Nancy Byerly

23
Aug
Twenty-dollar bill split red and blue with a faucet in the center, symbolizing the Federal Reserve’s control of money flow, with the Fed building faint in the background.

What Is the Federal Reserve?

The Fed isn’t just a bank. It’s the faucet of money. Open it and markets flood. Crank it shut and the economy cracks. And you don’t get a vote.
3 min read
23
Aug
Illustration of a twenty-dollar bill with a faucet in the center, one side glowing red and cracked, the other glowing blue with water pouring out, symbolizing monetary policy.

Monetary Policy: The Fed’s Playbook

Money doesn’t just flow — the Fed controls the faucet. Open it too wide and bubbles form. Slam it shut and the economy cracks. That’s monetary policy — and it decides more about your wallet than any speech in Washington.
2 min read
23
Aug
Twenty-dollar bill split between flames and ice with U.S. Capitol in the background, symbolizing fiscal policy as government spending versus austerity

Fiscal Policy: The Government’s Wallet

Fiscal policy isn’t some abstract term from an econ class. It’s the lever politicians pull when things break. And it always leaves a mark.
3 min read
22
Aug
A $20 bill with a fractured red percentage symbol (%) shattering across it. A faint red EKG line runs behind, with scattered job applications stamped ‘Rejected.’ Text reads: Unemployment.

What Is the Unemployment Rate?

Recessions bend you, depressions break you — and unemployment tells you how painful it really feels. But what does that number actually measure, and why does it matter?
2 min read
22
Aug
A twenty-dollar bill with a glowing red EKG line that flatlines, symbolizing economic collapse. Text overlay reads: Economic Collapse.

What Is an Economic Depression?

Recessions hurt. Depressions break you. What happens when the economy doesn’t just stumble — it flatlines?
3 min read
22
Aug
A twenty-dollar bill glowing as a shield with green and gold aura. Fiery red arrows labeled 'Prices' smash into it, sparks flying. Text reads: Shield Against Inflation.

Practical Steps for Inflation

Inflation is the silent tax you feel every day. You can’t stop it, but you can fight back. Here are practical steps to protect your money and future.
1 min read
22
Aug
A $20 bill torn in four directions: red arrow crashing for stocks, bond yield spike, cracked house with %, and glowing gold and oil. Text reads: Markets Under Pressure.

Applying Inflation to Real Markets

Inflation doesn’t just hit your wallet — it reshapes every market. Stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities: some get crushed, others thrive. How does inflation really play out in the real economy?
3 min read
22
Aug
A twenty-dollar bill shattering like broken glass with glowing red-orange cracks, symbolizing recession as an economic reset. Text reads: Economic Reset.

What Is a Recession?

Recession is the word everyone dreads. Growth slows, markets wobble, jobs get shaky. But what does a recession actually mean for you, your money, and the economy?
2 min read
22
Aug
A twenty-dollar bill with a glowing neon heartbeat line running across it, symbolizing GDP as the pulse of the economy. Text reads: Pulse of the Economy.

What is GDP?

GDP is the pulse of the economy. When it’s strong, opportunity grows. When it weakens, jobs, wages, and markets all feel it. But GDP doesn’t tell the whole story — here’s what it really measures, where it falls short, and why it matters to you.
2 min read
22
Aug
twenty-dollar bill split in two: the left side burning in flames, the right side frozen in ice with cracks. Text reads: Economic Nightmare.

What Is Stagflation?

Stagflation: prices climb, growth stalls, jobs vanish. It’s the economic nightmare nobody wants — but it happens. What does it mean for you, your paycheck, and your money?
2 min read
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