Real wages rebound, while low-income earners play catch-up
Aug 22, 2023

Real wages rebound, while low-income earners play catch-up

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After losing ground to inflation, low-income households are struggling to catch up. Plus, a reporter's diary of her plastic use.

Segments From this episode

The dollar's falling back to Earth as other countries raise their own interest rates

Aug 22, 2023
A year ago, U.S. exporters were complaining that the dollar was too strong. Not anymore.
A weaker U.S. dollar could help companies that export, while importers might have to pay more for the products they bring in.
Adem Altan/AFP via Getty Images

"Date the rate, marry the house": The lure of refinancing when buying a home

Aug 22, 2023
Mortgage rates are still high, but some real estate agents have been citing an old refrain: "You can always refinance." Except, others say, when you can't
Even if mortgages get cheaper, so might homes, which would complicate refinancing, said Sacramento real estate agent Erin Stumpf.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Are American malls back from the brink?

Aug 22, 2023
While the "malls are dying" narrative has has been prevalent for a while, foot traffic is up at shopping centers serving more affluent consumers.
Malls in more affluent, suburban settings are thriving, thanks in part to an influx of luxury brands.
Scott Heins/Getty Images

Fly fishing was her passion. Now it's her business.

Aug 22, 2023
Dylan Demery opened Colorado-based She's Fly with two friends to provide outdoor clothing and gear that were comfortable for women.
Dylan Demery loved fly fishing but often couldn't find gear suitable for women.
Courtesy Demery

Even as real wages rebound, low-income households are playing catch-up

Aug 22, 2023
Average hourly earnings are now rising faster than prices. But two years of high inflation have left many low-income people in a financial hole.
Inflation can take a heavier toll on low-income workers because a large proportion of their pay goes toward necessities like food.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Keeping a diary of plastic use can be "a little horrifying"

Aug 22, 2023
What a reporter learned by cataloging all the plastic products around her.
Once plastic products are created, they don't ever decompose — and we keep producing more. "More is getting into our environment, but more doesn't necessarily need to be there," said Susanne Rust, an environment reporter for the LA Times.
Yasin Akgul/AFP via Getty Images

Music from the episode

Merci Cory Wong
Hard to Say Goodbye Washed Out
Toad Lick East Forest
Can I Kick It? A Tribe Called Quest
Pumpkin Islands

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer
Maria Hollenhorst Producer II
Andie Corban Producer I
Sarah Leeson Producer I
Sean McHenry Director & Associate Producer II
Richard Cunningham Associate Producer I
Dylan Miettinen Associate Digital Producer