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When the school year ends, lower-income families can't afford the costs of summer — and kids fall behind in learning.

Summer Isn't Always A Vacation For Families Who Can't Afford It

11:06am July 17, 2016

by NPR Staff

If you've got kids, the summertime costs families who have to look for creative ways to afford it — and not just financially. Research shows lower-income kids typically fall behind over the summer.

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Consumer advocates took to the streets of Phoenix recently to protest against an Arizona utility's efforts to bill customers using a so-called "demand charge." If approved, Arizona Public Service would be the first utility in the country to place most of

Uber But For Energy: Utility Surge Pricing Threatens Summer Cool

11:37pm July 16, 2016

by Will Stone

Power companies are rushing to keep pace with the changing energy landscape. This transition is especially contentious in the desert Southwest, where energy needs are enormous during the summer.

A home is offered for sale in Chicago. Mortgage interest rates have been falling, helping potential homebuyers.

'Summer Of Love' Was More Fun, But 'Summer Of Loans' Is Good Too

9:58am July 16, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

Lending rates have been bumping along at historic lows this summer. That has helped a lot of people, such as home and car buyers. But it has hurt some too, including retirees and bankers.

Illustration of a hand dropping coins into a piggy bank

That First Paycheck Is An Exciting Moment ... And A Teachable One

5:26pm July 15, 2016

by Gabrielle Emanuel

Your first job can be a critical moment that sets you on a good financial path or a bad one. One group is trying to make sure low-income young adults get off to the right start.

Feeling Squeezed? Many Others Wedged Into The Same Tight Economic Spot

5:39pm July 14, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

A new study shows that it's not your imagination: Far more people are seeing stagnant or falling wages. In 25 advanced economies, it's the same story.

An illustration depicting college graduates drowning in a mortarboard cap full of water.

'I'm A Student-Debt Slave.' How'd We Get Here?

10:44am July 11, 2016

by Eric Westervelt

This election season, the student debt crisis has finally gotten the attention it deserves. A look at how we got here, who has profited and just a few of the lives affected.

Tourists relax on Miami Beach last August. Travel experts had been predicting that this summer would bring out our desire to take vacations and have fun. The latest jobs report confirms it: Employers are hiring to help you enjoy the season.

We Could All Use A Vacation Right Now; And Firms Are Staffing Up To Help

5:44am July 09, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

Travel experts had been predicting that summer 2016 would bring out our desire to take vacations and have fun. The latest jobs report confirms it: Employers are hiring to help you enjoy the season.

Natalia Mendez goes over mortgage terms with Raul Alvarez, a senior loan officer for Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Dec. 16 in Miami.

With Rates Down, It's Time For Many To Refinance Again. Thanks, Brexit

8:53am July 08, 2016

by Yuki Noguchi

With the Federal Reserve keeping rates low and Treasury yields dropping after the Brexit vote, mortgage rates are down too. That's spurring a boomlet in applications and refinancings.

Average U.S. gasoline prices have fallen more than 10 cents a gallon in the past month.

Brexit Bargains Abound As Loans And Gas Get Cheaper; Is That Good For Us?

12:01pm July 07, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

By voting to exit the European Union, Britons increased fears of recession. That has caused many prices to fall. Now economists aren't sure whether cheaper goods and loans will help or harm Americans.

People wait in a branch of France's national employment agency Pole Emploi, where a board read "reception without appointment" April 27 in Montpellier, southern France. While the economy is healthier in France than other European countries, unemployment r

Even In Rich Countries, Jobs Have Returned Only At A 'Painful' Pace

11:35am July 07, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

Throughout the developed world, the economic recovery has been a disappointment for workers, according to a new report. It finds many rich countries still have double-digit unemployment.