Posted by Ryan Faughnder

For Marketplace Money, Fri., Aug. 19, 2011

Today we’ve posed the question: what is the consumer’s role in the economic recovery? Should we be spending or saving? That probably depends on the condition of your finances. Commentator Rob Walker says that in order to really understand the consumers role in the economic recovery we need to better understand just who the consumer is. One of the reasons so many people regularly proselytize for savings on this program is that the effects can be far-reaching and severe. We give you the story of a 38 year-old Chicagoan denied a job because of what spending on education did to her credit report. Adam Allington tells you how to clean up your credit. And the government is telling people to spend more to boost the economy. Should we listen?

Here are the songs we played today:

• Future – Cut CopyBuy

• Working Man – Lowell FulsonBuy

• night falls – Booka ShadeBuy

• The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades – Timbuk 3Buy

• Dream Montage – Keith ForseyBuy

• Sad Song – Au Revoir SimoneBuy