've never, ever heard him talk about any ways to save money for blood work. We have a high deductible HSA plan and it's a rare year we make our deductible, which is around 10k. We just had to pay $283 for one blood test to check levels of a medication that needs to be monitored. I am still reeling.

[Clark Howard]

Gosh, Jennifer, I am so sorry. And no, I don't know of any equivalent for blood work to what I talk about with going off site imaging. But your HSA eligible plan health plan may have negotiated rates with various facilities that even if you're just meeting your deductible, you may be able to get the insurer's rate for the blood work instead of paying the street price for the blood work. And it depends on your plan if they have negotiated rates for things like blood work.

[Krista]

And I would check just in case. I don't know if this would work, but you know, there are independent labs where they do tons of lab tests and I'd call them and see how much it would be without insurance to test for that medicine, if the doctor's willing to take that.

[Clark Howard]

Well, if you're never meeting your deductible, that's a good idea because that's the thing people talk about is that with my stuff of going and taking tests where they don't take insurance and you're not adding up towards your deductible. But yes, that's a great idea.

[Krista]

Natalie in Alaska says, I'm 39 years old and I've been listening to you since my early 20s, I've taken a lot of your advice to heart, such as getting the Citibank 2% cash back and opening a high yield savings account. I'm so pleased with how my money grows. My question, I built a home and the 30 year mortgage is for $773,000 at 77.18%. I can put $2,000 extra on the principal each month. I have an existing home that I own debt free. I'm expected to get $500,000 for it when I sell. Is it better to refinance the loan? I'm worried about paying a lot in closing costs. Or should I keep the loan, put $500,000 down immediately on principal and then make the payment plus $2,000 each month?

[Clark Howard]

Okay.

[Krista]

Impressive.

[Clark Howard]

Yeah. I mean all the way around. First of all, since you're in Alaska, you say you built your home. I would take that as a literal thing instead of what most people mean when they build a home, which is they hired a builder to build the home. So this other home you own free and clear at 39 years old and you built this other, this new home when you clear the half a million, if you put it towards that mortgage balance, I mean think about it, you're getting a guaranteed 7 +% return on your money. I think that's awesome. And then you will pay off the remaining balance on the 275,000 approximately dollars of the remaining balance of the existing loan. So quickly just because you'll be making payments based on the original balance. And so don't re amortize it, don't recast that loan, leave it as it is, pay the bigger payments and you will end up owning that new home free and clear. So quickly you want to put the extra 2000 towards it. Great. Refi. Right now the refi move is on 15 year loans. I talked earlier about tariffs. One of the temporary, I don't know, could be long going benefits of tariffs is it's driven down interest rates on mortgages because of the betting that we're, we're facing much higher odds of a recession in the United States and interest rates are sensitive to the economy. The possibility of a recession is leading to lower rates on mortgages. The Sweet spot is 15 year loans are now back in the fives, which is a big advantage versus your 7.18 with the problem you pointed out is closing costs. Let's get all this done. When you sell that other home and you pay down the balance on the first one, at that point you can see, does it make sense for you to absorb those closing costs and refi that loan based on what the rates would be on a 15 year remaining cycle? Gosh, your balance will be so low versus what you're used to paying, you may be able to do a 10 year loan from a credit union that could drive the interest rate down even lower. Coming up ahead, you know we're just weeks away from when people are going to be turned away from the airport trying to fly somewhere because their ID isn't up to new standards. I'll fill you in at Schwab.

[Don McDonald]

