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CLARKONOMICS: The economic news today is frightful. Wholesale prices of goods rose at the fastest level in 27 years. Retail has also reported dismal signs, including J.C. Penney, Target, Home Depot, Staples and more.

But Clark wants to take the headlines down to an individual level. He wants you to see how your decisions cause financial heartache and how you can change your behavior. The core of his message is, of course, save more and spend less!

New stats from the Federal Reserve show that the average American only has about 40% equity in their home. 20 years ago, we had 75% equity in our homes. But that all changed when banks started pushing home-equity borrowing like a dealer pushes illegal drugs.

People were only too happy to borrow for lifestyle. Now the banks are in a tight spot. We're defaulting on our home-equity lines left and right. Banks are losing money when they foreclose, but what choice do they have when we're not paying anymore?

We need to do a hard restart in our brains. Some people think it's a good idea to borrow home equity at a low rate to pay high-interest credit cards. But doing so only frees up the credit cards so you can charge them up again, plus it creates a deficit against your home.

There isn't really a quick solution; you've got to climb out of debt step-by-step. You didn't get into debt overnight and you won't get out of it that way. It all comes down to this: Do not use borrowed money to achieve a desired lifestyle.

You've got to come up with your own deterrent -- think of it as financial electric shock therapy -- when you're contemplating spending money you don't have.

Targeted TV ads have traditionally been too expensive for small business owners to buy. But a new website called SaysMe.tv is leveling the playing field. It allows you to target specific parts of a town and get ad quotes on a variety of channels.

For example, SaysMe.tv lists an ad on MTV in the Raleigh, N.C. market at 4 p.m. as costing $130. If you wait until midnight, the price drops to $44.

This service was developed with small business owners in mind, but it has really been embraced by people who are passionate about the '08 election. They're buying ad time and populating it with their own content. So you've got a slew of homemade ads airing that are either for or against McCain or Obama!

One final word on advertising: Repetition counts. If you are a small business owner, don't think that buying a single ad will net you results. You need a strategic plan to buy a number of spots on the right channel at the right time.

Last year, Clark got so upset over the Supreme Court's 5-to-4 vote that effectively legalized price fixing. The decision allowed manufacturers to set the price you pay in a store. Up until that point, retailers charged whatever they wanted for goods they purchased from a manufacturer.

Clark was furious because the decision meant more money out of your pocket. Retailers that competed fiercely on price would no longer have any reason to do so.

At the time, the Supreme Court swore up and down that the ruling would not negatively impact the price of goods for the average consumer. But let's face it -- the 9 justices probably haven't been in a store in years!

The Wall Street Journal now reports that the Supreme Court's ruling did negatively affect the prices we pay at retail. In fact, the ruling has been one contributing factor in the massive inflation run-up -- along with the price of oil.

Price fixing has no place in capitalism, according to Clark. It is the ultimate in cronyism. Congress needs the guts to overturn the ruling.

In the meantime, you've got to practice brand substitution and buy the most-affordable names you can find.

It's no surprise that the airlines are feeing us to death. Clark recently saw a story where a reporter called all the full-fares and asked if they would ever consider charging for bathroom use. All six emphatically replied in the negative. But that fact that it even made the news makes you wonder…

About 2 years ago, Clark predicted that airlines would soon be charging you to check a bag. Did he have the gift of prophecy? Not really.

He had just flown Ryanair and was forced to wear 3 levels of clothing so that his suitcase would be light enough to be considered a carryon. So Clark wore 3 pairs of pants, 2 shirts and a sweatshirt over that while flying! His wife even has the pictures to prove it.