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CLARKONOMICS: Clark recently got a call from someone who had CDs maturing and they were facing absolutely pathetic renewal rates. He wants to re-emphasis what he told the caller: There's a way to put money aside that will earn a better deal, is ultra-safe and traditionally has been for the ultra-wealthy: Tax-free money funds. With a tax-free money fund, you put money in and then get a checkbook to write checks. Normally, tax-free money funds pay lower rates than their taxable counterpoints. But right now the oddball financial climate has flipped that scenario on its head. Even someone in a lower tax bracket can benefit from a tax-free money fund right now.

The two bigs in this field are Fidelity and Vanguard. Fidelity is paying around 2.66% APY (with a minimum opening deposit of $5K, plus the minimum check size you can write is $500). Vanguard, meanwhile, is paying around 3.08% APY (with a $3K minimum opening deposit, but you'll incur monthly fees if you're below a $10K balance). Vanguard's historically low management fees account for their higher rate. If you earn more than $100K/year, tax-free money funds are probably a better choice than a traditional savings or taxable money-market fund.

Clark has never had cup of coffee in his life -- a real shame considering how cheap it is to brew the stuff at home. But we Americans have defeated ourselves by turning coffee into a social occasion, thereby transforming what should be cheap into a multi-dollar purchase. In the futures market, coffee prices have been steadily on the rise. Yet at the supermarket, the java you buy a bag or container of is still cheap. But try buying that same coffee while you're out and about…you could blow between $1 and $5 on every cup. So the message is, yes, prices are steadily increasing. But don't get your jitters about the cost. Keep getting your jitters from the java -- just brew it at home and forget about the negligible rising price.

CLARKONOMICS: Sometimes it seems like the economic news is like a parade of bad hits coming at you day after day. The U.S. dollar has fallen against the Yen to levels not seen since last century. Gold has moved over $1K/ounce. Now our government has announced new rules to keep banks and brokerage houses from destroying themselves with weirdo loans and bundled investments. By some accounts, the feds now have pumped in $1 trillion to keep them solvent. Usually when you make a losing bet, you get wiped out -- but not in this case. In order to float these banks, the Federal Reserve has to cheapen the dollar. Clark calls for Washington D.C. to maintain credibility for the U.S. dollar and stop oil prices from spiraling out of control, among other things.

At this time of mass bailouts, there will be great opportunity for individuals and families who have kept their own financial houses in order. There's been so much press on how savers are getting their clocks cleaned. But that angle misses the bigger picture. Look at the 2 largest purchases most Americans ever make -- cars and houses. The car market is flooded with product and deals abound. Chrysler is shutting down the whole company for 2 weeks this summer to synch up supply with demand. In the housing market, the deals on foreclosures are great.

Roughly one-third of Americans have been able to keep things in order. About two-thirds leveraged up and are wheezing financially. If you're in the two-thirds, you need to reduce your debt -- exactly the opposite of what the politicians hope you'll do at least through the November election.

One of Clark's girlfriends -- Southwest Airlines -- has strayed from her ethical behavior. The nation's largest domestic air carrier had people playing it cute with aircraft maintenance and there's no excuse for it. Southwest flew planes without properly testing them for airworthiness. Former FAA employees employed by Southwest weren't living up to the rules of inspection and the whistle got blown. The airline has now been fined $10 million, but that's nothing compared with the damage to its reputation. The reality is that Southwest will probably bounce back as a safety beacon now that it's under a microscope. The CEO has managed the situation well, but the scenario still leaves a stain behind. As an aside, Clark realizes he could never run an airline; people would assume that he'd want to cut corners on safety like Southwest because he's so cheap!

Southwest's legacy includes being one of the first airlines to prompt deregulation and create a marketplace where everyone can fly instead of just the wealthy. The result is that travel is not the joyful experience it once was. Clark is celebrating his 10th anniversary at Milwaukee affiliate WTMJ today and getting there was not a fun experience. Clark and his executive producer Christa had to wait forever to go through security and the TSA employees treated people like cattle. It just solidified in Clark's mind why airport security should be privatized.