Being a Responsible Consumer

What was the last thing you bought? - video game? lunch? a haircut? Anytime you pay for something – you are a consumer A consumer: someone who buys and uses goods and services produced by others.

Factors that influence consumer choices: 1) Income: whether it’s from a paycheck or allowance, your income (the amount of money you receive) is the single most important factor that affects what you buy. 2) Environment: your environment can determine what kind of clothes and food you buy.

Factors that influence consumer choices: 3) Personal interests and values: you choose to spend money on the things that you value and that interest you. 4) Family and culture: each family and culture have customs and traditions that influence how people shop and what people purchase.

Factors that influence consumer choices: 5) Advertising: most advertising is designed to tempt you to buy something. Clever ads can make it easy to lost control of your purchasing decisions. 6) Peer pressure: keep in mind that you, not your friends, know what you need, want and can afford.

Gain control of what you buy... Develop a shopping plan! -Know your wants and needs -Find consumer information -Know when to buy -Know where to buy

***With a partner, brain storm and make list to identify what you should take into consideration when developing a good shopping plan. Think about/answer: making a list of priorities how will you find consumer information? how do you know when to buy? how do you know where to buy? (make a list of your shopping options)

Using a shopping plan can avoid: Impulse shopping: an item you buy or a service you purchase without thinking it through. A shopping plan can also encourage: Comparison shopping: comparing products, prices, and services to get the most value for the money.

Rights as a consumer Every consumer has the right: - to safety (protected against products that are harmful) - to be informed (protected against dishonest advertising) - to choose (choice available at fair and competitive prices) - to be heard (speak out about consumer laws) - to redress (having a wrong corrected quickly and fairly) - to consumer education (entitled to information about consumer issues) - to service (expect courtesy, convenience and responsiveness)

Responsibilities as a consumer Every consumer should be: Fair and honest (expected to take care of merchandise you handle or try on and pay for your purchases) Pay attention (watching the register, counting your change, checking bill) Save paperwork- (bills, receipts)

Consumer problems and how to resolve… Paying for services that are not done correctly or paying or goods and finding out you’ve been overcharged can leave you feeling upset and angry. Sometimes it’s a matter of requesting the job be done again, or getting your money back. These steps may also be helpful: Check your warranty Write to the manufacturer Take further action (BBB or small claims court)

Answer the following question on separate paper. Imagine you were going to spend a week in a remote area, and could only take clothes and food with you. Which technology device would you miss the most? Explain.