I saw this great picture the other day and I can't find it now. It was something to the effect of a student saying "teach me how to pay bills, taxes, 401k" and the school system replying "no, no don't worry about that. Now, the hypotenuse of a triangle..." I obviously had an exceptionally bad time with the nyc public school system personally, but they don't teach personal finance at all really, which is kind of insane. One of the first college classes I took the guy says to us "if you open a mutual fund and bring me the proof or the statement, I'll give you a C even if you never come into this class again. That's how important it is." I didn't take him up on his offer, but I did open my own investigation into mutual fund and ended up starting my investment portfolio at age 23ish. This was a nighttime intro to business class at community college. I'd not have learned about it any other way.
These schools have these dumb ass requirements for classes - they should include a basic personal finance course in the curriculum requirements. I mean it's a bit more important than an "urban studies elective" or a year of foreign language, no?
In related news a former classmate of mine recently had to take out a $500 loan to pay for emergency dental work cuz Medicaid wouldn't cover it. I thought that was fitting here.
Off the subject but to add to your wonderful reply!
Things that are NOT taught in school?!?
How to balance a check book. How to do taxes. How to buy a house/car. How to apply for a student loan. What a student loan is. How to pay off that student loan. How to budget.
I didn't quite catch the whole conversation but I heard someone mention today that there are something like 50 million (it was a huge number) Americans who could not, if need be, come up with $500 cash. Over spending a bit are we, fellow Americans??
This is a bit accusatory. Of course many people don't save, but I'm also sure many of them just aren't being paid enough given the cost of living, and after paying the bills, rent, buying food, clothes, and maybe a bit on trying to make life slightly less miserable, they don't have any money left for a savings account.
I dunno, most people above and below the poverty line have a 500$ TV and monthly bills in excess of 100$ for cable/internet. That is irresponsible spending and a perfect example of "buying crap". Clothes should only need purchased once or maybe twice a year, any more than that is vanity, not necessity. Lottery tickets, beauty products, Starbuck's coffees...all things that are never needed yet regularly purchased by people who don't have 500$ cash if they need it.
I didn't quite catch the whole conversation but I heard someone mention today that there are something like 50 million (it was a huge number) Americans who could not, if need be, come up with $500 cash. Over spending a bit are we, fellow Americans??
This is a bit accusatory. Of course many people don't save, but I'm also sure many of them just aren't being paid enough given the cost of living, and after paying the bills, rent, buying food, clothes, and maybe a bit on trying to make life slightly less miserable, they don't have any money left for a savings account.
I dunno, most people above and below the poverty line have a 500$ TV and monthly bills in excess of 100$ for cable/internet. That is irresponsible spending and a perfect example of "buying crap". Clothes should only need purchased once or maybe twice a year, any more than that is vanity, not necessity. Lottery tickets, beauty products, Starbuck's coffees...all things that are never needed yet regularly purchased by people who don't have 500$ cash if they need it.
Yup and yup. And as mentioned, that responsibility needs to be taught either directly or by example. I don't think I was even in my teens when my dad helped me open a savings account ("even if you pay yourself a dollar a week"), plus the whole concept of doing chores for allowance, understanding if I want to by X, I need to have Y amount.
Would be great if basic budgeting concepts would be taught along with math in school, and by parents in day-to-day life.
I have purchased a crap car to fill with crap gas so I can get to my crap job that allows me to do crappy things like buy Pearl Jam tickets to stay in crappy hotel rooms on crappy road trips where I meet up with crap PJ fans who want my crap money for some crap charity then head to the crappy stadium built on the back of my crap tax dollar to hear them play the crap songs that I don't like listening to in the comfort of my crap house on my crap stereo with the crap vinyl and crap cds that blast crap audio.
That kind of crap?
The poison from the poison stream caught up to you ELEVEN years ago and you floated out of here. Sept. 14, 08
I didn't quite catch the whole conversation but I heard someone mention today that there are something like 50 million (it was a huge number) Americans who could not, if need be, come up with $500 cash. Over spending a bit are we, fellow Americans??
