09.10.25 WARNING: Avoid This Credit & Debit Card Scam / Balcony Solar Power

Summary

The Clark Howard Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode: 09.10.25 | Date: September 10, 2025
Host: Clark Howard
Main Topics: Credit & Debit Card Skimmers, Balcony Solar Power, Listener Q&A on Financial Questions

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Clark Howard focuses on two main consumer issues:

1. A widespread scam involving skimmers at gas pumps and other card terminals, explaining how to avoid becoming a victim, particularly when using debit cards.
2. A new trend in affordable, self-installed solar panels, also called "balcony solar," providing a way for renters and homeowners to cut their electricity bills without large investments.

The episode is interspersed with listener questions, covering topics from college funding for the arts, international car rental insurance, the impact of unused credit cards on credit scores, high utility bills, and shopping around for insurance policies.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Warning: Credit & Debit Card Skimmers

(Segment begins at 00:50)

• What's Happening:
  Skimmers—tiny, sophisticated devices attached to card readers at gas pumps and other locations—are being used to duplicate card information, especially when consumers use the swipe function.

• How the Scam Works:

  • Criminals instantly duplicate your card—often before you even leave the pump.
  • With debit cards, the stolen information allows criminals to drain your checking account directly.

• Advice for Listeners:

  • Avoid swiping: Only use "tap to pay" or chip functions.
  • If your debit card doesn’t offer tap/chip, request an updated card from your bank or credit union.
  • At gas stations: If only swipe is available at the pump, Clark advises:

    “...go inside and then tap to pay. And again, if you’ve got a legacy debit card... go to your financial institution, get the new version. Don’t put your money at risk.” (05:01)

  • Clark freezes his debit card in the banking app, only unfreezing it for ATM withdrawals.

    “I freeze the card, except when I’m at the ATM machine... Then as soon as I got my money, I freeze it again because I’m so terrified of the problems people can have with debit cards.” (05:34)

• Consumer Protections:

  • Federal rules favor banks: Restoring stolen funds can take weeks, risking bounced bills/payments in the meantime.
  • Avoid using debit cards as point-of-sale at stores—reserve for ATM use.

• Notable Quote:

  “You think I'm a little traumatized by that?” (06:38) – Clark, referring to his precautions.

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2. Listener Q&A Highlights

College Funding for an Arts Major (07:36)

• Concerned parent asks if funding a musical theater degree for his daughter is a waste of money.
• Clark’s advice:
  • Compromise by encouraging a double major—one in her passion (musical theater) and one more practical for job security.

  “Even if it takes her five years instead of four... she get two degrees, one for her passion and one that would make you feel more at peace...” (08:24)

• Personal anecdote: Clark’s son is double majoring in finance and training as an airline pilot to adapt to changing job markets.
• Playful exchange on Venn diagrams and “MasterCard logo.”

  “That double major, also known as a Venn diagram.” – D (10:21)

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Rental Car Insurance Abroad (11:19)

• Question about credit card insurance coverage for car rentals outside the US, specifically Costa Rica.
• Clark’s advice:
  • Prefer cards that offer primary coverage (e.g., Chase Sapphire Preferred, $95/year).
  • Always verify country-specific exclusions with your card company.
  • American Express offers a primary coverage add-on for ~$25 per rental.

  “So you only want to use a credit card here in the United States or overseas that is primary for rental coverage.” (13:08)

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Closing Unused Credit Cards & Credit Score Impact (14:32)

• Listener wonders if closing dormant cards hurts his credit.
• Clark’s advice:
  • Don’t close them; having more available credit helps your score by lowering your utilization percentage.

  “Don’t close ’em, Matthew, leave them be... Having those cards, if they’re showing on your credit report, they’re showing no balance, it’s helping you with the available credit.” (14:47)

  • Main risk: dormant cards could eventually be closed by issuers or abused by thieves.

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3. Balcony Solar Power: Self-Install Solar for Renters & Homeowners

(Segment resumes at 18:37)

• Rising Electricity Costs:

  • Power rates up nearly 7% year-on-year, partly due to growing demand from AI data centers.
  • Clark bemoans monopolistic, state-regulated utilities penalizing consumers.

• Traditional Energy Saving Tips:

  • Smart thermostats can save 25–30% on heating/cooling.
  • Home improvements are limited for renters.

