After years of shortages, dealership lots are finally full of new vehicles again. The question is if this will bring down prices that spiked during the pandemic? In this episode of Today, In This Economy, we chat with Driving.ca columnist Lorraine Sommerfeld about what to expect in the marketplace and everything you need to know about buying a new or used car this fall.

(We're hard at work on a new season of In This Economy?!—but this fall we're also introducing shorter episodes that let our experts explain what the latest piece of economic news means for you, right now, Today, In This Economy.)

Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy?   We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need.  Email us at: [email protected]. Thank you for listening!  

This episode first aired on In This Economy?! in March 2023. We thought you might enjoy the listen while the show is on a short break.

Netflix. Disney+. Prime. Apple TV+. Spotify. Newspapers. Magazines. Video games. Substacks. A secret caller (hint: you know him!) has a minor subscription addiction and needs help getting his spending under control. Jordan asks Barry Hertz, Deputy Arts Editor and Film Editor for The Globe and Mail, to explain the subscription boom we're living in, and learn a few tips to avoid high fees.

Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy?   We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need.  Email us at: [email protected]. Thank you for listening!  

This episode first aired on In This Economy?! in January 2023.  We thought you might enjoy the listen while the show is on a short break.

Suki is in the market for her first car. She would like to purchase an electric vehicle but doesn't know if she can really afford it. Jordan interviews an auto industry expert to  better understand current market trends and develop a roadmap for buying a car right now.

Frances has been a freelancer for the past 10 years. In that time she's never been able to stick to a budget. This year, she wants to change that, but an unpredictable payment schedule mixed with the rising cost of goods is making that goal more difficult. Jordan talks to small business accountant, Joe Collins, about how to build and maintain a budget when nothing in your financial world is predictable.

Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy?   We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need.  Email us at: [email protected]. Thank you for listening!  

This episode first aired on In This Economy?! in  November 2023. We thought you might enjoy the listen while the show is on a short break. 

Suki is in the market for her first car. She would like to purchase an electric vehicle but doesn't know if she can really afford it. Jordan interviews an auto industry expert to  better understand current market trends and develop a roadmap for buying a car right now.

Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy?   We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need.  Email us at: [email protected]. Thank you for listening!  

This episode originally aired on In This Economy?! December 2023. We thought you might enjoy the listen while the show is on a short break.

Anna has $9000 in credit card debt and needs help getting her spending under control. Jordan talks to money expert, Tori Dunlap, about why our collective credit card debt is rising and how users can avoid accumulating more debt than they can handle.

Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy?   We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need.  Email us at: [email protected]. Thank you for listening!  

This episode first aired on The Big Story June 20, 2024. We thought you might enjoy the listen while In This Economy?! is on pause for the summer.  

The Liberals say their changes to the capital gains tax mean that Canada's ultra rich will pay a little more, money they can easily afford. The Conservatives say the Liberals are taxing small business owners and Canadians already struggling to get by. Who's right? What if they both are?

The changes to the tax were bound to become a political football: A complicated tweak to an existing tax that can be easily spun by either side of the aisle. So who will it really hurt? Will it help? What do you need to understand before you panic sell the family cottage?

GUEST: Laura Dhillon Kane, Ottawa bureau chief, Bloomberg News

Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy?   We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need.  Email us at: [email protected]. Thank you for listening!  

This is our last episode until the fall, so we thought we'd use the time to reflect on what we've learned so far, answer some of your feedback and talk about what's coming up next. 

In the meantime, we'll be revisiting a few of our earlier episodes and providing occasional news updates on events that matter to your wallet. Another Interest rate cut?! In this economy?!

Thanks for listening and talk to you in September!

Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy?   We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need.  Email us at: [email protected]. Thank you for listening!  

This month, schools across the country will be closing for the summer. And the kids? Well, their parents will have to figure out what to do with them. Nowadays, there's a lot of pressure to register kids for expensive camps and classes, but is all that really necessary? Can the kids just do nothing all summer? 

Jordan speaks with Alyson Schafer, one of Canada's leading parenting experts, to find some affordable ways to make sure the kids are safe and occupied this holiday. 

Here's a link to the episode about having kids! 

Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy?   We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need.  Email us at: [email protected]. Thank you for listening!  

Tova wrote into the show expressing frustration with the price of clothes at brick and mortar stores. She wants to shop online but doesn't like the hassles associated with making returns. Tova's email got us thinking about our own evolving shopping habits and what it means for both the economy and the environment. Do we need to reframe how we think about buying clothes?

Jordan talks to Kelly Drennan, the founder of Fashion Takes Action, a non profit organization that's devoted to advancing sustainability in the fashion industry.

Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy?   We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need.  Email us at: [email protected]. Thank you for listening!  

On Wednesday the Bank of Canada lowered its key interest rate for the first time in four years, after months spent at a 20-plus year high. The cut was just a quarter-point, but it could be a signal that easier economic times are on the way for millions of Canadians struggling with servicing their debt.

So what does this latest cut mean right now, and what might it mean in the future? And is this the start of a trend, or could the bank decide to walk it back later this year?

GUEST: David, senior economist for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ National Office

Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy?   We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need.  Email us at: [email protected]. Thank you for listening!