Story Ideas
The recession has made it more likely that many Americans won't be as well off when they retire as they are now--if they can even afford to retire, that is.
Read More
The tax credit for first-time homebuyers may be extended, making
millions more Americans eligible. That makes this a good time to look
into how the program has worked so far and what might be in the offing.
Read More
The rising cost of health care is leading some hospitals to cut services. The effect on patients is obvious. But what about the ripple effect on the entire community?
Read More
Halloween spending may be a harbinger of bad news to come for retailers. Consumers are expected to spend less this entire holiday season than they did last year.
Read More
No matter what Congress does to overhaul the health care system, workers will pay more for coverage next year. And they're getting the bad news now, during "open enrollment" season.
Read More
The high unemployment rate is hitting home in some unexpected places. Corporate blood drives are attracting fewer donors, leaving blood banks hurting.
Read More
People who can't borrow from banks or want to avoid high fees are turning to a new source of money: total strangers. How do they do it? By joining a social lending group.
Read More
With housing prices still stubbornly low in much the country, many Americans are holding on to their homes and renting them out. But the decision to become a landlord may not always be the wisest choice.
Read More
The recession has pinched universities, too. As classes resume this fall, students are bracing for higher tuition and fees, as some staff face pay cuts and schools consider other ways of cutting their budgets.
Read More
Most of the federal stimulus funds committed so far are going for "infrastructure," which includes bridge repairs. Is the money being spent where it's most needed?
Read More
Rates are going up for homeowners across the country, as insurance companies raise premiums by as much as 30 percent. What's going on here?
Read More
It's been a year since Lehman Bros. went bankrupt, touching off the global financial crisis.The anniversary may be a good time to look at the local impact of the banking collapse.
Read More
The latest unemployment numbers show some improvement, but economists say it could be a long time before the job market really improves. What effect will a slow recovery have on your community?
Read More
The recession has sparked new interest in teaching high school students about personal finance. Some schools are offering new courses this fall, and in some cases, they're mandatory. But are they effective?
Read More
Tens of thousands of veterans are returning to college this fall under the new GI bill, changing the face of many campuses. But applying for benefits is complicated and slow.
Read More
As large retailers close stores and auto dealerships go out of business,
the result in many communities is a growing number of vacant properties. What's going to happen to them and when?
Read More
To help low-income Americans keep up with the rising cost of living,
many payments are tied to inflation. But what happens when the cost of
living goes down? Some Americans are about to find out.
Read More
Left behind after a layoff, forced to take a pay cut or unpaid
leave--employees who have kept their jobs may struggle with sagging
morale, and that's bad for business. So companies are looking for new
ways of boosting morale, which can lead to greater productivity.
Read More
When cash-strapped customers try to spend more than they have in the bank, they typically get socked with an overdraft fee. Those fees are good for the banks' bottom lines but are they fair?
Read More
Is your local post office endangered? The economic squeeze on the Postal Service may force hundreds of post offices to close or consolidate services. What would that mean to your community?
Read More
States from Georgia to Vermont are closing rest stops along interstate highways to save money. What's the potential impact of these decisions?
Read More
The recession has changed the face of crime in some American communities. It's also affected the response to crime, thanks to shrinking local budgets.
Read More
Donations to charities are down, for the second year in a row, as a result of the recession. That's not a surprise, perhaps, but the pain is not spread equally.
Read More
The recession has been tough on dairy farmers all over the country. Are they a dying breed?
Read More
A new effort is underway to offer consumers more environmental information about the products they buy. Could it lead to higher prices?
Read More
With states across the country struggling with budget deficits, some are falling behind on processing income tax refunds.
Read More
Counting on a home equity line of credit to bridge a financial gap may be riskier than ever in today's economy. The money some homeowners thought they could rely on may no longer be available.
Read More
The recession is forcing major changes for travelers and tourist destinations across the United States this summer. Who benefits depends on where you look.
Read More
The number of people filing personal bankruptcy has been on the rise for the past two years and there's every indication that it will keep going up. Most people don't know much about how it works, however, nor the consequences of going legally broke.
Read More
Every reporter knows the admonition to "follow the money," but when there's $800 billion to follow, the job may seem overwhelming. Not to worry. We have a trail map.
Read More
Fewer people buying new cars means more people repairing old ones. Service is one of the few sectors of the auto industry that's doing well.
Read More
Unemployed workers and teens are looking for ways to improve their chances of getting a new job. That's led to a boom
in continuing education programs for adults.
Read More
Is the struggling economy forcing kids to stay home this summer? Parents having trouble making ends meet are cutting back on non-necessities, which may include camps and other kids activities.
Read More
Whenever times are tough, there's an uptick in scams aimed at separating people from their money. Inevitably, some people fall for them. Have you warned your viewers?
Read More
As the Obama administration and Congress consider how to reform the US health system, many Americans are struggling with the cost of medical care. What are their options?
Read More
The housing slump and rising foreclosures have lowered property values in much of the country. What effect do those lower property values have on homeowners and communities?
Read More
It’s no secret that Americans are losing their homes to
foreclosure. But what caused that situation is only part of the story.
Read More
The recession has forced more Americans to rely on credit cards for short term cash. Now, a new law limits how and when those companies can increase interest rates and charge late fees. How will that affect consumers and banks?
Read More
The recession has put lots of people out of work and the layoffs and
firings have a ripple effect. For every job lost, there's likely to be
another. Tell the story by following the dominoes.
Read More
Shoppers pinched for cash are still able to buy thanks to the return of
layaway plans. And those plans are now available in some surprising places.
Read More
Everyone knows new car sales have slumped to their lowest levels in decades. Empty showrooms, frustrated dealers, lucky shoppers getting deep discounts--those are stories you may already have done. But there are plenty of fresh angles on the car sales story you might want to pursue.
Read More
Bad times are boom times for bartering. When cash is tight, trading goods and services is one way for people to get what they need, and it's going on everywhere.
Read More
Despite the recession, people are still going out to eat. But they're
changing their habits and that's affecting more than just what's on
their plates.
Read More
Utility bills have been a double dose of pain for many Americans this
year. Rates have gone up while their ability to pay has gone down. Now, utilities say they're shutting off power to a record number of households.
Read More
Sales of new homes are ticking up slightly but they're still down sharply from a year ago. And one kind of community is particularly hard hit: developments restricted to older residents, typically those 55 and over.
Read More
A sour economy can be frightening and stressful, so it's probably no surprise that more and more people are reaching out for help, and not just for financial advice.
Read More
The second-largest mall owner in the United States has filed for bankruptcy--another indication of how hard the recession has hit the retail sector. Consumers cut back on spending when the economy turns sour, but people still have to buy necessities. Who wins and who loses when retailers compete?
Read More
Many states are hoping the federal stimulus package will help to make up for their own budget shortfalls, but some are facing multimillion dollar deficits they'll have to close themselves. How will they do it?
Read More
The numbers come out like clockwork but they're not the whole story. Yet many stations will simply report the jobless rate and move on. Consider different angles on the story to explain what the numbers mean and how they affect people in your community.
Read More
With the price of gold near an all-time high and the economy still on the skids, people who need help to get through the recession have become more willing to part with their jewelry to bring in extra cash.
Read More
Comments (0)
Print Story
Email Story
RSS Feed