• New Solution: “Balcony Solar”

  • Affordable, plug-in solar panels now available for DIY installation—no contractors/permits in most places.
  • Inspired by innovation in Europe (“BalkonKraftwerk” in Germany with over four million such systems).

    “You buy these inexpensive panels and they plug right into... an electrical outlet in your home... you plug them in and you, voila, have power from our sun.” (22:11)

  • Prices range from ~$399–$1,199 for a setup, a stark contrast to whole-house systems that can cost tens of thousands.

    “This is totally different math. When you looked at putting solar on your house... it was maybe $60,000.” (24:17)

• Market Status in the US:

  • Utah only state with clear regulations so far; the trend is new/pioneering here but already established overseas.
  • Intended to reduce your own bill, not sell back to the grid.

• Notable Quote:

  “This is an example using what is called by the coined term now in English, balcony solar.” (25:04)

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4. Managing High Power Bills as a Renter

(Listener Q&A resumes at 25:04)

• Listener’s power bill hits $495 for a 1,200 sq ft rental during a Florida heatwave—landlord won’t improve insulation.
• Clark’s advice:
  • Use high-quality, efficient fans (on clearance at Costco/Sam’s) to make higher room temps feel 6–8° cooler.
  • Portable AC units (also on clearance) can “zone” cool just the room you're in; keep thermostat higher for rest of home.

    “If you move it up from 73 to 78 and you have fans going, you will feel the same comfort in the room... the power bill will go way down.” (27:02)

  • Both fans and portable AC units are portable and renter-friendly.

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5. Shopping for Homeowners Insurance in the Face of Rate Hikes

(28:41)

• Listener hesitant to leave long-time insurer after premium hike, despite good service.
• Clark’s advice:
  • Shop around! Loyalty is typically penalized, not rewarded, in the insurance industry.
  • Reveal new quotes to current insurer—they may offer to match or beat the competitor.

    “Show them you’ve gotten a quote from these other people you’re gonna leave, but you love the company and you’d rather stay with them. What can they do for you? And somehow, magically, they may offer you a lower premium.” (29:07)

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6. Clark’s Take: Kirkland Signature Products at Costco

(30:33)

• Listener pans new Kirkland Signature men’s jeans for poor fit and durability; Clark agrees and jokes they’re hard to fasten after washing.
• Clark’s playful side:

  “They make me feel fat. After you wash them, they are so hard to fasten because they shrink. So I’m with you that the Kirkland Signature jeans are not working for me.” (31:29)

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7. Personal Reflection: Remembering September 11th

(31:40)

• Clark recalls the impact of 9/11, sharing memories of broadcasting from New York in the aftermath, honoring the victims and heroes of that day.
• Shout-outs to Flight 93, first responders, and the lesson of national resilience.

  "We took our radio show on the road, broadcasted from New York. ... If you were not of age that this day means a lot to you, tomorrow means a lot to me because that’s a day that America first was reeling and then stood up to be counted." (32:09)

• Urges listeners to "never forget the lessons of a very tough time in the United States" (36:17).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On skimmer dangers:

  “That is a technology. I don’t even know you can call it a technology. It goes back so many decades that a child could figure out how to steal the information from a swipe.” (04:48)

• On the “balcony solar” shift:

  “You don’t need some fancy solar installation company. ... You just buy, you know, one to four panels and you plug them in and you voila, have power from our sun.” (22:11)

• On loyalty and insurance:

  “The insurance industry is notorious for penalizing people with higher premiums that are extremely loyal and offering deals only to people who are disloyal.” (29:07)

• Personal reflection:

  “I'm sorry for the seriousness of this moment, but I wanted to tell you how I feel and why I want us never to forget the lessons of a very tough time...” (36:17)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:50: Card skimmer warning & debit card safety
• 07:36: Funding an arts degree & double major approach
• 11:19: International rental car insurance guidance
• 14:32: Should you close unused credit cards?
• 18:37: Inflation in power rates & energy-saving basics
• 21:32: Balcony solar power explained (main segment)
• 25:04: Listener’s high power bill: advice for renters
• 28:41: Shopping insurance after premium hikes
• 30:33: Kirkland jeans & product complaints
• 31:40: Personal reflection on 9/11, resilience, and remembrance

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Tone and Style

Clark Howard’s advice is direct, practical, and empathetic, often seasoned with humor and personal anecdotes. He demonstrates a strong consumer advocacy stance, encourages self-empowerment, and is not afraid to share personal experiences—including both financial strategies and more reflective moments—as teaching tools.

