Clark Howard

Retirement is supposed to feel like freedom, but a high cost of living can make it feel like anything but. The good news: There are plenty of places across the country where your money goes further without sacrificing the things that make retirement worth looking forward to — good healthcare, walkable neighborhoods, cultural amenities, and a strong sense of community.

We pulled the best options from three of the most respected retirement destination rankings: U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Retire 2026, Kiplinger’s Cheapest Places to Retire in the U.S., and AARP’s 10 Great and Affordable Places for Older People to Live. (Rankings, home prices, and cost-of-living data can change over time and may vary within metro areas.)

From U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places To Retire 2026

U.S. News expanded its 2026 rankings to evaluate more than 850 U.S. cities, publishing 250 top places to retire — up from 150. The rankings weigh quality of life, affordability, healthcare, retiree taxes, job market, and, for the first time, population and migration patterns for residents 55 and older.

1. Midland, Michigan

Midland is the seat of Dow Chemical’s world headquarters and offers an abundance of natural beauty, including a 110-acre botanical garden, the Pere Marquette Rail-Trail, and 80 small parks. It scored high in affordability and retiree taxes, which helped it land the top spot in the 2026 rankings.

2. Weirton, West Virginia

Weirton came in at No. 2 due to strong scores in quality of life, happiness, affordability, and retiree taxes. The area remains affordable with a recent median home list price of just $179,750, and homes have been spending less time on the market — a sign of solid demand without the price pressure of larger metros.

3. Homosassa Springs, Florida

Homosassa Springs placed No. 3 thanks to high performance in affordability, quality of life, retiree taxes, and strong growth in the 55-plus population. Located about an hour north of Tampa, it’s well off the typical Florida retirement radar — which is exactly why it stays affordable. The area is known for its natural springs, manatee encounters, and a relaxed, outdoor-focused pace of life.

4. The Woodlands, Texas

The Woodlands ranked No. 4 nationally, placing ahead of many larger and more expensive metro areas, thanks to its balance of affordability, access to healthcare, and overall quality of life. Retirees enjoy access to world-class healthcare, high-end shopping, and cultural offerings, as well as a thoughtfully developed community with extensive trail systems. Texas charges no state income tax, which helps offset housing costs that run somewhat above the national average. About 15% of the city’s population is already over 65, so the infrastructure and community for retirees is well-established.

From Kiplinger’s Cheapest Places to Retire in the U.S.

Kiplinger identified the best places to retire that offer below-average living costs for retirees, factoring in crime rates and overall safety, median incomes and poverty rates for retirement-age residents, residents’ sense of well-being, and the availability of recreational and healthcare facilities.

5. Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo’s cost of living runs 9.4% below the national average, with particularly low housing costs — the current median home price sits around $309,000. North Dakota State University, along with several other area colleges, brings sporting events, theater performances, and cultural attractions. The state’s tax situation is considered tax-friendly for retirees. Fair warning: The average January low is 0 degrees and the city gets about 47 inches of snow a year.

6. Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City’s cost of living for retirees runs 11.6% below the national average. The metro area straddles two states and offers a wide range of affordable attractions, including a vibrant music and arts scene — it was home to jazz legend Charlie Parker — as well as the American Jazz Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. For foodies, authentic barbecue is a way of life.

7. Huntsville, Alabama

Huntsville’s cost of living runs 5.8% below the national average, and it’s considered tax-friendly for retirees. Home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Redstone Arsenal, and the University of Alabama’s Huntsville campus, the city supports a robust economy and a highly educated population. Cultural attractions include a sculpture trail and a symphony orchestra, and bass fishing is a popular outdoor pursuit.

8. Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington’s cost of living for retirees is 9.2% below the national average, and Kentucky ranks among the most tax-friendly states for retirees. The city has more than 100 parks, five public golf courses, and a 734-acre nature preserve with over 10 miles of hiking trails. The University of Kentucky’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute offers courses and events for people 50 and older, and Kentucky residents 65 and older can take university classes for free through the Donovan Scholarship program.