This is a bit accusatory. Of course many people don't save, but I'm also sure many of them just aren't being paid enough given the cost of living, and after paying the bills, rent, buying food, clothes, and maybe a bit on trying to make life slightly less miserable, they don't have any money left for a savings account.
It does sound that way but if so, I accuse myself for having been there- more than once. But the point I tried to make is that there are so many people in the U.S. who can't scrap together $500. I did some research and some article state that half of the people in the U.S. don't have $500 saving. Even if it was one quarter, that would be 75 million people. Now if the majority of these many millions of people who cannot come up with 500 bucks were in that situation strictly because they don't make enough to do so, I would be the first to come to their collective defense. But I sincerely doubt that this is generally the case. I would be willing to bet that a large proportion of those who don't have $500 do have a shit load of crap (sorry for the redundancy!)
So am I saying this just to beat up on stupid people who don't know how to save money? No. I blame it on poor parenting and poor education. So many kids and young adults struggle because no one helped them learn to be reasonably frugal and show them that there are better ways to make oneself happy besides constantly needing that short-term fleeting satisfaction that comes from bullshit consumerism. And worst of all, unless we change, that consumerism is going to be our undoing as it contributes to the decline of the environment and the acceleration of mass extinction.
unfortunately, it's not all bad parenting. my parents were VERY good with their money. they had to be. one income. 3 kids. they budgeted like no one's business. BUT, no matter what they taught me, I had to be the kind of person to implement what I was taught. I didn't. I didn't learn until MUCH later, I'd even say recently, that buying shit I can't afford won't make me happy.
a lot of it is up to the individual. sometimes it comes down to people trying in vain to make themselves happy, not realizing it's making it worse. kind of like where an alcohol or drug addiction starts. it's all the same idea.
I saw this great picture the other day and I can't find it now. It was something to the effect of a student saying "teach me how to pay bills, taxes, 401k" and the school system replying "no, no don't worry about that. Now, the hypotenuse of a triangle..." I obviously had an exceptionally bad time with the nyc public school system personally, but they don't teach personal finance at all really, which is kind of insane. One of the first college classes I took the guy says to us "if you open a mutual fund and bring me the proof or the statement, I'll give you a C even if you never come into this class again. That's how important it is." I didn't take him up on his offer, but I did open my own investigation into mutual fund and ended up starting my investment portfolio at age 23ish. This was a nighttime intro to business class at community college. I'd not have learned about it any other way.
These schools have these dumb ass requirements for classes - they should include a basic personal finance course in the curriculum requirements. I mean it's a bit more important than an "urban studies elective" or a year of foreign language, no?
In related news a former classmate of mine recently had to take out a $500 loan to pay for emergency dental work cuz Medicaid wouldn't cover it. I thought that was fitting here.
Off the subject but to add to your wonderful reply!
Things that are NOT taught in school?!?
How to balance a check book. How to do taxes. How to buy a house/car. How to apply for a student loan. What a student loan is. How to pay off that student loan. How to budget.
When I was in high school, I took a class that taught most of those things. We had to draw slips of paper out of a fishbowl. Each one had a job on it and the pay rate. Then we were given an apartment rental guide and told to figure out how many hours we had to work to afford the apartment...even went as far as us calling the apartment leasing office to get info on deposits and utilities. Did we want a car? Call a dealership to figure out payments and interest. It was a wake-up call to find out we'd have to have 2+ roommates to afford a place...or live in an undesirable neighborhood by yourself, we were taught about how credit cards work, and how to balance a checkbook. I do wish they taught us about the stock market and mutual funds. 401k was only mentioned as 'just get one'. Unfortunately this was an elective class and not required. Thankful I took it.
The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.
So have problem of relatives buying me plasticky crappy trinkets as gifts. What's the holding period? 5 minutes, 5 days, a month, year?
