Tricks of the TradeTrump's Second TermMy EconomyI've Always Wondered ...

Loading...

0:00
0% played
Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!

I've Always Wondered ...

If you’re like us, you’ve got a lot of questions about the small, simple, ubiquitous things in the world of business. Let's find the answers.
What have you always wondered about the economy?

Does it make cents to get rid of the penny?
I've Always Wondered ...
Does it make cents to get rid of the penny?
What happens to your Christmas tree after the holidays? 
I've Always Wondered ...
What happens to your Christmas tree after the holidays? 
Why are bananas so cheap?
I've Always Wondered ...
Why are bananas so cheap?
What is the economic impact of lost and stolen packages? 
I've Always Wondered ...
What is the economic impact of lost and stolen packages? 

From This Collection

I've Always Wondered ...

Where did the budget reconciliation process come from?

by Janet Nguyen
Jul 22, 2021
Reconciliation allows senators to bypass the filibuster. But there are lots of rules.
A view of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images
Share Now on:
SHARE
I've Always Wondered ...

Why do tissues in cubed boxes cost more than tissues in horizontal boxes?

by Janet Nguyen
Jul 15, 2021
You get fewer tissues in a cubed box than a horizontal one, despite similar prices.
Kana Design Image/Getty Images Plus
Share Now on:
SHARE
I've Always Wondered ...

What's a point on the Dow, S&P or Nasdaq?

by Mitchell Hartman
Jul 13, 2021
Our listener asks what constitutes a "point" on the major stock market indexes.
The American obsession with stock index numbers developed during the economic boom years of the 1950s and '60s, according to historian Tom Stapleford.
Drew Angerer via Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE
I've Always Wondered ...

Didn't use your airline ticket? Why it's hard to get taxes and fees back.

by Janet Nguyen
Jul 8, 2021
And when a refund is available, you have to request it.
Travelers wait in line at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
Share Now on:
SHARE
I've Always Wondered ...

Why are some hot dog buns split on the top and some on the side?

by Janet Nguyen
Jul 1, 2021
There are myriad regional twists to hot dogs. The bun is no exception.
A plate of hot dogs sit on a table at a hot dog-eating contest in Coney Island.
David Paul Morris/Getty Images
Share Now on:
SHARE
I've Always Wondered ...

Purchasing a home ... in this economy?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 24, 2021
There's a housing market frenzy across the country and prices have jumped. How do people afford them?
A home for sale in Brooklyn, New York. The market has been short of inventory during the pandemic, boosting prices and putting houses beyond the reach of many families.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Share Now on:
SHARE
I've Always Wondered ...

How is digital tipping affecting service workers?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 18, 2021
As more companies move toward digital payments, that could create complications for employees.
A close up of a customer paying in a pharmacy with her mobile phone.
Geber86/Getty Images
Share Now on:
SHARE

For public good, not for profit.

Donate
I've Always Wondered ...

Why don’t U.S. businesses show more support for single-payer health care?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 10, 2021
U.S. companies have to navigate a complicated and expensive health insurance system.
A surgeon looks at a monitor in an operating room.
shapecharge/Getty Images
Share Now on:
SHARE
I've Always Wondered ...

How does age discrimination affect the economy?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 3, 2021
Bias against older workers may lead to hundreds of billions of dollars in lost wages and GDP.
The problem of age discrimination, which hurts older workers and reduces GDP, may have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
FG Trade/Getty Images
Share Now on:
SHARE
I've Always Wondered ...

Can highway billboard signs change driver behavior?

by Janet Nguyen
May 27, 2021
Dozens of states are spending time crafting safety messages using puns or humor to encourage safe driving habits.
A view of a highway billboard sign in Ohio aimed at improving driver behavior.
Courtesy of Matt Bruning/Ohio Department of Transportation
Share Now on:
SHARE