Planet Money

Planet Money
  • 4.6 (29K)
  • BUSINESS
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Planet Money

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Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money, we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring you along for the ride. Don't just understand the economy – understand the world.Wanna go deeper? Subscribe to Planet Money+ and get sponsor-free episodes of Planet Money, The Indicator, and Planet Money Summer School. Plus access to bonus content. It's a new way to support the show you love. Learn more at plus.npr.org/planetmoney

  1. Can we just change how we measure GDP?

    11H AGO

    Can we just change how we measure GDP?

    There's one statistic that rules them all when it comes to keeping track of the economy: gross domestic product (GDP). It's the sum of all final transactions, so all the goods or services bought and sold, in an economy. GDP tells us how hot the economy is running, or how cool — like if we might be heading into a recession. And it's an important tool to compare countries, policies, and politicians. It's used by the U.S. government to allocate money and by businesses to make decisions about the future. For close to a century the building blocks of GDP have been the same. Now Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, has proposed a big change: taking government spending out of GDP. On today's show, can the U.S. change how it measures GDP? We talk with a former head of the BEA — about what he thinks they're likely to do now, and about the pressure he faced while trying to compile GDP for nearly two decades. Turns out, people have always been trying to bend it to make whatever grand project they're working on look better. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    22 min
  2. Escheat show (Update)

    3D AGO

    Escheat show (Update)

    Note: This original episode ran in 2020. Walter Schramm did everything right as an investor — at least according to the philosophy of Warren Buffett. So how come he lost a small fortune? In this episode, we look into an obscure government program that slurps up forgotten money. We hunt for money we might have left vulnerable and we try to figure out how it got there in the first place so we can tell you where to find the money you've misplaced too. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    23 min
  3. How Tupperware took over our homes, with Decoder Ring

    MAR 14

    How Tupperware took over our homes, with Decoder Ring

    Tupperware is the stealthy star of our modern homes. These plastic storage containers are ubiquitous in our fridges, pantries, and closets. But the original product was revolutionary. So was its breakthrough sales strategy: the Tupperware Party. Led in part by a charismatic housewife turned business innovator, Tupperware pioneered more than the party. Brownie Wise, and the company she came to represent, are behind a core sales technique that we might now recognize as influencer marketing. The company was so successful at its peak, it reached almost cult status. But it didn't last. On our latest episode: Tupperware's success and the company's demise. And how its descendants — in products, and in sales strategies — lived on. This episode is in partnership with Decoder Ring. For even more on the legacy of Tupperware, listen to their full episode. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    28 min

  4. MAR 12

    The last time we shrank the federal workforce

    If you cut every single federal job President Donald Trump wants to cut, how much money would that save? A president has tried to massively shrink the size of the federal government before. It was in the 90s, under a Democrat. Today on the show: Where they found waste the last time we really looked. (Hint: it wasn't jobs.) And why the pace of firings under Trump might start to slow down. For more:- Lessons for the Future of Government Reform- Is government too big? Reflections on the size and composition of today's federal government- Creating a Government That Works Better and Costs Less This episode of Planet Money was produced by Willa Rubin. It was edited by Jess Jiang and engineered by Jimmy Keeley. We had fact-checking help from Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer. Special thanks to Ben Zipperer. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Music: Audio Network - "West Green Road," "Raise Up," and "Blue and Green." Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    27 min
  5. Toxic assets almost brought down the economy. In 2010, we bought one! (PM+)

    MAR 10 · BONUS • PLANET MONEY+ ONLY

    Toxic assets almost brought down the economy. In 2010, we bought one! (PM+)

    Remember toxic assets? They were those complicated bonds, filled with home mortgages, that nearly brought down the global economy. 15 years ago, Planet Money bought one to figure out how the 2008 housing bust and its fallout unfolded. It was Planet Money's first big series where to understand and explain something, we got into the business ourselves. To mark the anniversary, former Planet Money hosts David Kestenbaum and Chana Joffe-Walt (both now with This American Life) talk with executive producer Alex Goldmark. David and Chana share memories of how the series came about and other highlights from working on it, including why they used their own money to buy their toxic asset AKA "Toxie." We're ALSO very excited to announce that Planet Money+ supporters can now hear the entire toxic asset series in one playlist, right in your podcast app. We've also put together two other exclusive playlists featuring some of Planet Money's other projects, with more playlists rolling out this year. If you're already a Planet Money+ listener, follow the instructions here to add the playlists: https://help.npr.org/contact/s/article?name=How-do-I-listen-to-playlists-exclusive-collections If you haven't signed up yet, now's your chance to enjoy all the benefits of PM+, including sponsor-free listening. Just go to plus.npr.org. PM+ PLAYLISTS ON APPLE: We Bought A Toxic Asset: https://n.pr/4kzcImN We Invested In Gold: https://n.pr/3FsOBWK We Set Up A Shell Company: https://n.pr/3FsOHxA

