I've Always Wondered ...

If you’re like us, you’ve got a lot of questions about the small, simple, ubiquitous things in the world of business. Let's find the answers.

What have you always wondered about the economy?

Are too many commercials bad for a company?

I've Always Wondered ...

Why aren’t all gas tanks on the same side of the car?

I've Always Wondered ...

Who does the U.S. owe $31.4 trillion?

I've Always Wondered ...

Why are bananas so cheap?

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I've Always Wondered ...

Where has all the store seating gone?

by Janet Nguyen

May 5, 2023

Many outlets have removed chairs and benches, potentially boosting profits. But some shoppers won’t stand for it.

“If people are sitting, they're not spending," one retail expert told us.

I've Always Wondered ...

How do carmakers set the "manufacturer’s suggested retail price"?

by Janet Nguyen

Apr 28, 2023

Every car has one, but what you actually pay may differ from this amount.

A car's sticker price communicates its worth — but there might be better deals out there.

David McNew/Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

What would happen if paper money became obsolete?

by Janet Nguyen

Apr 21, 2023

A large number of Americans have gone cashless, but many still have to rely on it.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

How does the tax code influence what we do with our money?

by Janet Nguyen

Apr 14, 2023

Get married? Buy a house? Invest or work? Tax rates and deductions reveal what behaviors society values.

A view of single-family homes in Miramar, Florida. The mortgage interest deduction is helpful for homeowners, but economists say it can actually hurt homeownership rates.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

Why do teachers pay for school supplies with their own money?

by Janet Nguyen

Apr 7, 2023

Instructors are investing their cash, along with their skill and passion, in their students' education.

School supplies are often in short supply in the classroom, so many teachers dig into their own pockets to provide them.

Olivier Touron/AFP via Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

Why do pharmaceutical companies give away some expensive drugs for free?

by Janet Nguyen

Mar 31, 2023

Some offer patient assistance programs, where people can access drugs for free, or cheaper than they would normally pay.

Patient assistance programs might provide much needed relief for patients on an individual level, but they can end up costing health insurers more money.

PAUL J. RICHARDS / Staff

I've Always Wondered ...

What would happen if everyone just stopped paying their student debt?

by Janet Nguyen

Mar 24, 2023

U.S. borrowers hold a collective $1.8 trillion in both public and private student loans.

Student loan borrowers gathered near The White House at the beginning of the pandemic, telling President Joe Biden to cancel student debt.

Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We, The 45 Million

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I've Always Wondered ...

You can protect more than $250,000 at a bank. But beware the “moral hazard.”

by Janet Nguyen

Mar 17, 2023

The FDIC allows coverage of different types of accounts at the same bank. There are also services that help you spread your money around.

Depositors are covered by the FDIC for up to $250,000, but there are ways to skirt the limit.

Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

Will we ever run out of Social Security numbers?

by Janet Nguyen

Mar 10, 2023

With 1 billion possible combinations, we still have decades before they’re used up.

Your Social Security number is yours even after 'til death do you part.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

What the monthly jobs report can — and can’t — tell us about the labor market

by Janet Nguyen

Mar 3, 2023

There are ways to figure out the quality of jobs that are being added to the economy.

We can glean how well paid some jobs are by looking at industry data in the monthly jobs report.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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