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New stats from the Census Bureau show that Americans are not as mobile as we once were. In a time of economic dislocation, there's been a longstanding tradition in our country to migrate for opportunity. That usually means relocating for a better job. But apparently that's not what's going on right now.

Jobs have steadily migrated to low-tax/low-cost states, which is a smart decision for any business. Think about this in your own life. If you're in a tough job market -- especially like Michigan -- the opportunities are hollowing out. So it might behoove you to move.

Some of us aren't moving because of the housing market and the current difficulties in selling a home. But that's just a small sliver of us. So Clark is rather surprised about these new stats.

Why do you buy home or auto insurance? You do it because if something goes wrong, the insurer is there to make it right -- be it repair your home, fix your car or replace it if stolen.

But some companies only do half the job. They take the premiums, but they aren't vey good about paying out claims. A trial lawyer's group called the American Association for Justice has come with a list of the worst insurers in America.

Topping the list as the single worst insurer is Allstate. This company once enjoyed a great reputation for customer service, but Consumer Reports also concurs in a separate tally that now they're way toward the bottom of the heap. In a J.D. Power survey, Allstate also gets the lowest score of any home insurer.

But this is not a bash on Allstate segment. Clark just wants you to keep in mind that cutesy TV ads do not a good insurer make.

The penny-pincher prefers to concentrate on those insurers that actually do a good job. Such elites typically include USAA and Amica Mutual.

USAA is open only to active military and those who have recently retired from the service. Clark has been a member for 30 years. During that time, his family had 3 claims (none of them major) and each time the service has been phenomenal. Christa, meanwhile, has been with Amica for 2 years now.

There is one other insurer that Clark knows has a great reputation. That's a small company called New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance, which has nosed out both USAA and Amica in some surveys.

Another day, another wrinkle in the mortgage crisis and its impact on other sectors of the economy!

First off, we had the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history with IndyMac on Friday. Just a day later, Clark got a call from a relative who wanted him to talk to a family friend. Clark had to difficult task of explaining what happens when you have money that's not FDIC-insured in a failing bank.

The latest stats show that 37% of people have money above FDIC limits --$100,000 in a bank account and $250,000 for retirement accounts. If this train wreck has already happened to you, here's the scoop: If there are assets left over after all depositors have been reimbursed up to $100,000, then you'll get a portion of your unprotected money back.

Hopefully, you're not in this situation. Heed Clark's advice now and reduce your accounts to $90,000 so you don't forfeit a penny of interest in the event of a collapse.

Second, let's address the mortgage crisis involving Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These are both private corporations that created money for mortgages with a wink and nod and the understanding that taxpayers would back them up in the event of any difficulty.

Well, now the difficulty has arrived and Pres. Bush, Treasury Secretary Paulson and the folks at the Federal Reserve have agreed to bailout private stockholders with taxpayer money. This is unacceptable. The only reason it's happening is because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are politically connected.

Third, the Federal Reserve has issued new rules for banks making mortgage loans. The first rule states that they can't make a loan if you can't pay it back. Duh! That took a federal regulation?! Under the new rules, they have to make sure you can pay at the highest rate that your monthly payment could adjust for 7 years. In addition, there will be no more pre-payment penalties (in most instances) and escrow accounts will be required for property taxes and insurance.

Have you ever heard the expression, "There's no such thing as a free lunch"? Clark gets advertisements for free lunch investing seminars all the time. They're typically billed as educational workshops and promise you that nothing is being sold. They have names like "wealth preservation seminars" or "income security planning sessions" and are usually operated out of well-known restaurants or fancy ballrooms.

For years, Clark has told you that these things are rip-offs -- based on what he's heard anecdotally. Today, he has some hard numbers to back up his belief.

The North American Securities Administrators Association recently did a study that showed 50% of these seminars are guilty of false or exaggerated advertising; 25% of them actually push products that are completely unsuitable for you; and 13% are engaged in out-and-out fraud.

That could be the most expensive free meal you'll ever eat -- if money saved over a lifetime gets taken from you!

If you need help planning your investments or retirement, Clark advises you to pay for that advice by hiring a fee-only financial planner. Visit NAPFA.org to find one near you. Or you can also seek in-house financial planning from Vanguard, Fidelity or T. Rowe Price for a nominal fee.