9. Knoxville, Tennessee

Knoxville’s cost of living runs 8.2% below the national average, and Tennessee is considered tax-friendly for retirees. The city is the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains and home to the University of Tennessee, with housing particularly affordable. The median home value is around $360,000, compared with $426,000 in Nashville.

From AARP’s Great and Affordable Places to Live 2026

AARP used its Livability Index, which scores communities across housing, transportation, health, the environment, and more, and filtered it by housing affordability. Every community on the list has a livability score above 50 and an average monthly housing cost under $1,500. AARP’s state offices also contributed nominations based on firsthand knowledge of the communities they serve.

10. Tucson, Arizona

For a sun-soaked community, Tucson is relatively affordable. The median sold home price is around $350,000 — considerably lower than Phoenix’s $465,000, and well below San Diego and Los Angeles. Major hospitals include the Tucson Medical Center and Banner-University Medical Center, both among the country’s top regional hospitals. The University of Arizona brings cultural depth and strong healthcare infrastructure, and the desert landscape offers year-round outdoor recreation.

11. Sheridan, Wyoming

Sheridan sits in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, with trail systems for running and hiking at high altitude. Housing options range from Victorian homes near downtown to country-club living around the Powder Horn golf course. Rental prices remain low — a two-bedroom can sometimes be found for under $1,000 a month. Sheridan Memorial Hospital, minutes from downtown, offers oncology and advanced cardiology care.

12. Savannah, Georgia

One of the friendliest cities in the U.S., Savannah has a cost of living below the national average and was voted the sixth-friendliest city in America by Conde Nast Traveler readers in 2024. The city’s 22 historic squares, expansive Forsyth Park, and waterfront along the Savannah River give you plenty to explore without spending much. Rich in history, natural beauty, and genuine Southern hospitality, it’s the kind of place that tends to stick.

Clark Howard’s Tip: Rent Before You Buy

Before you commit to any new city, money expert Clark Howard has a clear rule: Rent first.

“One of my key rules is you should always rent first for six months, a year or even two years if you’re thinking about relocating for retirement. If it turns out that you don’t like it, at least you’re not all-in owning a home that you’ve now got to get rid of.”

Renting gives you time to experience all four seasons, understand real costs and traffic patterns, and get a genuine feel for the community — things you’d never pick up on during a vacation visit.

Final Thoughts

The best retirement location is different for everyone. Some of these places get cold — very cold. Others are small. A few may not offer the exact tax advantages you’re looking for. But each one offers something many expensive retirement markets can’t: more financial breathing room without giving up quality of life.
The post 12 of the Best Affordable Places To Retire appeared first on Clark Howard.

Are you one of the people who joined money expert Clark Howard in saying “enough is enough” when YouTube TV raised its prices to $83 per month?

If so, know that they’re trying to win you back with some cheaper subscription options.

After years of offering a single standard “base plan” for subscriptions, YouTube TV announced that it’d join competitors like Sling TV and DIRECTV in offering genre-specific packages in 2026.

And though YouTube TV has touted more than 10 subscription options that will offer a potential reprieve from the full price, they’ve been slow to roll them out to the general public.

The first widely available option is the much-anticipated Sports Plan. YouTube TV is using this plan to lure new and former customers back into the fold with a discount offer.

YouTube TV’s Limited-Time Offer Presents Significant Savings

As a former YouTube TV subscriber myself, I was surprised to get a “we want you back” email that actually offered a significant discount.

Usually, I get those automated emails that tell you about what you’re missing since you’ve left, but ask you to sign back up at full price.

Not this time.

To get things kick-started for the new Sports Plan, YouTube TV is making a meaningful offer:

Get the Sports Plan for $54.99 per month for 12 months, then $64.99 per month until you cancel.

