Mutt Media NY LLC’s Neighborhood

http://www.forrester.com/Research/Document/0,7211,55103,00.html

My initial project plan - to make sure I use the correct font, color and style that will encourage kids to visit the site.

It is very important that I use the right colors and graphics that kids find desirable - I found this site that will help me to make that decision- trying to help create a " cool place to be."

http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol5/design_no11.htm

http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol2/design_no7.htm

http://www.youthmediareporter.org/2005/04/what_works_on_the_web_for_teen.html-see below

Let teens chat and talk. Make sure your site is interactive. Quizzes, polls, message boards, games, or questions asking for feedback allow teens to meet new friends, share ideas, and believe their ideas matter and can make a difference. Interactive websites send that message. (So does giving teens a platform to showcase their own media, come to think of it…)

Make the site easy to use and understand. NNG cites three factors for why young people may not be the techno whiz kids so many people assume they are—teens’ still-developing reading skills, research abilities, and, uh, patience. Whether or not this sounds to you like more teen stereotyping, you’ll probably agree with the study’s resulting tips for web design. To create an effective teen site, NNG says, make everything clear. Provide lots of visible links that change color to show visited areas and clear cross-references with links to related material. Make the "search" box easy to find.

Keep it clean. A common misconception is that teens want loud, glitzy graphics, reports NNG. Actually, teens like a minimalist, clean layout. They prefer a large font (so they can lean back in their chairs while reading), tabulated borders, and need-to-know information only. Jumbled, verbose content is a major turnoff. Nor are teens fond of fancy animation schemes, pop-ups, or annoying sound effects.

Don’t call it a “kids'” or “youth” site. This may be bad news for organizations with the word “youth” in their names, but NNG’s study found that the terms “can be completely misinterpreted by teens.” While the report did not explain what beef, exactly, teens have with the word “youth,” it did relay that teens avoid sites that appear too childlike, and “detest” being called “kids.” The bottom line: teens like being called “teens.”

Use classy colors and cutting-edge design. Think Macs.

Make it fast. Not every teen has high-speed access or a top-notch computer. Slow-running sites and long download times can be annoying, to say the least.

Let teens click for information. Teens prefer to click than to scroll, so limit the scrolling, please.

In trying to focus in on what I want on my site I came across these site that I thought I would like to try to incorporate into mine-

http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/games/ - this site is so much fun and I think the kids would learn a lot by playing these games. If you have any time try one out! the best thing is that they have the game sectioned down into age

amateur - ages 11-14
semi pro - ages 14-18
pro - ages 18 +

It is a really clever way to get kids invovled. In my questionaaire with the kids they mentioned that they would be more likely to go to a website about financial literacy if they had games. They have financial soccer and football

http://www.mint.org/- the mint had a nice clean site. It is very fun and kid and parent friendly. I liked the graphics and the "upbeat" sense it gave. I will look at this color scheme when designing my site

http://www.giveme20.com/blog/category/reloadable-student-debit-cards/ - the giveme20 site has a lot of good information in reference to the use of debit/prepaid cards for allowance and for college. This is my information site -

What I would like to be able to create is a participation with both parents and kids to learn about money. They can both sit at the computer and play the games. I am sure even some of the parent will get stumped on some of the questions ! so this will create an experience of mutual learning and understanding. This can also spark the kids to challenge their parents to these money games to see who wins, and they can also challenge their friends.

I am not that well versed in computers, but I guess the media I would need would be Flash, video, audio and text. I want it to have a simply fun look that will compel people to stay on and look at different areas. The areas would be games and learning. I would like to incorporate Facebook to promote discussion for mainly the kids.

 
My Dream Team
 

Paula

Paula Scher: The Dame of Grande Design

Bigger is definitely better. Bold words wrap you up and pull you in. You’re hooked! New York-based Paula Scher, one of only two female partners at mighty Pentagram, is a graphic design rock star of the highest order. She’s also an author, a superb lecturer, and her work is in the permanent collections of several museums. Her clean, brash, and inventive use of typography has influenced a generation of young designers.

