When Deb Freitag applied for a credit card so she could replace her roof, her leaky refrigerator and her old dishwasher, she was offered a $1,000 line of credit, not the $5,000 she needed. ...more

September 27, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- New claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week to their highest level in seven years due to the impact of a slowing economy and Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, the Labor Department reported Thursday. ...more

September 25, 2008

Jobless claims rose unexpectedly last week, the government said Thursday, while companies responded to the slowing economy by producing more with fewer workers. ...more

September 5, 2008

Consumer spending slowed to a crawl and personal incomes plunged in July, reflecting the waning impact of $93 billion in economic stimulus payments. ...more

August 30, 2008

Charlie Crist released his official proposal to transfer $672 million from the stabilization fund to cover the shortfall in general revenue. ...more

August 29, 2008

Once relegated to the dank corners of the basement, freezers are being embraced again by shoppers who are stashing bulk-sized purchases of meats, fruits and vegetables there as they work to combat rising food prices. ...more

August 29, 2008

Retail sales delivered the weakest performance in five months in July as shoppers shunned autos while they paid more for gas. ...more

August 14, 2008

Rising prices, falling home values, stagnant wages and tight credit. It's a potent combination that has struck the American consumer hard. ...more

August 5, 2008

Christmas in July? Maybe not a bad idea this year. Retailers are already talking about price increases of up to 15 percent this year on holiday goods, from staples like tree ornaments and toys to luxury gifts like European handbags and clothing. The main cause? It's the same old chestnut, soaring energy prices. ...more

July 31, 2008

Consumer spending is down and gas prices are up. That's bad math for the scores of destination retailers across the country that want customers to fill up the tank for a gas-guzzling day of retail therapy. ...more

July 29, 2008