How you invest is your choice, not theirs. That's why when it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices. You can invest and trade on your own plus get advice and more comprehensive wealth solutions to help meet your unique needs. With award winning service, low costs and transparent advice, you can manage your wealth your way at Schwab. Visit schwab.com to learn more. Are you thinking about your financial goals and securing your future this year? Protect your family by securing their future with life insurance from policygenius policygenius makes finding and buying life insurance simple and ensures your loved ones have a financial safety net they can use to cover debts and routine expenses or even invest that money to earn interest over time. With policygenius you can find life insurance policies that start at just $292 per year for $1 million of coverage. Some options are 100% online and and let you avoid unnecessary medical exams. Life insurance can cover your loved one's expenses such as mortgage payments or college tuition. In the event that something happens to you. Policygenius digital tools and expert licensed agents will help you to compare quotes from America's top insurers side by side for free with no hidden fees. Their licensed support team helps you get what you need fast so you can get on with your life. They answer questions, handle the paperwork and advocate for you throughout the process. Life insurance is a great form of financial planning. Policygenius is the country's leading online insurance marketplace. Join thousands of happy policygenius customers who left five star reviews on Google and trustpilot. Secure your families tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. Head to policygenius.com or click the link in the description to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save. That's policygenius.com this podcast is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses. Monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home and more. Plus, you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it so your dollar goes a long way. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.

[Unknown]

Hey there, Don McDonald from the Talking Real Money podcast. Looking for a source of honest, consumer centric financial help? While obviously biased, I think you'll find that Talking Real Money is what you're looking for. My co host Tom and I have spent most of our careers helping people like you manage their money on radio, TV and podcasts. Joe from Stacking Benjamin's and Paul Merriman from Sound Investing both love Talking Real Money and I'm pretty sure you will too. Why? Because we tell the truth about saving and investing based on decades of academic research, not a bunch of dubious hunches or mysterious premonitions. Talking Real Money is both a valuable education and a lot of fun. Plus we answer your questions on almost every episode. So if you're looking for a better way to manage money and build wealth, look up Talking Real Money on your favorite podcast service like this one. Ask your smart speaker to play Talking Real Money or go visit us online at talking real money.com so the boy.

[Clark Howard]

Who Cried Wolf how long ago was it that I first talked about Real id? We were going to have to go into our state driver's license office and have our driver's license updated and go in with a stack of documents, birth certificate if you have a passport, your passport, some bills going to the address that's on your driver's license, blah blah blah blah blah. Because as one of the this is crazy but is one of the security measures that Congress passed following 911 back gosh a generation ago they passed these new requirements for driver's licenses that were delayed again and again and again and again and now it's actually happening the first week of May. So if you get to an airport like you would normally do flying somewhere and your driver's license doesn't have a star in the upper right hand corner or some states did something more creative like California has a bear with a star. If you don't have that star, that means you don't have a Real ID compliant driver's license. And if you are going to fly, you're going to have to take another form of id, a military id if you're in the service or if you have Global entry, your Global entry membership card, your ID card. There are a handful of things passport if I didn't say that you can use and the process is just a pain going to the driver's license place and those of you who've listened to me or watched me for a long time know what happened to me. I got a letter from the feds forever ago that required me to go get driver's license with real ID because of how often I travel. I came up on some priority list that they were invalidating my driver's license on a certain date unless I went in and got a real ID Compliance. I've had a real ID compliant license for so long, I can't remember how long ago. But this is something that it's just a no fun zone. You're going on a trip somewhere, you're excited, maybe it's a vacation and you show up at the airport and they say you're not going. So I mean, it's a fact. There are people who in their busy lives are never going to hear about this and they're going to get turned away. So if you don't have that star in the upper corner of your driver's license, it means you're not compliant. You need to go take care of this so you'll be able to fly. Two more things. The ETSA is in effect for the United Kingdom now. People keep getting turned away not being allowed to travel, not being allowed to enter because they don't have the United Kingdom etsa and the European wide version is coming sometime July or later and there'll be a wave of publicity about it when it goes into effect. But pay attention to this. If you're traveling to Europe later this year. I'm going to Europe in September and you know, weeks out before we go, I'm going to check because odds are the electronic travel authorization. I forgot what the S is for. Anyway, you're going to have to have. They're not expensive. Typically they end up depending on the country because like Australia has one. A lot of places have them. They end up being 10 to 15 bucks and they just want to know who's coming. And if somebody has any kind of criminal background, they're not letting you in in most cases. So you're going to have. That is an additional task to complete for travel when you leave the United States to so many places now. And bonus, bonus thing to tell you, I have an Android if you have an iPhone. This doesn't exist yet that I'm aware of for iPhone, but I have an electronic passport in my Google wallet that's now available and valid for security checkpoints at a lot of places. And it's an opening step to a passport being an electronic thing as well as a physical thing. Just like you think about if you use Apple Pay or Google Wallet. And at first it was like, huh? So I'm not going to pull out my credit card and I'm going to use my phone to do this. That's where we're headed. Also for electronic documents, I have a digital driver's license on my Google Wallet. Many people have that on Apple Pay, depending on what state you're in. And so it gives you an additional way to have your proper government ID other than the physical version.

