07.18.25 Clark Answers His Critics on Clark Stinks / Buying An EV

Summary

The Clark Howard Podcast: Episode Summary – July 18, 2025

Title: Clark Answers His Critics on "Clark Stinks" / Buying An EV
Host: Clark Howard
Release Date: July 18, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Clark Howard Podcast, host Clark Howard delves into his popular "Clark Stinks" segment, addressing various listener criticisms and providing insightful advice on financial and consumer-related topics. Additionally, Clark explores the timely subject of purchasing electric vehicles (EVs) amidst changing tax laws.

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Clark Stinks Segment

Credit Card Point Devaluation

Caller: Patrick
Timestamp: [01:55]

Patrick criticizes Clark for his previous advice on credit card point devaluations. Specifically, Clark had mentioned that Chase had not started devaluating points like Citi had. However, Patrick points out recent changes where Chase replaced their flat point value with promotional boosts tied to specific bookings.

Clark Howard:
"The simplest answer of all is a card with no annual fee that pays you 2% cash back and doesn't come with a whole slate of rules." [02:24]

Clark acknowledges the complexity introduced by Chase's new system and reiterates his recommendation for straightforward, no-fee cashback credit cards.

SeatGuru Replacement

Caller: Matt
Timestamp: [03:59]

Matt informs Clark that SeatGuru, previously a reliable resource for airline seating information, has deteriorated after being acquired by TripAdvisor. He recommends Aerolopa.com as a superior alternative.

Clark Howard:
"I like everyone else has had a lot of frustration at the deterioration the quality of SeatGuru... but I'm going to try Aerolopa and see if that is a worthy replacement." [03:59]

Sending Bonds via Couriers

Caller: Warren
Timestamp: [04:25]

Warren cautions against sending bonds or convertible instruments through UPS or FedEx, highlighting the violation of their terms and the lack of insurance coverage. He advises using registered mail instead.

Clark Howard:
"You can't cover them past $100, which obviously they're going to be worth more than that." [05:10]

Clark concurs with the risks involved and emphasizes the importance of using secure mailing methods for valuable instruments.

Warehouse Clubs vs. Traditional Grocery Stores

Caller: Maynard
Timestamp: [06:14]

Maynard argues against warehouse club memberships, stating that the benefits don't outweigh the costs when compared to savvy shopping at traditional grocery stores using ads, coupons, and rebate apps.

Clark Howard:
"The membership fee in my opinion is worth it... especially if you just need a putt putt commuter mobile for affordably getting to and from work." [06:54]

Clark counters Maynard's viewpoint by explaining that warehouse clubs often offer tighter margins and better deals for everyday items, making the membership fee worthwhile for the average consumer.

Costco Clothing Quality

Caller: Ron
Timestamp: [08:26]

Ron criticizes the quality of clothing sold at Costco, claiming they last only about a tenth of the time compared to traditional department stores.

Clark Howard:
"They may not have style, but I don't know. The quality is lower." [08:42]

Clark expresses surprise at the claim and suggests that while Costco clothing may lack style, the quality may not necessarily be inferior, indicating a need for further evaluation.

Capital One Performance Savings Lawsuit

Caller: J.P.
Timestamp: [09:42]

J.P. defends Capital One amidst a lawsuit alleging discrepancies in interest rates between savings accounts. He maintains that there was no bait-and-switch tactic involved.

Clark Howard:
"Capital One did end up paying compensation... internal messaging and emails that they were specifically trying to deceive people..." [09:42]

Clark reveals that Capital One was found culpable due to internal communications attempting to deceive customers with misleading account offerings, contradicting J.P.'s perspective.

Self-Driving Cars Misconceptions

Caller: Brian
Timestamp: [10:18]

Brian challenges Clark on his previous remarks about self-driving cars, clarifying that current Tesla models are only Level 2 ADAS systems, which require constant driver supervision.

