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Whenever Clark talks about speeding or traffic tickets, he has to be careful. People on both sides get pretty emotional when discussing this. Well, Smart Money magazine recently wrote an article about how to get out of tickets. The article says that despite stories to the contrary, crying helps you get out of tickets. Just remember that the No.1 rule is to be polite. Police officers deal with dangerous people on a daily basis and they want to be put at ease just as much as you do. As much as Clark despises the second rule, Smart Money says you are more likely to get out of a ticket if you display a sticker showing that you give money to a law enforcement organization or union. Thirdly, it’s best to say you don’t know what you did, even if you do. And, when the pad comes out, you want to say, “Am I getting a warning.” Never mention the ticket. And don’t give any attitude.

How would you like to never receive another electric bill? It’s possible with a new technology called “Personal Wind Turbines” which are basically small windmills that are placed on your roof. It’s like having a power plant at your home. Depending on how fast the wind is in your area, the wind turbines generate up to 90 percent of the power you need. If you have a small house, the price is about $8,000. If you have a large house, you could be looking at $75,000 or more. But it’s an idea that is taking hold and is worth it. In a handful of states, you can get tax credit for using one. Clark lives in an area that doesn’t have enough steady wind power to have a turbine, and he has too many trees for a solar power solution. And some homeowner’s associations are prohibiting them. But if you can have a windmill, you should at least consider it. It will pay for itself in a short time and save you tons of money.

You’ve probably looked through the newspaper and seen an item on sale that you’d like to buy. The only drawback is that there is a rebate you have to file to get the sale price. And most people don’t take the time fill out the rebate forms, so they pay full price after all. Clark is diligent about filing his rebates within three days of the purchase, and even he has trouble getting the money back on occasion. The rebate companies will say he forgot a receipt or forgot to add some paperwork. The truth is the whole paper rebate routine is faulty and lots of companies are doing away with rebates all together. Best Buy is one of those companies. Some companies, such as Staples, have online programs that are very easy to use. But not all items qualify for the program. Also, doing away with rebates all together is going to cause prices to go up in some stores. So, keep an eye out.

Is your home underinsured? If you’ve lived in it awhile and haven’t changed the coverage, you are probably underinsured. Building costs and home values have gone up over the years, and covering your home in the event of a disaster is key. These topics don’t address the flood risk at all, however. If you live in area that is a prone to flooding, you want to buy flood insurance. It’s sold separate from your homeowner’s insurance, but you want to get this done. Learn more about flood insurance at floodsmart.gov. In most cases, you can call your insurer and ask them if you should boost your coverage. Your premiums will go up, but you will be saving a lot if there is a disaster. You want to raise the deductible on your homeowner’s insurance as high as it will go. Just remember that your lender may limit your deductible if you have a mortgage.

Clark believes very strongly in the free market. And some news out today confirms how powerful the market really is. New Jersey has long had the most expensive auto insurance rates in the country. Politicians in New Jersey decided everything an auto insurer did, and rates were sky high. Well, the state got wise to the free market frenzy a few years ago and insurers started coming back to the state. In addition, 75 percent of drivers are paying less than they were before the switch. And according to the New York Times, the average savings is about 30 percent from three years ago. Government should play a role in making sure insurance companies do their jobs. But, in terms of pricing, the market should reign supreme.