    26 min
  6. How to start a bank

    MAR 7

    How to start a bank

    In some ways, starting a bank is a lot like starting any other business. Who will you hire? Where will you be located? What color will the couches be? But it's also way more complicated. There are tons of regulations on banks–and you can understand why. Lots of new businesses fail. But if a bank fails, it can have ripple effects for the entire economy. Today on the show, a baby bank is born. We go along for the ride from idea to ribbon cutting as a community bank gets off the ground.This episode of Planet Money was produced by Emma Peaslee and edited by Katie Mingle. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez and engineered by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Music: NPR Source Audio- "Numbers Game," "Smoke and Mirrors," and "Lets Start A Movement" Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    26 min

  7. MAR 6 • PLANET MONEY+ ONLY

    A few words about the future of federal funding

    This is a special message providing updates to our supporters about the future of federal funding for public media. For nearly fifty years, a bipartisan majority in Congress has supported funding for public media, and these efforts. But, today calls to defund public media are getting louder. Federal funding for all of public media amounts to about $1.60 per person each year, and it's an essential component for the sustainability of many local media organizations' work. Whatever the challenges, whatever the tests, together, we remain committed to ensuring that all communities across America continue to have access to reliable information, news and educational resources for generations to come. For now, please stay informed about the future of federal funding through www.protectmypublicmedia.org.

    1 min
  8. The Parable of Peanut the Memecoin

    MAR 5

    The Parable of Peanut the Memecoin

    Memecoins are having a moment. Everyone from Hawk Tuah to President Donald Trump to animal influencers like Moo Deng the pygmy hippo have been turned into cryptocurrency. But what are the costs of all the hype? On today's show — a modern parable. How an orphaned baby rodent became a world famous animal influencer, became a political martyr, and was finally transmuted into a billion dollar cryptocurrency. It's a tale about how a chance encounter can lead to fame and fortune. But also how all that can spin wildly out of control in this brave, new – kind of terrifying – attention economy we're all living in. This episode was hosted by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi and Nic Neves. This episode was produced by James Sneed. It was edited by Jess Jiang. Fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. And engineered by Jimmy Keeley. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    35 min
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Shows with Subscription Benefits

  • A little show about big ideas. From the people who make Planet Money, The Indicator helps you make sense of what's happening today. It's a quick hit of insight into work, business, the economy, and everything else. Listen weekday afternoons.Try Planet Money+! a new way to support the show you love, get a sponsor-free feed of the podcast, *and* get access to bonus content. You'll also get access to The Indicator and Planet Money Summer School, both without interruptions. sign up at plus.npr.org/planetmoney

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  • Economics is a game you should know how to play. And once you get the fundamental concepts, you start to see it everywhere: the news, the supermarket and even your dating life. So it's time to learn the rules. Planet Money Summer School is a crash course in economics for your ears. See the world through the lens of an economist and you'll start to feel a little less overwhelmed when making financial decisions. And if you're in front of the classroom? Teachers, this is made for you, too. Let us be your breezy and fun companion to assigned readings. We'll even assign the homework (and spare you the groans). Go beyond summer school and stay up-to-date on the economy with the latest episodes of the Planet Money podcast.Got money on your mind? Try Planet Money+ — a new way to support the show you love, get a sponsor-free feed of the podcast, *and* get access to bonus content. A subscription also gets you access to The Indicator and Planet Money Summer School, both without interruptions.

    • 4.6 (167)
    • EDUCATION

  • We kept hearing how a ton of wealth is stored in offshore tax havens. How does this secret, shady world work? We set up not one, but two shell companies to find out. Turns out it's pretty easy? (This series originally ran in 2012.)

    • 5.0 (1)
    • BUSINESS

  • Remember toxic assets? Those complicated mortgage bonds that almost brought down the financial system? We bought one to figure out how the 2008 housing crisis played out. We called it Toxie. (This series originally ran in 2010-2011.)Subscribe to Planet Money+ now to get access and get sponsor-free listening to Planet Money.

    • 0.0 (0)
    • BUSINESS

  • Gold has been used as money for thousands of years. Why gold? We bought and sold some to find out. Along the way, we look at the gold standard and learn a lot about (economic) bubbles. (This series originally ran in 2010-2011.)

    • 0.0 (0)
    • BUSINESS

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4.6
out of 5
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About

Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money, we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring you along for the ride. Don't just understand the economy – understand the world.Wanna go deeper? Subscribe to Planet Money+ and get sponsor-free episodes of Planet Money, The Indicator, and Planet Money Summer School. Plus access to bonus content. It's a new way to support the show you love. Learn more at plus.npr.org/planetmoney

Information

  • Channel
    Planet Money
  • Creator
    NPR
  • Years Active
    2008 - 2025
  • Episodes
    603
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2015-2021 NPR - For Personal Use Only
  • Show Website
    Planet Money
  • Provider
    NPR

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