Sophia Elahi RPC Blog

Personal Finance 8, Lesson 170 – The Top Five Biggest Mistakes of Young Married Couples

Marriage is one of the biggest things that can happen to you as an adult. Of course it can bring immense happiness, but it can also bring some minor problems, especially to young newlyweds. In this essay I am going to talk about five mistakes young married couples can make.

Lack of Respect and Unconditional Love

I always thought that people get married when they find someone they love and the other person loves them back. But the thought of marrying someone for a reason that is not love has never crossed my mind, even though it does happen in real life. When this happens, it is possible that this couple does not respect each other, which means love is out of the question. No respect for each other may result in spending money lavishly without thinking about the repercussions it may cause for the other person.

Lack of Communication

You always need communication in a relationship, especially if you are sharing a bank account with this person. Lack of communication can result in fights and accidents that could land you in trouble. For example, say that you are at a mall and you see a pair of shoes you really want. You check your bank account and you see that you have enough money to buy it. You buy the shoes and go home. When you get home your spouse asks what happened to the money, you tell them you spent it on the shoes. But to your horror, you realize you spent the money that was supposed to be used for that month’s rent.

You always need to communicate with your partner. I do not mean ask them if you can buy certain things constantly, but to always tell them how much money you need for certain things and how much to save.

Not Having the Same Goals

Not having the same goals as your partner may be a big problem in your relationship with them. This can cause problems financially and in everyday life. A non-financial example is how you want to live your life. Maybe your partner wants to move states every few months, or maybe they want to move around a lot. But what if you do not like that lifestyle and prefer a more stable lifestyle. If this was my case I know for a fact that my relationship with this person would not last. Don’t get me wrong, I love travelling, but I like the idea of living in one place for long periods of time.

Not having the same goals as your partner may also be a challenge financially. For example, you want to save up for a vacation but your spouse wants to save up for a car. The vacation and the car cost the same and you only have enough savings to do one. I see this going into a slight disagreement and someone giving way to the other person. Of course there is nothing wrong with that, but it is always good if your financial goals align with your partner’s so at the end of the day everyone is happy.

Lack of Planning

Planning is one of the only reasons I can manage my schoolwork. I never realized how important planning can be until I entered 8^th grade and had to learn how to juggle five subjects. Every week I make a school of plan of what subjects I am doing on what days and what lessons I need to complete. If planning out my school is this important (and helpful) in 8^th grade, imagine how beneficial it will be to newlywed couples.

Everyone should plan their finances when they are adults, maybe even start as a teenager to get some practice. If you do not plan your finances it usually ends up in overspending and landing yourself in trouble.

Lack of Discipline

Discipline is something you have to have when dealing with money. I will admit, having good discipline is very hard, but it will pay off in the long run. When I mean discipline I mean not giving into temptations. All those ads you see on TV are made to tempt you to spend money on that item. Not giving into that temptation is having discipline.

Imagine a newlywed couple in their young 20s just came out of college and are enjoying being ‘real adults.’ They get married and go on a lavish (and expensive) honeymoon. After the honeymoon they go back to work and regular life, but go on expensive dates and spend their money carelessly. Before they know it they spent more than both of their incomes combined, and do not have enough money for necessary things (rent, electricity bill, water bill, etc…), which leads you to getting a loan which leads to you drowning in debt.

Not only is this lack of discipline, but also lack of planning. Do not let yourself fall into this sticky situation.

Conclusion

Now that you know some of the common mistakes newlyweds make, try not to do them when you get older. Some of these mistakes are things that teenagers do, like lack of planning and discipline. Try practicing these things while you are out shopping so when you are an adult you do not land yourself (and maybe even your partner) in trouble.

English 8, Lesson 165 – In Looking Backward, What Was the Most Believable Dream?

For the past few weeks I have been reading Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy. In this essay I am going to talk about which dream was the most realistic, waking up in 1887 or waking up in 2000.

In the last chapter of the book Mr. West’s servant, Sawyer, wakes him from his sleep in the chamber. For the next few pages, it seems like Mr. West never went to the year 2000 and it was all just a dream. West had gotten so used to the year 2000 that he had to ‘readjust’ to 1887. West was appalled that some people had riches and comfortable clothing while others had nothing and wore rags. The next morning West ‘wakes up’ again. This time in the year 2000, implying that waking up in the year 1887 was just a dream (talk about confusing).

If I was looking at the book from a non-fiction point of view, I would say that waking up in the year 1887 is more realistic. As I said in a past essay, being frozen alive and surviving without any food or water is not believable. But, this is a fiction book, therefore anything can be possible. I find that the new and improved version of the world in 2000 is quite odd. The book also never gave descriptions of how certain things worked in the year 2000, therefore I find it hard to believe certain aspects of the story.

Even though Looking Backward is a fictional novel, there are still some aspects of the story that is not very believable. Personally, I think that waking up in 1887 and finding that you had dreamt your whole ordeal is somewhat believable.

Thanks for reading!

