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It's no secret that people are feeling squeezed and living on fumes during these slow economic times. This has been an ever-present issue among the presidential hopefuls. Meanwhile, President Bush is set to propose an economic stimulus package and the Democrats will do the same. But is this all too little, too late? After all, we may already be in a recession right now; for one thing, unemployment is up from 4.7 to 5 percent. Stop for a moment and think back to our last recession in spring 2001. Economists didn't recognize or confirm it as such until a year later! Of course, you know from your own life if things slow down -- you'll see less hours at work, slow business if you're an entrepreneur, etc.

We're definitely seeing the early warning signs of recession, so this is the time to get your act together. A slow economy actually yields opportunity. It's always best to start a business at this point of the cycle because space and labor come cheap. Entrepreneurs who can keep costs under control will survive. Technology can help in this respect by allowing you to work at home or remotely. At-home businesses are ideal, but beware of zoning laws if you're in the retail or restaurant fields. Meanwhile, what should you do if you face a layoff and feel the entrepreneurial spirit? Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. You've probably spent years developing knowledge, a skill set and contacts in your field. Stick to what you know -- you'll find your greatest opportunity there.

Clark recently overheard a man at the studio talking about shopping for a new car. One question that popped out of his mouth surprised Clark: "When did the average cost of a vehicle become $35,000?" It got Clark to thinking, "What kind of cars is he looking at?" Vehicles are the best deal they've been in a long time. We choose to gingerbread them with extra features and gussy up the price. But you can still get a fantastic new car for no more than $15,000.

There's a huge market for affordable auto transportation, and Clark means really affordable. Several years ago, he told you about a vehicle called the Logan by Renault. This 4-door sedan is available in Europe fully equipped for $6,000-8,000. Meanwhile, India has a $2,500 car entering its marketplace on Jan. 10. The vehicle is being introduced by Tata Motors, a company that's set to buy Jaguar. Talk about the opposite extreme of vehicle price!! Unfortunately, these kinds of affordable vehicles aren't available stateside yet. Many people are stuck in the '80s when it comes to thinking about affordable vehicles. If the terms "low cost" and "cars" make you automatically think "Yugo," you owe it to yourself to re-examine the new wave of today's low-cost cars. But keep in mind that, as Clark recently told you, the real deals in '08 will be with used cars.

During a recent show, Clark explained why he doesn't like the refund loans pushed by many tax-prep chains. Now H&R Block has another offer called the Emerald Prepaid MasterCard that's an equally bad idea. This is basically a stored-value card that you take in lieu of getting a standard refund or a refund loan. This seems like a great idea -- until you get to the fees. You'll pay between $1.85-2.50 whenever you use an ATM, and that's in addition to whatever fee you're charged by the ATM itself. Clark has no idea who would benefit from this option. But this is the Super Bowl of tax return season for H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt. Everyone who overpaid wants to rush in to file at the chains and get money back as soon as possible. Special thanks to our listener Chuck for bringing this to Clark's attention.

On the saving side of the ledger, interest rates and CD rates are dropping. However, some outfits like Countrywide are still paying good money. Countrywide currently is trying to attract CDs of $250,000 and above -- probably because they're in dire financial straits and need big infusions of cash. Clark is warning people to stay away from this offer. Should you choose to bring your money to Countrywide, keep it within the limits of FDIC protection at $90,000 or less. Otherwise, you may get wiped out in the event of a bank failure. Don't go chasing yield above the FDIC limit.

Comcast recently announced that it's pushing through price increases that will be roughly double the rate of inflation. No surprise there. The real story is that the nation's largest cable company has also awoken from its tech slumber. Comcast is getting ready to launch a new system where you can control your DVR from a computer. You'll be able to watch 1000s of programs on demand on your TV. This is just one of many developments in the future of TV. Panasonic has a portable DVR that makes it easy to record programming and take it with you on an 8.5-inch screen. You can store about 30 movies (or 60 hours of content) instead of carrying tons of DVDs around with you. Panasonic also has a 150-inch TV that's big news. In 5 years, Clark thinks we'll have TVs of superior size, shape and cost. The experience of where, when and how you watch will dramatically change too.

One thing that won't be changing this year is the price you pay for Dish Network. They are not raising rates because they're afraid the economic slowdown may make them lose customers. Meanwhile, the feds have started issuing digital-to-analog converter box coupon vouchers in anticipation of the 2009 HDTV switch. Dish Network also has a subsidiary that will provide free converter boxes to those who have the vouchers. Dish says this move will help them boost brand recognition. Clark admits he doesn't really understand the business strategy here. But if they're happy and you're happy, then he's happy too!