ATLANTA -- With the wild rides on Wall Street, a lot of people are concerned about their 401(k) investments. Channel 2 Consumer Advisor Clark Howard has advice on what to do with your 401(k).

"I want you to know it's been a most amazing run and people have been wanting to run away from their investments because the stock market is down 40% from its peak. Now, I want you to think about that -- you had $1 and now you have 60 cents. No wonder people are so blue about their 401(k) plans, people who have money in IRAs and some people have investment accounts," said Clark.

Clark said he knows people may see the bad news day after day and want to bail. "But let me tell you something," he said. "That is exactly the wrong thing to do -- especially if you're in your 20s, 30s or 40s."

Clark said this is the best opportunity you have ever had to make significant wealth for yourself long-term. "Now can I tell you when the market will turn around to positive? I cannot. It could stay in really ugly territory for quite a while...it could get even uglier," said Clark. "But long-term, if you're in a 401(k) and you keep putting money in paycheck by paycheck, that means you're going to end up making a lot more money over time by continuing to put in each pay period at these depressed prices."

Clark said you may be depressed about the statement you open up, but don't take the wrong lesson from it and bail. "Because if you do, it's going to cost you big time," he said.

Clark Howard Shows You How To Get Needed Items Free

Retailers are reporting a drastic cutback in consumer spending in this shaky economy. September sales dropped at Dillards, JC Penney, Kohl's and the list goes on. If you've cut your spending, you'll love this advice from Consumer Advisor Clark Howard as he shows you how to get used stuff for free.

Professional organizer Monica Ricci doesn't get all emotional about stuff. If she can use it she keeps it; if she can't, it's toast.

We were with Ricci when she decided to get rid of some of her stuff on the freecycle network.

It's easy. She types an email offering her things to anyone who wants it or needs it.

VIDEO: A Great Way To Get Used Stuff For FREE

"Within about 3 minutes, I got three responses for my flip phone, and I got one response for my suit jacket, and I expect the other things will be gone pretty quickly too," said Ricci.

Here's how it works: You sign up for a group in whatever part of metro Atlanta you live in -- that way you don't have to drive far to get what you want. There are two rules, though -- no buying and no bartering. This is strictly freecycling.

"I have been so excited about freecycle ever since it began and I'm not the only one," said Clark. "There are up to 500 million pounds of stuff that people have donated that didn't got into a landfill and what's so neat is, think about this chair I own! I don't need this anymore but someone else could love this thing."

You can also post a wanted ad on freecycle. "I often see people posting, 'Wanted: Baby Clothes,' or 'Wanted: Pet Items,' so as long as you're offering as much as you're asking for, everything is fine," said Ricci.

"In this economy, the stuff you don't want anymore can be really important to someone else," said Clark.

Clark Howard's 5 Ways To Save $5,000

Clark Howard’s five ways to save $5,000 in household expenses.

1. Go veggie. If you can do three meatless days a week (without substituting pricey fish), you could save $25 a week, which equals $100 a month, which equals $1,200 a year! Beans: Ya gotta love ‘em.

CLARK HOWARD: A Great Way To Get Used Stuff For FREE

2. Brown bag it. If you eat lunch out five times a week and spend about $5 a clip, you’re looking at about $1,300 a year in sandwiches, soups, and other fast foods. But bringing your lunch doesn’t have to suck. If you stock up on readymade items like soups, burritos, and frozen meals, you can save up to $2 to $3 a day. The only thing you need to do is remember to bring it with you!

3. Carpool or telecommute at least one day a week. With an average commute distance of 39.4 miles in metro Atlanta, individuals that commute alone spend approximately $21 per day, $469 per month for their transportation to and from the office. Parking the car one day per week could save $1050 in expenses.

4. Watch at Home. With the average price of a movie ticket at almost $10 per person (and even more in some areas), a night out at the movies is no longer a cheap date. Add two kids to the mix and it’s bordering on “special occasion” status. Why invest your hard-earned money in what could be a Hollywood flop? Instead, consider a service like Netflix for less than $10 a month. If you hate the movie, you’ve only spent a dollar or two (the more you use it, the more cost-effective it is!) and you can ship it right back to where it came from.

5. Trade Starbucks for more bucks. Instead of spending upwards of $3 per day on coffee brew it at home for less than $1 per day and watch the pennies add up - $750 a year!