Personal Finance 8, Lesson 150 and 155 – Economy Report

My writing assignments for Lessons 150 and 155 was to write an economy report on the US economy.

GDP:

For the people who do not know what GDP is: GDP, Gross Domestic Product, is the price of items multiplied by the quantity. The graph below is the GDP of everything in the country, food, toys, services, etc. Currently, the American GDP is at $21,487.896 billion.

Graph from https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDP

Unemployment Rate:

Currently, the unemployment rate is at 6.8%. The rate has been slowly been decreasing since April 2020, the beginning of quarantine due to Coivd-19.

Graph from https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE

Inflation:

For people who do not know what inflation is: Inflation is the rising of prices of products in the country. The current inflation rate is at 2.24%, which is 1.62% more than 2020.

Graph from https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL

Thanks for reading!

English 8, Lesson 155 – What Is the Least Believable Aspect of the Novel So Far?

This week in English I have been reading Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy. The book was written in 1888 and was Bellamy’s way of trying to promote a socialist society the future. I have only read the first nine chapters and I have caught three things that are not believable at all.

The first thing I noticed was the freezing. The main character and narrator of the story, Julian West, was frozen in some kind of chamber for 113 years. When he woke up in the year 2000 he was unchanged. He obviously was not dead and his looks remained the same and during his ‘sleep’ he did not have any source of food or water. Sounds like the story of Captain America, right? This book, like Captain America, is completely fiction, so it makes sense to have impossible things happen. But if someone was frozen in a chamber for 113 years in real life without any kind of food or water, like Mr. West and Cap, I doubt they would be able to tell the tale.

The second unbelievable thing in the novel was the fact that human nature has not changed. When Mr. West woke up, his house now belonged to Dr. Leete and his wife and daughter, who informed Mr. West of how society had changed. Leete told West that men worked for 25 years (from the age of 21 to the age of 45) and they do it because it is their duty and for honor, not for their neighbor or for themselves. Naturally, West asks how human nature has changed so much that men do this willingly. To this Leete says human nature has not changed, which I find hard to believe. I doubt many people would willingly work just for honor and because it is their duty.

The final thing that caught my eye is the fact that wars do not happen anymore. This just does not feel likely to happen. Did the government stop having problems with other countries? If that is the case how can Leete say that human nature has not changed? I find it odd that wars simply stopped.

Honestly, calling this book a novel is incorrect. According to Mr. North, books have three characteristics that make it a novel: a plausible storyline, interesting challenges, and the characters must become predictable. Bellamy’s book only matches one of these criteria, the characters become extremely predictable. I am only nine chapters into the book and I already know that there will be no challenges and the whole book will be about West and Leete talking.

As you can see, some of the things that Bellamy written in this book is completely unbelievable. The technicalities of how West stayed frozen and alive 113 years and the fact that human nature has not changed, yet wars are something of the past and people work for honor and duty is completely fiction. Bellamy wrote some pretty odd things in his book, good thing he is writing a fictional novel.

English 8, Lesson 150 – Why a Blog Site With Lots of Content Will Help You Get Your First Full-Time Job After College

This week was my first week with Mr. Gary North. Throughout the week Mr. North has stressed how important the skill of writing is and how a blog site can prove that you have this skill. I never thought about how important my blog site could be. In this essay I am going to talk about why a blog site with lots of content will help me get my first full-time job after college.

In ‘normal’ schools, starting a blog is not necessary or even part of their system. This means that out of all the applicants for the job you are applying to, you may be the only one with a website. This makes you stick out, and if your writing is good, it makes you a good candidate for the job.

For example, if you start a hobby website or another website that is not for your school essays, and you update it regularly for a long period of time, that will show your future employer that you can stick to something and that you do not give up easily. Of course your school blog will be pretty impressive, but having a blog that is not mandatory is very impressive.

In my case, I want to go into the acting business and maybe the writing business. These two fields are centred around writing. Having a blog full of school essays I have been writing since 5^th grade and a website dedicated to my poems and stories is a good way to show my skills.

Having a blog will also help you in any other field you want to enter. Like Mr. North said earlier this week, writers are needed in every field.

Imagine, your blog was very attractive to your boss and they hire you. You start to work for them and manage to keep up with your blog. If your boss is following your blog, they will be very surprised and impressed that you are able to do a full time job and find time to post to your blog (or blogs) regularly.

Another good thing about blogs is that you can practice your writing skills, which you will need when you go to work. If you look through my essays from 5^th grade and compare it to one of my more recent essays you would be able to see how much I have improved.

As you can see, blogs are very beneficial to you in terms of work and skill. Having a blog since a young age is very impressive to employers, colleges, and people in general. Help yourself in the future and start a blog. Heck, start multiple, it’s easy and free!

English 8, Lesson 145 – Is it Important for Students to Pursue College After High School?

Once you finish high school, have you ever thought of what comes next? Most people go to college, but some do not, does that mean that college is not important?

In my case, I already know that I am going to college and I do think that college is important. Not only does college give you an idea of what it is like outside of your parent’s home, you can also meet new people and get a feel of what it is like inside the industry you have chosen.

