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'Shortchanged': Preying on Low-Income Americans

Payday loans, pawn shops, and check-cashing services offer low-income earners easy money at high interest rates. Madeleine Brand speaks with Howard Karger, author of Shortchanged: Life and Debt in the Fringe Economy, a study of predatory lending and its practitioners and patrons.

'Shortchanged': Preying on Low-Income Americans

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Motley Fool Profiles

Ken Dychtwald on Aging Baby Boomers

Beginning on Jan.1, 2006, every 8 seconds, another North American baby boomer will be turning 60. That's around 11,000 each day — and 4.5 million each year. So what will it mean for society — and the nation's finances. David Gardner talks about the changing face of retirement with Ken Dychtwald, author of The Power Years: A User's Guide to the Rest of Your Life.

Ken Dychtwald on Aging Baby Boomers

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Paying at the Pump

Do Hybrid Cars Save Money?

Hybrid cars certainly save gas, but it's debatable whether they save money for consumers. Steve Inskeep talks with Joseph White, Detroit bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, who argues that -- at least for now -- they don't.

Do Hybrid Cars Save Money?

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Business

Oil Companies Experiencing Record Profits

Strong global demand for energy combined with tight supplies has resulted in record oil company profits. Some politicians are crying foul, especially after Katrina. But most analysts say it's the market at work.

Oil Companies Experiencing Record Profits

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Katrina & Beyond

Hikes in Insurance Rates Expected After Katrina

The insurance industry appears ready to absorb the massive costs of Hurricane Katrina -- estimates range from $35 billion to $60 billion -- but some companies are hiking rates in the Gulf region in preparation for future storm damage.

Hikes in Insurance Rates Expected After Katrina

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Slate's Dismal Science: Gas at Any Price?

Economist and Slate contributor Austan Goolsbee shares his thoughts with Alex Chadwick about whether high gas prices in the wake of the Gulf Coast hurricanes will change American driving habits. His conclusion? Americans will only change their driving habits if they are forced to pay $5 or more per gallon, for at least five years.

Slate's Dismal Science: Gas at Any Price?

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The Color of Money

Watch Out for Flood-Damaged Used Cars

Madeleine Brand speaks with personal finance contributor Michelle Singletary about ways to avoid buying a flood-damaged used car. In the wake of extensive hurricane damage on the Gulf Coast, thousands of compromised vehicles could be on the used car market soon.

Watch Out for Flood-Damaged Used Cars

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Katrina & Beyond

Houston Evacuation Plagued by Gas Shortages

After the massive evacuation of Houston for Hurricane Rita, many people in the metropolitan area are wondering why there wasn't enough gasoline to get them out of town.

Houston Evacuation Plagued by Gas Shortages

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The Fool Phones: How's Business?

Is there good money in leather fire buckets? What's life like as a puppeteer? And what exactly is a body puppet? David Gardner and Motley Fool Personal Finance Expert Dayana Yochim talk to a motley array of callers with a motley array of jobs.

The Fool Phones: How's Business?

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Translating Education into Earnings

How much is a college degree really worth? How much is a high school diploma really worth? What is the real relationship between real wages and education? David Gardner talks with Fool Radio Economics Contributor Charlie Wheelan about the relationship between education, employment and income.

Translating Education into Earnings

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Mutual Funds with a Mission: Worth the Investment?

Some mutual funds offer investors a profile with social responsibility as the chief selling point. Steve Inskeep talks to Jonathan Clements, financial columnist for The Wall Street Journal, about whether you can make a profit and make a difference at the same time.

Mutual Funds with a Mission: Worth the Investment?

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Motley Fool Profiles

Finding the Best Dirty Work in the Country

Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs, a new TV series, learns first-hand about dirty work. He brings a gung-ho viewpoint to work that is often overlooked -- and he manages to see the bright side: "If you're a sewer inspector for instance, in San Francisco, it's a pretty good job," with good city benefits, he says.

Finding the Best Dirty Work in the Country

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