NCL Personal Finance Issues

Celebrating National Consumer Protection Week

The 13th annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is upon us! Government and non-profit entities have joined forces to bring you timely information that will help you protect your privacy, manage your finances, and avoid frauds and scams.

National Consumer Protection Week 2011 begins next week! The annual week runs this year from March 6 to the 12th. NCL is an NCPW Steering Committee member, working with our consumer protection colleagues to provide free resources to help people protect their privacy, manage money and debt, avoid identity theft, understand credit and mortgages, and steer clear of frauds and scams. This year, NCPW partners—which includes AARP, Better Business Bureau, Consumer Federation of America, and a handful of federal government agencies and others—are focusing on how NCPW is “Your Information Destination” for tools and resources on consumer education for every stage of life – from grade school to retirement.

NCL has long sought to educate our youngest consumers on a variety of issues, and our 17-year-old LifeSmarts program captures the nuts and bolts of growing up consumer savvy. LifeSmarts is our fast, fun, nationwide coaching and competition opportunity that prepares today’s tweens and teens to be tomorrow’s informed, responsible citizens, consumers and employees. NCL runs LifeSmarts at the national level and is grateful for the support from volunteer state coordinators across the country facilitating the program in their states. LifeSmarts is a national program for high school and middle school youth, testing students in grades 7-12 with questions about real-life marketplace issues ranging from personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities.

This 2010-2011 season, the LifeSmarts program continues to see record numbers of tween and teen participants. The curriculum conforms to National Education Standards and also offers extracurricular fun. Using game-show dynamics, the program adapts easily to any classroom, club, or community organization.

State competitions are heating up across the country, and as winners are determined, champion teams are prepping for their trip to Hollywood, CA for the 2011 National LifeSmarts Championship. Follow the excitement of the coming weeks at NCL’s LifeSmarts blog or check out this printable practice quiz to learn how LifeSmarts is the go to “Information Destination” for teens learning to navigate today’s complex marketplace.

John Breyault, NCL’s Vice President of Public Policy Telecommunications and Fraud, will be blogging every day of NCPW while focusing on LifeSmarts’ five key issue areas:  personal finance; health and safety; the environment; technology; and consumer rights and responsibilities. Check back here or NCL’s Savvy Consumer blog for updates!

NCPW Blog

Monday 03/07:  LifeSmarts: Teens’ Personal Finance Information Destination

Tuesday 03/08: LifeSmarts: Teens’ Health and Safety Information Destination

Wednesday 03/09: LifeSmarts: Empowering Teens to Be “Green” Consumers

Thursday 3/10: LifeSmarts: Teens' Technology Information Destination