In my opinion, college can teach you a lot more than what you expect. If you choose to live in dorms, you can learn about how to cook, how to keep your house clean, and other skills that you will need in life.

College can help you get a degree, which is very appealing to your future employers and usually can help in getting good, well-paying jobs. College is also a great place for people to pursue their interests and dreams.

For me, and maybe other home schoolers, I like the aspect of going to a school again. I have been home-schooling since 2017 and will continue to home-school until I finish high school. Of course I love home-schooling and I do not want to go back to school now. But I would not mind going to a ‘normal school’ again.

College is extremely important for people who want to go into their field of work right away. College is where you earn a degree and meet friends and enjoy the first few years of your adult life. But, college is a big decision for many students. Take your time and think about what you want to do. But do not forget, you do not have the rest of your life to decide.

Personal Finance 8, Lesson 145 – How I Would Invest $2,000

In my Personal Finance class I am currently learning about investing. In this essay I will talk about what I would do if I was given $2,000 and how I would keep it invested for five years.

Since I am new to the whole investing business, I asked my Dad for advice. His advice for me was to buy a gold bar with the money and keep it for five years. Honestly, I quite liked the idea and decided to use his advice for this essay.

The reasons are:

Throughout human history gold has not lost its value. A hundred years ago a good suit was worth one ounce of gold, today you can still buy a good suit for an ounce of gold currently trading at around $1,700 per ounce.
Central banks around the world have been in a race to debase their countries’ currencies in a race to increase their trade with other countries. This translates into paper currencies depreciating against gold in the long-run.
As we move towards electronic money control passes to a few institutions instead of the individual. Holding gold provides a sense of personal liberty.
Every society throughout history has accepted gold in exchange for all other goods. Were I to leave for another country I would be able to exchange that gold bar into that country’s local currency.

As you can see, gold is an excellent investment with few to zero risks. Gold will hold its value no matter what and is a great way of investing for those who, like me, are not are not familiar with the stock market.

English 8, Lesson 144 – Is It Better to Determine One’s Own Ideas of Right and Wrong Or Follow the Crowd?

My writing assignment for this lesson is to look at both sides of the question “Is it better to determine one’s own ideas of right and wrong or follow the crowd?” and write action steps for both sides.

DISCLAIMER: I agree with determining your own ideas of right and wrong.

Determining Your Own Ideas of Right and Wrong:

Nowadays, with social media and everything on the news, people have stopped determining their own ideas of right and wrong. Many people with willingly believe anything they see or hear on the news. But the news is not always right, which is why it is important for people to come up with their own ideas of right and wrong. You do not need to force your ideas on anyone or publicize your ideas to the world. All you need to do is stand by your opinions.

Following the Crowd:

Nowadays it can be quite hard to stand apart from the crowd. Everyone seems to follow the same trends, making it easier to blend in with the crowd. Why come up with your own ideas of right and wrong and risk being ridiculed by the world? It is much easier, and safer, to keep your opinions to yourself and follow the crowd.

English 8, Lesson 143 – Do You Believe it Would Be Better to Raise the Driving Age to Twenty-One?

For this lesson my writing assignment is to write action steps for both sides of the question “Do you believe it would be better to raise the driving age to twenty-one?”

Pro Raising the Driving Age:

In Singapore (the country I live in), the legal driving age is 18, but you are considered a legal adult at the age of 21. I believe that the driving age should be raised to when the person is considered an adult. Driving a car is a huge responsibility and one glance at your phone while you are on the road could end someone’s life. By the time a person is 21, hopefully they will have matured enough to learn what not to do on the road.

Anti-Raising the Driving Age:

In Singapore, the legal driving age is 18, which I think is a reasonable age to start driving. Hopefully by the time this person is 18 they will understand how much responsibility they have. No matter how convenient driving is, and no matter how many safety precautions car companies create, driving is still dangerous. I believe that by the time a person is 18 they understand the risks of driving and how to prevent deadly accidents. I do not think that it is necessary to raise the driving age when there are people that are ready to face the responsibility of driving at the age of 18.

English 8, Lesson 142 – Should Unhealthy Fast Food Products Be Sold With a Warning Label?

For the lesson my writing assignment is to consider both sides of the question ‘Should unhealthy fast food products be sold with a warning label?’ and come up with action steps for both sides

Pro Warning Label:

People have a vague idea of what it is in their food when they go to fast food restaurants. We know that it is not healthy for us, but that does not stop us from eating it. If fast food restaurants put warning labels people can know exactly what they are putting in their bodies. It may bring down sales, but people deserve to know what they are eating.

Anti-Warning Label:

When people go to a fast food restaurant they are aware of how unhealthy the food is. Of course there are healthy options like a salad, but that does not taste as good as chicken nuggets. I do not think that fast food restaurants need to put warning labels. People already know how bad fast food is for them, but they still choose to eat it. I do not know about others, but I would like to eat my burger without a warning label staring at me.