228 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Review and Assessment 22. Make inferences The level of risk the investor takes on usually determines the potential payback for an investment. Identify three stocks. Keep up with them for three weeks. If you had actually bought the stocks, would you have made or lost money? Why? Core Skills 23. Research and technology Get copies of several different companies’ advertisement flyers. Choose one product. Look into comparing the cost at each of the companies. Which company charges the most? Which company charges the least? Is the product exactly the same at each company? Are there differences? Create an electronic presentation describing how you compared the product from each of the different companies and determined which one would be the wisest purchase. Share your presentations with the class. 24. Research, writing, and speaking Choose a local company to research. Find out about its social sustainability. Look into issues involving fair labor laws, community development, safety, and wellness. Write a one-page paper explaining what you found out about the local business and its practices. Discuss your findings with the class. 25. Speaking and listening Pair up with a partner. One of you is the customer service manager for a retail store. The other person is an unhappy customer. Role-play how to handle a customer who is upset with the company due to a problem with a purchase or with a situation that occurred in the store, such as a rude salesperson. Take turns being the customer and the customer service representative. 26. Writing Using the information from this chapter, write a rough draft for a letter of complaint to a local business. Include what the problem is and how you would like it resolved. This can be put into your portfolio. 27. Technology, writing, and math Use a software program of your choice to keep track of your spending for two weeks. Then, create a chart with income and expenses listed into categories. Use this information to make a rough draft of a budget. Refer to the five basic steps of creating a budget identified in this chapter. As you are planning your budget, apply the decision-making process to determine how you will allocate and use your finances wisely. After completing your budget, follow it for one month. Adjust your plan as necessary and take notes about how well the plan works or about any challenges you may face. Why is following a budget a helpful habit to practice? 28. Research and math Identify local financial institutions. Research the types of interest available for home or car loans. Which place has the lowest interest rate? Which has the highest interest rate? Based on your research, which financial institution would you apply to for a loan? Explain. 29. Research, math, and technology Compare and contrast the rate of return between a certificate of deposit and a mutual fund. Which would help you grow your money faster? 30. Technology Financial institutions and other companies are not flawless. There are regular attempts at breaching security. Create an electronic public service announcement explaining these dangers, what you must do if your purse or wallet is stolen, and who you need to contact to get replacements for the items in your wallet. Share your presentations with other classes in your school. 31. Writing and technology In groups of three, work together to write and design a pamphlet explaining the differences among installment credit, noninstallment credit, and revolving credit. Describe how these different types of credit can affect a person’s credit score. Be sure to check your pamphlet for correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Present your pamphlets in class.