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Whenever the economy slows, the big pitches from multi-level marketing operations (MLMs) emerge.

Clark wants you to know that MLMs can be a legit opportunity. It is possible to make money by selling products or services to strangers or by recruiting others to do the selling.

But here's the rub: You need the gift of gab and you'd better not even have a trace of shyness. You must believe in the product or service you're shilling; how it's priced; and you've got to be willing to approach total strangers with your pitch. You also need a great deal of time to dedicate to the whole process.

Forbes magazine recently did an analysis of a hot MLM of the moment called Team Leadership Development. It turns out that only 1 out of every 100 people could recoup their expenses. So you have a 99% chance of losing money if you get involved!

Again, there are legit MLMs out there -- but only a handful of people are making money.

A lot of folks get pressure from relatives or friends regarding MLM pitches. Clark recommends countering by saying, "I don't have the selling ability you do." Or you might try, "Clark Howard doesn't want me doing that." That way they're mad at Clark, not you. Don't be pressured to get involved because you feel obligated. If they're really your friend, they'll still be your friend when you turn them down. And you're stuck with your relatives!

So, yes, amid all the hype there is a kernel of truth. The brains behind Team Leadership Development is making unreal money. But the silent majority isn't making a dime. So be careful out there.

Several months ago, Clark told you about a fight that's going on in the TV world between Verizon and the monopoly cable companies. The issue of contention has been Verizon's build-out of its FiOS (high-speed fiber-optic broadband Internet) network.

FiOS comes with the promise of a wide range of programming choices, which has the monopoly cable companies running scared and fighting it every step of the way. The hand-to-hand combat became so intense that Verizon began offering free HDTVs to new FiOS customers.

But now it turns out that Verizon has not been delivering on its promise. Adding insult to injury, Verizon is also refusing to grant media interviews about the "customer no service" debacle. They instead released a statement that simply confirms that there have been delivery delays.

The one-two punch of the statement and the refusal to talk to the media smells of a monopoly mentality, according to Clark. What would Verizon's "Customer Care Czar" Tom Maguire -- a former guest on the show -- have to say about this debacle? And will it result in a proposed class-action suit years from now, in which case nobody wins??

Clark would like to extend an offer to be the personal shopper for Verizon's CEO, helping him find the best deals on HDTVs. That way Verizon can honor its word to all FiOS customers. After all, Clark assumes Verizon wasn't actually trying to scam people -- they just don't have their act together, right?

Clark saw a disturbing story in The Los Angeles Times about how the rate of disconnect for utilities is up 50% year over year around the country. In Chicago, they've seen a 33% increase; in Detroit, 56%; and in Southern California, 15%.

This is partly because of the slowing economy. The solution is to trim your budget. Of course, there's a segment of the population that lives life so close to the edge that maybe there's nowhere you can cut.

But for most of us who are pinched, it's because we haven't analyzed how we spend and where we can change things. For example, 30 years ago people lived without the Internet, cell phones and pay television. Isn't it amazing how our expectations have changed so much in just one generation?

Think and re-think how you spend. Here are some pointers:

• If you spend $43/month on Internet, why not go Neanderthal and switch to dialup? You could save up to $400/year by doing so.

• When it comes to your cell phone, try a pre-paid plan like Net10.com.

• Stop paying for 1,000 channels of TV -- there's nothing on to watch anyway!

Clark mentions these 3 things just to get you thinking. We look at them as must haves. But survival only requires food, health, shelter and clothing. Not cable, cell and Internet.

The poster child for being thrifty is Clark's associate producer Joel. He's 24 and has not yet learned to blow every penny. While he does have a cell phone, he doesn't pay for TV or Internet. He also drives a used car he bought for $3,200 and typically wears used clothing. Clark even calls Joel "cheap." That's high praise coming from the penny-pincher himself!

Have you ever used your credit card and been asked for ID or told you'd have to make a minimum purchase? Both stipulations are against the merchant guidelines that govern Visa and MasterCard.

Clark is not upset when he's asked for ID; he sees it as another safeguard, even if it is against the guidelines. However, there is some recourse available if you are peeved.

MasterCard has a simple-to-use form where you can alert them if a merchant required ID or a minimum purchase. Clark has no idea what becomes of this info once you submit it to MasterCard.

Visa, on other hand, has no such procedure in place. So they have a rule, but no enforcement.

The underlying issue here is that we're still using '60-era magnetic strip technology for credit cards. Europe and Asia, meanwhile, are years ahead of us with their smart chip technology. With the smart chip, you're required to enter a secret code to use your credit card. But the banks that issue cards don't want to spend the money to have a safe system on our shores!