- Clark.com Daily Newsletter
- Posts
- 17 extreme money-saving tips (12 17 25)
17 extreme money-saving tips (12 17 25)
Jennifer Hutcheson
December 17, 2025
Advertisement
💵 Today’s Top Stories
 | Reusing floss, grabbing littered clothing off the ground outside, making laundry detergent and diluting liquid soap … these are just a few extreme measures Clark and his audience take to save. Read more. |
 | This Midwestern airport earned the highest seal of approval from customers. And this East Coast airport earned the consternation of just about everyone. Read more. |
 | You’re happy with your credit score. Suddenly: BAM! It drops 30 points. What gives? Here are some less-than-obvious things that can drop your score. Read more. |
 | Get approached by a cell phone salesperson while browsing for free samples and loading your cart? Here’s why — and why you shouldn’t listen to their promises. Read more. |
 | Is your streaming bill about to go up... again? Paramount+ just announced a price hike for 2026, and it’s hitting both monthly and annual plans. If you want to lock in the current lower rate before the January deadline, here is what you need to do right now to save your wallet. Read more. |
💸 Seniors Get an Additional $6,000 Tax Deduction
Seniors ages 65 and older will get an additional $6,000 bonus tax deduction for tax years 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028.
The bonus $6,000 deduction comes with income limits: You must make less than $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for married filing jointly to get the full amount.
(The deduction phases out slowly, getting eliminated fully for single filers who report more than $175,000 and joint filers who report more than $250,000.)
The temporary deductions are part of the One Beautiful Bill Act and are in addition to the existing extra standard deduction ($2,050 for single filers and $1,650 per spouse for married filing jointly in 2026; subject to annual inflation adjustments).
The $6,000 deduction is even available to those who itemize their deductions.
Thomson Reuters executive editor Shaun Hunley wrote: “In some cases, you may see some that are getting close to having no tax on their Social Security if that’s all they earn; if that’s the only income they have.”
📊 Stat of the Day
🚗 2.31 million: Number of used cars on dealer lots at the start of December, the highest figure of 2025. Average days of supply also reached 50 days. Sales also improved month-over-month and year-over-year as the market “might be on its way to a more familiar equilibrium.”
💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
 |
 |
🎙️ Podcast
Are you a lifelong saver struggling to spend your retirement nest egg? You're not alone! Many people who successfully save a significant amount face a major psychological hurdle when it comes time to shift from an accumulation mindset to a distribution (spending) mindset. Wes Moss breaks down how to overcome the psychological barrier of watching your retirement balance go down and how to finally feel good about enjoying the money you worked so hard to save. Also, Wes tackles the most timely and impactful tax changes coming up, including a checklist of six critical actions to consider before the end of the year to potentially lower your tax bill for 2026.
☎️ Need Money Help?
The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.
Advertisement
Did You Enjoy Today’s Newsletter?Let us know what you think so we can better serve you! |