This $10 per month savings is worth up to $120 if you keep your Sports Plan subscription for a full year.

Given that a Base Plan subscription is now $83 per month, opting for this intro package represents a $28 per month savings for a more narrowly focused YouTube TV experience. That’s $336 over the course of a year!

Eligibility criteria apply to receive this discount, and unfortunately, that means existing customers aren’t eligible. The offer ends June 30, 2026. You can cancel at any time without further obligation beyond the month you’ve paid to enjoy.

Here’s a copy of the email I received as a former subscriber:

YouTube TV Base Plan vs. Sports Plan: What’s the Difference?

Ok, so new and select returning customers can save a significant amount of money by opting into the Sports Plan instead of the Base Plan.

The good news is that you’ll still enjoy the same user interface and many of the same features (such as unlimited DVR storage) with the Sports Plan, just as you would with the Base Plan.

But what are you giving up in the process?

The short answer: Lots of non-sports channels.

You’ll notice the absence of all “cable news” channels like Fox News and CNN, entertainment channels like HGTV and TLC, and movie channels like Hallmark and Lifetime with this package.

YouTube TV is trimming your access to those channels in exchange for the lower pricing.

In total, a move from Base Plan to Sports Plan means a drop from 168 channels to 55 in my market. But the channels you DO receive will give you a bunch of live sports.

Here’s the rundown of the 55 channels offered on this package at my ZIP code:

You’ll notice there are quite a few duplicate or alternate channels here, so in reality, you’re likely to receive fewer actual viewing options than the number of channels may suggest.

Some of the channels that should be available regardless of ZIP code include:

ACC Network

Big Ten Network

CBS Sports Network

ESPN

ESPN2

ESPNU

ESPNews

FS1

FS2

Golf Channel

NBA TV

NBCSN

NFL Network

SEC Network

TBS

TNT

truTV

USA

Additionally, you should receive your local ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS affiliates in most markets.

Some notable sports channels missing from this package are: MLB Network, NHL Network and ESPN+ access via ESPN Unlimited (DIRECTV includes these and the channels listed above in its MySports package for $69.99 per month).

You’re also not getting access to any RSNs or team-specific streaming subscriptions such as BRAVES.TV.

Are you interested in this new lower-cost subscription option for YouTube TV? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the Clark.com community.
The post YouTube TV’s New Offer to Get Streamers to Try Cheaper Subscription appeared first on Clark Howard.

Even though mortgage rates have moderated somewhat recently, we have to remember that they aren’t back to where they were when they were artificially manipulated lower during the housing bust and the years that followed. Today, we’re looking at mortgage rates that start with a five or a six. For many people, that monthly payment feels like just too much money.

Because of that sticker shock, many homebuyers are being advised by banks to take out ARMs (Adjustable-Rate Mortgages).

The Trap of the “Teaser” Rate

An ARM is a loan in which your interest rate is fixed for a short period of time — usually three, five, or occasionally seven years. The bank dangles these in front of you because you get a lower upfront mortgage rate, typically saving about one percentage point versus a fixed-rate loan.

It looks awesome for those first few years, right? You think, “I’m saving all this money on interest every month!” But then, the period ends and the loan “blows up” on you.

When you sign up for an ARM, you have no idea what your rate will be in the future. You are just trying to get into a home at the lowest possible cost today, but you are essentially gambling on what happens down the road.

The “What If” Factor

The logic most people use is that they will just refinance before the fixed period ends. But what happens if home values stall out over the next several years and you can’t refinance?

If you don’t have enough equity, you are at the mercy of whatever that rate resets to based on the index in your contract. If you’ve financed 95% or 97% of the purchase, you are entirely dependent on home values rising over that five or seven-year period just to have a chance of getting out of that loan.

If those home values don’t go up, you are boxed out. You’re stuck with a payment that could skyrocket.

Who Should Actually Use an ARM?

Ironically, the people who are best suited for an ARM are often the ones who aren’t doing them.

