Dash.net - Internet-enabled GPS units
Tel3Advantage.com - Cheap international phone rates
Wi-Ex.com - Extend the range of your cell phone
NAPFA.org - Find a fee-only financial planner

Just recently, Clark spoke about Dash technology. This Internet-enabled GPS offers real-time traffic updates directly to the unit while you drive.

He bought the extremely expensive gadget ($399, plus a monthly fee of about $11) and it's already gone missing...his wife loves it so much that she's commandeered it for her vehicle. So is Dash worth the price of admission? Without a doubt -- especially if you travel a lot or frequently face unpredictable traffic.

Clark is amazed by Dash's capabilities. It will show you the speed of travel and traffic if an area is saturated with enough other Dash units. If not, then it's just a glorified, exorbitantly priced GPS unit that can't return that kind of robust data.

So far Clark's Dash has saved him time behind the wheel when there was bridge construction down in Florida.

There's also a novelty factor here. You can use Dash to find restaurants (along with user-generated reviews) when you're traveling in unfamiliar places. The Dash device can also be tracked if stolen, unlike most GPS units.

In related news, GPS units are now selling for as little as $69. You might want to consider a low-end brand to deter thieves from wanting to steal yours! Be sure to unplug your GPS from your cigarette lighter and put it under the seat when not in use. The cost of replacing a smashed window might be more than you pay for a cheap GPS.

Clark makes about 50 small purchases per year on eBay. He especially loves the cheap cell phone/electronics accessories that he can pick up for around $5. In fact, he bought his daughter a case for her iPod Nano for $1.25 including shipping! The item came from Hong Kong, so you know the seller took a loss on the shipping charges alone.

Many people, however, use eBay for more expensive things. There's been a recent breakdown in trust between sellers and buyers. Sellers used to be able to manipulate approval ratings, but that system was done away with as eBay has tried to instill buyer confidence. Merchants are now angry that their customers can post negative things online and they're stuck with it.

One seller recently went so far as to sue a buyer who put up a neutral rating -- not even a negative one! A Seattle man named Steve Shellhorn was unhappy with the packaging that accompanied some coins he bought on eBay. So he posted his comments and was sued by a seller in North Carolina for $10K. The case was thrown out of court, but Shellhorn incurred $500 when he hired a lawyer.

The takeaway here is that a lot of people make "anonymous" posts on websites that trash other people or companies. But your identity can be revealed with a court order. So this is not to say that you can't use free speech; just realize you also have the responsibility to do it respectfully and factually. Not that those issues came into play in the Shellhorn case -- that was completely out of left field!

Half of all Americans would rather fess up to their weight than reveal their credit card balance. The amount of debt we're carrying is up 400% in the last 18 years, adjusted for inflation. Credit cards are most often used for lifestyle means. There's nothing wrong with using money to have fun, but you need to be able to pay for the fun.

If you carry credit card debt, Clark wants you to list all your balances and list the interest rates. You'd be amazed at how many people don't know this basic info about their debts. The first step to being healed is to know the problem and attack it. Next, you've got to stop using your credit cards.

When you're readying a plan of attack, there are 2 different philosophies on paying off credit cards. Clark says either is just fine, though he's biased toward the latter.

You can throw most of your money at the smallest balance, while paying minimums on all others. That way you begin to eliminate debts and psychologically gain control. Or you can focus on paying the debt with the highest interest rate first (again, while doing minimums on all others) and then go on to the next highest one. That way you ladder your debt. This second approach is also favored by a lot of personal finance types.

The number of landline disconnects continues to spike as Americans ditch their monopoly phone company service. That can be a very smart financial move. But what do you do if your cellular gets a lousy signal in your house?

There are a couple of marketplace solutions. T-Mobile offers an At Home service (for $10/month extra) that allows unlimited calling through your high-speed Internet line.

A device called zBoost, meanwhile, works like an early car phone with a booster and antenna to get a better signal at home. That one costs about $169 and is available through Wi-Ex.com.

Over the next few years, there will be more competitors and zBoost will get cheaper. Then you'll really have no excuse to not disconnect your landline!