💵 Today’s Top Stories

Inflation isn’t as high as it was a few years ago when we got a huge 8.7% adjustment. How much will your Social Security checks increase in 2027? Read more.

Don’t wait for a medical emergency to initiate a conversation between aging loved ones and other family members about finances. Here’s the information you need to cover. Read more.

Ditching paid streaming subscriptions can save you more than $1,000 a year, but there’s a catch. Before you cancel Netflix, YouTube TV or other services, read these things about switching to free TV. Read more.

Health insurance

The cost of the same medical procedure can vary by hundreds or thousands of dollars. Clark shares a free tool that exposes hospital pricing so you can compare costs before getting care. Read more.

💸 Ask Clark
Clark Howard
Ask Clark Howard

On his podcast, Clark Howard answers real reader questions on money, credit, debt, retirement, travel, and more, along with co-host Christa DiBiase.

 
Today's question
   
Mike in Kansas asks:
"What services other than cell phone plans offer free streaming?"

Clark's answer: It really comes down to what credit cards you carry, as well as memberships you might already have – like Amazon Prime or Walmart+. Beyond credit card perks and shopping memberships, you have options for free ad-supported streaming.

Tubi is certainly up there among the standard FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) services, but the real curveball is regular YouTube. People are watching YouTube like crazy – not YouTube TV, but YouTube itself.

Just be careful, because every time you open YouTube on a TV, they’re going to try to trick you into signing up for YouTube Premium to pay to get rid of ads. My advice? Just watch the ads. That’s the whole point of free ad-supported television: watch the ads and save your money!

Submit a question for Clark
📊 Stat of the Day
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💳 $7,756: The national average card debt for Americans in Q1 2026, according to Lending Tree. New Jersey ranks the highest with an average of $9,733 while West Virginia ranks the lowest at $4,847.

💰 Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
🎙 Podcast

Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and with health insurance prices expected to jump even higher, taking control of your medical expenses is more crucial than ever. Clark shares a radical workaround to save thousands on life-saving brand-name medications, plus a powerful free tool at hospitalpricingfiles.org that unveils secret hospital price lists so you can comparison shop non-emergency procedures before you pay. Plus, as holiday shopping starts earlier than ever, impulse buying can easily destroy your budget. Clark warns against signing up for retailer promotional alerts that trigger emotional spending on wants instead of needs. He shares a favorite strategy to protect your wallet: the 24-hour cart rule.

☎ 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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