As to furniture, buy right first time and done. Same with other items. Buy things I plan on never needing to buy again by going after quality then taking care of it.
Sometimes wish there was a consumption tax. All those that continue to buy cheap crap may change their ways.
And fkn swiffers. What a waste. Same with paper towels.
I saw this great picture the other day and I can't find it now. It was something to the effect of a student saying "teach me how to pay bills, taxes, 401k" and the school system replying "no, no don't worry about that. Now, the hypotenuse of a triangle..." I obviously had an exceptionally bad time with the nyc public school system personally, but they don't teach personal finance at all really, which is kind of insane. One of the first college classes I took the guy says to us "if you open a mutual fund and bring me the proof or the statement, I'll give you a C even if you never come into this class again. That's how important it is." I didn't take him up on his offer, but I did open my own investigation into mutual fund and ended up starting my investment portfolio at age 23ish. This was a nighttime intro to business class at community college. I'd not have learned about it any other way.
These schools have these dumb ass requirements for classes - they should include a basic personal finance course in the curriculum requirements. I mean it's a bit more important than an "urban studies elective" or a year of foreign language, no?
In related news a former classmate of mine recently had to take out a $500 loan to pay for emergency dental work cuz Medicaid wouldn't cover it. I thought that was fitting here.
Off the subject but to add to your wonderful reply!
Things that are NOT taught in school?!?
How to balance a check book. How to do taxes. How to buy a house/car. How to apply for a student loan. What a student loan is. How to pay off that student loan. How to budget.
When I was in high school, I took a class that taught most of those things. We had to draw slips of paper out of a fishbowl. Each one had a job on it and the pay rate. Then we were given an apartment rental guide and told to figure out how many hours we had to work to afford the apartment...even went as far as us calling the apartment leasing office to get info on deposits and utilities. Did we want a car? Call a dealership to figure out payments and interest. It was a wake-up call to find out we'd have to have 2+ roommates to afford a place...or live in an undesirable neighborhood by yourself, we were taught about how credit cards work, and how to balance a checkbook. I do wish they taught us about the stock market and mutual funds. 401k was only mentioned as 'just get one'. Unfortunately this was an elective class and not required. Thankful I took it.
I was never taught any of this. I am very impressed with your school.
To further RGambs point of what people buy as crap, cell phones, everyone has an iphone and they just aren't cheap...
I saw this great picture the other day and I can't find it now. It was something to the effect of a student saying "teach me how to pay bills, taxes, 401k" and the school system replying "no, no don't worry about that. Now, the hypotenuse of a triangle..." I obviously had an exceptionally bad time with the nyc public school system personally, but they don't teach personal finance at all really, which is kind of insane. One of the first college classes I took the guy says to us "if you open a mutual fund and bring me the proof or the statement, I'll give you a C even if you never come into this class again. That's how important it is." I didn't take him up on his offer, but I did open my own investigation into mutual fund and ended up starting my investment portfolio at age 23ish. This was a nighttime intro to business class at community college. I'd not have learned about it any other way.
These schools have these dumb ass requirements for classes - they should include a basic personal finance course in the curriculum requirements. I mean it's a bit more important than an "urban studies elective" or a year of foreign language, no?
In related news a former classmate of mine recently had to take out a $500 loan to pay for emergency dental work cuz Medicaid wouldn't cover it. I thought that was fitting here.
Off the subject but to add to your wonderful reply!
Things that are NOT taught in school?!?
How to balance a check book. How to do taxes. How to buy a house/car. How to apply for a student loan. What a student loan is. How to pay off that student loan. How to budget.
