Helping Adults Gain Complementary Skills

Consumerism and Money Management

Are you a smart consumer?  What skills do you need to be a smart consumer?  There are actually a number of skills that are required, but the following provides you with a basic list for your students.

A smart consumer:

• Is informed
• Is patient
• Takes time to make decisions
• Uses money effectively
• Understands the true value of money
• Uses math skills when making decisions about spending
• Reduces the chance of having problems with money and finances

The list could go on and on, but it really boils down to the fact that a smart consumer does not spend more than he/she has to in order to purchase the goods, materials and services he/she needs. How many of your students live from paycheck to paycheck?

How many of your students always talk about never having enough money?  Sadly, many adult students do have problems with money. They have problems because they have little or no money management skills.  Why?  Unfortunately, many VPI students have had limited success in their lives, especially in school. There are many VPI students who dropped out of school with minimal academic skills.  Now, they have made the decision to go back to school - the primary reason being to be get a job or a better job. Often, the secondary reason for enrolling in your programs is to gain the skills needed to make more money and live comfortably, not from paycheck to paycheck.  Most VPI students want to be able to access the American dream - financial security.  There is only one problem. They have no past experience with money management and have little or no clue as to how to be effective money managers.