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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 ...

What would happen if everyone just stopped paying their student debt? 

by Janet Nguyen
Mar 24, 2023
U.S. borrowers hold a collective $1.8 trillion in both public and private student loans.
Student loan borrowers gathered near The White House at the beginning of the pandemic, telling President Joe Biden to cancel student debt.
Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We, The 45 Million
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I've Always Wondered ...

You can protect more than $250,000 at a bank. But beware the “moral hazard.”

by Janet Nguyen
Mar 17, 2023
The FDIC allows coverage of different types of accounts at the same bank. There are also services that help you spread your money around.
Depositors are covered by the FDIC for up to $250,000, but there are ways to skirt the limit.
Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Will we ever run out of Social Security numbers?

by Janet Nguyen
Mar 10, 2023
With 1 billion possible combinations, we still have decades before they’re used up.
Your Social Security number is yours even after 'til death do you part.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

What the monthly jobs report can — and can’t — tell us about the labor market

by Janet Nguyen
Mar 3, 2023
There are ways to figure out the quality of jobs that are being added to the economy.
We can glean how well paid some jobs are by looking at industry data in the monthly jobs report.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Does the autoplay feature on streaming services cost you money?

by Janet Nguyen
Feb 24, 2023
The consumer isn’t likely to see higher costs, but telecom companies say that Big Tech should pay its fair share.
Beware the spoiler: autoplay on streaming platforms. The autoplay feature on streaming services can lead to panic.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

What do elite colleges do with all that endowment money? 

by Janet Nguyen
Feb 17, 2023
Harvard University alone has a $51 billion endowment.
Some lawmakers and advocates have questioned whether Ivy Leagues like Harvard (pictured above) should spend more of their endowment funds.
Joe Raedle/Getty Image
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I've Always Wondered ...

How much money does “God” have? 

by Janet Nguyen
Feb 10, 2023
The Catholic Church has at least $73 billion based on media reports and financial statements, but it likely has billions more.
The Sistine Chapel: priceless.
Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why does the U.S. still use calories on nutrition labels instead of kilojoules? 

by Janet Nguyen
Feb 3, 2023
The calorie, a ubiquitous measurement unit, dates back more than a century.
The U.S. has a long relationship with the calorie, dating back more than a century, which is why we aren't in a rush to change it anytime soon.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Is it actually illegal to sell an item labeled, “Not for retail sale”?

by Janet Nguyen
Jan 27, 2023
Aiming to keep consumers safe, the Food and Drug Administration has rules for the information placed on packaging.
If the wrapper your granola bar came in says you can't sell it, there are FDA rules behind that warning.
4kodiak/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why do we allow investors to deduct stock market losses from their taxes?

by Janet Nguyen
Jan 20, 2023
It’s based on the principle of fairness — within limits.
A trader at the New York Stock Exchange reacts to the closing bell on Dec. 30, the final day of trading in 2022. Investors racked up substantial losses during the year.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
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