Clark Howard:
"My Tesla doesn't let me do anything else anymore... I got a warning and then self drive is suspended if I look away." [10:56]

Clark humorously acknowledges the limitations imposed by Tesla's safety features, aligning with Brian's clarification.

Home Energy Audits

Caller: Joe
Timestamp: [11:34]

Joe suggests that listeners perform energy audits to identify and prioritize home improvements for energy efficiency, highlighting available federal and state incentives.

Clark Howard:
"A lot of utilities offer a very affordable home energy audit... depending on what's available in your state, that audit could be ultra cheap or free with state incentives." [12:25]

Clark agrees, emphasizing the mutual benefits for consumers and utilities in improving home energy efficiency.

Nationwide Toll Pass Solutions

Caller: Park
Timestamp: [13:29]

Park corrects Clark's statement about the availability of nationwide toll passes, informing him about Uni by E-Pass and Best Pass Complete Pass, which offer broader state coverage.

Clark Howard:
"Isn't it kind of weird with all the technology we have today, that we're still talking about states having incompatible systems for charging tolls? That really stinks." [14:09]

Clark acknowledges the frustration over inconsistent toll systems despite technological advancements.

Parental Appreciation

Caller: Teresa
Timestamp: [14:36]

Teresa takes issue with Clark's generalized statement that kids never appreciate their parents, arguing that many young adults are actively supportive and caring.

Clark Howard:
"For the most part, what I've said is true... one parent can take care of 10 children, but 10 children can't take care of one parent." [15:00]

Clark clarifies his earlier statement, explaining that while not universally applicable, parents generally manage caregiving better than adult children can.

Supplemental Health Benefits

Caller: Jennifer
Timestamp: [23:10]

Jennifer inquires about the value of supplemental health benefits like accident and critical illness insurance, especially as one approaches middle age.

Clark Howard:
"You want general wide coverages... they appear very inexpensive for the coverage amounts they offer because they're actuarially seeing the odds that one of those things will happen is much lower." [24:05]

Clark advises prioritizing comprehensive coverage over narrow, supplemental policies, highlighting the importance of covering broad life events.

Pet Insurance

Caller: Matthew and Maine
Timestamp: [25:28]

Matthew and Maine question the practicality and financial wisdom of purchasing pet insurance, noting mixed messages from retailers like Costco.

Clark Howard:
"It's a hard one to find something that you're going to say, this is great... If you're going to buy a policy otherwise, take what you would have paid for the policy and save the money." [26:05]

Clark remains skeptical about pet insurance, suggesting reliance on veterinary advice or personal savings instead.

Venture X Card and Costco Cruises

Caller: Jeff
Timestamp: [27:37]

Jeff discusses his disappointment with the Capital One Venture X card following changes to lounge access and seeks advice on booking cruises through Costco.

Clark Howard:
"If they don't have one of those... you're getting about 12.7% back, plus or minus." [28:17]

Clark explains the benefits of booking through Costco Travel, including cashback incentives and comparing it to other discount options like CruiseCompete.com.

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Buying an Electric Vehicle (EV)

Timestamp: [18:50]

Clark shifts focus to the advantages and current market conditions surrounding electric vehicles:

• Tax Credits: Congress has recently cut back on EV tax credits, reducing the availability and duration of financial incentives.

• Market Opportunity: With dealers holding excess EV inventory due to reduced demand, prices may decrease if purchases are made before the end of September.

• Charging Infrastructure: Clark notes improvements in charging reliability and the increasing number of charging stations, boosting EV practicality.

• Gasoline Costs: The rise in EV adoption globally is contributing to reduced gasoline usage, which indirectly benefits all consumers by potentially lowering fuel prices.

Notable Quote:
"Electric vehicles are helpful to people who own them and also helpful to people who don't own them. So next time you're hating on an electric vehicle, remember they're making the gas you buy cheaper." [22:58]

Clark emphasizes the broader economic and environmental benefits of EVs beyond individual ownership.

