When People Make Their Own Banks
by Marianne McCune
An ex-con lends money to people in need; a group of friends creates a savings club. Even without banks, people often figure out how to get the money they need, when they need it.
Radio
Planet Money stories air each week on All Things Considered and Morning Edition. Here are all of our stories from those shows.
Why More People Are Renting Tires
by Zoe Chace
"I understand that I'll probably end up paying a lot," one customer says. "But right now, I need the tires."
How To Sell Coke To People Who Have Never Had A Sip
by Robert Smith
Coca-Cola is returning to Myanmar after 60 years. They'd been kept out of the country by international sanctions. This week they officially opened their new plant outside of Yangon.
©2013 NPR
How One Patent Could Take Down One Comedian
by Zoe Chace
The popular comedian Marc Maron, who works out of his garage in California, faces off with a patent holder who claims to have invented podcasting.
How Recalculating GDP Can Help App Designers In Nigeria
by Marianne McCune
Pledge 51 creates applications for Nigeria's low-tech cellphones. The company thinks it could grow its business with help from foreign investors, but Nigeria's low GDP has made that difficult. If the country changes the way it calculates this figure, that could help Pledge 51 bring in new investment.
In A Single ATM, The Story Of A Nation's Economy
by Robert Smith
In Myanmar — a country that's been cut off from the world for decades — it's still a surprise when money pops out of the ATM. That may soon change.
Go East, Young Marijuana Dealer
by Marianne McCune
A San Francisco dealer quadrupled his income by moving to New York after California legalized medical marijuana.
Why Apple (And Lots Of Other Companies) Wound Up In Ireland
by Zoe Chace
It goes back to a single page in a report written decades ago by U.S. consultants, and funded by the U.S. State Department.
Demand For Ammunition Is Up. Why Aren't Prices?
by Marianne McCune
Demand increased recently, leading to widespread shortages. An economics textbook would say ammo sellers should have raised prices rather than have empty shelves. But that hasn't happened.
Can Economics Save The African Rhino?
Poachers kill rhinos for their horns. Some economists think legalizing the horns could save the rhinos.
Who Hides Money Outside The Country?
Over the past decade, 39,000 people have come forward to tell the government they've been hiding money overseas. Here's what they tell us about offshore money.
Why (Almost) No One In Myanmar Wanted My Money
by Robert Smith
Like people in other countries that have gone through economic turmoil, people in Myanmar want U.S. dollars that look like they just rolled off the presses.
I Know I'm Supposed To Follow My Passion. But What If I Don't Have A Passion?
by Chana Joffe-Walt
A young college grad asks an economist for advice.
Nervous Parents In One Country Clear Supermarket Shelves In Another
by Marianne McCune
Chinese parents don't trust Chinese baby formula, so they pay a premium to have it shipped in from around the world.
The Lollipop War
by Zoe Chace
Candy makers and sugar farmers have been fighting for years in Congress. The sugar farmers are winning.