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This summary captures the episode’s essential content, guidance, and key moments, enabling non-listeners to walk away informed and empowered, just as Clark would intend.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[C]

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[B]

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[C]

Great to have you here on the Clark Howard Show. You know, our mission is to serve you with advice and information that empowers you to so you make better financial decisions in your life. In this episode, I want to talk about one of the easiest ways that your credit but most often debit card information is stolen. And also something that I talked about the first time, gosh, probably seven years ago is now going from being the rarest of rare things to to more and more a mainstream thing. It's solar to reduce your power bills that self install in minutes. Yeah, sounds too good to be true. It actually is working. And I'll tell you what is involved, what the details are. So people are having a big problem with using their debit card and suddenly the money vanishes from their checking account for things you didn't buy, things you didn't get. And there was just a large scale sweep by federal agents that found how common it was that first at gas stations more than anywhere else, but even not at gas stations that skimmers little teeny sophisticated devices that criminals put on pay at the pump at a gas station or put at various places where your card is swiped instead of tap to pay or a chip being used. And criminals are able to instantly now to over wireless connections to duplicate your card. And you have not even driven a mile from where you used your card at a device that had a skimmer to it. And they are already emptying your checking account with a dupe card they've made. And so the Secret Service put out a special warning for you to know how dangerous and common these skimmers are. And if you use a debit card where you just swipe it down, that's when you're vulnerable. But today debit cards routinely are available from your bank or credit union that have tap to pay or have a chip in them. You want to use tap to pay anywhere you can if you are using a debit card. And I've talked about all the dangers with debit cards so many times, But a lot of people either can't qualify for credit or are freaked out by what's happened in the past using credit cards. And so you've gone to debit cards. But with a debit card, you got to protect yourself. If you don't have a bank or credit union, they will issue you a modern debit card, and anything modern will allow you to pay three ways. Tap to pay, chip or swipe. You don't want to use swipe because that's where the criminals are stealing your information. That is a technology. I don't even know you can call it a technology. It goes back so many decades that a child could figure out how to steal the information from a swipe. And then your money's gone from your checking account. And do you know the rules and regulations are so stacked against you as a consumer when a criminal has duplicated that and stolen money from your checking account that under federal law, you can wait weeks to get your money restored? Now, some banks and credit unions are really good about restoring that money quickly, but in the meantime, you could have checks bounce, rent payment, mortgage payment, car payment, utility payment, payment payment, whatever. So you want it to have the logo that shows that you can tap to pay, which is three little half thingies, because that generates a. What do you call those half thingies?

[D]

I mean, it's like the WI FI symbol kind of, right?

[C]

It looks a little like a sideways WI FI signal.

[D]

Sideways, half rainbow.

[C]

And so I don't use a debit card shopping on a lot of credit.

[D]

Cards on the back, right?

[C]

I only use it for atm. And so on the app I set, I freeze the card, except when I'm at the ATM machine. I put the thing on my Navy federal app that the card's unusable till I'm going to an atm. Then I take it unfrozen. Then as soon as I got my money, I freeze it again because I'm so terrified of the problems people can have with debit cards. But anyway, do not swipe to pay. If you go to a gas station and at the pump, they only have swipe to pay. You're going to hate me. Whether it's hot, cold, raining, snowing, hailing, whatever it is, I want you to go inside and then tap to pay. And again, if you've got a legacy debit card and it doesn't have the ability for tap to Pay or doesn't have a chip in it. Go to your financial institution, get the new version. Don't put your money at risk. You think I'm a little traumatized by that?

[D]

I don't blame you.

[C]

Think how many times over the decades we've heard from people who've had trouble getting their money back in their checking account after a crook has used a skimmer to duplicate that card.

[D]

Do you also want to quickly mention what you were saying about the Visa logo on your debit card, why it.

[C]

Has a Visa logo and what you can do? Well, I just did about turning it off. Freeze. Turning it off and on.

[D]

You can also usually set a limit, too.

[C]

I would never use it as a point of purchase card. Point of sale card, right? Pos.

[D]

Right.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Pos.

[C]

You can also stand for something else anyway.

[D]

But you can do limits on withdrawals, too, like cash withdrawals.

[C]

Oh, really?

[D]

Yeah. A daily limit.

[C]

Because I. I almost never need cash. It's so weird how ATMs are vanishing like they're disappearing all over the place because cash is used so infrequently now.

