Debt

New weekly claims for unemployment fell last week to the lowest level in four and a half years. Elsewhere around the world, the S&P has downgraded the soveign debt of Spain.

Scott Reynolds Nelson argues in his new book, "A Nation of Deadbeats," that Americans' deadbeat nature has been the cause of many of the country's economic crisis.

Companies in some of the weaker eurozone economies are facing much higher borrowing costs, as much as 50 percent higher than for companies in Germany.

Has the attitude about debt and the deficit changed over time?

A banker doesn't listen to her own advice and falls deep into credit card debt. She takes on a blue collar job to get herself back in the black.

The financial toll on families from the dreadful economy of recent years is enormous.

I received a large bonus, and I'm going to use it all to pay down credit card debt. I have many cards. They all have about the same outstanding balances and about the same interest rates. At one time, most of the cards were "maxed out," which was bad for my credit score. Should I pay off a couple cards entirely, or should I make larger-than-usual payments to all of them, bringing down the outstanding balances substantially below the credit limits? Thanks. Henry, Chicago, IL

A satirical video from political cartoonist Mark Fiore brought down the house at a conference on the risks of debt to the global financial system.