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💵 Today’s Top Stories
Here’s where your dollars get you the most, and the least, in retirement depending on what state you live in. Read more.
Printers use a sneaky business model borrowed from Gillette. The latter will send you a fancy handle at a huge loss … and then force you to continually replace costly, proprietary razor blades. Printers? Same thing. Read more.
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Most retirees underestimate the long-term impact of inflation. This guide breaks down where it shows up, how it compounds, and considerations to help protect your income.
Usually, retailers price toward the middle. But in today’s economy, many people are struggling month-to-month, while others are thriving financially. Here’s what it’s doing to prices. Read more.
Ah, spring. A renewal. A new, clean, uncluttered beginning. Don’t you want that for your home as well as your credit? Here are five ways you can “spring clean” your credit score starting today. Read more.
🍔 Best Value Burgers at the 14 Biggest U.S. Burger Chains
In this newsletter, we link to a story in which Clark explains the current barbell economy and its impact on pricing.
There’s a group that is doing very well financially. And there’s a group that is living paycheck to paycheck. There isn’t as much middle ground as there was five or 10 years ago.
As such, there’s a rush to provide upgrades, high-quality and top-end experiences – and a renewed emphasis on value.
Speaking of “value,” it may not be healthy, but fast food long has professed to offer “value meals” and deals that don’t break your wallet.
NetCredit recently looked at the 14 most prominent American burger chains. The goal: find the cheapest price per ounce of meat on each menu among single-patty cheeseburgers.
Whataburger from Whataburger ($1.66)
Cheeseburger from McDonald’s ($1.91)
All-American Smash from Smashburger ($1.96)
Cheeseburger from Burger King ($1.99)
Dave’s Single Cheeseburger from Wendy’s ($2.21)
Deluxe Single from Culver’s ($2.22)
Cheeseburger from Shake Shack ($2.27)
Original Cheeseburger from Dairy Queen ($2.38)
Big Cheeseburger from Carl’s Jr. ($2.39)
Jr. Jack Cheeseburger from Jack in the Box ($2.45)
Sonic Cheeseburger from Sonic ($2.46)
Cheeseburger from In-N-Out Burger ($2.91)
Cheeseburger from A&W ($3.13)
Little Cheeseburger from Five Guys ($3.59)
Whataburger’s signature sandwich weighs 3.56 ounces and costs $5.92, so it’s bigger and more expensive than almost every other franchise’s regular burger. But at $1.66 per ounce, it’s the best value.
McDonald’s classic cheeseburger is smallest at just 1.06 ounces, but costs just $2.02 – or $1.91 per ounce.
The study then looked at fries. Without listing all 14, Shake Shack came in first for value at $0.49 per ounce and Sonic came in 14th (last) at $1.27 per ounce.
Carl’s Jr. ($0.92), Whataburger ($0.99) and Dairy Queen ($0.99) were the only other fast food places with fries more than 90 cents per ounce.
📊 Stat of the Day
🦚 4.9 million: Number of new subscribers that Peacock added during “Legendary February.” The coverage included Super Bowl LX, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and the NBA All-Star game. Subscribers had been flat for the first three quarters of last year before a 7% increase in Q4.
💰 Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
🎙 Podcast
Is the conflict in the Middle East about to tank your investments? Money experts Clark Howard and Wes Moss sit down for a special "Ask an Advisor" segment to discuss oil prices, the economy, travel price predictions, and most importantly, what to do when the state of the world is making you nervous about your investments. In the second half, Clark and Wes share a major warning on private credit. They break down why "12% yields" are often a trap and how to protect your portfolio from the latest "story investments."
☎ 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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