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Opinion

The Opinion Page

Op-Ed: Hands Off My Haagen-Dazs And IKEA

August 31, 2009 • Charlotte Allen's fed up with guidance offered by the "spend-more crowd," who decry inexpensive consumer goods and advocate for local food. In a piece for the Los Angeles Times, she calls out the "spending enthusiasts" for sending the wrong message in a down economy.

Business

Amid Credit Crunch, Retailers Bring Back Layaway

August 31, 2009 • For years it was a staple of department stores that allowed cash-strapped customers to reserve merchandise and pay it off later. But layaway largely faded away by the 1990s, replaced by the convenience of credit cards. Now, it's staging a comeback.

Jack Zahora Reports On The Resurgence of Layaway

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Opinion

Swim Teachers? No, Folks Floundering In Hard Times

August 31, 2009 • When writer Lori Gottlieb couldn't afford to take her son on a vacation to Hawaii this year, she signed him up for swim lessons instead. Gottlieb knew times were tight, but nothing prepared her for the parade of part-time swim instructors she met pool-side.

Business

Retail Analyst: Consumers Benefit From Layaway

August 31, 2009 • Retail analyst Howard Davidowitz says the economy has forced many retailers to again offer layaway. Most retailers had stopped because it was not economical for them. Davidowitz tells Ari Shapiro that layaway has some advantages for consumers — but they better make sure they will be able to make the final payment, or they will lose the money they already have paid into the item.

Business

Down Economy Propels Return Of Layaway

August 31, 2009 • Parents and kids across the country are wrapping up their back-to-school shopping. Many are using credit cards to buy their backpacks, book covers and calculators. But some are turning to an old-fashioned payment plan that's made a comeback: layaway.

Books

Priceless Advice From 'The Undercover Economist'

August 31, 2009 • Economist and part-time advice guru Tim Harford uses the cutthroat principles of economics and capitalism to help guide you through life's little quandaries.

Opinion

From Our Listeners

Are You An Economic Survivalist? Tell Us

August 30, 2009 • We want to know how the recession has affected you. Whether you've managed to ride out the economic storm or you're struggling to keep your head above water, tell us your stories. You can post them on our Soapbox blog.

Economy

Home Prices Rise

August 25, 2009 • Home prices saw their first quarterly increase in three years in the second quarter, according to the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index. The graph shows the change in $100,000 of home value over time, starting from the first quarter of 1987.

For Fido And Friends, Times Aren't So 'Ruff'

With her life jacket securely fastened, Lucy the black Labrador retriever plays in the water. Courtesy of Christopher Libertelli hide caption

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Courtesy of Christopher Libertelli

Economy

For Fido And Friends, Times Aren't So 'Ruff'

August 24, 2009 • It costs less to throw the dog a bone than to take the family on vacation. Americans, it turns out, are spending more, not less, on their furry loved ones during the recession. A booming pet culture and growing product marketing may be propelling the pet industry.

Food

Top Chef Cooks Up Ways To Cut Costs, Not Quality

August 24, 2009 • Lower earnings this year are forcing five-star restaurants across the country to look for ways to cut costs without compromising quality. In Portland, Maine, chef Sam Hayward is sustaining his clientele with homegrown comfort foods that are less expensive to prepare — like fish cakes and beans.

Business

Final 'Clunkers' Rush As Program Nears End

August 23, 2009 • Car buyers are rushing into dealers as the Cash for Clunkers' program winds down. It's been so popular that some dealers have stopped participating because of paperwork delays and a shortage of qualifying cars. NPR's Allison Keyes checks in with car dealers in Virginia on the program's last weekend day to see how they are faring.

Business

Sam's Targets Latino Market With 'Mas Club'

August 22, 2009 • Sam's Club, the warehouse-club sibling of Walmart, has set its sights on the booming Latino market. It has opened an experimental store in Houston with a distinctive Latin accent. It's called Mas Club. Alex Avila, a producer with the NPR show Latino USA, has the story.

Financial Turmoil Grips World Markets

Unintended Consequence: Questionable Appraisals

August 21, 2009 • Things have been looking better for the housing market. Sales are starting to pick up. Prices, at least in some areas, appear to be leveling off. Realtors, however, complain that new regulations are causing headaches for homebuyers. They say one problem centers on home appraisers — the people who estimate how much a house is worth.

Auto Industry In Turmoil

Popular Car Rebate Program Ending Monday

August 21, 2009 • The Obama administration is ending the "cash for clunkers" program on Monday. The incentives generated nearly 500,000 vehicle sales and deals worth nearly $2 billion. Many dealers complain the government has been slow to reimburse them, but President Obama pledged Thursday to remedy that.

Planet Money

Are Doctors More Like Moms Or Mechanics?

August 21, 2009 • Economically speaking, doctors are like moms. They have our best interests at heart, take care of us and check our ears when we're little. But there's also an information problem: We can't really judge whether their diagnoses are right — just like when we take our cars into the shop.

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