Michael Timmermann has been helping people save money for more than a decade. He writes about budgeting, streaming TV services and cell phone plans for Clark.com. Prior to joining Team Clark in 2014, Michael produced Clark Howard's popular segments for CNN's sister network, HLN. After paying off his mortgage in two years, Michael started MichaelSaves.com, a website where he shares practical ways to lower your monthly bills and meet your own financial goals.

More posts by Michael Timmermann

Ask Clark: Why does Trim need bank login information to lower my cable bill?
Ask Clark: Why does Trim need bank login information to lower my cable bill? October 16th, 2018
If you've been searching for ways to lower your cable or internet bill, there's a relatively new tool that may…
Travel alert: Clark Howard warns about American, Delta and United’s cheap fares
Travel alert: Clark Howard warns about American, Delta and United’s cheap fares News October 10th, 2018
When you're on the lookout for a cheap flight, there's a relatively new type of fare that may seem too…
Basic economy fares: Delta vs. American vs. United
Basic economy fares: Delta vs. American vs. United Travel October 10th, 2018
Delta, American and United are offering controversial low-cost fares called “basic economy” in select markets to take on the threat…
Hotel chains
Hilton vs. Holiday Inn vs. Marriott vs. Best Western: Which hotel chain is best? Travel October 10th, 2018
When money expert Clark Howard books a vacation, he almost always uses the travel websites Priceline and Hotwire to get…
Work From Home: How I Made My First $100 With Amazon Mechanical Turk
Work From Home: How I Made My First $100 With Amazon Mechanical Turk October 10th, 2018
If you're a busy parent, student, retiree or anyone looking to make money from home in your spare time, Amazon Mechanical…
How to get 3 months of DirecTV Now for only $30
How to get 3 months of DirecTV Now for only $30 Mobile & Electronics October 9th, 2018
You've probably heard people talking about DirecTV Now, the new Internet streaming service that costs way less than a traditional…
prescription drug bottle with pills
New report: This pharmacy’s prices are cheaper than Costco Health October 8th, 2018
Switching pharmacies could save you a lot of money on prescription drugs, even if you have health insurance. An investigation…
Best prepaid unlimited plans: Metro by T-Mobile vs. Cricket vs. Boost Mobile
Best prepaid unlimited plans: Metro by T-Mobile vs. Cricket vs. Boost Mobile Mobile & Electronics October 8th, 2018
Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint aren't your only options for unlimited data plans! You may be able to get the…
3 things to know before you renew a Costco Wholesale membership
3 things to know before you renew a Costco Wholesale membership Shopping & Retail October 4th, 2018
If you've received a renewal notice in the mail from Costco Wholesale, you may be wondering about your exact renewal…
Clark’s #1 tip to avoid being stranded by overbooked car rental reservations
Clark’s #1 tip to avoid being stranded by overbooked car rental reservations October 2nd, 2018
When you make a car rental reservation, you expect there to be a vehicle available when you arrive at the…
amazon work at home
Need a job? Amazon is hiring and just raised its minimum wage Jobs October 2nd, 2018
If you've been thinking about applying for a job with Amazon, the retail giant is raising its minimum hourly wage.…
Moving soon? Save hundreds with these 21 housewarming discounts
Moving soon? Save hundreds with these 21 housewarming discounts Shopping & Retail October 2nd, 2018
Moving can be pretty stressful, but with that stress comes the excitement of starting over in a brand new space.…
MetroPCS is changing its name and adding 2 new unlimited data plans
MetroPCS is changing its name and adding 2 new unlimited data plans Mobile & Electronics September 27th, 2018
MetroPCS is dropping the PCS, adding T-Mobile to its name and launching new cell phone plans! Metro by T-Mobile, a…
DIY Cold Remedy: How to Make a Starbucks ‘Medicine Ball’ Drink at Home
DIY Cold Remedy: How to Make a Starbucks ‘Medicine Ball’ Drink at Home Health September 27th, 2018
If you're coming down with a cold, you'll try just about anything to get rid of the sore throat, cough,…
