Advertisement
💵 Today’s Top Stories
Think you spent $40 on gas but see a $175 charge on your card? Here’s why gas stations may temporarily lock up far more money than your fill-up costs – and how to avoid the hassle. Read more.
Walking into a dealership unprepared can cost you thousands. Here’s a simple five-step strategy to buy a new car, negotiate smarter and avoid costly add-ons. Read more.
You’ll often pay more than the advertised price when your streaming bill arrives. Here’s how to avoid those fees – and which ones now come with the territory. Read more.
If you’re able to always use Wi-Fi for your internet, you can get cell phone service for as little as $60 a year. That includes unlimited texting and calling. Read more.
💵 Today’s Top Savings Rates
Check out our updated list of Clark.com-approved high-yield savings accounts with the highest rates. Here are the top five APYs on our list as of March 12, 2026.
📺 Just How Big Is YouTube?
You probably think of YouTube as a place to watch videos, but it’s one of the biggest media companies on the planet.
Analysts estimate the platform generated more than $62 billion in revenue in 2025, more than many traditional entertainment giants.
Check out this list of annual revenue in the most recent fiscal year:
YouTube: $62.3 billion
Disney: $60.2 billion
Netflix: $45.2 billion
Warner Bros. Discovery: $37.3 billion
Paramount: $29.4 billion
Fox: $16.3 billion
Comcast: $10.6 billion
It’s yet another eye-popping win for the so-called “creator economy.” YouTube shares ad revenue with creators and says it has paid out more than $100 billion in the last four years.
Another major shift: people are increasingly watching YouTube on their TVs instead of their phones. The platform recently captured the largest share of TV viewing in the U.S., beating streaming services and traditional broadcasters in some months.
YouTube is starting to look a lot like the new television – free, ad-supported and packed with content. If you’re trying to keep your entertainment budget under control, it’s another reminder that you may not need as many paid streaming subscriptions (maybe even like YouTube TV!) as you think.
📊 Stat of the Day
👕 -0.2%: Retail sales in January (following a flat reading in December). That’s worse than economists anticipated. Car dealerships and auto parts shops didn’t perform well, and gas was cheaper. Significant winter weather also contributed.
💰 Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
🎙 Podcast
Clark explores the growing "unretirement" trend, noting that nearly half of retirees who return to the workforce do so out of financial necessity rather than choice. He shares several strategies that can help prevent this from happening to you. Also, while consumers often assume their medical data is secure, Clark points out that HIPAA protections generally only apply to traditional healthcare environments like hospitals and doctors' offices, leaving data from health-tech startups in a legal gray area. This sensitive information can become a vulnerable asset if a company faces bankruptcy, potentially impacting a consumer’s future insurance, mortgages, or employment. Because federal and state laws are often silent on these specific privacy standards, Clark suggests a unique, cautious approach.
☎ 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.
