Needs, wants, and goals
A financial plan starts with what matters to you and what resources are available. Needs and wants depend on context, not just on a product's name.
Need and Want
Objective: Explain need and want, distinguish their meanings, and apply them to a described case.
Need: A need is an essential requirement in a stated person's circumstances. Want: A want is a preference beyond the essentials in the described circumstances. Financial decisions use limited resources to serve priorities over different time horizons. Relevant costs include time, risk, and ongoing obligations as well as the advertised price. Needs depend on circumstances, and choosing one goal can delay another. A sound comparison states what service is being purchased, which alternatives are feasible, and what assumptions could change the conclusion. Application: Reliable transport is necessary to reach work. This most directly illustrates need. A buyer prefers an upgraded version of a usable phone. This most directly illustrates want.
Worked examples
Try itOriginal teaching scenario: Reliable transport is necessary to reach work. Which idea from this section does it most directly illustrate?Show answer
Step 1 — Read the observation: Reliable transport is necessary to reach work. Step 2 — Recall the relevant idea: A need is an essential requirement in a stated person's circumstances. Step 3 — Connect the observation to the idea: The scenario is an illustration of need. Step 4 — Check the limit: This short scenario illustrates the concept; it does not establish every detail or exclude every other influence in a real situation.
Try itOriginal teaching scenario: A buyer prefers an upgraded version of a usable phone. Which idea from this section does it most directly illustrate?Show answer
Step 1 — Read the observation: A buyer prefers an upgraded version of a usable phone. Step 2 — Recall the relevant idea: A want is a preference beyond the essentials in the described circumstances. Step 3 — Connect the observation to the idea: The scenario is an illustration of want. Step 4 — Check the limit: This short scenario illustrates the concept; it does not establish every detail or exclude every other influence in a real situation.
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