Final extra Credit assignment

SAVINGS & INVESTING  - EXTRA CREDIT PROJECTS

DIRECTIONS:  You may pick any one of these projects.  The score will be used to offset your lowest test or project score.

Any project that requires there to be a typed paper you should use font size of 12 and the margins should be one inch on all the sides.  Email or share your project with me (s.obloy@tch.birminghamcharter.com)

Project #1

Contact local banks, savings institutions, and credit unions to obtain interest rates for:

•   2-Year certificate of deposits

•   5-Year certificate of deposits

•   NOW Accounts / Savings Accounts

•   Or any other types of accounts that all of these banks offer.

Prepare a written analysis from AT LEAST 2 banking institutions. This MUST be typed.  The paper should include the name of the institutions, and you should describe the types of accounts that you are looking at.

Paper length should be a minimum of 1 page single-spaced, with double-space between paragraphs as you discuss your findings.

Project #2

Find an article in a magazine, newspaper, or on the internet that has to do with savings or investing.

TYPE a one-page summary (double-spaced) of the article.  This must be typed.  You MUST provide a copy of the article with your typed summary.

•   Three articles submitted will be graded on an A scale.

•   Two articles submitted will be graded on a B scale.

•   One article submitted will be graded on a C scale.

Your summary should include the main points of the article.  You should relate the article to economics and concepts studied in class during our Savings & Investing Unit.  You need to provide your thoughts and opinions on the article.

Project #3

Create a poster on savings and investing. The poster should be constructed on poster board and should

contain a distinctive theme.  You may use ideas presented in class, but you should also use additional information that obtain on your own to demonstrate that some research was done.  Neatness counts.

Project #4

Research retirement planning, by looking into IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) and 401(k)s. A good place to begin is at the website: http://www.pathtoinvesting.org/ptr/firstjob/firstjob_home_index.htm

You don’t have to use this site, but it might be a good place to start.  Gather your data on both and present that information in the form of a two-page paper (single-spaced).  You MUST provide the sources that you used in your report. Those sources should be listed on a separate page.

Project #7

Create a PowerPoint presentation with a minimum of 15 slides that describes the investment opportunities and strategies for either collectibles or real estate.  You should also include an additional slide that contains a list of resources used in finding this information. This project should be emailed to your instructor. 

Extra Credit

Go online and research a major company (Apple, Starbucks, Netflix, whatever), and answer the following questions:
1.  How is the company attempting to keep its current customers?
2.  What is it doing to attract new consumers?
3. What challenges does the company face?
4. What makes their product stand out from the rest?

Last day to turn in: Feb 27

Price

•          Price–the monetary value of a product as established by supply and demand–is a signal that helps us make our economic decisions.

•          High prices are signals for producers to produce more and for buyers to buy less. 

•          Low prices are signals for producers to produce less and for buyers to buy more.

•          (Law of Supply/Demand)

•          Prices are neutral because they do not favor the buyer or the consumer.  They are the result of competition.

•          Prices are flexible, allowing for the “shocks” of unforeseen events and changes in the market.

•          Prices have no administration costs.

•          Prices are familiar and easily understood.

•          Rationing, or the system where the government decides everyone’s “fair” share, leads to the question of fairness.

•          Price adjustments help a competitive market reach market equilibrium, with fairly equal supply and demand.

•          Surpluses occur when supply exceeds demand.

•          Shortages occur when demand exceeds supply.

•          The equilibrium price is the price at which supply meets demand.

•          A change in price is normally the result of a change in supply, a change in demand, or both

To be competitive, sellers are forced to lower prices, which makes them find ways to keep their costs down.

•          To achieve economic equity and security we often establish PRICE FLOORS and PRICE CEILINGS

•          price ceiling: A maximum amount that can be charged

•          price floor:  A minimum amount that can be charged/paid (ex.  Minimum wage)

•          TO be effective, needs to be above equilibrium

Economics Project # 1 Price/Markets

Goal: To develop a product , production plan, and marketing strategy that can be used to recruit investors.

Step One: Select a Product

In groups, select which product you’re going to produce.

Identify any competing products currently on the market. How will this affect your plan of attack?

Step Two: Development

Your group will need to decide all of the following things:

-what resources are needed to produce the product?

-What is the total cost to produce the product?

-Where are you going to produce the product?

-What are you hoping to charge for the product?

-What is the supply schedule for your product?

Step Three: Marketing

Your group will need to decide all of the following things:

What groups is your product targeting?

What are their demographics?

Age? Income? Interests?

Where are you planning on selling the product?

How are you going to market? What mediums will be most effective given your audience?

Step Four: Final Project

You will turn in:

1. The answers to your production questions, typed.

2. The answers to your marketing questions, typed.

3. A model of your product (small scale; it doesn’t have to work)

4. 3 examples of marketing/advertising that your business is going to use. Examples can include:

a. A television commercial

b. A radio commercial

c. A website

d. A print ad

e. A mock-up of a billboard

f. Or anything else you can think of….

You will be presenting your product, production plan, and marketing plan to the class as if you were trying to get them to invest in your business.

Due Date___________________