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Marketplace Money for Friday, February 24, 2012
Feb 24, 2012

Marketplace Money for Friday, February 24, 2012

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The Occupy Wall Street movement called attention to the widening wealth gap. And one of the big questions is whether that mythical American rags to riches story is becoming obsolete. We'll try to define what it means to be rich and poor in this country. And we all need to take some responsibility for our own lack of savings, but these days, the government isn't making it any easier. Plus, we have a plea for bringing back the savings bond. And putting money away for retirement is a lot like exercising.

Segments From this episode

Putting your mind to it: The willpower instinct

Feb 23, 2012
Whether you want to lose weight or save money, you're gonna need the secret ingredient: willpower. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal discusses the art and science of self control.
Putting our minds to what shapes our decisions is one way to get control of personal finances.
GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images

Getting Personal: The perils of private student debt

Feb 23, 2012
MSN's Liz Weston discusses tax rebates, student debt and how to negotiate the foreclosure process.
Liz Weston rule about student loans: borrow no more for education than you expect to make the first year out of school.
RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images

Introducing the Wealth & Poverty beat

Feb 24, 2012
Reporter Mitchell Hartman discusses the need for Marketplace's new Wealth & Poverty desk.

The $10,000 home

Feb 24, 2012
Neighborhoods in Atlanta have been devastated as home prices have fallen. How are residents coping with moving from high on the hog to the other side of the tracks?

Pain at the pump

Feb 24, 2012
Washington bureau chief John Dimsdale discusses how rising gas prices are hurting consumers, enough to get the president's attention.

Credit card attack!

Feb 24, 2012
So much for the end of crazy credit card solicitations -- card companies have become more aggressive than ever. We look at which solicitation techniques work and why.
So much for the end of crazy credit card solicitations -- card companies have become more aggressive than ever. We look at which solicitation techniques work and why.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The accordion family: When kids move home

Feb 24, 2012
The number of adults who are moving back in with their parents is on the rise. Author Katherine Newman discusses how families are affected when the kids move back in.
An extremely tough job market for young people has seen kids returning home to live with their parents in droves. As these households expand like the bellows of an accordion, stress often follows.
ALAIN JOCARD/AFP/Getty Images

Save our savings

Feb 24, 2012
Marketplace economics editor Chris Farrell says it's all very well telling us to save, but where are we supposed to put our money?

Piggy for a frugal valentine

Feb 24, 2012
Our plastic porcine pal heads to Wisconsin this week, to the home of a man who cooked his way to his wife's heart on Valentine's Day.
Markus Mitterauer

Government must promote savings

Feb 24, 2012
Marketplace's economics editor Chris Farrell says government needs to push sound saving, rather than sound borrowing.

The Occupy Wall Street movement called attention to the widening wealth gap. And one of the big questions is whether that mythical American rags to riches story is becoming obsolete. We’ll try to define what it means to be rich and poor in this country. And we all need to take some responsibility for our own lack of savings, but these days, the government isn’t making it any easier. Plus, we have a plea for bringing back the savings bond. And putting money away for retirement is a lot like exercising.