[D]

All right, we'll go to questions. This one's from John in Oklahoma. My high school senior wants to major in musical theater in college. She is skilled and passionate about it. She has enough in her 529 that I funded to go to almost any school. But I think this is a waste of money and time. I haven't told her this. I'm trying to be supportive of her dreams. Do I let her use her529 on this degree?

[C]

All right, so this one's a tough one. As a parent, you have a child who is. She's so passionate about musical theater. She loves it. It's what she lives for. At the same time, you funded the 529. You don't want to crush her dreams. And you also know that the job prospects for musical theater graduates are not great. That's all true. So I have a compromise that I think would work for your daughter, who at 17 or 18, may not really be focused like you are on having a return on investment from that 529 that you sacrificed to fully fund. And I think there are universities already leading the charge on this. I've talked about the leading edge thing that Purdue University does, where you have to get. You have to double major, and the majors have to be complete opposite land. So an engineering student has to do something in the humanities, like a theater degree or whatever. In her case, it would be the opposite that she. Even if it takes her five years instead of four that she get two degrees, one for her passion and one that would make you feel more at peace that she would be able to find a nice paying job if the musical theater thing was not working out, producing a reasonable amount of money coming in. And to me, that is such an advantage. My son is getting two skills in college, which I think I've talked about, because he knows that his first passion being an airline pilot is eventually technology is going to take away a lot of those jobs. So he's getting a degree in finance as well as learning to be a commercial airline pilot, being training for that. So having more than one skill in an economy where jobs that we train for are so at risk because of technological change. I think that that is the good place. Like, I'll call this a MasterCard logo. You know, where they cross what you want, what she wants. You come to that point where you both get what you want, which is.

[D]

That double major, also known as a Venn diagram. And people change their majors in college a lot, too. But I hope that one day what she is thanking you from the Tony stage for funding her education after she's won.

[C]

She's won a Tony Award. Wait a minute. Let's go back again. Because you're such a brainiac.

[D]

No, I'm not.

[C]

Wait. The MasterCard logo is what the Venn diagram.

[D]

It's when you have circles that intersect. That's a Venn diagram. If maybe I'm wrong, someone may write it.

[C]

No. Where did you learn something like that?

[D]

Math.

[C]

So weird. I was such a bad student.

[D]

I think you're better at math than I am. So, as you'd like to point out, I was an English major, but I did have to take calculus and math and all that stuff. Dal in North Carolina says. Greetings from North Carolina and many thanks for your assistance in navigating personal finance and other areas to improve our lives. I've been a Clarkie since 2020 when I first heard Clark on the radio. And as the saying goes, once a Clarky, always a Clarkey.

[C]

Really? I didn't know that was a saying.

[D]

It's a saying now. Okay, I have a question about rental car insurance offered by the rental companies. And I agree with Clark in declining the sales pitch at the counter because many credit cards provide that benefit. However, what should we do outside of the United States? I know Clark travels extensively and rents cars in other countries, but. But what are his thoughts on rental car insurance in those countries? Does Costco City and other credit cards offer this coverage. We are planning a trip to Costa Rica this December and your guidance regarding insurance is appreciated. Wow. Driving in Costa Rica is its own thing, that's for sure.

[C]

I've done that before. I didn't find it worse than a lot of American cities.

[D]

Oh, it depends on where you're driving. If you're driving some of those roads that are like into the mountains and stuff and the. I mean it's crazy. I wouldn't do it.

[C]

I was having a big debate with someone the other day about renting a car in Italy and I give the northern Italy, southern Italy explanation that driving in northern Italy people drive better than people do in most big cities in the United States. You get to southern Italy, it's hand to hand combat.

[D]

It's insane.

[C]

Crazy. I would completely different cultural outlook with driving in southern Italy versus Northern Italy. Okay, so you say Costa Rica can.

[D]

Be iffy, roads can be crazy.

[C]

So I'm going to give you the most general advice that the card that people have been the happiest with that has, has an annual fee, but a very reasonable one is the Chase Sapphire Preferred for $95 a year provides primary coverage on rental cars. But with it or any other card that what you're looking for is primary. With primary coverage it means you don't involve your own insurance company for issues that come up with the rental. You need to check the specific terms and conditions of any card to see if the country you're going to is an exclusionary country. There are more and more countries on the exclusionary list and they're not the same for different card issuers. So you got to make sure you would be covered. In Costa Rica with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or cards you already have in your wallet, are you covered and you want primary because when it gets to secondary it gets to be a mess. Everybody pointing fingers at everybody else. So you only want to use a credit card here in the United States or overseas that is primary for rental coverage.

