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💵 Today’s Top Stories
Costco’s legendary return policy allows you to bring back almost anything for a nearly unlimited time. But do you know this “secret” perk related to price changes after you’ve already bought? Read more.
A new phone can cost hundreds of dollars and might even lock you into a big contract. Find out how to avoid that and save money with an unlocked phone. Read more.
Hopefully you don’t have to contend with a fraudulent or inaccurate charge. Team Clark’s advice will ensure you know exactly what to do if that ever happens. Read more.
Former retirement and financial planning tool Personal Capital, now Empower, has been operating under new ownership for almost six years. Here’s our review of the company in 2026. 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 January 29, 2026.
⛽ Costco-Branded Credit Card Holders Get 5% Back on Costco Gas
Costco members who enjoy using the Costco-branded credit card for gas at store locations are now getting an even better deal.
The credit card offers 5% cash back at Costco gas pumps. All other eligible gas purchases and EV charging purchases earn 4% cash back.
We noted the 5% reward level in our most recent review of the branded credit card in July. But other media outlets are framing the reward as a quiet new change. So you may see headlines about it and wonder.
These cash back rates only apply to the first $7,000 in annual gas purchases. Once you’ve hit the annual limit, the cash back figure drops to 1%.
If you purchase all your gas at Costco with your card, you’ll get an additional $70, bringing your total cash back to $350 instead of $280.
The credit card renewal rate hovers around 90% annually thanks to perks like this.
You still get 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel, 2% on purchases at Costco and 1% on everything else.
📊 Stat of the Day
🩺 $90 billion: The amount of market cap that was nearly wiped out from stock price declines in United Health Group, Humana, CVS Health and Elevance Health on Tuesday morning. It happened after reporting revealed proposed 2027 Medicare insurer rates representing much smaller price increases than anticipated (0.09% vs. 5%).
💰 Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
🎙 Podcast
Clark dives into the dangerous intersection of social media trends and financial security. With 61% of young adults now trusting "finfluencers" for investing tips, it’s more important than ever to distinguish between sound financial advice and a sales pitch. He explains the simple, effective keys to getting rich. Also, Clark shares a recent story of a retired lawyer who lost $85,000 to scammers posing as Microsoft security, only to have his bank deny a refund. These modern-day bank robberies don't require a weapon — only a phone and a convincing pretext. Learn why you should never trust a cold call, how to verify account activity on your own terms, and how to protect your "keys to the kingdom" from the criminals leveraging your data against you.
☎ 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.