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Personal Anecdote

Towards the episode's end, Clark shares a personal story about his son, Grant, booking a last-minute cruise deal, which inadvertently led to disrupted sleep due to travel mishaps. This lighthearted segment adds a personal touch to the episode, illustrating the unpredictability of spontaneous travel plans.

Notable Quote:
"But you know, obviously somebody canceled at the last second and this popped up is a last-minute deal. Bam." [30:19]

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Conclusion

Clark Howard wraps up the episode by expressing gratitude for listener feedback, even when critical, as it fosters growth and improvement. He reiterates his commitment to empowering listeners with practical financial advice and encourages proactive decision-making in personal finances and consumer choices.

Final Thought:
"We all grow by learning from others, and that's the only way any of us grow, is learning from others." [16:02]

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Takeaways

• Credit Cards: Opt for simple cashback cards over complex rewards systems.
• Travel Tools: Consider alternatives to SeatGuru for flight seating information.
• Mailing Valuable Items: Use registered mail instead of couriers for bonds and important documents.
• Shopping Strategies: Evaluate the true cost-benefit of warehouse memberships versus traditional grocery shopping.
• EV Purchases: Act promptly to take advantage of remaining tax credits and market opportunities.
• Insurance Choices: Prioritize comprehensive coverage and consult professionals before opting for supplemental insurances.
• Energy Efficiency: Utilize home energy audits to maximize utility savings and take advantage of incentives.

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For more detailed advice and to engage with Clark Howard, visit www.clark.com/askclark.

Transcript

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[Clark Howard]

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[Clark Howard]

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[Clark Howard]

Sold. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

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Of 45 for 3 month plan equivalent.

[Krista]

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[Krista]

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[Krista]

See mint mobile.com.

[Clark Howard]

It'S my pleasure to welcome you here to the Clark Howard show where our mission is to serve you with advice and information that empowers you. You make better financial decisions in your life. You know it's Friday.

[Krista]

It sure is.

[Clark Howard]

That means the weekend is almost here. But the fun starts now because it's time for me to hear how I got it wrong in our weekly Clark Stink segment. Also, gosh, we're getting just bombarded with questions with what you should do if you're interested in an electric vehicle. Do you buy it now? Do you sit on your hands? What do you do with the new tax law? Taking away the credits for EVs and we'll address that later. But now it's time for you to hear me stink it up. 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. What you got, Krista?

[Krista]

Okay, I'm going start with this one. You stink like an unrefrigerated fish stuck in a checked bag that was paid for by a debit card online. When mentioning credit card point devaluations, you mentioned Chase hasn't started devaluating like Citi did. However, Chase just replaced their flat 1.25 or 11 1/2 cents per point in the Chase travel portal with a promotional points boost on certain bookings. To be fair, the change is relatively new but still important to be aware of. Patrick.

[Clark Howard]

Patrick. Thank you. All right, so the Chase changes are extreme. What Chase is doing is full carrot and full stick. So with Chase, it used to be pretty simple. You use the cards that had reward points and you got a nice redemption on them. Now what Chase is doing is the regular redemption has become totally ordinary, nothing special. In order to get all the boosts, I think they call them boosts, you have to book through their portals at their preferred places. And it's so much more complicated that it again points out that the simplest answer of all is a card with no annual fee that pays you 2% cash back and doesn't come with a whole slate of rules. The Chase product now devalued to 1% just isn't worth it in most cases.

[Krista]

All right, so many people wrote in about this. Clark, you recommended using SeatGuru for someone in business class flight to Fiji. This is no longer Good advice. SeatGuru was purchased by TripAdvisor. They've completely ruined the site. It no longer provides the good seating information that it used to. There is however a very good alternative now. Aero lopa.com a e r o l o p a.com several people suggested this has a very complete list of aircraft from all the carriers, major and minor. And this is what I use now. Matt.