An ARM can work if you have a massive amount of flexibility. For example, if you sold a prior home and you’re putting a huge amount of cash down on the new one, you have immediate equity. You aren’t “stuck” if the market shifts. The risk to you is significantly lower because you aren’t relying on the market’s performance to qualify for a future refinance.

Final Thoughts

The biggest mistake you can make is using an ARM to “stretch” into a home you really can’t afford.

If the only way the payment works is with that low introductory rate, you’re not solving a budget problem — you’re delaying it. And when that rate resets, the consequences can be severe.

Before you move forward, run the numbers both ways. Use Clark.com’s rent vs. buy calculator to pressure-test your decision and see whether owning at today’s interest rates actually makes sense.

Unless you have a large down payment, strong equity from day one and a clear exit strategy, the safer move is still a fixed-rate mortgage. Or, renting. Don’t let a short-term break on your interest rate turn into a long-term financial setback.
The post Adjustable-Rate Mortgages Are Popular Again – Here’s Why You Need To Be Careful appeared first on Clark Howard.

Tello Mobile (Team Clark’s Review) has always been one of our top picks for light data users. Recently, Tello unveiled a new lineup of prepaid plans that offer more high-speed data for a lower monthly price. 

Below, I’ll share the details of Tello Mobile’s newest plans. I’ll include what you’ll get for the price as well as how the new plans compare to other affordable prepaid options on the same network.

Tello Mobile’s New Cell Phone Plans

Previously, Tello Mobile offered six high-speed data plans ranging from 1GB to unlimited (50GB). Now, there are only four options to choose from. 

Despite narrowing the selection, Tello’s new plans offer better value with lower monthly prices for more high-speed data.

2GB for $10

10GB for $15 (previously $19, or 5GB for $14) 

20GB for $20 (previously 15GB for $24)

Unlimited (50GB) for $25

The plan prices above include unlimited minutes. For a slight discount, you can combine the 2GB, 10GB or 20GB plan with 300 minutes or no minutes.

Each of Tello’s plans includes unlimited texting and free international calls to 60+ countries. Tello Mobile is a prepaid service provider, and you can cancel your service at any time.

Tello Mobile: An Affordable T-Mobile MVNO

If you aren’t familiar with Tello Mobile, it’s a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that utilizes T-Mobile’s network towers.

Plans now start as low as $10/month with unlimited talk, text and 2GB of high-speed data, making it one of the cheapest monthly cell phone plans available. Tello Mobile also offers excellent pricing on other plans for light data users, specifically its 10GB and 20GB plans.

Compared to T-Mobile itself, Tello Mobile offers significantly lower prices. T-Mobile’s postpaid plans start at $50/month for one line with autopay.

Compared to other prepaid service providers that use T-Mobile’s service towers, Tello Mobile’s pricing is now more competitive than ever. This is especially true for light data users who use less than 20GB of mobile data per month. Here are a few comparable plans from other affordable providers on T-Mobile’s network:

Mint Mobile (Review): The cheapest plan includes 5GB of high-speed data for as low as $15/month when prepaid annually. The same price now includes double the data with Tello Mobile’s 10GB plan. Mint also offers a 20GB plan for as low as $25/month when prepaid annually, the same price as Tello Mobile’s monthly unlimited plan.

US Mobile (Review): You can find the same deal at US Mobile for light data users as Tello Mobile’s 2GB plan: $10/month. However, if you prepay for a year with US Mobile, the same plan costs $96 ($8/month). Other light-data plans are pricer at US Mobile, including 5GB for $15, 10GB for $20 or 20GB for $35.

Ultra Mobile (Review): Monthly plans range from $19 for 4GB of high-speed data to $59 for Ultra Unlimited+. Annually, the same plans are available for $13/month to $41/month. Annually, Ultra Mobile’s 12GB plan costs $240 upfront, which works out to be the same monthly price as Tello Mobile’s 20GB plan.

