What challenges did you overcome throughout this inquiry project, and how did you go about it?
The number one challenge during my inquiry project was not the research necessarily but the articulation. Because the investing world is full of different tips and tricks, and there are so many different ways to go by something, it was quite hard trying to articulate the information I had learned in a way that would everyone can comprehend and be able to think beyond. Ultimately, it is simple to just write the information however, I wanted the readers to be able to think about the information and come up with their own questions using the information I had provided. In order to solve this problem I decided to incorporate questions within my writing. For example, when I was mentioning the different types of commodities I would try and use language such as “Why would one invest in gold as opposed to a house” (not an excerpt from my blog posts, but an example of some of them). This way, the reader would be able to be set into a more inferring mood and come up with their own questions as well.
How did this inquiry change the way you think?
This inquiry made me change my perspective on how much adolescents today know about personal finance. Personally, I was intrigued by this topic from a young age, however, through my research I was able to see how little there is a concentration on personal finance geared toward teenagers. Of course, one can utilize the same concepts from anything and it doesn’t need to be branded for teenagers, however, some of the examples used to explain these concepts were not applicable for teenagers and I think that is where there needs to be change. Some examples include multiple usages of banking and taxing terms that were not common at all, as well as mortgages and life insurance.
How did this investigation impact your future decisions?
This inquiry research has helped me plan for my own financial decisions which I have to make in the future, as well as made me realize how important it is to start my financial plan as early as possible in order to have a better future.
What impact will this investigation have on others locally and/or globally?
Hopefully, this research will impact my community and those reading it from around the world in the profound sense that financial independence can be achieved by anyone. In addition, by gearing my research towards teenagers and those my age I hope to help them think about the future in a positive manner and gain their own interests in the fascinating field that investing is. Specifically, I wrote my research in a “step-by-step” format to help anyone within my community start their financial journey without any confusion!