Your Personal Financial Survival Plan
Watch The Ascent of Money - this PBS program explains many causes and factors in the financial crisis
For many people, it feels like events are out of our control. You do not have to suffer all the whip-saw of this economic tsunami. Power can be derived from knowledge. We can make specific choices. We can develop a set of financial principles that will insulate us against the worst of this crisis and future ones. We can use these principles as a financial life vest. We may get wet, but we are unlikely to drown.
Create a personal financial plan.
As you watch the video:
Make note of the greatest risks in the financial system.
Evaluate -
Are the economic rewards reaped by everyone?
Who gets the greatest rewards?
Who bears the risks?
Who bears the greatest risks?
How can you protect yourself from the risks?
What is the difference between a credit union, a community bank and a national bank?
Are people required to keep their money in a bank?
Evaluate - What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a bank?
What is the relationship between level of education and income?
Develop a set of personal principles regarding how you will use money and credit.
How much of your weekly income will you spend?
What strategies will you apply to your spending?
What strategies will you use to achieve this?
Resources:
Money 101 - CNN | Managing Debt and Credit | Rebuilding your nest egg - Consumer Reports
U.S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission - MyMoney.gov. | Personal Finance @ USA.gov
Federal Citizen Information Center of the U.S. General Services Administration
Learn: Credit Card Facts Activity | Home Ownership - the positives and the negatives
Poll your class:
What percentage of your income will you save each month?
What percentage of your income will you spend each month?
"The number-one predictor of whether you will be successful in life is whether you graduate from high school. In today’s competitive global economy, effective education is more important than ever before." High School Dropout Prevention Report - America's Promise Alliance - #4 Effective Education
Extensions:
Chart Reading - Federal and State Budgets | Economic Policies of the U.S. Government | U. S. Civics - Salaries of elected officials
Government Integrity - Earmarks - PBL | Priorities - bridges or legislator's earmarks problem based learning project
Chart Reading: Uninsured in the USA - Who should pay? | USA Health Care Spending - What are the Priorities?
Hunger in America - What is the priority? | Energy Plan and Its impact on you | Who gets the money from fines?
Internet Hunts / Nature / Computers / Pennsylvania Projects / Puzzles & Projects / Constitution & Civics Studies / Site map / Home
posted 1/2009, In the spirit of Ben Franklin who wrote, "A penny saved is a penny earned." - released to public domain by Cynthia J. O'Hora
Aligned with the following Pa Academic Standards - Reading, Writing Speaking, History, Civics and Government, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Aligned with the National Standards for Civics and Government
Save a tree - use a Digital Answer Format - Highlight the text. Copy it. Paste it in a word processing document. Save the document in your folder. Answer on the word processing document in an easily read, contrasting color or font. (Not yellow ) Avoid fancy fonts like: Symbols, Techno, 
fonts). Save frequently as you work. I have never liked losing my work. You will not like it either. Be sure to enter your name & the date at the top of the document in a header. Submit via email attachment or class dropbox. Bad things happen: Save a copy of the response document for your records.
Proof your responses. It is funny how speling errors and typeos sneak in to the bets work. 
Make your own printer paper answer sheet