[Clark Howard]

Matt, thank you. And I like everyone else has had a lot of frustration at the deterioration the quality of Seat Guru. And I don't know what's behind the curtain, why TripAdvisor thought it was a good idea to mess up Seat Guru. But they have and I'm going to try Aerolopa and see if that is a worthy replacement.

[Krista]

Do not send bonds or other convertible instruments using UPS or FedEx. Sending these things is actually a violation of their tariffs terms of service and you cannot insure them. While there is less of a chance of them getting lost than with most USPS services, you have no recourse if they are lost. The only way to send these of instruments without taking on the entire risk is by registered mail. Not certified. Not just signature required registered mail. And you must declare the value at the time of mailing, which will also involve an additional charge. Sending them any other way puts the risk entirely on you. I owned a mailing shipping store for 15 years and I can tell you some horror stories about people who thought UPS or FedEx was the way to send these instruments. Warren.

[Clark Howard]

Warren, thank you very much for this post. And it is a problem for a lot of different items. Not just talking about savings bonds, sending them with UPS and FedEx because the tight limits they have on coverage and what you are allowed to insure a lot of things that could be very valuable to you. You can't cover them past $100, which obviously they're going to be worth more than that. Now the other thing that we heard prior about this is you can actually convert your paper bonds online into electronic ones and then you don't have to.

[Krista]

Worry about, but you have to mail them in still. That's what people were upset because you said you don't have to mail them, but you, even if you convert them, you're still required to mail them in. Somebody told us that. No, Clark stinks.

[Clark Howard]

No, no, I thought it was the opposite. They said you don't have to if you.

[Krista]

No, I think you have to mail them in if you convert them to electronic.

[Clark Howard]

What a pain.

[Krista]

I know, it really is.

[Clark Howard]

That sounds crazy.

[Krista]

Okay, well, we'll look it up. If I'm wrong, we'll do a Krista stinks.

[Clark Howard]

Okay.

[Krista]

All right. Sorry, but I don't agree with Clark's assessment of the warehouse clubs. Instead of spending time looking for a parking spot and waiting in an hour long line inside the warehouse club, just take a moment to go through your grocery store's ad and buy the things that are on sale that week. Use a few coupons and submit your receipt to the rebate apps. And then you can even get some items for free after rebate. Factor in the yearly membership fee and the math just doesn't work out. The cost per ounce of cost per toilet paper sheet is almost always lower if you just wait for the item to go on sale somewhere. You also don't have to put up with these massive size containers whose ingredients may expire before you even use all the contents. Maynard.

[Clark Howard]

Maynard, thank you. All right, so you're talking about becoming expert at shopping high, low. Most traditional supermarkets use high, low pricing that if you buy regular items not on sale, you're paying extremely large markups. If you are incredibly disciplined, which it sounds like you are, and you buy only what is on sale, then you're right. That's not normal human nature. The warehouse clubs, by having very tight margins, very tight markups, much lower than a traditional supermarket for the everyday person, the membership fee in my opinion is worth it. And as far as being in forever lines and having trouble parking, it's all about when you go ask someone at the store who's been there a good while, you know, if their tag says they've been there 15 years, I asked when are their lowest crowds, what are the quietest shopping times. And a lot of markets will be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday nights. But it will vary by market and you ask long time employees and they'll tell you. And by the way, if you're a Sam's Club member, all you need to step out of line is your phone with scan and go. I never ever have to stand in line at a Sam's Club. What you doing? Costco. When are you going to let me do that?

[Krista]

Speaking of Costco, Costco clothes can be half or less of the price of clothes from a traditional department store. But they have a lifespan of about 1/10 of the time. This was a simple stink, but a pungent one. Ron.

[Clark Howard]

Wait, wait. So you're saying that the clothes at Costco are extremely low quality?

[Krista]

That's what he's saying.

[Clark Howard]

Wow. All right, that hurts.

[Krista]

I can't.

[Clark Howard]

They may not have style, but I don't know. The quality is lower.