When I was in high school, I took a class that taught most of those things. We had to draw slips of paper out of a fishbowl. Each one had a job on it and the pay rate. Then we were given an apartment rental guide and told to figure out how many hours we had to work to afford the apartment...even went as far as us calling the apartment leasing office to get info on deposits and utilities. Did we want a car? Call a dealership to figure out payments and interest. It was a wake-up call to find out we'd have to have 2+ roommates to afford a place...or live in an undesirable neighborhood by yourself, we were taught about how credit cards work, and how to balance a checkbook. I do wish they taught us about the stock market and mutual funds. 401k was only mentioned as 'just get one'. Unfortunately this was an elective class and not required. Thankful I took it.
I saw this great picture the other day and I can't find it now. It was something to the effect of a student saying "teach me how to pay bills, taxes, 401k" and the school system replying "no, no don't worry about that. Now, the hypotenuse of a triangle..." I obviously had an exceptionally bad time with the nyc public school system personally, but they don't teach personal finance at all really, which is kind of insane. One of the first college classes I took the guy says to us "if you open a mutual fund and bring me the proof or the statement, I'll give you a C even if you never come into this class again. That's how important it is." I didn't take him up on his offer, but I did open my own investigation into mutual fund and ended up starting my investment portfolio at age 23ish. This was a nighttime intro to business class at community college. I'd not have learned about it any other way.
These schools have these dumb ass requirements for classes - they should include a basic personal finance course in the curriculum requirements. I mean it's a bit more important than an "urban studies elective" or a year of foreign language, no?
In related news a former classmate of mine recently had to take out a $500 loan to pay for emergency dental work cuz Medicaid wouldn't cover it. I thought that was fitting here.
Off the subject but to add to your wonderful reply!
Things that are NOT taught in school?!?
How to balance a check book. How to do taxes. How to buy a house/car. How to apply for a student loan. What a student loan is. How to pay off that student loan. How to budget.
There were classes like that in my high school. It was a mandatory class that we had to take at least once during grades 10 to 12. It was called business ed. How to balance check books (this was in the early to mid 90s of course), how to write a resume, job interview tactics, how to budget, what household expenses are like, etc etc. They also gave us a career aptitude test (I believe my ideal career was deemed to be sports psychologist, lol). It was a brand new thing back then. I don't know if that was or is mandatory provincial curriculum though. It's possible that my particular school was just really on the ball.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
I saw this great picture the other day and I can't find it now. It was something to the effect of a student saying "teach me how to pay bills, taxes, 401k" and the school system replying "no, no don't worry about that. Now, the hypotenuse of a triangle..." I obviously had an exceptionally bad time with the nyc public school system personally, but they don't teach personal finance at all really, which is kind of insane. One of the first college classes I took the guy says to us "if you open a mutual fund and bring me the proof or the statement, I'll give you a C even if you never come into this class again. That's how important it is." I didn't take him up on his offer, but I did open my own investigation into mutual fund and ended up starting my investment portfolio at age 23ish. This was a nighttime intro to business class at community college. I'd not have learned about it any other way.
These schools have these dumb ass requirements for classes - they should include a basic personal finance course in the curriculum requirements. I mean it's a bit more important than an "urban studies elective" or a year of foreign language, no?
In related news a former classmate of mine recently had to take out a $500 loan to pay for emergency dental work cuz Medicaid wouldn't cover it. I thought that was fitting here.
Off the subject but to add to your wonderful reply!
Things that are NOT taught in school?!?
How to balance a check book. How to do taxes. How to buy a house/car. How to apply for a student loan. What a student loan is. How to pay off that student loan. How to budget.
There were classes like that in my high school. It was a mandatory class that we had to take at least once during grades 10 to 12. It was called business ed. How to balance check books (this was in the early to mid 90s of course), how to write a resume, job interview tactics, how to budget, what household expenses are like, etc etc. They also gave us a career aptitude test (I believe my ideal career was deemed to be sports psychologist, lol). It was a brand new thing back then. I don't know if that was or is mandatory provincial curriculum though. It's possible that my particular school was just really on the ball.
I am now VERY curious if they are teaching this stuff now.
^^ sounds like either private school OR a well funded bougie school district.
