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Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money, we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring you along for the ride. Don't just understand the economy – understand the world.

Wanna go deeper? Subscribe to Planet Money+ and get sponsor-free episodes of Planet Money, The Indicator, and Planet Money Summer School. Plus access to bonus content. It's a new way to support the show you love. Learn more at plus.npr.org/planetmoney

Most Recent Episodes

Can money buy happiness?

Left to Right: Barb Mellers, Daniel Kahneman, & Matt Killingsworth. Courtesy of Barb Mellers; Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Burda Media; Courtesy of Matt Killingsworth. hide caption

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Courtesy of Barb Mellers; Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Burda Media; Courtesy of Matt Killingsworth.

Can money buy happiness?

People often say that money can't buy you happiness. Sometimes, if you ask them to tell you more about it, they'll mention a famous 2010 study by Nobel Prize winners Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton. That study found that higher household income correlates with greater emotional well-being, but only up to around $75,000 a year. After that, more money didn't seem to matter.

Can money buy happiness?

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Rate Expectations: What it means that the Fed is about to lower interest rates.
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Rate Expectations: What it means that the Fed is about to lower interest rates.

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates to get inflation under control. One side effect is that taking out a mortgage to buy a home has gotten very expensive. That's especially a problem for some homeowners who managed to get a lower mortgage rate years ago. They have a sort of... champagne problem. Or, "golden handcuffs" as it's called.

Rate Expectations: What it means that the Fed is about to lower interest rates.

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Is AI overrated or underrated?
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Is AI overrated or underrated?

Are the promises made by AI boosters all hype, or are we actually under-appreciating the transformative potential of AI?

Is AI overrated or underrated?

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Summer camp capitalism
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Summer camp capitalism

Summer camp is a classic rite of passage in the U.S. It's a place of self-discovery, where kids come to make new friends and take on new challenges. But what if it were ALSO a place where children came to learn how to survive in a free market economy?

Summer camp capitalism

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Bingo! (Presidential debate edition)
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Bingo! (Presidential debate edition)

Campaigns can be a jargony slog. And this year, we are seeing a lot of economic terms being thrown around, many of which... aren't entirely straightforward.

Bingo! (Presidential debate edition)

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How to fix a housing shortage
Amanda Aronczyk/NPR

How to fix a housing shortage

When Cody Fischer decided to get into real estate development, he had a vision. He wanted to build affordable, energy efficient apartments in Minneapolis, not far from where he grew up.

How to fix a housing shortage

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The trade fraud detective
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The trade fraud detective

When David Rashid took over US autoparts maker Plews and Edelmann, the company was losing business to its Chinese rival, Qingdao Sunsong. Both companies make power steering hoses, but Sunsong was offering its hoses to retailers at a much lower price.

The trade fraud detective

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Summer School 7: The Great Depression, the New Deal and how it changed our economy

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Summer School 7: The Great Depression, the New Deal and how it changed our economy

Find all the episodes from this season here. And past seasons here. And follow along on TikTok here for video Summer School.

Summer School 7: The Great Depression, the New Deal and how it changed our economy

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The hidden world behind your new "banking" app
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The hidden world behind your new "banking" app

You might have seen ads for online banking services that seem to offer a lot of great stuff — accounts you can open in minutes and without a minimum balance or monthly fees. The ads seem to say: "These aren't your parents' boring old banks." But the truth is: Even though they might resemble banks, they aren't.

The hidden world behind your new "banking" app

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