[Krista]

I can't believe you believe the Capital One performance savings lawsuit has any merit. Where were you when these two accounts were paying such a different amount of interest? Where was your advice to your listeners to pay attention and move money as appropriate? I've had a Performance360 savings account for a long, long time. It started life as an ING account. Prior to ING being purchased by Capital One, the interest was always competitive. I knew I had the best deal because I pay attention at no time to Capital One try and make me divert funds to the lower paying account. There was no bait and switch. They did nothing wrong in my humble opinion. Each month I compare interest rates paid by Capital One, Fifth, Third and Amex and will move money if one or more gets uncompetitive. Don't beat up on the banks just because their customers aren't paying attention.

[Clark Howard]

J.P. so, thank you. You know, Capital One did end up paying compensation and the reason that they had to is. What's the smoking gun today? Internal messaging and emails that they were specifically trying to deceive people with two savings accounts with almost identical naming. One paying a competitive high interest rate, the other paying a pitiful rate of interest. And now they're having to compensate people for that difference.

[Krista]

Mr. Howard, you really skunked it up on your recent segment where you mentioned self driving cars. Please stop perpetuating falsehoods that you may do other things while your Tesla drives itself. All flavors of Tesla driving Automation are level 2 ADAS systems, which means the computer supervises the driver. You may at no time take your undivided attention away from the driving when driving your car. Level 3 AD systems are the first level when the human can supervise the computer. The only Level 3 system currently available in the United States for Private purchases from Mercedes. Please keep your attention on the road while driving so that you can keep doing the wonderful things you do. Brian.

[Clark Howard]

Brian thank you. And that is my middle name, Brian. So my Tesla doesn't let me do anything else anymore. It now has a camera on my eyeballs and if I look away I get a warning. I look away a second time I got a sterner warning and the third time they take away self drive from me for a suspension period that I've never figured out how long it is. So you are completely right where I used to kind of do other things and let the car drive. Doesn't let me do that anymore.

[Krista]

You don't stink. There's a mustiness in the air. Your discussion of electric rates and efficiency was spot on, but was missing a little bit of potentially helpful advice for clarksters looking to save on utilities. But they're like me and have already slapped caulk and weather stripping everywhere they can think of. A great place to start with is an energy audit. I recently had one performed in my home and it unlocks some great data backed insight on priorities and ROI for where to go next. There's a federal tax credit, at least for now for the audit and in a lot of places it unlocks state and utility specific incentives as well. Listeners should check with their local electric utility and or state energy program to find a qualified auditor and incentives. My experience is that it unlocked also $4,000 in federal and state tax rebates that we should hit with 13k projects for our 1920s home. Joe.

[Clark Howard]

Joe, thank you. And that is something that I neglect to mention so often is that a lot of utilities offer a very affordable home energy audit and this is in their self interest. Weirdly enough. You think that the utility company all they want to do is sell more power. Well yeah, but they want to sell it on their terms, which is to not have to pay for peakers. That's when at peak times they're having to pay huge additional amounts for every kilowatt of energy that they buy. So it's in their interest in yours to make your home more energy efficient on extremely hot and extremely cold days. And depending on what's available in your state, that audit could be ultra cheap or free with state incentives for doing improvements. Now as you mentioned, the federal credits and incentives are going away in just a number of weeks.

[Krista]

On a recent show you said there isn't a rolling toll pass for private passenger vehicles that works nationwide. And while you mentioned uni by E pass, you said it only covers 16 states. That's not quite right. It actually works in 19 states, including the full Easy Pass network, plus Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. That makes it one of the most widely accepted transponders available to the public, not just Fleets Canada. You also didn't mention Best Pass Complete Pass. It's not just for commercial users. They offer a version for private vehicles that works in 20 plus states, combining tolls from multiple systems into a single bill. It even includes toll by plate backup. I love the show, but this time Clark stinks. Park.