New Medicare card mailing schedule updated for September 2018
New Medicare card mailing schedule updated for September 2018 Health September 20th, 2018
New Medicare cards will be showing up in mailboxes before you know it! In a move to combat medical identity…
Verizon just made a major change to its unlimited data plan
Verizon just made a major change to its unlimited data plan Mobile & Electronics September 20th, 2018
After surprising customers with a new unlimited data plan in February, Verizon is making some tweaks. A Verizon representative confirmed…
Cheap flights: 3 ways Delta’s basic economy fare still beats Spirit
Cheap flights: 3 ways Delta’s basic economy fare still beats Spirit Travel September 17th, 2018
All year long, Clark.com's Michael Timmermann is sharing quick and easy ways to save money as part of our Michael Saves…
How to keep thieves from accessing your hotel room
This is all that a thief needs to access your hotel room… and it’s not your room key Scams & Rip-Offs September 13th, 2018
There's a new warning that all travelers need to know about. ABC News recently conducted an experiment to demonstrate how the…
This dollar store hack will save money on Swiffer pads
This dollar store hack will save money on Swiffer pads Life September 11th, 2018
If you own a Swiffer or a similar type of mop, you know how it can make cleaning your house…
Best Paper Towels: Bounty vs. Costco vs. Viva vs. Walmart
Best Paper Towels: Bounty vs. Costco vs. Viva vs. Walmart Shopping & Retail September 11th, 2018
When you're cleaning up spills around the house, you want a paper towel that's both strong and absorbent. The quality…
Job alert: These 10 companies are hiring like crazy in September
Job alert: These 10 companies are hiring like crazy in September Jobs September 10th, 2018
Ready to make a career change before 2019? September is the month to make your move! With Black Friday 2018…
The best wireless network in America is…
The best wireless network in America is… Mobile & Electronics September 6th, 2018
If you're trying to lower your monthly bills, switching cell phone providers can save you money — but which wireless…
3 unlimited data plan ‘gotchas’ hidden in the fine print
3 unlimited data plan ‘gotchas’ hidden in the fine print Mobile & Electronics September 6th, 2018
Advertisements for unlimited cell phone data plans are everywhere, but are any of these plans right for you? The answer…
New report names best wireless network for video streaming
New report names best wireless network for video streaming Mobile & Electronics September 6th, 2018
Don't you just hate it when you're trying to watch your favorite TV show on your smartphone and the video…
7 Chick-fil-A sauces ranked from best to worst
7 Chick-fil-A sauces ranked from best to worst Food & Restaurants September 6th, 2018
If there's one thing that makes the chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A taste even better, it's pairing them with your favorite…
New report: The most and least reliable car brands for 2018
New report: The most and least reliable car brands for 2018 Cars September 5th, 2018
J.D. Power is out with its 2018 Vehicle Dependability Study and there are some surprises on the list. The study…
Calling In Sick? Here’s the #1 Excuse Your Boss Will Actually Believe
Calling In Sick? Here’s the #1 Excuse Your Boss Will Actually Believe Jobs September 5th, 2018
Paid sick time policies are an effective way to prevent the spread of contagious illnesses at work, according to the…
sprint store
Sprint’s new Unlimited Premium plan comes with Amazon Prime Mobile & Electronics September 4th, 2018
Sprint has just announced a new unlimited wireless data plan with tons of bells and whistles, including an Amazon Prime…
Walmart is making big changes to its stores before Black Friday
Walmart is making big changes to its stores before Black Friday News August 31st, 2018
If you plan to shop at Walmart between now and Christmas, there are some big changes that you're sure to…
Amazon Package Lost? Things to Know Before You Call Customer Service
Amazon Package Lost? Things to Know Before You Call Customer Service Shopping & Retail August 30th, 2018
Have you ever waited for an Amazon delivery that never showed up? Your package may have been "lost in transit."…