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September 9, 2012 New tablets and smartphones (and rumors of more) have come so rapidly, it's been hard to keep up. The dilemma, when technology is concerned, has always been whether to buy now or wait for a better, perhaps cheaper, and shinier gadget to come along. So where does that leave you, the consumer?

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September 7, 2012 WBEZThe Panera coffee and sandwich chain is replacing some of its stores with nonprofit versions that allow customers to pay what they want and raise awareness about food insecurity. So far, the stores are paying for themselves.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

September 6, 2012 As Europe's Central Bank announced the latest plan to deal with the Continent's debt crisis, markets on both sides of the Atlantic rallied. Now investors are turning their focus to Friday's U.S. unemployment report, searching for signs that the job market is strengthening.

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September 5, 2012 Since January 2011, the government has knocked 2 percentage points off the payroll tax, which funds Social Security. But even as the economy appears to still be in a rut, there's little appetite to extend the tax holiday and its $95 billion price tag.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

September 3, 2012 KQEDOn Kickstarter, the largest crowd-funding site, a handful of entrepreneurs have raised millions of dollars more than they expected. But if they fail to deliver their promised product, questions arise over whether the supporters are donating money or making a purchase.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

September 1, 2012 Sales spiked for the iGrill, a Bluetooth-connected cooking thermometer for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, after an enthusiastic online mention from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. But is it worth the $80 pricetag? We put the iGrill through its paces.

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August 27, 2012 When the political conventions were kicking off in 2008, the direction of the U.S. economy was clear: down. The state of the 2012 economy will provide Republicans and Democrats with much to debate.

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August 19, 2012 KPLULoyalty cards have long given discounts to shoppers, but lately national grocery store chains are getting even more personal. They're offering discounts tailored to each customer's unique shopping habits, which means someone else might be getting a better price than you.

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On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

August 16, 2012 A growing number of companies hope more consumers will soon be making purchases with mobile phones. More retailers are also using technology that turns devices like tablets into cash registers.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

August 16, 2012 Foreign Policy's Joshua E. Keating says linguistic differences may offer useful hints about a nation's economic policies.

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August 16, 2012 Over the past four years, Bruce Marks has been on a traveling road show to help people avoid foreclosure. He says his nonprofit, the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America, has helped more than 200,000 people get their payments lowered so they can afford to keep their homes.

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August 15, 2012 "When prices go up, they notice it. When prices go down, they don't care."

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