[Clark Howard]

Hey, Park. Thank you. I thought that Best Pass was only for commercial purposes, and you just corrected me on it, which is why I don't ever mention it, because I thought of it as commercial only. And isn't it kind of weird with all the technology we have today, that we're still talking about states having incompatible systems for charging tolls? That really stinks.

[Krista]

Yes. You repeatedly say on your podcast that kids, quote, never appreciate their parents. And not only is it untrue, it's an unfair generalization. There are some of us kids who actually try really hard to care for sick and ailing parents, or help with finances, or just be there as their parents work through difficult situations. I'm tired of hearing that we're all ungrateful. Please stop saying this. Teresa.

[Clark Howard]

Teresa, thank you. So when I say that with a broad brush and a general, sweeping statement, it I would say that for the most part, what I've said is true. And my late father's expression was, and if you're a longtime listener, viewer, you've heard me Repeat this, that one parent can take care of 10 children, but 10 children can't take care of one parent. And obviously it's not true in every family, but it's generally the case that parents are better at taking care of kids than kids are at taking care of parents. Not always, but generally the case. So I apologize for making it sound like that was always the case, Teresa. And I appreciate so much how varied these posts were. I mean, think how many different ways I stink. How can. I mean, how come you don't have to put a clothespin on your nose with how bad I smell?

[Krista]

Oh, stop it.

[Clark Howard]

So I do. I am so grateful because I learn. You break me out of my ways. You break me out of my habits that we all have. And I appreciate because the only way I can grow is to learn from others. And that's the only way any of us grow, is learning from others. And there's a wonderful way for you to help me as we all work together to help each other and empower each other. Coming up ahead. Speaking of power, do you want your car powered by electricity? Well, not as many people do as did even just a year ago and that smells like opportunity to me.

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[Clark Howard]

So I was such an early adopter of electric vehicles. I've been driving electric for 14 years and I love driving an electric car. It's more fun to me than driving a gas engine. But what's beautiful about our market is you buy what you want. And the Congress recently eliminated the tax credits for buying a new or used electric vehicle. They were Supposed to go on for another seven years. They're going on only till the end of September. Now. Electric vehicles were selling really well in the United States and that has shifted. Now a lot of dealers are sitting with unloved electric vehicles new and used on their lots of so you know how much you'll hear me say when others zig use ag that's where opportunity is. When the trends go the other way, that's what spells opportunity. So we've got this window that I wouldn't wait till late September because then the prices will probably move up instead of down to get the tax credit. 7,500 on a new electric, 4,000 on used electric to get those and at the same time buy something that the general marketplace in the United States now doesn't love. Many people are contemptuous of. But the irony of this is one of the big bummers with electric vehicles is how unreliable when you are on a road trip the charging was. And charging has finally gotten a lot more reliable over the last year. There are a lot more charging stations and a lot of it is just free market where big convenience store chains are loving having electric vehicle charging because people plug in their car or SUV and they come inside and they spend a lot more money because they're there longer than somebody just filling up their gas engine vehicle and going. So the marketplace has said nah, we're not into this. Federal law has said we hate this. And so now that creates a buying opportunity, especially if you just need a putt putt commuter mobile for affordably getting to and from work or running the kids around or whatever. And having ultra long range isn't important. Used electric vehicles are dirt cheap, much cheaper than an equivalent gas engine used vehicle. At a time that the average cost of a used vehicle has gone up because of all the stuff going on with tariffs, it's pushed up the cost of used vehicles 11%. So now we're looking at an average used vehicle purchase in the United States over $30,000 that had dropped down below 27,000 and was headed down has now completely u turned and the prices have gone up. The other thing is that for those of you drive gas engine cars, every time you see an electric be happy because the use of gasoline around the world is reducing way below what it would have been because of people who are driving electric vehicles. And in other countries a much bigger percentage of the vehicle fleets are electric than they are here. So the cost of gasoline is going to be much more favorable than it would have been year after year after year. Because of people buying electric vehicles. So electric vehicles are helpful to people who own them and also helpful to people who don't own them. So next time you're hating on an electric vehicle, remember they're making the gas you buy cheaper.

