This economic education publication features an article, "Does Consumer Confidence Measure Up to the Hype?," which defines consumer confidence and describes how it is measured. The article also explores why people might pay so much attention to consumer confidence indexes. The document also contains a question and answer section about deflation as…

This packet of lessons focuses on the complementary relationship between economic well-being and the natural resources of the environment. Students gain insight into a variety of environmental issues and learn to use economic analysis to understand these issues and seek solutions. The book contains 20 lessons divided into seven units. The units…

This report offers suggestions on finding, planning, and financing a home rehabilitation project. Information on finding a "fixer-upper" includes deciding where to look, learning what to look for in a house and neighborhood, learning about local building and zoning codes, deciding what characteristics of houses and neighborhoods are…

Designed to assist prospective buyers in making such important decisions as whether to buy a new or older home and within what price range, the guide provides information on the purchase process. Discussion of the purchase process covers the life-cycle costs (recurring homeownership costs that must be met every month); selection of a home;…

This book highlights and examines basic economic concepts as they relate to consumer, business, social, and personal choices. Students are shown connections between their classroom learning and their real-world experiences in budgeting, career planning, credit management, and housing. The set of 15 lessons include: (1) "Decision Making: Scarcity,…

This report gives suggestions for starting a personal money plan, provides a worksheet for developing the plan, and offers ideas for putting the plan into action. Guidelines are presented for the following steps in developing a money plan: setting short- and long-term spending and saving goals; making a timetable for reaching those goals;…

This report describes principles and techniques for credit management. Topics covered include: (1) methods of determining personal credit limits; (2) ways to keep track of credit use; (3) suggestions for planning credit use; (4) explanations of single-payment charge accounts, revolving credit, installment credit, and consolidation loans; and (5)…

The purpose of this article is to aid parents in selecting high quality child care. A systematic method for identifying high quality child care focuses on three major program areas: the physical, learning, and teaching environments. The discussion helps parents become aware of appropriate questions about the physical environment, become familiar…

This booklet provides consumers with an overview of information about life insurance. Chapter 1, "Why Life Insurance?" outlines the primary purposes of life insurance coverage and presents basic facts about the Canadian life insurance industry. Chapter 2, "Do I Need Life Insurance?" discusses life insurance coverage at specific…

There is a need for a stronger program of consumer studies in California's schools, and each year this need becomes more pressing. It is a confusing time for the American consumers; complex products are frequently hard to evaluate, and the nature of the marketplace is impersonal. According to a study released by the U.S. Office of Education, more…

This guide is designed to assist those group leaders responsible for presenting consumer education and financial management classes or programs to client and community groups. The topical units address the following areas of concern: (1) observation of non-verbal behavior; (2) active listening; (3) clarification of clients' statements; (4) asking…

Suggestions are given for the development of a college course in consumer health. The goals of such a course are: (1) to present information which will aid students in consumer decision-making skills; and (2) to assist students in developing effective strategies in consumer health education. (JN)

Reviews four broad clusters of concepts which are of fundamental importance for consumer economic understanding in the secondary school and gives suggestions that can be used to build a consumer economics program in the secondary school. (LRA)

Unmotivated and/or slow learning high-school students learned to effectively use consumer information sources by writing reports that justified the hypothetical purchase of a particular automobile. Presented are procedures for setting up the project, a timeline/lesson plan for the unit, grading system, and outcomes. (JDD)

The purpose of this paper is to propose the construct of "countersociopathy" and specific activities consumers can undertake in a variety of sales conditions and situations. These activities are not only designed to passively neutralize the telemarketer's or salesperson's aggressiveness, but can lead to the salesperson wanting to quickly…