Louise Fili: Elegant Romance

Louise Fili has a special way with food packaging and restaurant identity design: the old-fashioned way. Her intricate illustrations and hand-lettered type grace brands from the most familiar, like Williams-Sonoma’s, to the most exclusive. As a book jacket designer previous to opening her New York City firm, she designed over 2000 covers, and learned the intimate art of connecting with an audience visually within a very small frame. Today she is also the author of several excellent books on graphic design.

http://us.twentyonesquares.com/- I came across this group in my research. I really liked the work. It had a fun, hip feel to it and I think we would work well together.

http://www.qsrmagazine.com/issue/46/nameguru.phtml- I would love for Terry Heckler to help me with my logo!

Please answer the following questions:

1.    how old are you
a 16
b 16
c 17
d  16
e 13

2. Do you get an allowance?

a I used to; not anymore. I get a certain amount of money for clothes every half year.
b yes
c no
d yes
e yes

3. Do you think it is important to know about finances?

a yes
b yes
c yes
d yes, I do
e no

4. Have your parents talked to you about finances?

a no really

b yes
c a little
d yes they have
e no

5. If you get allowance would you mind having your allowance on a debit card?

a  Not at all, I think it would be better to have an allowance on a debit card; I probably wouldn't spend as much if I had to go to a bank when I wanted to take money out

b no
c no
d I get my allowance on a debit card, and it makes things much easier.
e no

6.Have you used a credit or debit card before?
 a 

7. Do you do most of your shopping in person or online?

a Mostly online, but then I'll go to return things and while I'm at the store/mall I'll go shopping in person
b in person
c in person
d about half and half
e in person

8. Do you feel you know how to budget your money or do you buy on impulse?

a If it's something I really want, I'll impulse-buy it. But if it's something I feel I may want, I'll wait a little.
b I feel like I can budget my money well. It wouldn't be characteristic of me to buy on an impulse.
c Buy on impulse
d A pleasant mixture of the two.
e both

9. Do you think if a website was made to help kids learn about finances that kids would be interested?

a Definitely; everyone likes to find ways to save their money.
bI feel as though it is important for kids to learn, at a young age, how to properly use money. However, I do not think that they would go to the website in their own free time to read about finances.
c I would, i don't know about other kids
d no
e no

10.Could you make any suggestions that would be helpful in making a website that explored finances and use of  credit/debit cards for kids? would you be more inclinded to go to website if you would win a $25 gift certificate?

a I think the possibility to win a $25 gift certificate would benefit the site and more people would visit it.

b I would be more inclined to go to the website if there was a $25 gift certificate. On the website, it may be helpful to give an example of how much money you could receive by keeping your money in a bank account with interest. Kids being able to see the amount of money that they would earn would get them excited about making money by keeping it in the bank

c I think if there was a prize of some sort for going on it they would be more enticed to go on

d Definetly if there was a cash prize that would help things. Just make it fun and easy, and include games

e I think if it became " cool" all the kids would do it

I got responses from parents about the idea of giving children a debit card, now I have to go to the kids. I am going to use Facebook to set up a survey and also ask the kids about what kind of website they would find most intersesting.

.

I had asked some of my co-workers to fill out the following questions to help me start my research

I am in a design research class and my topic is kids and money. It would be great if you have children in range from 7-18 years old to answer these questions for me so that I can collect some data.  

Do you give your child an allowance?

 mother #1-(boy 13) yes-just twenty dollars for lunch at school and trips to the corner store, in return for household chores

 mother #2- (girl 11, boy 7, boy 2)no, at one point I did start giving them allowance for household chores but I figured they were suppose to be doing that anyway so why pay them for it? when we go out I spend extra money on them anyway

mother #3-(girl 11) no- she does not do her part to deserve allowance. If she needs school money we just give it to her, but if she wants to do something else that requires extra we make her do a chore before we give her the extra money

mother #4- (girl 12) yes

mother #5- (girl 16) yes

mother #6-(boy 12) no, but I should

Have you ever have discussions about finances with your children? Budgeting?

mother #1- Yes, from his part-time job he has to save ten percent of what he earns and has to budget out what he has left and decide what he wants vs what he needs.

mother #2- Yes, my kids love technology and want all the lastest games, I tell them to save there money so they can get it for a special occasion. I let them know I need to budget and explain that to them

mother #3 - yes, we try to explain it to her

mother #4- yes

mother #5-yes

mother #6- all the time because he thinks money is endless

Would you ever consider giving your child their allowance on a debit card?

