Patti's Page: Behind the Scenes with Clark Howard

Out-cheaping Clark

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:10:48 -0500

I think I just out-cheaped Clark!

The other day, I read a blog about how to make your own laundry detergent. Now, I've thought about it before, but -- this is going to sound so picky --
I just don't like powder laundry detergent.

Now, thanks to the Internet, I've learned how to make liquid laundry detergent.

The TV news biz: Is it news? Or just biz?

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:13:32 -0500

I saw the scariest movie last night. It's called I.O.U.S.A. and it's a wakeup call about the federal budget deficit. It lays out in simple, understandable terms, our country's history of debt and where we're headed.

THE GREEN LANE

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:03:33 -0500

Last year, when Clark "gave his car a day off" and walked to work, I thought it was quaint. And if Clark wanted to encourage others to clean up the air and park their car for a day, I was all for it. I hurried to his house with a photographer in a company SUV and took pictures of him leaving for work. Then I jumped in our SUV and headed back to the station, waited a while (a LONG while since he lives more than 5.5 miles from the station) and took pictures of him arriving.

Can you help with a TV story?

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:43:51 -0500

I am fascinated by all the gas rebate credit cards out there. If you have one and you live in the metro Atlanta area, email me at patti.d@wsbtv.com. I'd like to know your experiences. Or you can post a reply here. I'm trying to find people willing to go on camera to talk about what it's been like to have one. Any takers?

Hooray - Being lazy saves me money!

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:40:19 -0500

So I open my latest email from Mary Hunt, who writes a column for Women's day magazine, and also has a website, cheapskatemonthly.com. And that's when I got the best news!

The High Cost of Low Status

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:07:13 -0500

A new article out in the "Journal of Consumer Research" says feeling powerless can cause a strong desire to buy expensive stuff........ Huh?

Survey says . . .

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:13:20 -0500

How financially fit are you? Could you pass a quiz on the subject? Here's your chance to find out:

An Elf to keep me organized!

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:24:50 -0500

I love to check out books at the library. It just feels good to walk out of a library with an armful of books that I didn't have to buy! (I know there's the argument that as taxpayers, we ARE buying the books, but look at it this way, you're paying for the books too, so if you don't use your library, you're throwing money away!)

There's only one problem with the library. I am "return-on-time-impaired." I don't know why I can't manage to get organized enough to return my library books. I only know that last night I spent about $20 paying for my "free" books, all because I didn't return them in time.

THANKS BUT NO THANKS

Fri, 30 May 2008 11:49:57 -0500

I love to clip coupons. I admit it. I buy 2 Sunday newspapers just so I can get extra coupons. I open my mail and go through all the coupons I get. But the one that came to our house the other day has me burning mad.

American Girl movie will cost...$20?!

Fri, 16 May 2008 16:25:40 -0500

I am in shock. The new movie, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, opens next month in select cities and the cost of the movie is a shocking $20!

I couldn't believe it when I saw the price. Now, it comes with a "free" T-shirt, but you don't have a choice to get the ticket without the shirt, so how "free" is that?

Desperate Times Call For Caution!

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:28:49 -0500

A woman called the TV station from Covington today. She tried to help her financially-strapped brother but instead she's out $750 bucks.
Here's what happened. Her brother found a company on the web that would give him a $5,000 loan. But they needed collateral. (Red flag #1)

This is a company that is supposed to be a credit repair service. (Red flag #2)

The company website says it is in Irving, California. But it asks the woman to send a $750 money order as collateral for the loan to CANADA . (Red flag #3)

Clark Howard + Calculator= The CLARKULATOR!

Tue, 06 May 2008 11:34:23 -0500

Clark and I just finished a TV story that answers the question, "How far should you drive to save on gas?"

Now, before I go any further, I should admit, one of the reasons I gravitated toward a journalism degree was the fact I only had to take 1 math class.

Mortgage Meltdown

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:32:16 -0500

A few weeks ago, I mentioned a really good special on CNN called "Busted: Mortgage Meltdown". I just found out it's airing again this weekend. It airs this Saturday and Sunday at 8pm and 11pm Eastern Time. I highly recommend it.

Also, if you are interested, tonight at 5pm, Clark Howard makes a special appearance in another reporter's story on how men and women negotiate differently. If you aren't in the Atlanta area to see WSB-TV, you'll be able to catch it on our website: WSBTV.COM.

It's b-a-a-a-a-a-ack!

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:31:44 -0500

Wonder why you see so many commercials on TV about upcoming stories in newscasts?

Noticed that Grey's Anatomy is finally "all new" tonight?

It's not a coincidence. It's ratings, or as we know it in the business, "the book." (That's because in the old days, ratings would come to TV stations in the form of a book. At least that's what I'm told.)

TARGET TV

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:13:10 -0500

Television news is, sadly, ripe for parody. Jon Stewart makes a living making fun of us. Thank goodness he finds government officials even more fun to make fun of, or TV news people would get more face-time on The Daily Show.

It's easy to laugh at The Daily Show. He makes fun of NETWORK news people. We here in LOCAL news could never be that lame.

Could we?