Kai has never actually bought a brand new car. It's always been second-hand. But every time, he's bought a car because the old one finally gave up the chase. And usually that comes after a substantial investment in trying to fix it. How do you figure out whether it's cheaper to fix your old jalopy or just buy a new car? Brian Jones found out... when his six-year-old car needed a big repair.

The writers behind many of our favorite movies and TV shows have been working without a contract the past couple of months. The Writer's Guild of America says offers for benefits and residuals pay are unacceptable. The Guild calls its members 'America's Storytellers.' But on this week's 'A Day In the Work Life'...our regular look at how folks trade their time for money...we hear from a different kind of storyteller. His life makes for quite a yarn.

Own a home? Or a car? You’re probably well acquainted with the world of insurance policies. No one likes to pay for something they'll hope they won't need, but the experts agree that car, home and medical insurance are musts. But what about credit card loss protection or travel insurance? Kai interviews Consumer Reports' deputy editor Lisa Freeman about insurance policies you don’t need.

Curious about who is looking after your wallet? Kai investigates what regulators have been doing to protect your finances. Right now, the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating mutual funds, 401ks, and insurance companies. We get a SEC roundup from Professor Eric Talley, a securities legal expert.