Nate Bargatze tried to shorten Emmy speeches with a $100,000 charity pledge that dropped $1,000 for every second winners went long. If loss aversion works, it should have worked here. It didn’t. Why the pot went negative: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/emmys-flop

Someone buys you a coffee and texts: “Just Venmo me $7.58.” Do you round up or pay the exact amount? That tiny decision says more about your brain (and your social instincts) than you might think. Read the full piece: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/venmo

Economists watch many signals for signs of recession. One of the quirkiest? Cardboard boxes. With producers cutting nearly 9% of capacity, the “cardboard box index” may be flashing a warning. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/cardboard-...

The TI-84 looks the same as it did in the early 2000s. Casio and Desmos exist, so why do students still pay $100 for one? The answer has less to do with features and more to do with economics. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/graphing-c...

A knitting bean just beat Google and ChatGPT in the App Store. Focus Friend is the latest productivity app to catch fire, but the economics behind its success explain why it’s more than just cute. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/focus-friend

She borrowed $85K for college, made small payments while in school, and now pays $1,500/month. After two years of payments, she owes… $90K. A viral crash out, a 17% interest rate, and a lesson in the math behind student loans. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/student-lo...

What happens when a neutral expression in an interview is read as disinterest by the person hiring you? This week’s Monday Morning Economist looks at the “Gen Z stare” through the lens of signaling theory. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/gen-z-stare

The BLS reported 73,000 new jobs in July. Hours later, the BLS commissioner was fired. Trump accused her of manipulating the numbers, but data revisions happen every month. It's part of the process. So what makes this time different? www.mondayeconomist.com/p/revisions

Taking off your shoes at TSA took about 10 seconds. Multiply that by ~2 million travelers a day, and you have a multi-million dollar problem. This week’s post explores what small inconvenience really costs us: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/tsa-shoes

Would you rather eat a sandwich made from a 1920s recipe or one from your local deli today? 🥪 I teamed up with Sandwiches of History to explore how 100 years of economic growth changed the way we eat. Even your fridge tells a story of progress. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/how-sandwi...

Are Americans saving more because they feel good about their finances or because they’re scared? This week, I teamed up with @yourbrainonmoney.bsky.social to answer that question. I tackled the economics, and she tackled the behavioral finance. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/savings-rate

Tonight’s the #LoveIslandUSA finale, which means it’s the perfect time to bring this one back: 💔 Matching markets 🔄 Strategic recoupling 💵 The economics of love (No need to love the show, just bring your inner economist.) www.mondayeconomist.com/p/love-island

Amazon’s not losing money on Prime Day. It’s using one of the oldest pricing strategies in economics: second-degree price discrimination. This post explains why charging you to access discounts is smarter than it sounds. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/what-amazo...

I’ve been writing Monday Morning Economist for five years, but I’m still eager to discover new writers, podcasters, and creators doing smart, engaging work around economics, teaching, or pop culture. Who should I be reading or listening to? Tag your favorites down below.

Every July 4th, millions watch Joey Chestnut crush hot dogs during Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on ESPN. But he’s not just a competitive eater! He’s also a great example of diminishing returns in action. Will it happen to him again this year? www.mondayeconomist.com/p/competitiv...

Some exciting news to share: my newsletter just hit the **#1 rising spot in Education** on Substack today! It’s been an incredible run these past few weeks! I'm grateful to everyone who reads, shares, and subscribes!

Midyear check-in is live. What’s working and where this econ newsletter is headed next. If you like newsletters, pop econ, or just watching someone figure it out in public, give it a read: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/2025-midyear

Bobby Bonilla has gotten a $1.2 million check every July 1 since 2011, but do you know why? The same math that will help him earn $30 million instead of $6 million can help the rest of us earn more, too! A new post drops tomorrow. Subscribe now: www.mondayeconomist.com

You’ve seen more from me over the past two weeks, on purpose. I’m halfway through a 30-day challenge to grow my newsletter. But I’m close to the limits of where I can reach alone. So I could really use your help 🧵

Bobby Bonilla has gotten a $1.2 million check every July 1 since 2011, but do you know why? The same math that will help him earn $30 million instead of $6 million can help the rest of us earn more, too! A new post drops tomorrow. Subscribe now: www.mondayeconomist.com

Looking for some econ-themed summer reads? I’ve created a curated Bookshop with econ reads for: 🧠 Econ-curious folks 🎒 Students 🧑‍🏫 Teachers 📖 Books I’ve taught in class 🗓️ Plus my annual favorites Check it out here 👉 bookshop.org/shop/MondayE...

160 million people have been under heat alerts this week. Extreme heat isn’t just dangerous, it’s also economically costly. Here's how heat waves reduce worker productivity, especially for those in outdoor and physical labor jobs. 📬 www.mondayeconomist.com/p/heatwaves

What do teachers, students, and the econ-curious all have in common? They all subscribe to the Monday Morning Economist, my free weekly newsletter that connects economic concepts to real-world stories, headlines, and pop culture. Join them: mondayeconomist.com

🚨 New post is live! 🩷🏝️ Whether you’re watching #LoveIsland for love or economics, it’s worth a read. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/love-island

Yes, I’ve been watching #LoveIsland, but not just for the drama. If you’ve ever watched a recoupling ceremony and thought, “This feels like economics,” you’re not wrong. 📬 Subscribe to get it first thing Monday: www.mondayeconomist.com

Yes, I’ve been watching #LoveIsland, but not just for the drama. If you’ve ever watched a recoupling ceremony and thought, “This feels like economics,” you’re not wrong. 📬 Subscribe to get it first thing Monday: www.mondayeconomist.com

Why did we stop buying colorful cars? In the 1990s, red and green were much more common. Now, nearly 4 out of 5 new cars are black, white, gray, or silver. 📊 Check out the trends and learn the economics behind them: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/car-colors

I’m running a quick survey for my newsletter readers: Why do you read Monday Morning Economist? If you’ve ever read or shared a post, I’d love to hear from you. (Substack readers, you received a survey in today’s email!)

