05.18.26 Saving: Take It Up A Notch / Furniture Sales Traps

The Clark Howard Podcast

Clark Howard

Business, Investing, Entrepreneurship

4.6 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 18 May 2026

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Recent financial statistics reveal something highly disturbing: The average American saves just 4% of their pay. Saving just four cents of every dollar earned is inadequate to provide long-term security and leaves the majority of the country living on the edge of a financial cliff. If you find yourself stuck in this cycle, it is time to embrace the "penny-at-a-time" strategy. Also, the upcoming Memorial Day weekend brings massive sales events at furniture stores. The industry is flat on its back due to a frozen housing market, with many retailers in acute financial distress. If you’re in the market for furniture, know how to play the pay game strategically to avoid getting burned. Average Saving Doesn’t Cut It: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Warning: Furniture Sales: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: 4 simple ways to start saving Save Money Archives - Clark Howard Simple Trick To Pay Down Credit Card Debt Quicker - Clark Howard What Brokerage Do You Recommend for First-Time Investors or Kids? 4 Types of Term Life Insurance Companies Explained - Clark Howard Why You Need To Check Your Credit Report Today - Clark Howard Why You Should Never Use a Debit Card at a Furniture Store 5 Things to Know About New Settlement That Could Change Credit Card Rewards SIM Card Swapping: The Dangerous Cell Phone Scam Everyone Needs To Know About This Simple iPhone Update Stops Dangerous Spyware From Stealing Your Data What Is a Passkey and How Do Passkeys Work? Clark.com resources: Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com / Ask Clark Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Indeed Presents.
0:01.9	Hires, you can't afford to get wrong. Like payroll manager. Hi, I was just checking my pay slip and it's all in Japanese yen. Yes, you're welcome. Sorry? Given the exchange rate between the pound and the yen, you're technically a millionaire now. Don't spend it all in one place. I can't really spend it anywhere. This is a job for sponsored jobs. This is what happens when you don't sponsor your job on Indeed.
0:21.5	So the next time you need someone to get the job done right, get matched with quality candidates with an Indeed sponsored job.
0:26.8	Visit Indeed.com slash NextHire and sponsor your job today.
0:34.7	It's my pleasure to welcome you to the Clark Howard Show. You know, our mission is to serve you
0:40.7	with advice and information that empowers you so you make better financial decisions in your life.
0:47.9	I'm going to begin today's show with some financial stats on the average American.
0:54.9	And we're going to talk about where you fit on this list.
0:59.3	Later, you're thinking of buying any furniture right now?
1:03.2	Oh, boy.
1:04.4	Oh, boy, I got special warnings for you if you're hankering to buy some furniture.
1:12.5	All right.
1:12.9	So, four cents.
1:15.4	That's the number I want you thinking about.
1:17.4	Four cents.
1:19.0	That's how much the average American saves right now of every dollar they make.
1:27.8	So that includes people who save huge amounts of every dollar to people who are what's known as
1:36.5	negative net spenders.
1:38.8	A negative net spender is someone who spends more than a dollar for every dollar they earn.
1:46.5	You ask, how is that possible?
1:49.0	Well, credit card debt is an all-time record high,
1:52.1	and various borrowing is how we end up with negative net spenders.
	...

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