As I mentioned in earlier post, we at NGPF love activities that hone student comparison shopping skills.  Even better, if they learn how to use the web to their advantage in combing through offers and finding one that matches their criteria. This activity “Research:  Find the Credit Card With The Lowest Interest Rate” accomplishes the first two objectives while also exposing students to the language and vocabulary of credit cards in an activity that creates a healthy level of competition in the classroom.

The activity begins by defining A.P.R. for students and describing its importance with credit cards.  It then challenges students to find the “Golden Credit Card.”  Students are given some basic ground rules and a chart with six rows to complete with the lowest A.P.R. cards that they can find.  They are encouraged to read the fine print and also to avail themselves of card comparison sites.  Once they complete the chart, they answer a series of questions that force them to reflect on the process and also whether these low-interest rate cards are available to all (which helps to spiral back to the concept of why credit scores are important).

Enjoy!

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

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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