Railroads lured homesteaders to Montana with ads that made the dry plains look like lush English countryside. Banks offered easy money, the settlers loaded up with loans — and drought set in.
Didn't get enough of our coverage of the consumer economy? Here's a list of books and articles our reporters and producers went to to get answers about how and why we spend.
People in their 20s are often stuck in part-time and temporary jobs. The loss of income in their first working years could affect them much of their lives.
To cut corners and increase profits, businesses are increasingly hiring more part-time or temporary workers. But that plan may backfire, when those workers become consumers who don't want to spend.
Our economy creates a growing number of part-time and temporary jobs. That means more insecure workers — and consumers — who can't plan for the future.