[D]

And we do have an article about.

[C]

[e-mail] and people who have certain American Express cards can pay a flat rate of. I think it's $25 a rental for a suite of primary coverages. They don't give it free. You pay per rental and I think it's about 25 bucks. Which compared to what car rental companies charge for coverage per day. Yeah, the 25 on a multi day or week rental is a steal.

[D]

Matthew in Oklahoma says I like to take advantage of incentives and bonuses that come with new credit cards. However, I now have a lot of cards that I don't use and they just sit dormant with no balance or activity. I would like to close them but I don't want to hurt my credit. What do you suggest?

[C]

Don't close a Matthew, leave them be. Eventually, when we hit a recession, credit card company will take some of those away from you anyway and that will potentially harm your credit score. But having those cards, if they're showing on your credit report, they're showing no balance. It's helping you with the available credit. Those cards have to keep your credit score higher. The percent use of available credit is just under 1/3 of what makes up your credit score. Your credit score, 2/3 of it essentially is paying your bills on time and using a low percent of your available credit. As an example, I use 6% of my available credit which helps me with my score. And your score doesn't start deteriorating in a major way till you go past 30% of your available credit in use and you hit 50%, your credit score is going to drop like a rock. So in your case, Matthew, there's no benefit to closing accounts. There is a risk to keeping them open. And that is at some point if some crook somehow gets your number and starts using your card, then you have to go through the dispute process with your credit card. That's the only downside I know of. Coming up ahead, big downside. Electricity rates are skyrocketing in much of the country and it's yet another thing that we can pin part of the blame on AI.

[E]

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[F]

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[G]

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[H]

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[D]

In tulum.

[H]

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[C]

The inflation and power rates is one of the highest sectors of inflation in the US Economy. In states overall, including those that have consumer friendly power supplies in the United States versus those that are state regulated anti consumer monopoly power providers. You take the average of all of them. Power rates are up almost 7% year to year. That's a big increase in number and in part this is because of the extreme demand on power supply from AI data centers. They take mega amounts of power and power companies are having to go buy power on the open market during what are called peaker times. Peak times. And they run peaker plants that use very expensive on demand power. You and I as consumers are getting just absolutely blindsided by these much higher bills. And in states with monopoly power providers the consumer always gets the short end of the stick and we're getting absolutely nailed with massive increases in prices in part because of these AI data centers. So are you a sitting duck? In the past I've talked about all the things you can do in your home with the easiest, cheapest, particularly if you're a renter, is you put in automatic thermostat that you then remove when you're done. Those will tend to reduce the bill for power in your home, that is from heating and cooling by somewhere 25 to 30% just by learning your habits, automatically adjusting a thermostat much more effectively, knowing when you're not home then you remembering every time to adjust. And and then there are all the other energy improvements you can do in a place you own. For apartment renters it's tougher because you don't want to improve a place except with very low cost things you can do yourself to lower the bill. But now there's one that I first talked about. I feel like it was like 2017, 2018 somewhere in there and that is this crazy concept of inexpensive self install solar panels where you can put in your own system at like apartment complexes. I talked about it originally happening in areas in Africa and Asia where people were not on the grid. And more recently I talked about it in Europe where people are putting in, they refer to them. The closest translation to English is they call them balcony panels. And so you buy these inexpensive panels and they plug right into it takes just a couple of minutes, got to hit the right angle for the sun. And you plug them into an electrical outlet in your home or a place you're renting or whatever and they supply power during daylight hours in your home that reduces, during the peak time periods that you're paying for power, reduces power consumption in your home. So you don't need some fancy solar installation company. It's going to charge you tens of thousands of dollars to put a system in at your home. You don't have any weird contract. You just buy, you know, one to four panels and you plug them in and you voila, have power from our son. Guys, I saw a Washington Post story about how in the German language there's even a new word for it in German called Balkan craft worky. So Balkan craft worky, there are already 4 million systems according to the Post that people have installed in Germany. And there are a bunch of companies starting up in the United States to sell These setup takes 15 minutes. To set up your own at your home, you can be a techno idiot like me. There's only one state in the United States that's passed already regulations and laws concerning these. The others are silent. Utah is the only state that has adopted this. Utah is a, has a real frontier mentality. People there in high desert with extremely high utility bills from the heat, not a lot of trees. So it's been a big hit there in the state of Utah to install these self help things. And they don't put the grid at risk at all. They're not sending power back to the power company. It's only used in your own home. And so I'm telling you something that even though it's so common overseas, we're still at the pioneer stage. But I'm looking, here's one that's $399 for the system. Here's a big system that's 1199. This is totally different math. When you looked at putting solar on Your house. How many tens of thousands was.

