EnergyStar.gov - Find new ways to save on your energy bill
DinkyTown.net - Mortgage calculators and amortization schedules
HSH.com - Mortgage calculators and amortization schedules
FON.com - Enjoy free wifi around the world

Right now there are a lot of newspaper headlines blaring about a "Sharp Rise in Winter Heating Costs Forecast." While that headline is good for selling newspapers, it isn't really true. Clark believes the real story is that just a fraction of us will see potentially big increases in what it costs to heat our homes. Here's his reasoning: Less than 10 percent of us heat with home heating oil, which will be up about 25 percent in price. Then there are about five percent of us who use propane, which will be up about 15 percent in price. The vast majority of Americans --about 60 percent of households -- use natural gas, which may at the most have a 10 percent increase in price. Finally, there's more than a third who heat with electricity, which will have no noticeable increase in price this winter. So unless you're in the minority and use imported oil or propane, you'll be relatively safe from huge heating expenses this coming season.

Natural gas, if you recall, was very expensive when the supply was disrupted following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. But then it stabilized. Now we're having a mild hurricane season so far, so that bodes well for price. It's important not to be passive and feel like a victim when you hear the Department of Energy is expecting heating expenses to skyrocket. There are many things you can do to reduce your energy bill. Try using CFL bulbs instead of traditional incandescent ones and you'll save $30/year with every bulb you replace. You can also weather-strip your doors and windows to make your house less drafty in winter and cooler in summer. One of the best and easiest ways to save money is to use a programmable thermostat. And be sure to insulate your attic too. Visit EnergyStar.gov for more ways to save cash during the winter heating season.

Clark's associate producer, Joel, has been in need of new transportation and now he's got his hands on a great used vehicle. His old Honda Accord croaked on him and he'd been very patient looking online for a used car over the past few months. By checking Craigslist.org on a daily basis, Joel was able to snag a 2000 Altima with 139,000 miles for $3,200. Clark's executive producer Christa used AutoTrader.com to buy a Lexus EX 300 about three years ago. The car had 99,000 miles and looked like new. She initially narrowed her search to 10 cars, and eliminated five off the bat when she couldn't get the VIN number from the owners. A few cars she did get the VIN for had been in serious wrecks, so she was able to eliminate those ones early in the game too. The important thing to know is that you're less likely to have auto heartache if you're methodical and have the vehicle vetted by a mechanic and run the VIN number before purchasing. Both Joel and Christa paid cash, so they have no car loan. Meanwhile, Kim -- Clark's producer -- has had a pickup truck for about five years. She bought it on a whim when she wanted to take a road trip and got a zero financing deal. Within days she regretted her purchase -- she actually hates trucks! But she didn't compound her troubles by selling the vehicle and facing steep depreciation. Instead she's hung on to it and turned a not-so-great purchase into a financially viable one.

What's the price of web surfing nowadays when you travel abroad? Whatever it is, Clark doesn't like to pay it! That's why he was excited in 2003 when he first heard about some vaporware from FON. This Spanish company now offers a router that allows consumers to share their Internet connection with travelers passing through their area. In return for sharing upfront, they too get free Internet around the world from other members when they travel. This is a big deal in Europe where British Telecom is installing 2.7 million FON routers across England. If you become a phone member here in the United States, you will routinely have access to free Internet when you travel overseas. So what's the cost? FON sells their router for a one-time fee of $40 -- that's it! Some cable and phone companies in the United States are hostile to this sharing model, but Time Warner is among those who have embraced it. Clark plans to order a FON router for his condo building in Florida and make his Internet connection available to his fellow residents for free. FON's routers even come with security so others can't eyeball your financial info. On a related note, The Los Angeles Times recently reported that both AT&T and Verizon reserve the right to fire customers if they say anything bad about them. Why should they monitor free speech? Clark thinks it's shameful what these monopolies are doing.

Think it's too early to start looking ahead to the Christmas shopping season? Retailers have already begun fretting over it. Dow Jones recently reported that retailers are getting more sober with their expectations and have cut back significantly on imported goods for this upcoming Christmas. A lot of spending during prior holiday seasons came from people borrowing against their homes. But that teller window now is closed in our current housing market. It's kind of a strange time because big companies and financiers are cautiously optimistic about the economy, yet two-thirds of consumers are expecting recession. That means retailers can't figure out which way the wind is blowing. So far the retailers have cut back on ordering as they try to avoid extreme discounting on goods that may sit unsold.

If the financiers are right and people do buy heavily this holiday season, there will be less promotional activity and less real deals on products after the holidays. But if consumers are right and they cut back on shopping, there will be a lot of opportunity to buy cheap. Meanwhile, there will be great bargains on clothing if the warmer weather across the country continues. In the electronics world, Nintendo's Wii is going to be difficult to get because of continued short supply. Clark's eight-year-old daughter clobbers him when playing tennis on the Wii, but he's pretty capable when playing bowling on the game system. As a parent, Clarks likes that the Wii encourages kids to get up and be active while playing their video games.