[Krista]

All right, we'll go to questions. Susan in California says my Southwest Rapid Rewards account has been hacked two to three times recently where they changed all the information, my email, physical address, security questions. This has also happened several times to my United Mileage plus account.

[Clark Howard]

No way more than one frequent flyer.

[Krista]

Program where I have almost 400,000 miles. Now United calls me before allowing changes to the account. Both accounts have my passport number and global entry number along with my address, et cetera. Should I remove this info from my accounts? I don't travel much anymore. Should I use the miles for gift cards instead?

[Clark Howard]

First I'll answer that first and then we'll go work back. So if you redeem for gift cards with airline points, the redemption rates are just gross terrible. If you have a family member or friend who you'd like to do a really wonderful thing for and you can afford to splurge with your points, send them somewhere. Send them somewhere on a fun trip. Doesn't that sound great?

[Krista]

Sounds awesome.

[Clark Howard]

And they can send you pictures of where they are in the world. So, Susan, it's hard to predict where it is. Could be a hacker has successfully loaded some form of spyware on your laptop, on your phone, or they have successfully hacked into your email. Because if you told me it was just one of your frequent fire programs, a one off kind of thing, that happens and I'll talk about why that's happening so much in a second. But now that it's happened with both United and Southwest, that makes me feel like there's an active data breach going on in your life somewhere. What would you tell her to do about that data breach? Should she be running some kind of antivirus?

[Krista]

I would probably say so. I'm no techie, but I would definitely have antivirus software on my computer. I would change all my passwords to complex password passwords, things like that.

[Clark Howard]

You could use a password manager and come up with one of these crazy passwords. And two factor authentication I assume you have on your various accounts. Beyond you said security questions, you need to go beyond that and have two.

[Krista]

Factor credits frozen too. If somebody has your security question.

[Clark Howard]

That's right. If you don't have your credit frozen, Susan, and you don't know how to do that, it's free to do. Go to clark.com credit freeze and know that criminals are targeting specifically frequent flyer accounts because there's such large amount of miles and points that are unused in people's accounts. I mean by the trillions. And so this has become a hot target for criminals. And when people set up their frequent flyer programs originally they didn't take them that seriously and they put very basic passwords like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or whatever is passwords. So criminals can do some low tech stuff to break into your account. If you have a physical boarding pass, don't leave it on the airplane behind in the seat back pocket. Criminals look at that as a crime of opportunity. They pick those up because on certain airlines they list your entire frequent flyer number on your boarding pass. A lot of airlines now no longer list your full frequent flyer number because this has been a way that people have been hacking and stealing your points.

[Krista]

Micah in Texas says this is more of a mindset question than it is a financial question. How would Clark suggest someone who has not been in the traveling mindset for a couple of years? Get back into it for context. I'm a single guy in my late 20s who used to go on a few cross country road trips every year before the pandemic. During the pandemic, I guess a switch got turned off in my brain and now I struggle to take any trips that are not the two trips I take every year at the same time and place. To be clear, it's not that I can't afford to travel. I have a decent income and a quarter million unspent Chase points. I just struggle mentally to justify the opportunity cost involved taking more than two weeks away from my work each year. Even though I'm glad to see the wealth I'm building with a 25% savings rate in an early age.

[Clark Howard]

Great.

[Krista]

I can't.

[Clark Howard]

That's great. 25% of your pay.

[Krista]

I can't help but feel I'm letting some of my most energetic years slip by in favor of a more consistent day to day life.

