The Clark Howard Podcast — Sept. 3, 2025

Episode: Clark’s Streaming Service Update / A Senior Facility Payment Warning
Host: Clark Howard

Episode Overview

Clark Howard dives into two major themes in this episode:

• Cutting Streaming TV Costs: Clark shares his personal journey to save money on live TV streaming—especially around football season—while still getting the channels he wants.
• Senior Care Facility Payment Pitfalls: He delivers an urgent warning to family members and good Samaritans involved in helping loved ones enter senior facilities, detailing predatory practices and what to watch out for. The episode also features rapid-fire Q&A on payment methods, travel savings, consumer protections, electric vehicles, and tips for seniors considering different housing models.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Clark’s Guide to Cheaper Streaming & Football Access

[00:53 – 09:32]

• Streaming Price Creep:
  Clark explains why he gave up on YouTube TV after price hikes—"$83 a month base, so I dumped it." ([00:59])
• Retention Offers & Final Goodbye:
  Briefly benefited from a one-time price rollback, then left for good after the discount ended. Nobody in the household really noticed until football loomed!
• Team Streaming Research:
  Used the streaming guide tool at clark.com to compare channel needs with his wife.
• The Solution:
  Settled on Sling TV at $62/month and paired it with a 50-mile range antenna for local channels and better picture quality on college games.
  • “I’m getting a better picture for the games with the antenna than I can get through Sling TV.” ([02:59])
  • Recommends indoor antennas for free local stations—found more channels than expected.
• NFL Sunday Ticket Withdrawal:
  First season he hasn’t renewed NFL Sunday Ticket:
  • “I have not renewed. For the first time ever, I have not renewed NFL Sunday Ticket. … I'm not having the shakes at all without it.” ([04:14])
• Listener & Co-host Strategies:
  • Co-host: Switched to ESPN standalone for $30/month (includes Disney+ and Hulu), intends to cancel after football season.
  • Clark suggests prepaying for a year if planning to keep long-term—saves two months—otherwise, monthly/cancel strategy is cheaper for purely seasonal needs.
  • Both stress the importance of setting a calendar reminder so you don't forget to cancel.

Notable Quote

• “With any subscription, any streaming, always put on your calendar when to cancel it.” —Clark Howard ([07:24])

Listener Question—Cheapest Football Streaming ([07:30])

• Antenna = Cheapest Route:
  “Again, the antenna is the cheapest show in town.” ([08:13])
• For NFL Sunday Ticket, Clark reveals college students get deep discounts ($109/season vs. $400). If you have a college student in the family, that's the best deal.

2. Payment Methods: Credit Card vs. ACH for Auto-Pay

[09:42 – 11:40]

• Listener’s cable provider offers a $10/month discount for switching auto-pay from credit card to checking account (ACH).
• Clark’s Take:
  • Take the savings while it lasts, but recognize there is slightly more risk giving direct access to your checking account than using a credit card.
  • Predicts a broader industry move away from credit cards due to high merchant fees: “This is getting serious with merchants of all sizes saying, no, we're not going to be ripped off by the Visa MasterCard cartel anymore.” ([10:52])
• Unique to the US; not common elsewhere.

3. Smart TV Account Warning Before Donation

[11:41 – 12:46]

• Listener story: After donating a smart TV from a senior memory care facility, the previous owner was billed for Amazon video purchases and a karaoke subscription still tied to her account.
• Clark’s Urgent PSA:
  • Always wipe all smart devices (TVs, Roku, Firestick, etc.) before donating.
    • “If you do not wipe it clean, whoever gets that TV after you donate it suddenly is streaming at your expense.” ([12:49])
  • TVs now function like computers and must be treated with similar security precautions.

4. Travel Savings Tip: Always "Reshop" Reservations

[12:46 – 16:12]

• Listener thanks Clark for saving money on a UK trip by following his advice to rebook hotel reservations as prices drop.
• Clark’s Method:
  • “I re-shop my car rentals...the price dropped like a rock for the first rental...Even hotels push so hard—hey, we’ll give you an extra discount if you buy non-refundable. Bad on so many levels. Don't do it. Shop that hotel room again and again.” ([13:41])
• Applies this continuous "reshopping" strategy to airfare, car rentals, and hotels.