[D]

I don't know. It was. So it was like maybe $60,000 to do the whole house. Yeah, it was a lot money. I mean, it didn't do it.

[C]

Yeah, obviously you didn't do it. But I just want you to know we're not sitting ducks. Obviously. I am such a free marketeer and I believe so much how much better it would be if we just had a free and open market for power in the 50 states. But old traditions die hard. What turns out to be a process of terrible soft corruption. And the political process with these state monopoly utilities sticks it to you and me so we can control what we can control. This is an example using what is called by the coin term now in English, balcony solar.

[D]

Okay. Speaking of power, Nick in Florida wrote to you with this. Clark, recently, the extreme heat here in St. Petersburg. My power bill has skyrocketed. I like to keep my home around 73 degrees as I'm uncomfortable when it's much warmer. But my bill last month was 495. This is the highest I've ever seen a 500.

[C]

How big's the place?

[D]

It was 500, especially for the size of my 1200 square foot rental home. Thank you, rental home. I've repeatedly asked my landlord about improving insulation or making adjustments so the AC isn't constantly running, but nothing has been done. I've also checked with the power company for possible savings programs, but I feel like I'm out of options unless I raise the thermostat beyond my comfort level. Do you have any advice on how I could reduce my bill without making my home uncomfortably war?

[C]

So, Nick, this is no laughing matter. I mean, the power bills are so much. You think about 1200 square foot rental home that you're paying $6,000 a year. If it calculated out over 12 months, that's a lot of money. And if you go into Costco or a Sam's Club because of the big jump in power bills, what do you see? A million of is a trick question.

[D]

I think I know what you're gonna say.

[C]

There are these new fancy fans.

[D]

Oh, I thought you're gonna say the portable AC units.

[C]

No, because remember, the whole idea is the AC is costing so much.

[D]

Right. But if he.

[C]

But I can. I can talk about zoning. That's a good idea. Zoning the rental home. So these fans make a room feel 6 to 8 degrees cooler than it is. You get these fans, and they're on clearance now because we're moving close into fall. So these fans are all being pushed out the door with markdowns. I think every fan but one I saw at Costco in Florida recently was on 97. 97. The code, the clearance code. Costco's moving them out at below their cost. And the fans, you can read reviews of them online, is you're in a Costco or Sam's or if you're not a warehouse club member at other stores, you can see what they've got on clearance. And those fans, if you're able, let's say you move it up from 73 to 78 and you have fans going, you will feel the same comfort in the room, but because of the, what do they call it, cooling degree days, the power bill will go way down with a change of 5 degrees in temperature, but your comfort level will be the same. And what's great, when you're not renting that rental home anymore, you take the fans with you to a new residence. Now, Krista's idea is something that again is how Europeans think that you buy a portable air conditioner, that, you know, these things roll around. They're on clearance now too. They're much cheaper than they used to be, starting at about 200 bucks. And you move it from room to room, whatever room you're in. When you go to bed at night, you roll the portable air conditioner in there. When you're in the living room, you roll the portable air conditioner in there. Then you leave the temperature in the house on the thermostat higher and you're just running the portable air conditioner to a degree that you're comfortable in that space.

[D]

Ted in Connecticut says my homeowner's insurance premium has risen so much that I'm thinking of leaving my current long time company. I got a quote from a competitor that advertised heavily on TV that could save me several hundred dollars a year. But I feel a certain attachment to my current insurer for how well and fair they were when I had two auto claims with them. I've never had a homeowner's claim in 33 years. What do I do? Help. Thank you, Clark, for all you do.

[C]

Ted, I talked about this weeks ago that for the first time in history, people are shopping actively for auto and homeowners insurance. It is a nuclear trend from the very high premium increases. People have been suffering with auto and home, especially auto, except if you're in a coastal area than the home too. So the reputation of the insurer that you're seeing is a good reputation. You look online, I mean every insurer can have problems, obviously, but some are clearly better than others. So look at what you see people saying online and feel comfortable making the switch. And when you call your longtime insurer you've been with for 33 years without a claim, they may not want to lose you. It may offer you a better deal. The insurance industry is notorious for penalizing people with higher premiums that are extremely loyal and offering deals only to people who are disloyal. So you need to show them you've gotten a quote from these other people you're going to leave, but you love the company and you'd rather stay with them. What can they do for you? And somehow, magically, they may offer you a lower premium.

