On this week’s episode writer Alissa Quart, editor of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project and author of Monetized, schools host Felix Salmon and co-host Jordan Weissmann of Slate on the literary side of finance. This week’s episode was sponsored by Casper, an obsessively engineered mattress at a shockingly fair price. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting www.casper.com/slatemoney and using the offer code “slate money.”  And also by Automatic, a connected car adapter that pairs your car to your smartphone that helps you diagnose engine problems, drive more efficiently, remember where you parked, and more. To get $20 off Automatic's price of $99.95 visit automatic.com/money.    Love Slate podcasts? Listen longer with Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, ad-free versions, exclusive podcasts and more. Start your 2-week free trial at slate.com/podcastplus.

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