Consumer Sense

Consumer Sense — page 1 — oney Sense D it makes sense to know about it People Money use money and think about it every day How much money does this cost Do I have enough money to buy that Should I save my money for something All of the answers to these questions relate to understanding how money works Money Matters Like it or not money matters It matters whether people have a lot of money or just a little How much money people have and how they manage their money both affect the life choices they can make A decision today such as saving money or spending it can affect what they can do months and years from now a There's enough on this planet for everyone's needs but not for everyone's greed Mahatma Gandhi former Indian political leader Asking yourself What does having money let me do can help you develop good money

Consumer Sense — page 2 — onSUmer Consumers are people who buy goods and services Being a smart consumer means making the most of your money by making thoughtful decisions about what to buy You Are a Consumer We are all consumers Any time you buy anything you are a consumer If you make a phone call you are consuming telephone services If you watch television you are a consumer of television shows and advertisements When you go to the dentist you are also a consumer since you use the dentist s services and pay for them Any time that we make decisions about consuming goods and services it is important to use consumer sense Having consumer sense means thinking carefully about what you

Consumer Sense — page 3 — Needs and Wants People consume goods and services for many reasons It is important to understand the difference between consuming to meet a need and consuming to meet a want Understanding needs Needs are things people must have to survive or to live happy and healthy lives People need food water and shelter They also need education clothing and health care Of course not everything they need can be bought Love respect happiness and a sense of purpose are not available to buy Understanding Wants Wants are things that people do not need to survive They are nice to have but not necessary A new pair of designer shoes the latest cell phone and a faster computer are usually wants not needs Food water and shelter are needs because they are things people need to

Consumer Sense — page 4 — OO OOOOOO Is it a Need or a Want Wants and Needs Change Over Time The line between needs and wants is not always clear Do you need that new pair of athletic shoes or do you just want them If all of your other shoes have holes in them you may need to buy a new pair of athletic shoes to keep your feet dry However if you are buying the latest most expensive pair because all your friends are as well the athletic shoes are probably more of a want than a need People's wants and needs change as they grow older A computer that was a want when a person was younger may become a need if the person works in programming or web site design when he or she is older I need this pair for sports To determine whether you want or need a product such as a new pair of athletic shoes ask yourself why you need or want it but I want this pair because they're

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