[D]

Mitch in Ohio says on a recent podcast episode, Clark responded to a question about what he doesn't like at Costco and mentioned only the Kirkland toilet paper. Please allow me to add to the list the new Kirkland Signature men's jeans. With these jeans, Costco trashed, the meaning of Signature wearing them is like putting on leggings and the durability is inferior to the previous 100 cotton versions. I have a lot of clothing from Costco and unlike a previous Clarky, I have found Costco clothing to be durable and high quality. But these new jeans are an abomination. Don't just take my word for it. Read some of the online reviews at Costco's website.

[C]

Okay, Costco has so much invested in Kirkland Signature being now one of the world's largest brand names.

[D]

They just had their anniversary. What is it, 60 years? I just saw the Costco magazine has that.

[C]

Kirkland Signature would not be that old.

[D]

No, I forget. But I'll look it up.

[C]

Costco itself started in. Oh, I should know this automatically. I think 83 but the predecessor company that merged with Costco Price Club started in San Diego on Moreno Boulevard Drive and I think 76. Not that I'm obsessed with warehouse clubs. I'll tell you my problem with the Kirkland Signature men's jeans. They make me feel fat. After you wash them, they are so hard to fasten because they shrink. So I'm with you that the Kirkland Signature jeans are not working for me. So people have been busy posting and what does Costco do? They respond. Now I want to talk about something very serious that we responded to as a country. Tomorrow is September 11th. That's the day that affected me very much back then I did. I still do radio and tv, but I did a syndicated radio talk show back then. And the first day you could fly to New York. We took our radio show on the road, broadcasted from New York. I did TV from New York as well for days. And when we flew in on one of the first flights to fly back into LaGuardia Airport, there were 22 of us on the plane. Six were sky marshals. And on final into LaGuardia, we were flying over Queens and nobody was in their seats because first Brooklyn, then Queens. Everybody was on the left side of the plane looking at the still burning World Trade Center 24 years ago. Tomorrow. I'm shallow breathing, talking about it. If you're like my younger son or younger daughter's age, 20 and 26, it's like something. It might as well. I might as well be talking about the Revolutionary War, Pearl harbor, or who knows what, because to them it's just history. So if you were not of age that this day means a lot to you, tomorrow means a lot to me because that's a day that America first was reeling and then stood up to be counted. And Americans did what they needed to do to deal with the threat posed by these radicals perverting the name of their religion and attacking the United States and killing roughly 3,000 innocent civilians. And we stood up then to the threat. That's something that I am proud of. I'm sad for the lives lost. And the first soldiers in the war that we then had to fight on multiple fronts were the brave men and women of United Flight 93 who, when their plane was headed to the Capitol to take out either the Capitol or the White House passengers, fought to the death and brought that plane down in Pennsylvania, in rural Pennsylvania and saved who knows how many lives in Washington, D.C. i dedicated one of our habitat, Home Builds to the brave passengers of Flight 93 and had family members of people who lost their lives on Flight 93 at that dedication the following winter, just months later. And so that was also when I decided to enlist in my state guard that I served in for 21 years. When we are challenged as a country, we have to stand up and be counted. And we did. So then a lot of people lost their lives. A lot of people's lives were forever changed that day. And you think about those brave firefighters, police officers who went into the burning towers and ultimately to their deaths trying to save their fellow Americans, save civilians. I mean, you can tell as I talk how much I'm affected by that day. And I hope that tomorrow you'll take a moment and remember those we lost and feel a sense of gratitude for the bravery that American men and women showed on the battlefields where we fought to preserve our freedom after that fateful day. I'm sorry for the seriousness of this moment, but I wanted to tell you how I feel and why I want us never to forget the lessons of a very tough time in the United States. And on that serious note, I'll be with you on Friday. And we'll have Clark Stinks back this Friday.

[I]

Your sausage McMuffin with egg didn't change your receipt. Did the sausage McMuffin with egg extra value meal includes a hash brown and a small coffee for just $5. Only at McDonald's for a limited time.

[C]

Prices and participation may vary.