[Clark Howard]

So Micah, you want me to tell you to get out there and go and do things and that's exactly what I'll do. You know, no dying man ever said that he wished he spent more time at his work. All work, no play. You'll burn out. Life is A marathon, not a sprint. And if you've not heard me say there's never a day of vacation I don't use, hasn't that been true?

[Krista]

Absolutely.

[Clark Howard]

All the years you've known me, I mean, I take my vacation. I love it. It refreshes me. And it makes you a better worker when you get back to doing the work you love to go and see and do. You know, you talk about how before COVID you were doing driving trips a lot. If that's what you prefer to do, at least start there. Go do a driving trip and then let your mind wander. What would be exciting? Would it be exciting to see Big Ben in Parliament? Would it be exciting for you to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower? Would it be exciting to go to Tokyo? I mean, think about with those. How many hundred thousand points I forgot?

[Krista]

Quarter million.

[Clark Howard]

Quarter million points. You can. The whole world is available to you. By the way, Australia, where Lane and I just went. The airfare deals to Australia that you would then translate into points have been incredible lately for most of the United States with airfares in the 700s, 8 hundreds and 9 hundreds round trip from various points in the US to Australia. Think about taking your points and going and watching the drain circle upside down, seeing the kangaroos, the koalas, the Sydney Opera House, you name it. Think about. Let your imagination take you somewhere in the world that would be so exciting to see.

[Krista]

Wally in Georgia says as it's tax time and you advise us to use extreme caution with payment apps, do you believe it's safe to use Cash App for doing my taxes? It's still free and I have my refund deposited into one of my bank accounts. I have $0 in cash app and have only used it for tax filing since Credit Karma did away with free filing and transitioned to TurboTax. Cash App does have my bank information so it can deposit the refund. Thank you for all your advice and I'm glad to see you taking more time off and enjoying semi retirement.

[Clark Howard]

I can't believe you read the word retirement at all.

[Krista]

I know, because it's not.

[Clark Howard]

That's like a cuss word to you about me.

[Krista]

Well, because you said it before, like years ago that you were retiring from your radio show, but really you're still doing transitioning. Right, Right.

[Clark Howard]

I was trying not to hurt the feelings of station group managers.

[Krista]

Right. But not a week goes by when someone says, oh, Clark's still doing a podcast. I thought he said he retired.

[Clark Howard]

Yeah, yeah. Worry a lot about other people's feelings.

[Krista]

Gift that keeps on giving.

[Clark Howard]

Yeah. Okay.

[Krista]

Tell all your friends. Clark still does a podcast and a.

[Clark Howard]

YouTube show and a YouTube and TV around the country and radio around the country. Anyway, yeah, using Cash App for taxes for simple returns. It's free and it's absolutely fine. No risk to using it versus any other tax software. And also at free [e-mail] you'll see a lot of tax preparation services that you can use for free. Some of them include both federal and state filing, which Cash App does. Others only include free federal filing and states that have a state income tax. And in about 2/3 of Americans are eligible for direct file, which is where embedded in the IRS website. You can file your return right then and there. And of course that's free. So paying for taxes to be prepared for you is really only for people with really complicated financial situations, complicated family situations, owning your own business, making a lot of money. Those are the circumstances where you pay to have your taxes done. Otherwise yes, you use a free version. Wally, like you are with Cash App and many others. And we have a lot of [e-mail] if you have not done your tax return yet, how you can file your taxes for free, good price because you're having to maybe if you're filing late means you owe money and that's why you're filing late late late meaning not right as soon as returns open. And so why add salt to the wounds, having to pay to do a return to then pay money, more money to the IRS or to your state taxing authority. Well, I want to thank you so much for joining us today on Today's podcast and YouTube show. And this is all about your empowerment with knowledge that you can take more control of your wallet. That's what we're about here so many different ways, including our websites clark.com and clarkdeals.com our free one on one advice available 30 hours each week from the Team Clark Consumer Action Center. You want to see how to do that? Go to clark.com cac everything we do on social media, our newsletters, it's all about empowering you so that you have the knowledge to save more, spend less and avoid getting ripped off and have a great rest of your day.