[Krista]

Krista okay, Jennifer.

[Clark Howard]

And that's gonna cause some Clark stinks, right?

[Krista]

Yeah. Jennifer in Georgia says, what is your opinion of supplemental health benefits like accident, hospital indemnity and in critical illness insurance? Are these worth the money and for who? I didn't add these coverages when I was younger and now I'm wondering if these are more helpful to have as I approach 50. You often talk about open enrollment in the fall focusing more on health, life, dental, vision, disability insurance, 401k and HSA. Can you talk more about these supplemental health benefits?

[Clark Howard]

Okay, Jennifer, I love your question. And the reason I love it is that employers often will offer all these various narrow line insurance products so that it makes their benefits packages look more robust. But as a general rule, you want general wide coverages. You don't necessarily want a supplemental benefit that pays you more if you're in an accident than if you're just sick or ill or whatever otherwise having really good all the things you mentioned, having good disability insurance, having good health insurance, participating as much as you can in your 401k, if you have eligibility for through a high deductible health plan to fund an hsa, really fund that hsa. A lot of people put in really pretty small amounts in their hsa. Much more important, you want to cover the widest events possible in your life instead of things that are triggers. You know, you get this if this happened or that happened or the other happened, where it's a very specific, narrow kind of event. They appear very inexpensive for the coverage amounts they offer because they're actuarially seeing the odds that one of those things will happen is much lower than it is with the other things that you know are going to be necessary in your life, like paying for your own retirement.

[Krista]

Okay, speaking of insurance, Matthew and Maine wrote in with this one. What are your thoughts on pet insurance? We got two cats a year ago and I've heard people say it's irresponsible not to have pet insurance, but to me it seems like a fairly narrow form of insurance and the math seems unlikely to work out in my favor. And I also want to say I was at the checkout at Costco recently and one of the employees was going around with like a tablet asking if you were an executive member and telling everybody about pet insurance that they offer.

[Clark Howard]

It now through Costco Sovereign. Well, if Costco thinks that there's a market for something, they're going to do it, right?

[Krista]

Yeah.

[Clark Howard]

So pet insurance is a frustrating experience for people because pet insurance policies seem extremely impressive. But the exclusions that apply and the breed specific rules that apply and what happens with coverages as your pet ages makes them a tough purchase to get right. Consumer Reports has written a lot about this. It's a hard one to find something that you're going to say, this is great. So glad I have it. I don't have to worry they're going to exclude this, that or the other. I find that veterinary medicine practices, vets, veterinarians themselves know better than anybody what happens when people have different brands and different policies of pet insurance. Which ones tend to look for a reason not to pay and which ones are easiest for the veterinary medicine practices to work with. I would trust the vet on this. If you're going to buy a policy otherwise, take what you would have paid for the policy and save the money. We have an [e-mail] dealing with this exact question headlined exactly what fits your question. Is pet insurance worth it? And it's a question mark. We don't say pet insurance is worth it.

[Krista]

All right. Jeff in Kansas says, I have two questions for Clark that happen within days of each other. I got a Venture X card from Capital One. I received it the day they announced the change to access to the lounges. Very disappointed. Now what is this? Still a good card. And question number two, I know how you love Costco. I recently checked with Costco about a Celebrity cruise that I have booked. The travel agent on the other end told me that I probably have the same price as what the cruise is being offered from Celebrity. She said the only difference would be the cashback cards that Costco gives. Is this correct? I would have assumed, just like with all of my other car rentals, that they would have a cheaper price, but it never went any further than that.

