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
What this show covers
Economicseconomic policyconsumer priceseconomic historyinvestinginnovationSocial SecurityRetirementconsumer behaviorWall Streetinflationlabor economicsproperty rightsrefundsimport taxes
What listeners will find here
Tariff refunds are flowing to companies. Why aren’t consumers getting checks too?
This episode digs into why some businesses and individuals are receiving IEEPA tariff refunds after courts ruled certain tariffs illegal, while most shoppers are not. It’s a practical look at where the money went, who can claim it, and why the answer is messier than it seems.
How a postage coupon turned Charles Ponzi into the face of financial fraud
Charles Ponzi's scheme traces how an Italian immigrant in 1919 spotted a money-making angle in international reply coupons and built the fraud that gave the world the term "Ponzi scheme." It promises a focused origin story of a scam so influential its name became shorthand.
Inside the lab shaping the explosion of strange new drinks
This episode explores why the beverage aisle suddenly feels packed with seltzers, odd soda flavors, and “functional” drinks. It goes inside a secretive beverage lab to show how food scientists help create these products and why the drinks business is changing so fast.
Social Security’s 2032 crunch: whose money could keep benefits flowing?
Social Security faces a funding shortfall by 2032 that could leave it unable to make full retiree payments. This episode walks through the most-discussed fixes, who would bear the cost of each, and how a former chief actuary sizes up the options.
The hidden rich shaping prices, taxes, and power far from Silicon Valley
This episode looks at the wealthy Americans behind car dealerships, salons, dental practices, and niche suppliers who collectively hold enormous power. It asks how these “Main Street millionaires” rose to rival billionaire oligarchs and how they influence policy in ways that can lower their taxes and raise your prices.
Episodes
More like Planet Money
RNIB Connect
RNIB Connect Radio
Bloomberg Intelligence
Bloomberg
FT News Briefing
Financial Times
Odd Lots
Bloomberg
The Other Hand
Jim Power & Chris Johns
Political Currency
Persephonica
The Rest Is Money
Goalhanger
Big Technology Podcast
Alex Kantrowitz
Chanticleer
Australian Financial Review
Unhedged
Financial Times