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Edpuzzle
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FinCap Friday
Gambling and Sports Betting
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Interactive
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Math
Paying for College
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Question of the Day
Savings
So Expensive Series
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Teacher Talk
This NYT article caught my attention recently as it described how challenging it is for consumers to analyze cell phone offers:
One wireless phone plan allows customers to upgrade to a new phone in less than two years. Another allows a pool of data to be shared across multiple devices. Yet another offers unlimited data, but only at slower Internet speeds. All these perks are there for the taking, yet the average wireless phone bill continues with its monthly sting. Confused yet?
Welcome to the confounding world of wireless phone billing plans. Even executives at the wireless phone companies say their industry has created a Tower of Babel of competing plans, with highly specific requirements and offerings and even, in many cases, unique language buried in the fine print.
With nearly 80% of teens having cell phones, it is an engaging and useful lesson to have them analyze their own plan (yes, including the fine print). Since many of them may be under their parent/guardian’s family plan, this will also help foster conversation between them about a financial matter. For those students, that don’t have phones, they might enjoy analyzing offers from several top providers to see which one might work best for them.
As the article suggests, given all the permutations in the plans, a spreadsheet is necessary in order to compare. Ask the students to develop a list of the features of their own plan by bringing in a monthly bill or printing out the plan description from their online account. What are the features that they should report back on?
Class discussion:
Question of the Day: What’s Your Financial Resolution?
Student Loan Trends
NEW Simulation Activity: How Does Online Banking Work?
Activity Idea: Virtual Career Day
NEW! NGPF Economics Resource Directory
Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.
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