[Clark Howard]

Okay, I'll deal with the Venture X. Second, the Costco thing first. So when you book a cruise through Costco Travel, Costco may have special promotional deals on a specific sailing on a cruise line they're working with. If they don't have one of those. And they'll tell you at Costco Travel they they promote which cruises they have special negotiated deals with. If they don't, what you are getting is just what you were told you're getting back. If you're an executive member, you get back 2% of the cost of the cruise. If you use the Costco travel card, the credit card getting another 3% back. So that's 5. And then Costco rebates most of their commission from the cruise to you in shop cards. So most often I think it works out to about 7.7%, something like that of the cost, the cruise that they rebate back to you. So you get in the most perfect circumstance, you're getting about 12.7% back, plus or minus. And if I'm off a little on the decimal point, I apologize, but that is what you're getting now. There are a lot of people I know who cruise all the time that don't use Costco travel for cruises they use as very experienced travelers. They use high volume discounters. There's no customer service or anything like that. They're just selling you the cheapest possible cabin. That's why in the past I've mentioned CruiseCompete.com that does like a bidding process for different cruises. And on Cruise critic.com there's a lot of information about deals available last minute cruise deals and all the rest. And that brings me to something you don't even know.

[Krista]

What.

[Clark Howard]

Why did I not get a lot of sleep last night?

[Krista]

Why?

[Clark Howard]

My son Grant and his best friend Stefan were in a little village in southern Italy and he calls me pretty late at night last night and I'm like, grant, what are you still doing up? Dad, there's a cruise leaving Naples tomorrow. There's one cabin left and they're dumping it. And it's a balcony cabin on an upper deck. And it's a week sailing around Europe for $2,100, all fees included. Should I book it?

[Krista]

Wow. I want to be Grant.

[Clark Howard]

So. Well, it's going to save he and his buddy Stefan money versus what they would have paid for traveling around and hotels and all of that over the next week.

[Krista]

So was it $2100 per person?

[Clark Howard]

No, it was just under 2100 combined total for two for this big balcony cabin, deck 12.

[Krista]

So it's their lodging, all their food, all their transportation all rolled into one for a week.

[Clark Howard]

Exactly. And they get to go to all these cool ports that they get to go to Malta and they get to go to Spain and France and what other island were they going to? Oh, Sicily.

[Krista]

Wow. Good for them. So seriously, it's good to be Grant. I want to be him.

[Clark Howard]

But you know, obviously somebody canceled at the last second and this popped up is a last minute deal. Bam. And then he wakes me up this morning. At 5:30 this morning our time says. Dad, there's no public transportation from this village.

[Krista]

Oh boy.

[Clark Howard]

To the cruise. We're gonna miss the cruise. What did they have to do?

[Krista]

Taxi.

[Clark Howard]

You just cussed on the podcast. Yes. 200 oh euro later.

[Krista]

Ouch. Worse than dollars.

[Clark Howard]

200 euro later. They're on the ship right now. First night on the cruise.

[Krista]

So what caused you to lose the sleep? The money or the phone?

[Clark Howard]

No. He calls me late last night, then wakes me up this morning. My sleep was compressed. My Aura fitness tracker, you know, my Aura health ring said that I slept 4 hours 55 minutes last.

[Krista]

Oh man.

[Clark Howard]

And I missed her 7 hours of sleep.

[Krista]

Oh yeah, same. I gotta get 8.

[Clark Howard]

You need 8. I need 7. 7. I'm fully okay at 4 hours 55 minutes. Don't trust anything you hear from me.

[Krista]

Great.

[Clark Howard]

Just kidding.

[Krista]

Thanks for that.

[Clark Howard]

No. How do you feel? I did.

[Krista]

I think you've been great. You've done awesome.

[Clark Howard]

But you know what's great? It's the weekend.

[Mint Mobile Auctioneer]

Yep.

[Clark Howard]

So now I got to keep catch up on all that sleep, right?

[Krista]

That's right.

[Clark Howard]

I hope you have a great weekend and know what we're all about you saving more, spending less and avoid getting ripped off when you book that last minute cruise.