• vonage.com -new lower price on unlimited long distance and local
• escapecellhell.org - port your cell number

Clark writes for Budget Living magazine, a new trendy mag for people who want to be chic while stretching a buck. People often ask if Clark is really as cheap as he claims to be. And the truth is, he is. He picks up change on the street and gets excited when he finds a free parking space. The New York Times did a profile on Clark’s boss at Budget Living, Sarah Miller. She has some of the same philosophies that Clark does, including buying Christmas M&Ms after the holidays and using them instead for Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. She also has a hair stylist in training cut her hair, but the person cuts it at her home. It’s often cheaper than going to the salon. She also likes to buy used furniture and to shop at “sample sales.” Some might say all of this is too much work. But it’s a choice.

Last November, most people were able to switch their cell phone carrier and take their number with them. The rest of the country had to wait until now. But the time is finally here! In a few days, everyone in the country can “port” his or her number. So far, about 3 million people have changed companies and kept their number. People can also take their home phone number with them, too. It's the way it should have been all along. But the cell phone companies fought until they couldn't anymore. Let's hope the companies are more customer oriented as a result of the change.

---

In other telephony news, there are several companies competing for your home phone service business, which is slowing slipping through the fingers of the monopoly local phone companies. New technologies that allow phone calls to travel via Internet connection cost very little and work magnificently. Vonage started the trend and Clark was one of the first to try it out. He absolutely loves the service. And, today the company has cut rates again to $29 for unlimited local and long distance calling to the United States and Canada. Calls around the world are usually 2 to 4 cents a minute, and the call quality is crystal clear. The reason it’s so cheap with these services is because thousands of people are talking on that same “line.” The Internet telephony services also don’t charge the junk fees that traditional phone companies charge. The down side is that you have to have a high-speed Internet connection. Clark thinks that won’t be a requirement in the next year or two because people who don’t care about the Internet still want to place calls that way. We’ll keep you up to date!

Clark is traveling around the country on his spring marketing tour, and lots of people have been asking him about the economy. People are very uncertain about several things: Iraq, interest rates and the election. People are looking for a safe cave where they can put their money because they are insecure right now. But your real safe zone should be based on how quickly you will need money. If there were no wars and we were in a perfect economy, you still might need money in an emergency. Save it in boring funds and it will most likely get very little returns. But that’s fine. At least you’re saving for a rainy day. If you have money that’s meant for the long term, Clark encourages you to do two things: diversify and have a plan. Own both stocks and bonds, and invest in several different places and vehicles. If you’re looking for a good place to chill with your money, Clark really likes is the Vanguard Star Fund featured here.

Many people have bought vacation homes in the past few years and – even with increase in travel and improvement in the economy – renters are getting fantastic deals. When you buy a place at the beach or the mountains, real estate agents always talk about “rental income potential.” People who buy want to think of these homes or condos as an investment. They want to rent out their place often and possibly make money on these places. Revenue projections say you will make a decent amount. But right now supply and demand are completely out of whack. It’s the fourth year in a row that renting is sluggish at resort properties. Prices are down about 20 percent when renting a home or condo at the beach or in the mountains. So, you can get great deals if you look around.

According to a recent survey, 44 percent of people have no idea what the term “credit score” means. It’s important that you know because companies are starting to use this score more often when sizing you up for a loan or other service. Basically, a credit score is a three digit number that sums up your credit report. The score was created by the company, Fair Isaac, and it is based on the likelihood that you will pay your bills. The score of 720 or above means you’re in great shape credit wise. The average score in the country is 678. The city with the highest average credit score is Minneapolis at 707. Dallas has the worst with an average credit score of just over 650. When your score drops below 620, you are considered “sub prime.” Help increase your score by paying your bills on time and decreasing the amount of debt you have.