Marielle Segarra

Senior Reporter

SHORT BIO

Marielle Segarra is a former reporter for Marketplace. She covers taxes and consumer psychology. She covered retail, consumer psychology and the economy. One topic she enjoyed exploring: how we shop – and the emotions that come up as we do. Pride. Guilt. Frustration. She also followed small businesses as they find their way in the pandemic and is always trying to show people how the ins and outs of the economy are relevant to their lives.

What was your first job?

Summer camp counselor to a bunch of 5-year-olds.

In your next life, what would your career be?

I think I would still want to create things. Maybe I'd be a chef. Or an interior designer. Or I'd write for a TV show.

Fill in the blank: Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you ______.

Financial stability, which is a good start.

What’s the favorite item in your workspace and why?

My stash of chocolate.

Latest Stories (452)

A Maine social worker finds a new calling on a cross-country bike trip

Aug 8, 2022
Leah Day knew she was ready for a professional change, but wasn't exactly sure what was next.
Twain Braden, Leah Day and their sweet dog, Georgie. Braden supported Day's cross-country bike trip with son Oakley.
Marielle Segarra/Getty Images

Wildfires disproportionately affect low-income Americans, study finds

Aug 3, 2022
The overlap between wildfire risk and concentrated insurance markets leaves residents with few options.
A firefighting helicopter flies near smoke and flames at the McKinney Fire, in the Klamath National Forest near Yreka, California, on August 2, 2022.
DAVID MCNEW/AFP via Getty Images

Food price increases show signs of moderating

Aug 1, 2022
Grocery prices are up more than 12% over the past year. Climate change, the war in Ukraine and energy costs all have something to do with it.
A ship carrying corn leaves Odessa, Ukraine, on Monday, bound for Lebanon. Ukraine is an important producer of grain for world markets, and the Russian invasion prevented food exports for months.
Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP via Getty Images

It's hard to keep costs down at the supermarket, thanks to store design and our emotions

Jul 19, 2022
Grocery stores play on our sense of nostalgia with older music, and strategically placed items may trigger impulse buys, experts say.
Ever notice the nostalgic music playing in grocery stores? That's often intentional — putting customers in a good mood, which might encourage them to buy more.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Ports tackle vessel "dwell times" to reduce backups

Jun 29, 2022
The Port of Oakland wants to shorten the stays of shipping containers at its marine terminals.
Dwell times for shipping containers at ports have risen dramatically during the pandemic.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The salary games some employers play

Jun 6, 2022
Withholding information about pay during the hiring process? In this economy?
Pay transparency laws aim to prevent pay discrimination. But some employers act like it’s inappropriate to even ask about pay. 
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Activision Blizzard employees vote to form a union

May 31, 2022
It's the first union at a major company in the $180 billion gaming industry, and could be a sign of things to come.
The union at Activision Blizzard is the first at a major gaming company.
Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Activision

The pros and cons of the sinking euro

May 30, 2022
What could be the effects of the euro and the U.S. dollar having equal value?
The euro's value is sliding against the U.S. dollar, which could lead to parity. That hasn't happened in decades.
Getty Images

Glass art called to him, so he left Home Depot to make marbles

May 16, 2022
Hunter Read traded in his day job for long hours and the physically demanding task of crafting artsy marbles. And he loves it.
“You couldn’t stop me from doing this if you tried,“ Hunter Read says of making his faceted glass marbles.
Marielle Segarra/Marketplace

What will it take to boost housing supply?

Apr 18, 2022
Problems to be solved include the availability of materials and supply chain kinks.
Building materials for new homes are pricier and harder to come by.
Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images