Economy

Federal regulators are setting new rules for banks that offer deposit advances.

Economy

Banks Come Under Fire For Filling In The Payday Loan Gap

4:05pm December 05, 2013

by Robert Benincasa

Federal regulators are cracking down on banks that are offering services called deposit advances. Many argue that the service is the same as payday loans and could lead consumers into a cycle of debt.

Queue Listen Now

PLANET MONEY MAKES A T-SHIRT: The Lives Of The Workers Who Made Our Shirt

'Our Industry Follows Poverty': Success Threatens A T-Shirt Business

6:26pm December 04, 2013

by Marianne McCune

Colombia's economy has been growing, and wages have been rising. That's good for the country as a whole, but it may wind up driving away the T-shirt industry.

Queue Listen Now

What does it take to qualify for food stamps?

Loophole Or Workaround? (Food Stamp Edition)

3:39pm December 04, 2013

by Pam Fessler

In the debate over whether to cut the food stamp program, members of Congress are looking at two pretty arcane provisions in the law.

Queue Listen Now

As Rent Soars, Longtime San Francisco Tenants Fight To Stay

6:02pm December 03, 2013

by Richard Gonzales

Another tech boom has brought an influx of money and new residents to San Francisco, and people who have long called the city home are being evicted from their apartments. Tenants and community organizers are demanding that the city do something to stop residents from being pushed out.

Queue Listen Now

Economy

More Employees Agree To Fragmented Hours To Get Work

6:02pm December 03, 2013

by Ilya Marritz

The economy adds a decent number of jobs every month but there are big questions about the quality of some of those jobs. Many people getting hired these days do not have anything resembling a regular schedule and work fragmented and unpredictable hours.

Queue Listen Now

Economy

FTCC Offers Free Training for Unemployed, Underemployed and Some Military Veterans

1:33pm December 03, 2013

More than 100 residents in Forsyth and Stokes Counties will get free job-training. First they must qualify.

Wind turbines twirl above farmland on the outskirts of Madison, Wis. Not all locals are pleased.

Slashing Fossil Fuel Consumption Comes With A Price

8:56am December 03, 2013

by Richard Harris

The U.S. aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Wind and solar power can help. But folks doing the math say other pricey, controversial technologies — such as burying carbon gas underground, and expanding nuclear power — are also likely to be part of a low-carbon future.

Queue Listen Now

Could Hawaii Become A Same-Sex Wedding Destination?

1:27pm December 02, 2013

by Molly Solomon

Starting Monday, gay marriage is legal in Hawaii. The state has long been a destination for weddings and honeymoons. And now state officials, as well as hotels and restaurants, are hoping the latest marriage-equality law will spur a new market for wedding tourism.

Queue Listen Now

Economy

Diaper Bank Sees Increased Demand As Low-Income Families Struggle

9:59pm December 01, 2013

When parents can't adequately diaper their young children, the consequences can be serious. There can be health problems for baby including urinary tract infections and diaper rash. For parents, there's a risk of lost wages if their daycare providers won't accept a child without their daily supply of diapers.

Queue Listen Now

Customers at Honeygrow in Philadelphia can charge their cellphones while they dine using one of Doug Baldasare's kiosks.

Economy

Businesses Woo Customers With Free Phone-Charging Stations

11:42am November 29, 2013

by Elizabeth Fiedler

It's not an uncommon experience for smartphone owners: You're out for lunch or running errands, you suddenly realize your phone battery is low, and you panic. A Philadelphia entrepreneur thinks he's found the solution, and it's supposed to help phone owners and stores.

Queue Listen Now