We are focusing on the American Dream over the next few weeks. At its core, it symbolizes mobility. Getting a college degree. Securing a good paying job. Buying a home and saving for life after work. This weekend, we look at retirement. How we save. How we live and spend after we retire. And what are your investment options at any age? This week, a guide to your golden years.

For the next few weeks, we’re focusing on tThe American Dream. This weekend’s show is about college. It is often seen as the path to financial mobility and security. Better paying job. A chance to save for retirement. Buying a home. But talking about college means talking about student loans. It means talking about affordability and family conversations about choices. How should we think about costs? What can you do to save for college? And what are your options to manage debt? 

For the next four weeks,  we’re going to talk about The American Dream.  The phrase means something to millions of people:  getting educated, moving up, retiring well and buying a home.  This weekend’s show places home ownership under a microscope. What should you know before you buy? How should youthink about costs? And whether owning a home is the right decision for you. Plus, a game where you can test your knowledge of famous TV homes and a checklist for homebuyers out there.

Let’s face it, there are money conversations that make you squirm — especially when they occur within your family. Like when your sister asks to borrow money. Or you have to approach your parents about selling their house to pay for retirement. Or when you have to discuss a budget with your partner. This week, a guide to talking about money with your family.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve taken you back to personal finance backs. Now that you’re all caught up in the fundamentals, it’s time to pay attention to you — the consumer. We’ve got advice on what to do when you’re vacation plans are thwarted by a travel alert. Plus, the art of using social media to get better customer service. Also, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was set up to protect you. We talk to the head of the CFPB about how to use the organization to improve your overall consumer experiences. And stories about what phasing out Fannie and Freddie means for you, what news is worth, summer reading suggestions, and the mystery of COLA (we don’t mean the beverage).

For the last three weeks, we’ve gone back to the basics…understanding concepts like banking, savings and investing.  Today, we wrap up our series  with a look at one of the most important money relationships you have.  It takes maintenance, self awareness, and self control.  It’s your life with credit and debt.   How do you build or rebuild a credit history?  How many cards should you have?  And what’s the best card for you?  This week, a guide to credit and debt. 

This month, we’re devoting Marketplace Money to the basics — concepts like banking, savings and debt. Bonds, stocks, diversification, index funds, active vs. passive. Investing is one of those financial topics that requires understanding a whole lot of terms. Then, you have to understand yourself. How much risk do you want to take? How much confidence do you have? What’s your time horizon? This week, a guide to investing.

This month, we’re devoting Marketplace Money to the basics — topics like banking, investing, and credit. Saving is probably the most simple concept in personal finance. There’s no algorithm. No elaborate jargon. Just take a portion of what you earn and put it aside. But that’s the finance part of it. The personal is where we run into trouble. This week, how we save, strategies on savings and more. Plus, we take a global tour from Beijing to Brazil to Britain and back home to see how different cultures approach saving cash. And, how did the piggy bank become the icon of saving?

For the next few weeks, we’re devoting Marketplace Money to the basics, concepts like banking, investing, saving and credit. This week, we’re devoting the show to money, how we interact with it, and what the future of money looks like. The next time you hold a dollar in your hand, consider this: money is just paper. It only has value because we all believe it does. But where does this collective faith in money’s worth come from? Also, a look at how money is portrayed in pop culture. Plus, we explore the best ways to save, spend and invest your money. And forget the Washingtons and Benjamins. Dump the credit cards. These days, Bitcoin and mobile phones pay for stuff. How are new currencies changing our behavior? Finally, a visit to the future spenders of money: children, and a few personal finance experts suggest their favorite finance-related books for your summer reading list.