For more options, check out all of our top picks for the best cell phone plans available now.

Additionally, you can use our new Cell Phone Plan Finder to quickly compare plans that will meet your needs.

If you do decide to switch, be sure to read our full Tello Mobile review first. Also, check out our step-by-step guide to changing cell phone service providers.

Are you thinking about switching to Tello Mobile? Let us know in our Clark.com Community!
The post New Tello Mobile Plans Include High-Speed Data From $10 appeared first on Clark Howard.

If you’ve heard about “droning,” you might think it’s something out of a sci-fi movie. But recently, a story in the U.S. Sun highlighted a growing trend that is hitting much closer to home.

Insurers are now using drones to capture video of your yard, your roof, and the overall exterior of your property. They then feed that footage through Artificial Intelligence (AI) to look for issues. The result? Some homeowners are receiving notices that say, “Fix your roof right now, or you’re canceled.”

My Personal Drone Headache

I recently had a very frustrating experience with my own homeowners insurer. They flew a drone over my house and used AI to grade my roof. Their conclusion? They claimed my roof dated back to 2004, making it 22 years old.

There was just one problem: I replaced my roof in 2017.

You cannot imagine the hassle it was to get this corrected. Even after I provided the proper documentation, they asked for it a second time. It became very clear to me that these companies now trust their drones and AI more than they trust their own customers.

Why the Data Matters

In politics, there is an old saying: A lie unanswered becomes the truth in 24 hours. The same applies to your insurance record. If your insurer “drones” your home and comes up with a report that is factually incorrect, you cannot simply ignore it.

If you let an incorrect report stand, you risk:

Policy cancellation: Being dropped by your insurer with very little notice.

Sky-high premiums: Paying more because the AI thinks your home is a higher risk than it actually is.

Claims denials: If a storm hits and the insurer believes my roof is 22 years old instead of seven, they will depreciate the value so heavily that they’ll pay me nothing. They’ll essentially tell me to “go have fun” paying for a new roof out of pocket.

What You Should Do

If you receive a notice from your insurer based on a drone or satellite inspection:

Don’t take it sitting down: If the information is wrong, challenge it immediately.

Provide proof: Keep your receipts, permits, and contracts for any major home repairs (especially roofs).

Be persistent: As I found out, you may have to send your documentation multiple times before they acknowledge the error.

Your roof’s “official” age is a vital piece of data. Make sure your insurance company has the right numbers, or it could cost you thousands of dollars down the road.
The post Is Your Insurer Secretly Using Drones To Drop You? appeared first on Clark Howard.

We’re in a strange pricing moment — what started as a K-shaped economy is now evolving into a barbell economy. And that shift is forcing some of the biggest companies in America to completely rethink how they price their products.

If you want to save money right now, this trend is impossible to ignore.

Traditionally, retailers and manufacturers focused on the “middle” — the largest group of consumers in the bell curve. But today, that middle is shrinking.

Instead, the market is splitting in two.

On one end of the barbell, some Americans are in the strongest financial position they’ve ever been in, with steady incomes, home equity and long-term investing gains. On the other end is a growing group of people living paycheck to paycheck, feeling the full weight of higher prices.

To adapt, major brands are no longer pricing for the middle. They’re stretching in both directions — offering premium options for higher-end consumers and aggressive value pricing for budget-conscious shoppers.

That’s where the opportunity is: the deals aren’t in the middle anymore — they’re at the extremes.

The Big Brands Are Splitting in Two

In the past, if a company like Verizon or AT&T wanted to reach a budget-conscious customer, they’d send you to their “discount” brands like Visible or Cricket. But lately, these giants have been losing subscribers to independent providers.

Their new strategy? They are raising prices on their “fancy” plans while simultaneously offering simple, low-cost plans under their main brand name for the first time in years. When you see those ads in the window for low-cost service and think, “There’s no way they really offer that,” look again. They actually do. They are trying to catch the budget shopper without losing the premium one.