Just published a “starter guide” with 5 of my most popular posts from Monday Morning Economist. Tariffs, Taylor Swift, Home Alone, and more. It's econ for the real world. Curious? Start here: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/allow-me-t...

I’m trying to double the subscriber base of Monday Morning Economist over the next 30 days. My goal? 8,000 new readers. If you’ve enjoyed my weekly takes on baseball cards, tariffs, or egg prices, help me spread the word. Get your personal invite link: www.mondayeconomist.com/leaderboard

What should you major in? For many students, that question comes with pressure from parents, from peers, and future salary data. But there's more to the story than just future paychecks. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/how-to-thi...

A banana stole the show at a House tariff hearing, but it also highlighted a core truth of economics: we import some goods not because we can’t make them, but because we shouldn’t. Here’s what a banana can teach us about trade: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/we-cant-bu...

Record high tariff revenue last month. Inflation is steady. Are tariffs working? Not so fast. Companies are paying more to import less. Consumers are adjusting. Mark Cuban (@mcuban.bsky.social ) commented on it yesterday, and my latest article shows why he's right: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/taco

The government is holding on to billions of dollars in unclaimed property. Old paychecks, utility refunds, forgotten deposits—with your name on them. Why haven’t you claimed yours? Behavioral economics has a few ideas. ➡️ www.mondayeconomist.com/p/unclaimed-...

I had the incredible honor of serving as the VT College of Science Commencement Speaker last week. I spoke about the need for graduates to stand up for science, not just practice it. It was a moment I won’t ever forget. Thank you, @vt-science.bsky.social!

A summer baseball team is going head-to-head with Disney over the right to use the "Pickles" name. Can trademarks protect businesses without stifling competition? Find out how the Portland Pickles are fighting back: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/pickles

The first American pope just made history, but the real story is how he was elected. Some votes require more than a simple majority. Here's the economics behind getting big decisions right: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/pope-voting

Could 100 humans beat a single gorilla in a fight? The internet is having fun with that question, but economists have a better question to consider: Could they coordinate? This week’s newsletter digs into the debate through the lens of economics: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/100-humans...

A $3 Trader Joe's tote bag now sells for $400? It feels unfair to a lot of people, but it’s actually efficient. This week’s Monday Morning Economist looks at the economics of secondary markets and why companies let this happen. 🔗 Read it here: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/trader-joe...

Consumers accepted high egg prices during the heaviest wave of the bird flu outbreak. But now that the bird flu has eased—and Cal-Maine just posted record profits—those same prices feel unfair. Economists explain this using dual entitlement theory. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/egg-price-...

You’ve probably heard the advice: “Just buy American to avoid tariffs.” But even products made in the U.S. often rely on global parts & packaging. You’re paying for all of it. Tariffs are taxes on consumers—not other countries. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/buy-american

Fun fact: if you start playing I Know The End by Phoebe Bridgers at 9:26:35 EST the screaming will begin at the exact moment the market opens

The stock market is down. Retirement accounts are taking a hit. Understandably, a lot of people are wondering: Is a recession next? But here’s the catch—the stock market isn’t the economy. Read here: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/the-market...

When $2 eggs turned into $5 eggs, $7 eggs started to look… reasonable. Some shoppers switched to pasture-raised and organic eggs during last year’s price spike—and they’re still buying them, even as prices fall. www.mondayeconomist.com/p/blue-eggs

When $2 eggs became $5, suddenly $7 eggs didn’t seem so ridiculous. There’s an economic theory for that—and it might explain why you’re still buying the expensive stuff. New post drops tomorrow. Subscribe at mondayeconomist.com

Getting scam texts about unpaid tolls? There’s a reason they’re everywhere—and it’s not just spam. It’s economics. This week’s newsletter breaks down how automation, AI, and game theory made toll scams explode. 📬 Read it here (real link, no tolls): www.mondayeconomist.com/p/why-scam-t...

Been getting scam texts about unpaid tolls? You're not alone—and there's an economic reason they're everywhere. Tomorrow's Monday Morning Economist breaks it down. 📬 Sign up here (real link, no tolls, I swear): mondayeconomist.com

I joined Jean Chatzky on the #HerMoney podcast to discuss why egg prices are so high right now and what it means for the broader economy. lnk.to/qd5enQ11

Nearly 8 million Americans work in industries targeted by tariffs that other countries have imposed in response to President Trump's — and the majority are Trump voters, a New York Times analysis shows. nyti.ms/4iRoCH2

Southwest is ending its “Bags Fly Free” policy, and people are furious. But here’s the thing: checked bags were never free—the cost was just hidden in your ticket. Why are people so mad? Behavioral economics can explain it. Read more: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/southwest