Clark Howard’s 5 best financial tips for smarter spending, saving & investing

For more than three decades, Clark Howard has been sharing down-to-earth advice that helps people “save more, spend less, and avoid getting ripped off.”

Best known as the host of The Clark Howard Show, which began in 1989 in his hometown of Atlanta, Howard's listeners tune in for his engaging, “real-world” financial and consumer protection advice, ranging from everything from savings to travel, insurance, and retirement planning.

In 1998, The Clark Howard Show became nationally syndicated; in 2020, it went digital. Today, Howard’s podcast receives more than 4.5 million downloads per month.

Howard also contributes to CNN and the HLN (formerly Headline News) network; in addition, he has written multiple books and has a loyal social media following of nearly 2 million combined followers.

Howard built his reputation by focusing on what truly matters in personal finance: keeping costs low, avoiding scams, and empowering people through knowledge—largely free of charge. As a result, he has become one of America’s most trusted financial voices.

@ask_clark

Clark loves saving money and shopping at Costco. But for many Costco members, the amount of products and items can be really appealing to toss into your cart – and lead to shocking totals at the register. Clark has a unique way that he shops at the warehouse club to avoid temptation and overspending. ♬ original sound - Ask_Clark

Clark Howard’s 5 best personal finance tips

Despite his own sizable net worth, Howard consistently emphasizes living below your means. Here’s how he suggests doing it:

1. Track your spending

The old saying goes, “you can’t manage what you don’t measure,” and that’s advice Howard has taken to heart.

In fact, in order for his listeners to understand where their money goes, Howard created a free budget worksheet he calls the CLARK Method, which stands for:

• Calculate your income or figure out exactly how much you bring home each month.
• List your expenses by going over last month’s billing statements.
• Analyze, or set realistic monthly goals for each of your budget categories.
• Record everything by using an app or a spreadsheet to track your spending.
• Knock out debt and build savings by using any leftover money to pay off credit card debt or invest in a retirement account.

Once people start seeing their habits in writing, they can make informed decisions about their spending instead of guessing.

“Get your expenses under control,” Howard writes on his website. “Free up some money and then the options start to become more clear about what you do with the money that you’ve managed not to spend.”

2. Avoid paying fees

Howard has repeatedly emphasized that fees are the silent killer of your finances. For decades, he has warned consumers how banks, retailers, and service providers “quietly profit” from what he labels “junk fees,” which are hidden, unfair, and frankly, unnecessary.

For example, he cautions people against paying for credit reports when they can access an annual credit report for free. ATM fees, late payment fees, and money transfer fees are also avoidable.

Even the fees you’re paying for your investments could really add up down the road. On his blog, he explains how a 1% investment fee could cost you “$1 million or more over your lifetime,” because every dollar you lose is a dollar that can’t compound for your future.

3. Automate your savings

Similar to the advice of finfluencer Ramit Sethi, who advocates for consumers to automate everything, Howard advocates for automated saving, so that your money can be transferred from your paychecks to your savings or retirement accounts before it can be spent.

Related: Ramit Sethi’s 5 best financial insights for building a rich life

And while other financial gurus recommend a set amount of savings for your emergency fund, Howard is a little more realistic.  His advice is to start small and be consistent: “Start where you can and just develop the habit of saving first,” he writes, “then worry about getting to six months.”

This approach turns saving into a system—rather than a struggle.

Howard also encourages high-income earners to put their savings into a money market account, such as a municipal money market fund, that is exempt from federal taxes.

4. Embrace frugality

Howard made a name for himself running a travel agency, and on his first radio gig, he offered advice on how to travel cheaply, including finding good deals on flights first, to dictate where your vacation destination would be.

Howard believes being frugal isn’t the act of giving up something, but rather, he frames it in terms of what you gain: less stress, fewer obligations, and more control over your life.

He has spoken at length on this topic, encouraging people to do everything from shopping at dollar stores—even admitting his wife has never received a birthday card from him that didn’t cost $1—to avoiding eating out at restaurants, taking charge of your utilities, and even visiting your local library.

5. Use credit to your advantage

While Dave Ramsey, another financial expert, encourages people to avoid credit cards at all costs, Howard takes a more balanced approach: He believes credit can be useful if it’s used responsibly.

Related: Dave Ramsey’s real estate advice: 5 tips every first-time homebuyer should follow

For example, you should choose credit cards that offer travel rewards or cash back, and pay off balances in full each month. This can help you build your credit history as well as improve your credit score. If you do have to carry a balance, make sure to put your expenses on the credit card that has the lowest APR, which will charge the least interest.

However, living “all cash” could also be an option for those who struggle to curb their spending.

“Studies show that if you have a tendency to spend more money than you like, you should forget all rewards credit cards and just live on cash,” Howard writes, “You’ll have the greatest reward you’ll ever have: greatly reduced spending.”

Clark Howard’s net worth in 2026

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Clark Howard has an estimated net worth of $20 million in 2026. His wealth was built through decades of radio hosting, speaking engagements, and business ventures—not through personal coaching or selling financial products—which adds to his credibility as well as his trustworthiness.

More on personal finance:

• Maria Bartiromo’s 5 best financial insights: Lessons from one of Wall Street’s most prominent voices
• Robert Herjavec’s top 5 tips for building a profitable business
• Mark Cuban’s 5 best financial insights every investor should know

Clark Howard's life and career

Howard was born on June 20, 1955, in Atlanta, Georgia, to an affluent family. However, while he was enrolled at American University, his father unexpectedly lost his job, which resulted in Howard having to work full-time to afford his tuition.

After graduation, he obtained a job at IBM because they offered tuition reimbursement, and he obtained an MBA from Central Michigan University in 1977.

Howard also began saving every second paycheck as a way to ensure his own financial stability.

His first venture was establishing and running a travel agency, Action Travel. Due to the fact that he had started his business during an era of airline deregulation, it proved quite successful, and in 1987, he received a buyout offer from a major financial firm.

Already a millionaire by age 31, Howard retired, living for a few years in Florida before returning to Atlanta, where he was offered a gig on the radio show Cover Your Assets to dispense travel advice—and the rest is history.

Howard married Lane Carlock in October 1995. Their budget-conscious wedding featured a $17.99 rental car and hotel rooms at $59 per night, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

They share three children together.

Howard was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2015.

Related: Barbara Corcoran’s 5 best personal finance insights