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Just the other day Clark was talking about Bill Me Later, a company that gives you an alternative to doing online transactions via the credit card cartels. The Wall Street Journal now reports that $1 in every $7 is being processed online through an alternative payment method. Clark has now learned that Bill Me Later, PayPal Checkout and Google Checkout are even better than he originally thought. All 3 are now offering extra incentives to get you to use them instead of your traditional credit cards. PayPal is offering a 20 percent cash-back discount, capped at $50. Not to be outdone, Bill Me Later has since started offering free shipping up to $20, and a no payment for 90 days policy at participating merchants. Google Checkout is also offering free shipping. Clark likes Bill Me Later best because they completely assume the role of a credit card and cut the usual Visa and MasterCard suspects out of the picture. That means increased benefit to consumers and merchants alike.

When you give someone a gift, do you think it's OK for them to re-gift it or sell it online? U.S. News and World Report says that 70 percent of people think it's acceptable. Some 50 percent admitted to actually doing this. Clark believes there's nothing wrong with re-gifting or selling a gift if you don't want it. But be careful; he once actually re-gifted something back to the initial giver! So make sure you know who gave it to you before you go giving it back to them. When it comes to doing a return, retailers may require you to have a gift receipt because they're trying to crack down on internal theft rings. So when you give a gift, try taping the gift receipt to the gift itself -- not just to the wrapping paper. Clark's key rule about doing returns is do not go back to the stores until the first week of January. The return lines are maddening and the merchandise is actually pricey between Christmas and Jan. 1.

Note: Clark is broadcasting remotely for his Christmas Kids 2007 initiative. You can donate online.

While Clark's helping you play Santa for needy children, a new report suggests that we aren't playing Santa to ourselves and our own retirement needs. People left to their own devices don't save. Or they may begin a 401(k) and then spend the money when they switch jobs. If you are younger than 45, Social Security won't be able to help you in a meaningful way. Meanwhile, there are very few pension plans around anymore. So you are your only line of defense! Many employers now have mandatory enrollment in their 401(k) plans, but the amount they deduct may be so small that it won't help in the long run. Clark's executive producer Christa began saving a mere 2 percent of her salary when she was 22. Then at one point when she changed jobs and got a higher salary, she made the leap to saving a whopping 15 percent! Her advice is to start saving now, don't wait for tomorrow. One of the most disturbing findings of the new study shows that people in their 20s have a real problem saving. That's scary considering that your 20s should be one of the easiest times to save. Most people don't yet have a family or other heavy financial obligations at that point. The sad reality is that if you don't save for retirement, you'll have to work until you die or you're physically unable to work anymore.

Clark recently had the pleasure of taking 54 people to New York City for a day of shopping on behalf of WSB-AM, his flagship affiliate in Atlanta. All 54 people got a $1,000 shopping spree. One lucky person was upgraded to a $10,000 spree. Christa, meanwhile, brought her 5-year-old daughter on the excursion. Clark got a big kick out contrasting his daily expenses with Christa's for the trip. It all started for Christa when she opted for $28/day premium parking at the airport in Atlanta. From there, her Big Apple itinerary included seeing the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall; ice skating at Rockefeller Center under the big tree; going to the top of the Empire State building; and some quick shopping at H&M. She and Clark estimate that her expenses were around $177, not inclusive of food. Clark, meanwhile, spent just $7! He bought an unlimited ride card for the subway; walked from lower Manhattan to Midtown and then through Central Park; and also found time to squeeze in a Good Morning America taping during the day. As Christa says, there's no place like NYC at Christmastime!