The Clark Howard Podcast
The Clark Howard Podcast

09.25.26 Clark Answers His Critics on Clark Stinks / Price Drop: Athletic Shoes

September 25, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

On a recent episode of The Clark Howard Podcast, Clark faced his weekly "Clark Stinks" segment, where listeners call him out for advice they found incomplete, incorrect, or out of touch. The segment generated a flood of pointed critiques covering travel, personal finance, and consumer behavior, followed by a separate segment on a rare market opportunity in athletic shoes. The throughline of the episode is humility: Clark repeatedly conceded errors, refined his advice, and acknowledged that general rules don't always fit specific circumstances.

The ATM Debate and First-Time Travelers

Ed in Connecticut took issue with Clark's standard advice to use ATMs overseas for the best exchange rate. Ed argued this is intimidating for a first-time traveler, who might struggle with foreign ATMs, PIN formats (Italian machines once rejected PINs starting with zero), or unexpected fees. He suggested buying $100–$200 in foreign currency at home through AAA or a local bank before departure.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (01:05) **Introduction & Clark Stinks Kickoff** - Clark opens the show and introduces the Friday Clark Stinks segment where listeners critique his advice.
  • 2 (02:21) **ATM Advice for First-Time Travelers** - Ed from Connecticut argues Clark's advice to use overseas ATMs is intimidating and costly for novices.
  • 3 (04:17) **Retail Arbitrage Defense** - Dan from Florida challenges Clark's criticism of people who buy from stores like Target and resell on Amazon.
  • 4 (06:24) **Mystery Travel Deals & Groupon** - Ed from Oklahoma calls Clark's travel philosophy out of touch, specifically regarding Groupon's mystery trips.
  • 5 (08:19) **Tracking Total Trip Cost** - Greg from California says Clark only answered about airfare costs, ignoring hotel, car rental, and exchange rates.
  • 6 (10:12) **Fintech vs. FDIC Insurance** - Sherry from Georgia wants Clark to warn more about fintech companies that claim FDIC insurance but aren't technically backed.
  • 7 (12:17) **Phone Safety for Photos** - Zoe from Georgia gives a PSA: never unlock your phone and hand it to a stranger to take a photo.

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Guests on this episode

Clark Howard

Show Notes

Clark Stinks & Deal Alert: Running Shoes

Friday - Clark Stinks day! Christa shares Clark Stinks posts with Clark. Submit yours at Clark.com/ClarkStinks. 

Also, running and walking shoe prices are finally dropping, creating a massive money-saving opportunity for your wallet. Major retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods are feeling the squeeze from an oversupplied market and slowing consumer demand, leading to deep discounts across nearly every major brand. Whether you need a fresh pair for daily walks or serious training, now is the time to skip full retail and lock in major savings across the board.

All this and more on the September 25, 2026, episode of The Clark Howard Show. Submit your questions: Ask Clark.

  • Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2
  • Running Shoes Discounted: Segment 3
  • Ask Clark: Segment 4

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Clark.com resources:

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