Consumer Education Web Resources

 

Unit 1:  Consumerism: Rights and Responsibilities

Websites

Answers.com            

Definition, Related video, and history on consumerism.

http://www.answers.com/topic/consumerism

Consumerism Epidemic in America – Associated Content (2007)

Blog entry on Consumerism and how spending has become an epidemic in America today.

www.associatedcontent.com/article/162976/the_consumerism_epidemic_in_america.html

America’s Crazed Consumerism –Newsweek (2001)

Stuff and stuff and nonsense. More than ever, America’s crazed consumerism seems absurd.

www.uoregon.edu/~recycle/events_topics_Consumerism%20_text.htm

Consumerism in America – Benjamin Barber (2002)

Fast music, fast computers, and fast food have turned our society into “McWorld”.

www.usm.maine.edu/~kuzma/security/projects/2002/alexander/consumerism.htm

Consumerism in America – Kendra Wright (Spring 2004)                       

High School student’s essay on consumerism.

www.leland.k12.mi.us/spring04/wright04_1.html

Consumption and Consumerism – Global Issues  (2008) 

Statistics on how consumption and consumerism are related worldwide.

http://www.globalissues.org/issue/235/consumption-and-consumerism

Consumers Rights and Responsibilities           

An article on how consumers rights and responsibilities relate to identity theft.

http://www.balancepro.net/idtheft/chapter2.html

YouTube Videos

The Story of Stuff

Video on the life cycle of the products we buy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8

Consumer Rights:  Use Your Education Not a Bat

Funny video on how not to make sure your rights and responsibilities as a consumer are met.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgUKNQWODpI

 


 

Unit 2:  Global Economy

Websites

Global Economic Prospects – World Bank (2009)

Projections from December 2008 on how the World Economy will flush out in 2009.  Related link in article for updated information as of March 2009.

http://go.worldbank.org/RWLJPPA0D0

Global Economy:  2009 Just like World War II – CNN Money (2009)

Article noting relationships between financial crisis of 2009 and the economy of World War II

http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/28/news/economy/imf_world_economic_outlook/index.htm

World Bank:  Global Economy to Shrink in 2009 – MSNBC (2009)

Financial crisis and how it will relate to poor and developing nations across the globe.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29586118/

The Global Economy in the Next Year – Forbes (2009)

Information showing more contraction in growth and more job losses in the future in the current state of crisis.

http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/22/depression-recession-growth-job-losses-opinions-columnists-nouriel-roubini.html

Is the Global Economy a Ponzi scheme? – Climate Progress (2009)

An article relating the current economic climate to a Ponzi scheme.  Includes a good definition of what a Ponzi scheme is.

http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/08/ponzi-scheme-madoff-friedman-natural-capital-renewable-resources/

You Tube Videos

G20 Summit – Barack Obama speech 

Video of Barack Obama’s reaction to April 2009’s G20 Summit in London addressing the global economy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTZlNIV-aQE

To Understand the Global Financial Crisis (Playlist of 55 videos)

A series of videos designed to help understand the impact of the global financial crisis on society and the banking industry.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A38B05538B19E2D2&search_query=the+global+economic+crisis

                                   


 

Unit 3:  Income, Taxes, Spending, Budgeting

Websites

Household Income in the United States – Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States

U.S. Census Bureau Data

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/reports.html

Education and Technology:  Supply, Demand, and Income Inequality – VOX (2009)

http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/3640

 

Average Salary Report

http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/3640

IRS Withholding Calculator for 2009

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/page/0,,id=14806,00.html

PaycheckCity.com Paycheck Calculator

http://www.paycheckcity.com/netpaycalc/netpaycalculator.asp

Death and Taxes 2009 – Interactive Wallposter depicting where our Federal taxes go

http://www.wallstats.com/deathandtaxes/

Recession Changing People’s Spending Habits 

http://www.channel3000.com/news/19391383/detail.html

Young Americans Improving saving, sprending habits

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/shopping_blog/2009/05/young-americans-improving-saving-spending-habits.html

American Spending Habits Mean More In-Home Entertaining

http://www.examiner.com/p-358841~Americans__Spending_Habits_Mean_More_In_Home_Entertaining.html

