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Clark often talks about what jobs will make you the most money out of school. But what about the ones that pay the least? We thought we should let you know the other end of the spectrum. Some of the lowest-paying jobs out there are 1) archeologist - $38,000; 2) architect – mid ‘30s ; 3) professional chef – about $9 an hour; 4) clergy member – mid ‘30s; 5) liberal arts professor – mid ‘40s; 6) school psychologist – about $30,000 and 7) university research scientist - $35,000 to $39,000. Of course, you should do what you love. Money is a priority, but if you love what you do you will be much more fulfilled. Just consider the debt you’ll have to deal with after school. One caveat is that there will be a lot of people retiring from professorships over the next few years, which means more positions will open up.

Did you hear about the recent stampede over $50 laptops in Richmond, Va.? Nearly 20 people were injured in the rush to snag the computers. About 5,000 people showed up to get one of the used Apple iBooks, and dozens of police officers had to show up to restore order. We lead lives of privilege today that no one could fathom 200 years ago. There are easier, safer ways to buy a computer.

Clark has had dozens of calls about collectors and collection agents pressuring people into paying money for past debts. Often times, people don’t even owe the money. But the collector has gone to a bank and basically bought debt that someone owed from the 80s. Typically, the debt has been wiped out during bankruptcy, but banks sell the debt anyway. Then, the collector looks up the name in a database, calls the person listed and starts screaming at him or her to pay this debt. Anyone with the same name could be contacted. Yet, some people get so intimated by the collector that they pay. One company Clark has talked about before is NCO. The company has been going after people who don’t owe any money after buying a bunch of debt from Chase Bank. What most people don’t know is that it’s illegal to try to collect a debt in bankruptcy. So, if you get a call from NCO, know that it is a scavenger organization that has been fined numerous times for violating the law. However, if you get a letter in the mail, you have to dispute the claim. It sounds ridiculous, but you MUST respond in writing and tell the organization that the debt is not yours. Otherwise, it becomes your debt automatically. And, even if you do owe a debt, never give your banking information – or a postdated check - to a collector.

The current strike at Northwest Airlines is a great example of the changes happening in the airline industry. The airline has done something unprecedented by breaking up the union responsible for the mechanics and cleaning of the planes. Anytime one of these unions has gone on strike the airline has shut down. But Northwest wasn’t having it. The company kept flying even though it spent about $20 million to break the strike. It’s the clearest sign yet that the American people control what happens in the airlines. Consumers have taken a stand about how much they want to pay and airlines are finally listening. The downside is that workers are negatively affected. Employees either take a massive pay cut or they lose their jobs. But the airline has reduced its prices in order to stay in business, and it’s worked. The consumer is winning out. The FAA is monitoring how planes are being maintained, which is good from a safety feature. But when no one expected Northwest to fly through the strike, it did. It means eventually there will be no distinction between “full-fare” airlines and “discount” airlines. Ultimately, all airlines will have to reduce their prices or go belly up.

The Wall Street Journal and New York Times both have a daily briefing called “The Real Estate Bubble.” Economists surveyed overwhelmingly believe we are in a bubble right now, which means that housing prices are moving up way beyond people’s paychecks. That can go on for a while, but it cannot be sustained. Eventually, the bubble will burst. Japan is still trying to recover from a bubble that happened about 15 years ago. Now, our bubble in the U.S. is only happening in about 15 areas of the country, so it’s not as big. But basic economic logic is at work here. Home values are likely to drop about 40 percent over the next decade, according to the New York Times. So, inflation essentially erodes the value of our real estate. Clark doesn’t mean to be alarmist, but markets can only defy economics so long. He wants you to be prepared and to be smart about decisions. Don’t buy on spec and be careful buying raw land. Also, don’t get into interest only or “optional payment” loans. And especially be careful of buying in an overheated market if you don’t plan on staying there a while. The longer you plan to own, the smaller the risk.

You’ve probably heard about the new bankruptcy law that goes into effect in October. Many people are in favor of the new law because so many previous filers have abused the law and this one is much stricter. Under the new law, you’ll have to go to credit counseling before you ever start the program. And you’ll have to repay your debt. If you fail to make your payments, you will have to start over from scratch until you do. Clark is in favor of the new law because he has suffered huge losses from former tenants who filed bankruptcy while living in his properties. There is no way to make everyone happy in this process, but something has to change. Our debt levels are huge today as a nation and as individuals. So, if you’re considering filing for bankruptcy, you need to do it before mid October. Or, work on paying off your debts before then. Otherwise, the bite will hurt quite a bit more down the road.