Year: 2008

Rene Marie, a former bank teller, has been living her dream by performing as a jazz singer. Her earnings aren't as steady as those she enjoyed from the bank, but she says that's the price of freedom. Jo Giese reports.

When you get together with your friends, do you share your financial situations? Commentator Shira Boss says a lot of us would profit from talking about our money issues.

Hurricane Katrina was one of the biggest lessons in being financially ready for the worst. Sam Eaton visited New Orleans for the second anniversary back in August. He found three lifelong residents who returned after the storm with a newfound sense of how to prepare for the next one.

There were plenty of downward spirals, busts and crunches in the 2007 economy, but investment in clean energy took off with plenty of big players getting involved. Sam Eaton reports.

The state of New York is the first to enact an Airline Passenger Bill of Rights, requiring that passengers have certain needs fulfilled if they have to wait on the tarmac. Jill Barshay reports some airlines are protesting the measure.

New rules are giving Chinese employees something most Americans take for granted: paid days off. Scott Tong reports this is especially good for encouraging spending, as Chinese workers save too much.

With landfill space at a premium, a group of scientists think they have a solution: a machine that turns trash into small pellets and fuel. But is it practical? Janet Babin explores the debate over plasma gasification

From more fluid ways to transfer media from platform to platform to unexpected new uses of the GPS, new technology will be bustling in the new year. Lisa Napoli takes a sneak peak at what's coming up.