Where can borrowers get loans when banks and credit unions aren't an option? Maybe a low credit score, lack of collateral, or small loan amount don't fit with large lending sources. The November 2015 issue of Page One Economics: Focus on Finance describes a growing trend—peer-to-peer lending—as an alternative for borrowers and potential investment opportunity for lenders.

Remember when airlines started charging for checked bags? What happened to the number of checked bags after this added charge? And what happened to the availability of in-cabin storage space on planes? The April 2013 issue answers these questions and discusses the pivotal role price plays in a market economy.

Are many products made in the United States anymore? As it turns out, yes. In fact, U.S. manufacturing output is near its highest level ever—and with fewer workers. How is that possible? Productivity growth. The March 2017 issue of Page One Economics describes what affects productivity, why economists are concerned about its recent slowdown, and what can be done about it.

The cost of a college education seems to be skyrocketing—but is it really? Learn about the concept of price discrimination and how it affects college costs.

The familiar magnetic stripe credit cards used for decades in the United States are being phased out. Read about the new smart-chip credit cards, designed to reduce fraud and improve security, in the March 2016 issue of Page One Economics: Focus on Finance.

Spending patterns change over time because of changes in income, education, the structure of our families, and technology. The April 2018 issue of Page One Economics: Focus on Finance addresses how phone technology has changed our lives and our budgets.

The life cycle model shows that saving for the future requires people to limit consumption during their working years and save so they will have a "nest egg" to draw on during retirement. Recent changes in how people save for retirement have shifted some responsibility from firms to individuals. Read more in the November 2014 issue.

What skills do you need to develop for future success? Academics for sure, but soft skills are also important. Learn more about soft skills, the labor force, and unemployment in the May 2016 issue of Page One Economics: Focus on Finance.

Stock market mutual funds offer investors diversified stock market portfolios, but there are several types. Actively managed funds attempt to “beat” the market by using research, forecasts, and judgment to pick stocks with the best growth prospects. Passively managed funds attempt to replicate the market by buying a representative sample of the stocks on a specific stock market index. Which to choose? The April 2016 issue of Page One Economics explains the efficient market hypothesis and how it might influence your investment decisions.

Modern economies rely heavily on financial intermediaries to channel funds between borrowers and lenders. In this issue, the role of traditional banking is outlined and a parallel system—shadow banking—is explored.

U.S. taxpayers expect the government to be a careful steward of taxpayer money. The October 2017 issue of Page One Economics: Focus on Finance explains how the Treasury Offset Program recovers taxpayer money from people who have received government benefits in error or by fraud and also recovers delinquent child support.

Today, every state has an unemployment insurance program. This provides some income to qualified, unemployed workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. But how did these programs begin and how does the federal-state partnership work? The December 2020 issue of Page One Economics®: Focus on Finance describes this partnership that began in 1935.

The average saving rate for the typical American household before the recession started in 2007 was 2.9 percent; since then it has risen to 5 percent. Uncertainty about the future was the primary driver for the increase. More saving is a good thing, right? Well, some economists argue it might be detrimental to the overall economy. Given the benefits to individuals, how could this be? The May 2012 issue explores this "paradox of thrift."

Is there a recipe for economic growth? Perhaps some Miracle-Gro for the economy? If only it were that easy. While the exact recipe is a mystery, economists have identified some of the key ingredients. The September 2013 issue discusses the role that economic institutions play in fostering long-term economic growth.

Does it feel like your dollars go as far as they used to? If not, how does that mesh when reports say inflation rates are lower than average? The October 2015 issue of Page One Economics explains the disconnect between what you might experience as a consumer and what the data show.

Over 200 years ago, Adam Smith attempted to explain why some nations are wealthier than others. Today, the gap between rich and poor countries is even larger. The September 2017 issue of Page One Economics describes how total factor productivity contributes to economic growth and how growth leads to a rising standard of living.

With prices of new vehicles at all-time highs, many buyers are looking for used vehicles. It can be challenging, though, to figure out what is or isn't a good deal. The September 2016 issue of Page One Economics explains why asymmetric information makes it difficult for used-car buyers to avoid "lemons" and why lemons are a larger problem for the used-car market.

The unemployment rate always seems to be in the news, but did you know there are different kinds of unemployment? There is the natural rate of unemployment; cyclical, frictional, and structural unemployment; plus underemployment. Read the October 2013 issue to learn the differences.

Robots are in the headlines, and many of us are wondering if they’ll also be taking over our jobs. Is the “Robot Apocalypse” upon us, or is this part of a larger trend that’s been occurring for much of human history? Find out by reading the January 2018 issue of Page One Economics.

App-driven jobs allow workers to decide when, where, and how much to work—one “gig” at a time. Learn more about this new employment trend in the January 2019 issue of Page One Economics.