Warning: Mystery Amazon deliveries (12 12 24)

Author

Anthony Hazzard
December 12, 2024

Still haven’t picked up your Christmas tree? Find out the best time to purchase one, later in this email. 

💵 Today’s Top Stories
Warning

Doing a lot of online shopping? You probably expect to see a few packages at your doorstep. But be wary of items you didn’t order. Read more.

Happy cell phone

Interested in trying out a new cell phone provider but not ready to go all-in with something you’ve never tried? Get a free trial from these eight providers. Read more.

Cash increase money

What does this ever-stubborn inflation mean for credit card, mortgage and auto loan rates? And how will it affect the Fed’s interest rate cuts? Read more.

Insurance

Insurance stacking involves uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM). You can stack it across policies or within the same policy. Should you? Read more.

Credit Card

Store credit cards often promise you short-term benefits at brands you love. But there’s a major catch that can hit you with wallet whiplash. Here’s what Clark says about these cards. Read more.

💻️ Tech Tip From Kim Komando

Forgot why you walked into the kitchen?: I love this trick to use with a smartphone assistant. Say, “Hey, Siri/Google, remind me to do [task] when I get to [location].” This is perfect for when you need to do something specific when you arrive at a place, like, “Remind me to defrost the chicken when I get home.” Join 575K people who get tech smart with my friend Kim Komando’s free newsletter, The Current.

🎄 When To Buy a Christmas Tree for the Cheapest Price

Want to spend as little as possible on a Christmas tree? Wait until Christmas Eve to buy one.

There’s a direct correlation between how late you wait and how much you save. The average Christmas tree in 2023 sold for $131 on Thanksgiving and $55 on Christmas Eve.

Of course, if you’re as hardcore as Clark sometimes is around other holidays, you may realize that waiting until after Christmas ends will get you the biggest bargain (you’ll pay about $50 on Dec. 30).

Whether you’re going to a Christmas tree farm to cut down your own, buying from a Boy Scout lot or finding another local avenue to select that perfect tree for your living room, when you buy also can make a huge difference in the quality of the tree.

Pay a bigger price early and you get the pick of the lot. Wait too long and you may get a sad-sack Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

Speaking of cutting down your own, it’s often cheaper than buying a pre-cut option and can make for a fun experience.

📊 Stat of the Day

🔔 $98 million: The approximate whistleblower payout the SEC made to two individuals on Aug. 23, 2024. One of the two pocketed a cool $82 million. The SEC paid out more than $255 million this year – an average of about $5 million per whistleblower. The split: 62% insiders, 38% outsiders.

💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
Costco
Travel
🎙️ Podcast

There is a lot of talk about tariffs right now – especially around new car prices. Should you believe the hype? Clark explains his take on tariffs in 2025. Also, Clark is a fan of credit cards if you can use them responsibly. But there’s one type of card that he calls “poison for your pocketbook!”

☎️ 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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