5. Senior Care Facility Payment Dangers

[18:43 – 23:14]

• Clark's Warning:
  • Care facilities often slip legal paperwork into the mountain of forms, getting adult children/relatives/friends to "co-sign" or otherwise become liable for the bills when the original resident can't pay.
    • “They try to get you to sign paperwork that obligates you…that you become legally liable for the bills. It's a despicable practice.” ([19:37])
  • Rule: If you are the helper—not the resident—never sign anything.
• After-Death Debt Collection Scams:
  • If a loved one passes and you never signed liability, you are not responsible for unpaid bills, even if a collection agency tries to say otherwise.
  • “You are not liable for them and you do not let anybody con you into paying one cent. Not one cent.” ([21:46])
• Filial Responsibility Laws:
  • In roughly half of U.S. states, adult children can in rare cases be held responsible for a parent’s Medicaid costs (usually unenforced, but worth checking your state).
    • “Half the nation states have laws...seldom actually enforced...holding adult children responsible.” ([22:18])

Notable Quote

• “When you're there accompanying somebody, never sign anything. Hear me on this, you sign nothing.” —Clark Howard ([19:37])

6. Senior Living Options & CCRC Insights

[23:14 – 28:46]

• Question: What to look for with continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs)? Fears about being unable to move if the management is poor.
• Clark’s Take:
  • CCRCs often require a large "buy-in" (from ~$300,000 to over $3 million), with promises of escalating care as needs increase.
  • Warning: “If they go bust, you lose all that money and you may not have a place to live anymore.” ([25:13])
  • Some facilities have refundable portions or will refund part to your estate, but not always.
  • Suggests hiring a paid, fiduciary navigator or counselor (not commission-based) to protect your interests.
  • Alternate option: non-buy-in, “rental” style senior housing; higher monthly costs, less risk, easier exit.
  • Note: Some Americans are seeking care abroad for more affordable and personal service.

7. Rapid-Fire Q&A:

a. Buying from Amazon vs. Direct for Warranty/Returns

• Amazon is no longer as friendly with returns for third-party sellers.
• Consider Amazon for a layer of protection, but read the fine print. Fewer guarantees than in years past.

b. Gifting an Aging Plug-in Hybrid to a Young Relative

• Listener’s Honda Clarity EV range is down; niece can’t charge, would run on gas only.
• Clark’s Advice: Sell it; buy her a vehicle better suited for her needs.

c. Prius Resurgence

• Prius “hot again” due to high gas mileage and lower price than most EVs.

Notable Quotes

• On auto-pay discount:
  “There's a slightly higher risk of financial shenanigans when you link your checking account…but the risk is low enough that I would take the $10 a month savings for as long as that's something you can do.” —Clark Howard ([10:08])

• On smart TV donation risk:
  “All TVs are pretty much smart now…When you donate a computer, you might drill the hard drive…We don't think about smart TVs now. But they are essentially a computer and important information can be on it. So please wipe it clean.” —Clark Howard ([12:46])

• On rebooking travel:
  “Reshop your hotel…Again and again, refundable room rates, and you'll be amazed if you'll do this consistently how much money you'll save on all three phases of a typical trip.” —Clark Howard ([13:41])

Memorable Moment

• Clark on watching football with an antenna:
  “I'm getting a better picture for the games with the antenna than I can get through Sling TV.” ([02:59])
• Clark resisting NFL Sunday Ticket:
  “I have not renewed. For the first time ever…I'm not having the shakes at all without NFL Sunday Ticket...” ([04:14])
• Clark’s uncompromising warning to helpers at senior facilities:
  “Never sign anything. Hear me on this: you sign nothing.” ([19:37])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Clark’s Streaming Switch & Football Solutions: [00:53 – 09:32]
• Auto-Pay Discount Pros & Cons: [09:42 – 11:40]
• Smart TV Wipe Before Donation: [11:41 – 12:46]
• Travel Booking Tip—Reshop, Reshop, Reshop: [12:46 – 16:12]
• Senior Care Facility Payment Pitfalls: [18:43 – 23:14]
• Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs): [23:14 – 28:46]
• Amazon vs Direct for Warranties: [28:46 – 31:05]
• Electric/Hybrid Car Gifting Dilemma: [31:05 – 32:01]
• Prius Resurgence Commentary: [32:01 – 32:36]

Tone & Style

Clark is conversational, practical, and occasionally wry, staying laser-focused on empowering listeners to make smart money decisions—no matter how big or small. He warns of pitfalls but always points to workable solutions, balancing caution with optimism and resourcefulness.

Takeaways

• Compare all streaming and bundling options, leverage antennas, and always plan to cancel when the season’s over.
• Never sign as a “helper” for senior facilities; only the resident should sign.
• Always wipe devices before donating.
• Reshop travel bookings until the last minute for savings.
• Take auto-pay discounts if you’re comfortable with a bit more risk.
• Be cautious when locking up large sums in CCRCs—consult paid fiduciaries, and explore all care options.

Clark’s mantra: Save more, spend less, and never get ripped off!