Stacey Vanek Smith
Stacey Vanek Smith is the co-host of NPR's The Indicator from Planet Money. She's also a correspondent for Planet Money, where she covers business and economics. In this role, Smith has followed economic stories down the muddy back roads of Oklahoma to buy 100 barrels of oil; she's traveled to Pune, India, to track down the man who pitched the country's dramatic currency devaluation to the prime minister; and she's spoken with a North Korean woman who made a small fortune smuggling artificial sweetener in from China.
Prior to coming to NPR, Smith worked for Marketplace, where she was a correspondent and fill-in host. While there, Smith was part of a collaboration with The New York Times, where she explored the relationship between money and marriage. She was also part of Marketplace's live shows, where she produced a series of pieces on getting her data mined.
Smith is a native of Idaho and grew up working on her parents' cattle ranch. She is a graduate of Princeton University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in comparative literature and creative writing. She also holds a master's in broadcast journalism from Columbia University.
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The goal is to save money, cut back on overconsumption and be more mindful of wasteful and unsustainable shopping habits. This guide can help you start a challenge of your own. -
Economic data show higher prices and constant warnings of a downturn haven't slowed down American shoppers. The Fed is anxious. Companies are thrilled. -
New fees are being tacked onto hotel bills, airfare, restaurant checks and pretty much everywhere else. It's another form of inflation and it's costing consumers $65 billion a year. -
After taking a pause last month, the Fed got back to raising interest rates. Many are now saying a "soft-landing" is within our sights -
The rise in tipping has many customers fuming, but one worker who depends on tips says most customers misunderstand what they are — and shares what it feels like when people don't tip. -
The pandemic, technology and the economy have combined to create the perfect storm for "tip-flation" — but we might be at a tipping point. -
The dollar has helped make the U.S. the most economically powerful country for most of the last century, but other countries — including rivals like China — have the greenback on their sights. -
Debt ceiling dramas have been going on a long time. The first one happened exactly 70 years ago. President Eisenhower asked Congress for an extra $15 billion and the Senate said, "No dice." -
As the U.S. faces the prospect of defaulting on its debts, a key question looms: How bad would things actually get if that were to happen?
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The U.S. has more than 4,500 banks — more banks than any other country. That huge number of lenders has shaped the economy in countless ways, but it also can pose risks.