mother #1-he has one and I check it online

mother #2- i have thought about it

mother #3- no not at this time

mother #4-yes, hopefully by the time she is in 9th grade

mother #5-maybe, something to think about

mother #6-I would be afraid of overdraft fees

Are there any reasons that you would not want your child using a debit card?

mother #1- nope

mother #2- I think they are still too young and afraid they would lose the card or the pin number.

mother #3 - yes, she would spend it on junk and then ask for more money

mother #4-no

 mother #5-no

mother #6-other than overdraft fees it sounds like a good idea

Do you believe it is important to talk to your child about money?   if no please explain why?

mother #1- yes talking about finances will help them in the future when they are on their own.

mother #2- i think it is important so they have a better understanding of money when they get older

mother #3- i think is important by the age of 10, but I am not really sure how much she understands.

 mother #4-very important

mother #5-most definetly

mother #6 yes, all the time, money is the future and will affect them for the rest of their lives!

Research plan and updates
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    First, if necessary, revise or complete your project introduction; include additions and updates to your media scan/context review.

In furthering my research I found a card that does what I had in mind it is called PAYjr

http://www.payjr.com/ - the have two cards, one for 12 and under and one for 13 and up. The 12 and under is more of a reward for doing chores and the 13 and up is for budgeting and understanding finances.

Select Card Type

A PAYjr Visa Buxx® Card gives you and your Teen financial security with the convenience of a prepaid card:

    * Add money to the card at any time or set up automatic recurring loads*
    * Monitor the card transactions, so you know exactly where it's being used
    * Prepare your teen for a successful financial future by teaching important budgeting skills

Only $4.95 per month, which protects you from fraudulent purchases, overdraft fees or late fees.
    
Classic PAYjr Visa Buxx Card
$9.95 Activation Fee
The standard PAYjr Visa Buxx Card design. Simple choice. Great style.
   
   
Design Your Own PAYjr Visa Buxx Card
$19.95 Activation Fee
Upload your own photo or image and create a totally unique PAYjr Visa Buxx Card.
   
*$0.50 for loads from a checking or savings account; $2.50 for credit card loads. Learn More     Find out how PAYjr Visa Buxx compares to other products.

The website also has an educational area that helps parents and teens talk about money. They also have a quiz for teens to take about money

 http://www.payjr.com/education_flashquiz.html

I now have to figure out a different avenue to go down in reference to my original idea, as it has already been done!

http://www.marketprosecure.com/prepaid-teen-debit-cards.html

http://www.upsidevisa.com/?sponsorship=GAWpay&gclid=COjy2ILgpJ0CFdZM5QodWHfD7Q

http://www.teendebit.net/
   

I thought of new idea that might be better utilized for the betterment of all. To try to incorporate a Personal Finance class in our high schools. My daughter goes to a private all girls high school and they have no program like this. If all our schools could have a class to help the kids understand finances they will be better prepared to live on their own, especially when they first get to college and credit cards are given to them without any understanding of the implications that are associated with them (i.e.: ruining your credit!)

Who: Middle/High school curriculum – if this is not feasible, I thinking having finance club after school would be a good idea.

What: A Personal Finance class

Where: in public and private schools

When: I believe 8th grade or 9th grade would be a good starting point, the could have Personal finance I and II

Why: Because our children have to learn to be financially independent. I believe a lot of the people who got scammed into mortgages they could not afford were ignorant to the way of fiancés. It is imperative that we guard our children’s future, and this should begin by being somewhat financially literate.

Time line : I will do my best to come up with a viable way to address these issues in a classroom setting in the time we have in class. I will create a possible curriculum to show what this would involve for the schools.

Discussion topics: budgeting, checking accounts, how to write a check, online banking, using credit cards and the dangers of using credit cards. Understanding mortgages, car loans, rent

Contacts: middle schools and high schools to see if they have any classes or programs such as this, would they be interested, could it be an elective course like art?

http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/03/05/should-they-teach-personal-finance-in-high-school/

http://www.jumpstartcoalition.org/

 I found this great resource, which is all about educating our children in personal finances. A value add that I can do it to is to help the kids set goals, which can have each kid establish a budget and set goals and whoever comes closest to the budget wins. This helps for the kids to be able to implement what they have learned and then get the emotional and psychological value added from learning to staying in a budget. This can be done in a classroom or in an after school club setting.