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💵 Today’s Top Stories
Gas prices fluctuate for all sorts of reasons. But there are also weekly patterns that can help or hurt your wallet at the pump according to GasBuddy’s research. Here’s how much you can save. Read more.
Walmart, Costco Wholesale, Aldi and Lidl are vacuuming up market share when it comes to groceries. Here’s why customer satisfaction is taking a back seat to price for American consumers. Read more.
Visa gift cards offer more flexibility than store gift cards, but spending the last few dollars can be surprisingly difficult. Here's how to use every penny and avoid leaving money behind. Read more.
AT&T now allows you to pay only for features you need while retaining access to a major cell phone provider. Choose how much data (and more) you need with base plans starting at $180 per year. Read more.
🏠️ Today’s Current Mortgage Rates
According to Freddie Mac, 30-year mortgage rates are 6.47% and 15-year rates are 5.81% as of June 18, 2026. The following chart shows the 30-year mortgage rate trend over the last year.
✈ Normal Behaviors That May Cause TSA To ‘Watch You Like a Hawk’
If you’ve gone through airport security often, at some point, you’ve likely been pulled aside.
Maybe an agent needed to make a precautionary pat-down after you walked through one of those full-body scans with something metal in your pocket. Or perhaps someone took you aside to look closer at an item in a bag you put on the conveyor belt (forgot to empty your liquids?).
It’s usually no big deal, as long as you aren’t cutting it close on time.
But it is interesting to know what behaviors TSA agents may look for when selecting people for additional screening.
According to Islands.com, just about anything can catch a TSA agent’s eye, from the mundane to the not very smart:
Dressing inappropriately for the weather. Wearing beach sandals and shorts in a freezing winter location could suggest something doesn’t add up.
Terrible body odor. Sweating profusely can be a sign of deception, stress or fear.
Keeping your eyes down. Avoiding eye contact can make a TSA agent wonder if you’re hiding something.
Arriving late. If you arrive at the gate (or airport) flustered and confused, it can raise suspicion.
Excessive yawning. This can be an involuntary response that indicates agitation.
Opening your eyes too wide. Staring or being overly alert, or studying the area, could raise suspicion.
Talking too much to the agent. Being overly chatty with a TSA agent can be seen as a distraction technique.
Wearing too much perfume or cologne. Agents could be worried you’re trying to mask something.
Making jokes about potential threats. Don’t be like Ben Stiller’s character in the 2000 comedy “Meet the Parents.” After the gate agent refused to let him board with his carry-on, he said, “It’s not like I have a bomb.” Airport security tackled him immediately.
Moving to a shorter line. Jumping from line to line can possibly make you seem agitated and shifty.
Carrying a wad of cash. TSA agents may have questions if you come back with a lot of money.
Clearing your throat repeatedly. You may be sick … or it may be a symptom of nervousness.
Checking your appearance frequently. It may seem like a nervous tic if you’re making repetitive grooming gestures.
📊 Stat of the Day
💸 $167,970: Average retirement account balance according to Vanguard as of the end of 2025. That’s up 13% year-over-year. Hardship withdrawals also hit a new record as 6% of participants made them in 2025.
💰 Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
🎙 Podcast
It’s time for "Clark Stinks!" Christa reads the latest "Clark Stinks!" submissions and Clark responds. Also, from streaming services and device protection plans to fitness apps and smart gadgets, recurring monthly charges can quietly pile up and put pressure on your budget. While one small price increase may not seem like a big deal, multiple hikes across several services can add up fast. Clark shares a simple strategy to help you stay on top of subscription costs without turning it into a part-time job. He also shares a personal story about canceling Netflix and the family backlash that followed, along with how a lower-cost plan became the compromise. If subscription fatigue is setting in and you're looking for an easy way to cut expenses, this seasonal money-saving habit could help you keep more of your hard-earned cash.
☎ 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.
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