http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Logo_250X250.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Background_1024X576.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Banner_686X60.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Half-Banner_234X60.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Logo_250X250 http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Logo-Watermark_250X250.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Background_1024X576.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Half-Banner-ALT_234X60.jpg Bigthink http://www.bigthink.com/feed/rss/comment/feature/368 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:24:19 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368 It would be good to learn how the average person can learn about personal finance. I'm lucky enough to have been educated from an early age in financial matters and have an MBA--but what about the folks that didn't even graduate from high school? Bigthink Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:12:07 +0100 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368/#13316 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368 The real question in my mind is why we're not teaching these principles to kids in grade school. Personal economy is a vital skill and we should be treating it as such. Bigthink Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:59:23 +0100 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368/#13302 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368 Am I financially literate if I understand what I am doing wrong, but cannot see a way out? I have huge student loans, work in a "coveted" position in media, share an apartment, don't go out very often, but still go through my entire paycheck each month. I get that I should save, but I don't see how. Bigthink Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:30:23 +0100 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368/#13297 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368 I had no idea a financial literacy month even existed. I certainly was never trained to handle my finances and it hurt my in my younger years. Particularly my 20s (which I am still in). Would have been nice to have a little guidance in college. That being said, would I have paid attention? Actually, probably! Bigthink Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:46:30 +0100 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368/#13294 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368 I line up with Denis on this one. You must spend money to make money. That being said, Credit Card debt in this country is a major problem and one solution, I think, is more regulation of the credit card industry. I mean, honestly, has anyone here ever tried to read the contract that comes with a credit card? My point being, I don't think you can totally blame the card-user for racking up debt when card companies switch their interest rate without informing the customer. I know this from experience! Bigthink Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:44:52 +0100 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368/#13293 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368 Right now, the American people have a negative savings rate--that simply can't continue. We've relied on rising home values and mounting credit card to keep our lifestyles on an upward trajectory. What we really need, like Schwab says, is a total overhaul of how we approach money -- and our very understanding of value -- so our personal finances contribute to a positive feedback loop for the economy as a whole. Bigthink Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:41:58 +0100 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368/#13292 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368 I think it's perfectly easy for people who have means to talk about financial fitness, but what if you are barely scraping by and cannot save? Also, the credit card industry makes it so easy to spend above one's means in this country, don't you think the credit card industry should be regulated in some way? Bigthink Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:41:49 +0100 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368/#13291 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368 Are you saying dsutera, that if we stop spending more than we have, the economy will suffer? This is not sustainable long term. Bigthink Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:31:47 +0100 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368/#13290 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368 Most of our GDP is comprised of consumption by the american people. The average american family's credit card debt is around $10,000. As goes personal financial responsibility, so goes much of our economy. Bigthink Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:26:15 +0100 http://www.bigthink.com/features/368/#13289