Even Apple Is Playing the Value Game

I have long poked fun at Apple for how expensive their products are, but they are finally spreading their pricing buckets, too.

I’m currently testing the new MacBook Neo. My son convinced me to put down my Chromebook and try it, and I have to tell you that I’m impressed.

It’s $499 for students (or anyone in education) and $599 for everyone else.

While “tech snobs” might talk smack about it, this is a phenomenal deal. Apple is doing this with iPads and iPhones now, too. They’ve realized they have to offer a “deal” to keep people in their ecosystem.

The Shift Is Everywhere: Fast Food to Streaming

You can see this “barbell” strategy across almost every industry right now:

McDonald’s: They’re pushing premium items like the Arch Deluxe for $10 or $12, while also launching a value menu heavily focused on the $3 price point.

YouTube TV: After hitting price resistance at $85 a month, they are starting to offer “skinny” packages. If you’re willing to give up certain channels, they’ll finally give you a lower price.

Bottom Line: Don’t Let Inertia Cost You

The most important thing you can do right now is refuse to be a victim of inertia. Don’t assume that just because you’ve always paid a certain price for your cell phone, your laptop, or your streaming service, that’s what you “have” to pay. Companies are desperate to keep your business, and they are creating “lower buckets” specifically to stop you from leaving.

If you are happy with the cheaper version of a product or service, go with it. You don’t have to absorb those price increases on the premium tier.

Even for someone like me, who usually avoids the “Apple Tax,” I can admit when a company makes a great product at a fair price. The deals are out there — you just have to be willing to switch buckets.
The post From $3 Burgers to $600 MacBooks: Why Your Favorite Brands are Spreading the Buckets appeared first on Clark Howard.

I have to say, one thing I am truly grateful for is that we just don’t print like we used to. Remember when a printer was the centerpiece of every home office? Now, most of us barely use them.

That shift is actually a huge win for your wallet because, for years, printer companies have been using a sneaky business model borrowed straight from the Gillette playbook.

Retail Trap: Why Printer Ink Got So Expensive

If you go buy a new razor, Gillette will often sell you a high-tech, fancy handle at a huge loss. Why? Because they make the blades proprietary. Once you have the handle, you’re stuck paying a markup beyond your imagination for the replacement blades.

Years ago, Hewlett-Packard (HP) decided this was a brilliant strategy. They didn’t care how much money they lost on the actual printer hardware because they were selling the ink for what felt like $6,000 a gallon! It was a game designed to clobber your budget every time you ran out of cyan.

If you still need to print, here is how you can stop playing their game and start saving money.

The “EcoTank” Alternative

Epson changed the game when they introduced the EcoTank. Instead of buying a cheap printer and expensive cartridges, you pay a “real” price for the printer upfront, and the ink costs almost nothing.

While this is a great alternative for people who need to print in color, a word of caution: historically, some of these tank-style printers haven’t been the most reliable. You don’t want to end up with a gallon of cheap ink and a dead printer.

Brother Laser Printers

For the vast majority of us, the best answer is to ditch the inkjet entirely. If you don’t absolutely need to print in color, buy a monochrome (black and white) laser printer.

Historically, Brother has offered some of the best deals on laser printers and toner cartridges. Printing via laser is significantly cheaper per page than any inkjet. These machines are workhorses — they don’t have ink heads that dry up if you don’t use them for a month, and they last forever.

Should You Subscribe to Ink?

I get asked all the time about ink subscription programs that charge a flat monthly fee for a set number of pages. Is it a deal?

The verdict: Subscription services are for a very “thin sliver” of the market.

If you are a very low-volume user (I’m talking maybe five pages a month), a subscription can provide affordable, predictable access to printing. However, for most people, the cost per page remains high.

