In need of a little help

[chelluversu]

I'm writing an article for next week on the things that students don't learn in school, e.g. how taxes work, how to sublease an apartment, what a mortgage or loan is, etc.

I was wondering if anyone could help me out by giving me more questions to ask. Once I get enough questions (I'm hoping to get a lot), I'm going to talk to banks, H&R block, psychologists (on my "senioritis" part), etc.

So far here are the questions (not all are in the form of questions, but they will be later)


how do credit cards work?
what are mortgages and how do they work?
how are taxes used, how do you do taxes, etc.?
how to sublease/lease/rent an apartment/house
how to apply for colleges, scholarships, financial aid
when should you start thinking about retirement, and who should you speak to?
how to budget
how to get insurance, how does it work?


When I finish and publish my article, I'll put a link here for you guys.
Thank you for any future help :xoxo: love you guys.

[beccamorrisfift]

I reckon how to know when you're getting a good deal with regard to credit cards, mortgages, loans etc would be really useful, especially if you spoke about how to make sure you aren't getting the wool pulled over your eyes.

[chelluversu]

I reckon how to know when you're getting a good deal with regard to credit cards, mortgages, loans etc would be really useful, especially if you spoke about how to make sure you aren't getting the wool pulled over your eyes.

thank you :)

[redbird]

Maybe establishing and maintaining credit.

[jenniferuk]

Fun project!

I would def address how to build and maintain credit-questions such as what is FICO score, what is credit, etc. Credit history is so important and more employers checking scores, landlords check, etc.

What is an emergency fund and why is it important? (Vital to have one in this job market)

How to buy a car? Used vs new vs lease, how to finance, how to get good deal and not get screwed.

How to balance cheque book/bank accounts

What are the types of insurance needed? Auto, health,life, homeowners...

Hidden costs in renting (first/last mth rent, deposit, bills) and buying (closing cost, title, inspection, tax, insurance).

Will see if recall anything else-tried to think of what shocked me when I moved to the US. My oldest took a great high school personal finance class that covered a lot of this and I wish all schools offered it.

[GypsySorcerer]

I agree with the financial literacy topics, especially retirement plans, investments (stocks, bonds, CDs, etc) and saving. I think schools do a poor job of teaching civics, history, and government. This would include everything from the labor and civil rights movements to how a bill becomes a law.

[chelluversu]

Thank you all so much :)

[Eugene]

There is even a more basic question: How to live on the money in your paycheck?

[holidayroad]

These may be good topics:

How/why to write a will
How to obtain important documents you may need (birth certificate, social security card)
Ways to financially plan for having children

[estranged4life]

from my own experience, I think the following would be a good topic:

Why do you have to probate an estate?






But being the idiot that I am, and hearing/reading about students of this day and era, I think the following about how High School has changed between 1957 and 2013 is a good laugh:

You should know that by today's standards none of us was supposed to ever make it.

HIGH SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2013

Scenario 1:

Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack..

1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.

2013 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.



Scenario 2:

Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.

1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2013 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.



Scenario 3:

Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.

1957 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2013 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The family gets extra money (SSI) from the government because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario 4:

Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman...

2013 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse; Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Scenario 5:

Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock..

2013 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 6:

Pedro fails high school English.

1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.

2013 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is then banned from core curriculum... Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario 7:

Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.

1957 - Ants die.

2013 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents - and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario 8:

Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2013 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

[chelluversu]

These may be good topics:

How/why to write a will
How to obtain important documents you may need (birth certificate, social security card)
Ways to financially plan for having children

The bolded is relevant to my life right now lol. Thank you so much.



Scenario 2:

Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.

1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2013 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario 3:

Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.

1957 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2013 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The family gets extra money (SSI) from the government because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario 2 actually happened to a friend of mine. He's a really big guy and this small kid came up to him and started trying to fight him. My friend didn't want to fight so he didn't respond, so the kid kept egging him on until finally my friend kinda shoved him. He got expelled even though there was witnesses to the story. It didn't matter.

Scenario 3 (minus the paddling) happened to my sister. She, however, didn't turn into a zombie, but the Ritalin was making her...weird? maybe a little aggressive or groggy or something. I don't know how to explain it. My mother noticed and decided to test out the drugs my sister was getting on herself. Needless to say, after that, my sister was never on those drugs again and she's fine now.


Thank you guys :)

[jannieC]

These are such great ideas and what an awesome topic to have for a research project. I wish I could think of some less practical, but useful, ideas- coming from a therapist's point of view.