Were you frightened by your local newscast last month trumpeting warnings about trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in your drinking water? Clark believes these reports had more to do with sweeps week in the TV world than with an actual threat. Either way, the bottled water industry must have loved the news; they just got to sit back and pick up market share. But one recent study found that 40% of bottled water is just repackaged tap water. Plus, tap water is constantly tested to ensure safety. There is no equivalent for bottled water. Clark is more worried about al-Qaeda than killer tap water.

As a 17-year veteran of TV reporting, the penny-pinching guru knows that February, May and November are the months when ad rates are set based on how that month's news stories pop. So be careful with your TV during those 3 months. The news teams are trying to excite you, titillate you and make you fearful -- anything to raise ratings and drive up ad rates. Take it all with a grain of salt and wash it down with a glass of tap water. Think about it: How many people do you know who have suffered harm from tap water?