As the end of 2009 approaches, the annual ritual of rating the year kicks into high gear. We in the media obsessively make “best” and “worst” lists of everything from albums to gadgets to celebrity scandals.
Here at Marketplace, we thought we’d get in on the list-making action. But there’s a twist. Instead of compiling our own lists, we want to hear from you.
What was your biggest financial worry of 2009? What were your best and worst financial decisions of the year? What was the most important financial lesson you learned? Click here to share your answers to these questions and more.
Please join us in bidding a fond farewell (or perhaps a good riddance) to 2009 by helping Marketplace cover the financial stories that are meaningful to you. Share your best and worst with us here.
Not my personal story, but for the past few years I have taught financial literacy for low income persons participating in a savings incentive program. One of the requirements was 12 hours of financial literacy. As an instructor, it was hard to hold back judgement when participants living at or below the poverty level had professionally done nails and proudly claimed the amounts for their cable and cell phone bills and the amount spent on coffee. In some classes it was very difficult to see the students cling to their spending patterns at the risk of basic needs of living. I asked them to keep records of spending and categorize into needs, wants, luxuries. I marvel at $10-13 lunches and Starbucks instead of SA coffee as a need!
Most of the financial woes in the country now are not a result of individual decision-making, but some ways out can be helped with individual decision-making.