The Generic Workaround

If you are stuck with an inkjet and don’t want a subscription, look into generic or third-party cartridges. You have to be careful with Digital Rights Management (DRM) — some printers are programmed to reject anything that isn’t name-brand — but if you find a reputable generic on a site like Amazon or at an office supply store, you can save a fortune.

Final Thoughts

Don’t let the printer companies “Gillette” your budget. Before you buy your next printer, ask yourself:

Do I really need color? (If no, go Brother Laser).

How much do I print? (If a lot, look at Tank-style; if a little, maybe a subscription).

Stop paying for that liquid gold and keep more of your hard-earned money in your pocket!
The post Stop Overpaying for Printer Ink: Clark Howard’s Top Tips to Save Big appeared first on Clark Howard.

Are you a baseball fan looking for an affordable way to watch Major League Baseball in 2026?

T-Mobile has its customers covered once again.

MLB Opening Day is March 26, and the popular wireless phone and internet provider has pledged to give its customers a chance to enjoy the MLB.TV app free of charge in 2026. That’s a $150 value!

In what has become an annual ritual for T-Mobile customers who are baseball fans, the carrier will offer free access to the streaming service as part of its “T-Mobile Tuesdays” giveaways.

But you have to act quickly to snag this deal via the T-Life app beginning March 24th.

“In honor of MLB Opening Day, T-Mobile is giving customers a reason to tune in all season long – offering a free MLB.TV subscription ($149.99 value), available to redeem March 24-30 in the T Life app,” T-Mobile said via press release.

“It’s a simple unlock – no codes, no hoops – just easy access to every out-of-market game, right as baseball returns.”

Which MLB Games Are Included?

The MLB.TV streaming service provides access to nearly every “out of market” game for the duration of the baseball regular season. It also includes access to the MLB Network channel via the MLB app.

Take note that this means your local “in market” team will be blacked out on MLB.TV unless you pay for additional access.

The “in market” vs. “out of market” games are determined by your ZIP code. You can check your blackout status.

So, for example, if you live in the Atlanta area, you’d receive out-of-market streams for 29 of the 30 MLB teams as part of the MLB.TV package. You could watch the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and other major teams.

But the Atlanta Braves, which are considered an “in market” team for your area, would not be included.

Instead, you’d have to subscribe to the new BRAVES.TV product, which has replaced the old “FanDuel Sports South” RSN broadcasts for the 2026 season. This is available for $99.99 per season, or can be purchased as an add-on to an MLB.TV subscription.

How do you watch your favorite MLB team in the streaming TV era? We’d love to hear your strategies in the Clark.com community.
The post How T-Mobile Customers Can Get the MLB.TV Streaming Package Free appeared first on Clark Howard.

If you’ve been looking at travel lately, you’ve probably noticed a painful trend: Airfares are on a tear. We’re seeing record-high booking levels across the airline landscape, and while the major carriers are staying busy, the deep-discount airlines are feeling the squeeze. But there’s a new factor driving prices even higher right now, and it’s something we have to watch closely: the cost of jet fuel.

With the recent instability and hostilities in Iran and the Middle East, oil prices have become a major concern for the industry. Fuel accounts for roughly 25% of an airline’s costs, and jet fuel has seen some of the sharpest increases of all.

Airlines are currently caught between a rock and a hard place. If they raise fares too much, they kill off demand; if they don’t, they can’t cover their costs. Their first move is almost always to pass those wholesale costs onto you. In fact, some estimates show airfares are already up 16% since the start of the conflict.

Since we are right in the heart of the summer booking season, here is my strategy for navigating these high prices without breaking the bank.

Stop Hoarding Your Points

If you have a pile of points sitting in an airline or general-purpose travel credit card, now is the time to use them.

I recently did this myself. I was booking a trip to New York and found a coach ticket on American Airlines for just 9,000 points. The cash price for that same ticket was several hundred dollars!

The strategy:

Hedge your bets: Most loyalty programs now allow you to book with points and redeposit them later for free if your plans change. This allows you to “lock in” a trip at no real risk.

