Marketplace Money Stories

Host Tess Vigeland and senior producer Deborah Clark dig in the Marketplace Money mail bag and respond to listener comments.

Commentator Samantha Barnes describes what it's like to readjust to a new identity when you're forced to take a new, less quality job.

What's a good way to lose money in the market? Buy high and sell low. A surprising number of people are doing exactly that. Jason Zweig, of the Wall Street Journal, talks about this emerging class of so-called "Sheepish Bulls."

This week we go to Pasadena, Calif. to look in the wallet of Kevin McManus.

Top movie critics weigh in on their favorite movies that have a financial slant

Figuring out how to pay for college — that's certainly tough, but it's only the first step. Eventually, your kid has to be accepted to go to college. Host Tess Vigeland talks to Andrew Ferguson, the author of the new book "Crazy U: One Dad's Crash Course in Getting His Kid into College."

Last week host Tess Vigeland talked to Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson, co-authors of the new book "Spousonomics." This week, they offer some "Spousonomics" counseling to one couple.

A month ago we heard the story of Karin Andreen. She and her husband were struggling through the maze of mortgage modification red tape, and this week we'll hear about the new developments.

Pre-paid college tuition plans were created to help save parents' bank accounts from the inflation of college costs. But several states are abandoning the pre-paid programs or making big adjustments to them — and parents are wondering what happens next.

Sometimes the biggest hurdle for home buyers is the down payment. There are non-profits and state home finance agencies that can help. But in the wake of the housing crisis, though, when many home buyers got in over their heads, this raises a big question: If you can't save enough money for a down payment, should you be buying a home at all?