If you think about it school is one of the biggest offenders with the purchasing of crap. The kids get a list every year and have to go to Staples et al and get their composition notebooks and erasers and whatnot. And it only gets worse as they get older. Remember protractors? Looseleaf binders and dividers - yea.
^^ sounds like either private school OR a well funded bougie school district.
If you think about it school is one of the biggest offenders with the purchasing of crap. The kids get a list every year and have to go to Staples et al and get their composition notebooks and erasers and whatnot. And it only gets worse as they get older. Remember protractors? Looseleaf binders and dividers - yea.
you do know that the crap parents are required to buy also are not exclusively for their children. Some parents can't afford to buy their children the supplies, so all the stuff the kids bring to school is all put together into a big pile for everybody to share. Again, probably related to the 'people that can't come up with $500'.
The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.
^^ sounds like either private school OR a well funded bougie school district.
If you think about it school is one of the biggest offenders with the purchasing of crap. The kids get a list every year and have to go to Staples et al and get their composition notebooks and erasers and whatnot. And it only gets worse as they get older. Remember protractors? Looseleaf binders and dividers - yea.
Yep, and more and more some schools, especially in poor districts get the worst when it comes to text books.
The other thing that gets me is how schools will never cut out left brained classes like math yet the creative classes like art and home economics become more scarce. Too much of it is about training worker bees and future soldiers. What we end up with are more soldiers of misfortune.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
^^ sounds like either private school OR a well funded bougie school district.
If you think about it school is one of the biggest offenders with the purchasing of crap. The kids get a list every year and have to go to Staples et al and get their composition notebooks and erasers and whatnot. And it only gets worse as they get older. Remember protractors? Looseleaf binders and dividers - yea.
you do know that the crap parents are required to buy also are not exclusively for their children. Some parents can't afford to buy their children the supplies, so all the stuff the kids bring to school is all put together into a big pile for everybody to share. Again, probably related to the 'people that can't come up with $500'.
nope. I know nothing about what goes on in the classroom. I just seen the lists.
Comments
Things that are NOT taught in school?!?
How to balance a check book.
How to do taxes.
How to buy a house/car.
How to apply for a student loan.
What a student loan is.
How to pay off that student loan.
How to budget.
Clothes should only need purchased once or maybe twice a year, any more than that is vanity, not necessity. Lottery tickets, beauty products, Starbuck's coffees...all things that are never needed yet regularly purchased by people who don't have 500$ cash if they need it.
Would be great if basic budgeting concepts would be taught along with math in school, and by parents in day-to-day life.
That kind of crap?
The poison from the poison stream caught up to you ELEVEN years ago and you floated out of here. Sept. 14, 08
a lot of it is up to the individual. sometimes it comes down to people trying in vain to make themselves happy, not realizing it's making it worse. kind of like where an alcohol or drug addiction starts. it's all the same idea.
www.headstonesband.com
- Christopher McCandless
As to furniture, buy right first time and done. Same with other items. Buy things I plan on never needing to buy again by going after quality then taking care of it.
Sometimes wish there was a consumption tax. All those that continue to buy cheap crap may change their ways.
And fkn swiffers. What a waste. Same with paper towels.
To further RGambs point of what people buy as crap, cell phones, everyone has an iphone and they just aren't cheap...
www.headstonesband.com
If you think about it school is one of the biggest offenders with the purchasing of crap. The kids get a list every year and have to go to Staples et al and get their composition notebooks and erasers and whatnot. And it only gets worse as they get older. Remember protractors? Looseleaf binders and dividers - yea.
LIVEFOOTSTEPS.ORG/USER/?USR=435
- Christopher McCandless
The other thing that gets me is how schools will never cut out left brained classes like math yet the creative classes like art and home economics become more scarce. Too much of it is about training worker bees and future soldiers. What we end up with are more soldiers of misfortune.
LIVEFOOTSTEPS.ORG/USER/?USR=435