Article on home ec classes

[Left]

http://www.dailyfinance.com/on/mandatory-home-ec-classes-cure-americas-financial-woes/
and the quiz it mentioned http://usfinancialcapability.org/submit_quiz.php, it isn't hard, nothing that striving mustachians wouldn't have learnt along the way... But the average is suprising...

But the author does make a good point in that home ec is kind of teaching mustachianism to kids. I think, I never had the class offered so I'm going by what it's being described as.

Anyone else feel like it wouldn't be a bad idea? And I enjoy cooking (not desserts though, too much powder/flour up in air) and don't mind sewing (or at least patching up holes, I can't make my own clothes but haven't tried) and I'm a guy. I took classes for that instead of normal "guy" classes like woodwork in middle school. Though I didn't have a choice, I got kicked out of woodwork because I left wood block on sander and turned it on >.> No one ever said I had to hold it down to use it!

I don't care if it is seen as a "women's" class, I needed it just as much as anyone as a single college kid and then onto adulthood.

[Khan]

I have two rebuttals to this... I'm afraid it's the end of my workday so they won't be as thorough as I like to make normally.
1. Frugality is all well and good, but I think it's important to note the income inequality(yay! tired of people mentioning it yet?) that is driving that movement in the mainstream. We've pinched and scrimped every bit out of the system(I highly recommend the movie Inequality for All to all people of this forum), we've smoothed out our supply lines, we've outsourced our manufacturing to cheaper locations, we've reduced our overhead via digitization, etc, but there is an upper limit to how far we can stretch our current wages before they -need- to increase to maintain the middle class in America.

2. A little financial knowledge is actually a dangerous thing, because it makes people think they know more then they actually do. Attempting to instill financial literacy in high schoolers does not pay off the dividends you'd think it should. I'm not sure how applicable this is compared to the Home Ec. course, but just mentioning it.
http://www.afcpe.org/assets/pdf/lewis_mandell_linda_schmid_klein.pdf

[mpbaker22]

I have two rebuttals to this... I'm afraid it's the end of my workday so they won't be as thorough as I like to make normally.
1. Frugality is all well and good, but I think it's important to note the income inequality(yay! tired of people mentioning it yet?) that is driving that movement in the mainstream. We've pinched and scrimped every bit out of the system(I highly recommend the movie Inequality for All to all people of this forum), we've smoothed out our supply lines, we've outsourced our manufacturing to cheaper locations, we've reduced our overhead via digitization, etc, but there is an upper limit to how far we can stretch our current wages before they -need- to increase to maintain the middle class in America.

2. A little financial knowledge is actually a dangerous thing, because it makes people think they know more then they actually do. Attempting to instill financial literacy in high schoolers does not pay off the dividends you'd think it should. I'm not sure how applicable this is compared to the Home Ec. course, but just mentioning it.
http://www.afcpe.org/assets/pdf/lewis_mandell_linda_schmid_klein.pdf

As someone who lives on expenses of less than minimum wage income equivalents, but makes the US median income, your first paragraph is utter BS.  Sure, income inequality exists, but how are we going to change it?  By being more intelligent.  If we all pinched pennies at home, sewing buttons back on our pants instead of buying new pants, wouldn't CEOs have less of a profit?  I think it's precisely the attitude that we don't have enough that let's CEOs cash in on all of our antimustachian purchases. 

Many people think it's better to buy a new car than give their neighbor a few cases of beer to show them how to fix it.  The former gives money to the CEO.  The latter puts money in your pocket and strengthens the relationship with your neighbor.

[Left]

Many people think it's better to buy a new car than give their neighbor a few cases of beer to show them how to fix it.  The former gives money to the CEO.  The latter puts money in your pocket and strengthens the relationship with your neighbor.

This is what I want too :( to have someone show me how to fix a car/bicycle :P because I can youtube it but still get it wrong. And have no one to talk to while doing it.

With average US income per household at around $50k, and mustachians striving to spending $20k or less, income inequality isn't as big of a role in them not saving money. Sure income inequality is bad, and I wish it was better, but that isn't the reason people are broke. If money/income was the thing that kept people from being broke, how do you explain most NFL/lottery winners/high wage workers being broke/living in debt?

we've smoothed out our supply lines, we've outsourced our manufacturing to cheaper locations

And? yes I know a walmart shirt is cheaper than the fabric (someone's comment on the link above). But the fabric is better quality and would not be cheaper than same quality fabric was used. Sure I buy walmart/kmart shirts once in a while when I need something and I'm not home to change clothes. But I only want something cheap because it'll work, and I know what I'm paying for, not quality work. Plus I invest the difference. So if a $5 shirt last 1 year and a $15 shirt last 3 years, and I buy 1 $5 shirt/year for the 3 years that the $15 shirt would last. I come out ahead by about $2. If the argument is the quality shirt can last longer than 3 years, then the cheap shirt can last longer than 1 year too. I used 3 years since it's a multiple of 5 into 15 :D and it's an easy whole number.

[MsSindy]

I don't know if Home Ec would actually cure America's financial woes, but it does provide you with basic skills.  These are not necessarily marketable skills, but more self-sufficient skills.  They also build your confidence that you can "take care of yourself" and run an efficient household.  I took both home ec and industrial arts, so I learned how to balance a checkbook, budget, cook, sew, build wood shelves, draft various 3-D objects, and forge a screwdriver and hammer, as well as pop-rivet some bookends!  I loved my industrial arts classes.

[MrsPete]

Home Ec  at the high school where I teach doesn't cover frugality or how to stretch a dollar.  Instead, the students learn to bake cookies and cakes (not vegetables because they don't like them), they sew simple pillows and a pair of boxer shorts or PJ pants.  They learn how to do things for the home, but they don't focus on how a pot of beans or a spaghetti dinner is cheaper than a steak dinner. 

And? yes I know a walmart shirt is cheaper than the fabric (someone's comment on the link above). But the fabric is better quality and would not be cheaper than same quality fabric was used. Sure I buy walmart/kmart shirts once in a while when I need something and I'm not home to change clothes. But I only want something cheap because it'll work, and I know what I'm paying for, not quality work. Plus I invest the difference. So if a $5 shirt last 1 year and a $15 shirt last 3 years, and I buy 1 $5 shirt/year for the 3 years that the $15 shirt would last. I come out ahead by about $2. If the argument is the quality shirt can last longer than 3 years, then the cheap shirt can last longer than 1 year too. I used 3 years since it's a multiple of 5 into 15 :D and it's an easy whole number.

My mother made most of my clothes as a kid.  Fabric and patterns were widely available (I have many memories of picking out materials), and she enjoyed it.  I assumed that I'd make my kids' clothes too; however, things have changed:  Fabric and patterns are sold only in a few stores.  Patterns cost $15 or more, and fabric runs $6-10/yard.  I discovered quickly that I could buy quality used items for less than I could sew them myself.  Also, I've made things for myself only to discover that they didn't look as good as I'd imagined . . . but then I'm stuck with them.  I like being able to try before I buy.

Incidentally, I never buy Walmart or Target shirts.  They don't last.