Consumer Reports Magazine

http://www.consumerreports.org/

Tips on Budgeting 

http://www.way2hope.org/tips_on_budgeting.htm

Videos on Budgeting Tips

http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=budgeting+tips&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=NqA1Suy5B5_cM_aOlJ4K&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title#

YouTube Videos

Money Matters (Playlist of 20 videos) 

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=EDCD6858D009E988&search_query=budgeting+tips

Ten Budgeting Tips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_VaRIln4n8&feature=related

 


 

Unit 4:  Banking, Checking Accounts, Saving & Investing

Websites

Bank Accounts 

http://foreignborn.com/self-help/banking/index.htm

What is a Checking Account 

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-checking-account.htm

66 Ways to Save Money 

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/money/66ways/

How to Save Money 

http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Money

Beginner Money Investing 

http://www.beginnermoneyinvesting.com/

Investing for Beginners 

http://beginnersinvest.about.com/

MSN Money Central 

http://moneycentral.msn.com/home.asp

Teaching Kids about Personal Finance 

http://www.flixya.com/video/1411465/Teaching_Kids_About_Personal_Finance:_Mom_Matters_

How to balance a checkbook

http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_111_balance-checkbook.html

YouTube Videos

Mastering the Stock Market (Playlist of 4 videos)

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5AC5DDB367673F81&search_query=Mastering+the+Stock+Market

The Difference Between Banks and Credit Unions (Playlist of 3 videos)

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=15087962DEEB56E5&search_query=the+difference+between+banks+and+credit+unions

Excel based Budgeting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z3Mv6rjD0w

 


 

Unit 5:  Credit

Websites

50 Fun Facts about Credit Cards 

http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/50-fun-facts-about-credit-cards.html

FiCo Credit Education Center 

http://www.myfico.com/creditEducation/

Illinois State Treasurer Credit Education: 

http://www.treasurer.il.gov/programs/credit-cards/credit-cards.aspx

CBM Credit Education Foundation

http://www.cbmfoundation.org/pageserver.php/educational_materials.html

Credit Education by Mastercard

http://www.mastercard.com/ca/personal/en/education/credit/index.html

Credit Education – Freddie Mac

http://www.freddiemac.com/corporate/citizenship/protecting_consumers/credit_education.html

YouTube & Other Videos

Frontline:  Secret History of the Credit Card 

www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/credit/

Fraud and Crime Protection (YouTube Playlist of 41 Videos)

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=60C004EDAD1EEE53&search_query=Credit+Education

Consumer Rights and Credit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqfDRDsLaGU

Consumer Rights:  How to Improve Your Credit Rating, Credit Score, or Credit Report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTCEOGNuluE

 


 


Unit 6:  Insurance

Websites

Risk and Insurance Principles

http://www.agecon.msstate.edu/Aquaculture/workshop_1/Insurance_Principles.pdf

 

How Car Insurance Works

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-insurance.htm

How to Buy Car Insurance

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/how-to-buy-car-insurance/1667844085

Suze Orman on Life Insurance

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/how-to-buy-car-insurance/1667844085

 

How to Buy Life Insurance (19 short video segments)

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/8025-how-to-buy-life-insurance

 

The Truth about Life Insurance

http://www.daveramsey.com/the_truth_about/life_insurance_3481.html.cfm

 

Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education

http://www.lifehappens.org/

 

Consumer Action Handbook – Homeowner’s and Renters Insurance

http://www.consumeraction.gov/caw_insurance_homeowner_renter.shtml

 

Dogs on Insurance Blacklist

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/homeowners-insurance-bites-dogs-that-bite-1.aspx

Home Insurance Tips from Nationwide

http://www.nationwide.com/homeowners-insurance.jsp

 

YouTube Videos

Insurance 101 (Playlist of 7 videos)

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=42487E5D3E9AFAEF&search_query=homeowners+insurance

 

Auto Insurance Advice : How Does a Speeding Ticket Affect Your Insurance?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl7M3LP6kQE

 

 

Life Insurance (Playlist of 3 videos)

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=search_playlists&search_query=life+insurance+101&uni=1

 

IEC Health Insurance Module

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgCvenVFY9s&feature=PlayList&p=9D99F9BB3D24FD19&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2

 

How to Buy Homeowner’s Insurance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpoXikig5R4