Don’t be loyal: Points requirements are all over the board. If you have transferable points, look at multiple airlines to see which offers the best redemption value.

Avoid “Basic” Fares

When you’re doing a search on a tool like Google Flights, use the filters to exclude “Basic Economy.”

I know it’s tempting to grab the lowest price, but in this volatile market, you want flexibility. If fuel prices drop and fares normalize later, a standard economy ticket acts like a gift certificate. If the price of your flight drops, you can often rebook and get a credit for the difference. If you buy Basic Economy, you are stuck with what you’ve got.

Use the Calendar as Your Friend

The day of the week you fly makes a massive difference in price. The “softest” demand days are:

Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Saturdays after 2 p.m.

To give you an example: that 9,000-point flight I found was for a Tuesday. For a Monday, it was priced at 27,000 points. By shifting my travel by just 24 hours, I saved 66%.

Look for the “Unknown” Airports

One of my favorite ways to save is to look for secondary airports served by deep discounters like Breeze, Allegiant, or Avelo.

For example, most people fly into Charlotte (CLT). But did you know about Concord, North Carolina? It’s a fast-growing airport in the same metro area where fares are often one-third or one-fourth of the cost of flying into the main hub. This pattern repeats all over the country. If you’re willing to drive an extra 30 or 40 minutes, you could save hundreds of dollars.

Final Thoughts

High airfares aren’t just a seasonal spike — they’re being driven by real cost pressures that airlines can’t easily absorb. That means waiting around for prices to drop isn’t much of a strategy this summer.

Instead, stay flexible. Use your points while they’re delivering strong value, avoid restrictive fares that lock you in, and be willing to shift your travel days or even your airport to find better pricing. Small adjustments can translate into big savings in a market like this.

And don’t forget to let the deals come to you. Keep an eye on the travel deals page at ClarkDeals, where our team regularly highlights limited-time airfare bargains that can help you beat the market.

The bottom line: You may not be able to control airfare trends, but you can control how you book. Travelers who stay flexible, proactive and deal-focused are the ones who come out ahead.
The post 4 Ways To Fight Sky-High Airfares This Summer appeared first on Clark Howard.

Gas prices are moving up across the country, and the pain at the pump is hitting nearly everyone.

But for those of us buying regular gasoline, there is a specific pattern that happens during times of high volatility — and it creates a massive opportunity for you to save if you change your habits.

Stop Waiting for the “E” Light

When prices are jumping around like they are now, my number one piece of advice is this: Start shopping when you hit half a tank.

If you wait until you are running on fumes, you are a “hostage” to whatever price is at the next station you see. You lose your power as a consumer. Instead, follow this strategy:

Monitor your route: Once you hit a half tank, start paying attention to the signs on your normal commute.

Pounce on the lag: In times of volatility, some stations haven’t received a new load of fuel yet, so they are still selling “older,” cheaper gas. If you see a price that is significantly lower than what you’ve seen recently, pull in and fill up right then.

Check the gap: I recently looked at several metro areas and found as much as a $1.75 per gallon difference within just a five-mile radius. That is an enormous spread!

Use your tools: Don’t just rely on what you see from the road. Use GasBuddy.com or their app. There could be a station just a mile away — perhaps a warehouse club or a supermarket — that is absorbing the price increase to get you into the store.

Final Thoughts

Normally, you might see a 50-cent or maybe a dollar difference between the cheapest and most expensive gas near you. But when oil prices move quickly, that gap widens.

Retailers like Walmart, Costco, or your local grocery chain often use gasoline as a marketing tool. They may intentionally delay raising their prices to lure you in, while the station on the corner raises prices the moment the wholesale cost ticks up. By staying at a half tank, you have the flexibility to hunt for these “marketing” prices without the stress of running out of fuel.
The post Clark Howard’s ‘Half-Tank’ Strategy To Save on Gas appeared first on Clark Howard.