Comments on: Math Anxiety Could Hurt Your Finances: 5 Ways to Get Over It http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/ A premiere personal finance blog, established 2003. Within, Flexo discusses his own experiences with money, and he and other authors comment on a wide range of personal finance topics. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:50:42 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: LJS http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-183456 LJS Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:14:30 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-183456 Listening to Jim Cramer in the background is probably not going to relax anyone about anything. Listening to Jim Cramer in the background is probably not going to relax anyone about anything.

]]> By: Free From Broke http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-127284 Free From Broke Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:35:13 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-127284 Maybe we don't all need calculus be we need to have a solid grasp of math. Imagine all the trouble that could be saved on all the sub-prime mortgages if more people understand what was really going on with their interest rates. I need to understand compound interest calculations better. I'll be taking calculus again after ten years this spring (it will help me better understand my major - economics). Maybe we don’t all need calculus be we need to have a solid grasp of math. Imagine all the trouble that could be saved on all the sub-prime mortgages if more people understand what was really going on with their interest rates. I need to understand compound interest calculations better. I’ll be taking calculus again after ten years this spring (it will help me better understand my major – economics).

]]> By: vh http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-127053 vh Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:15:25 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-127053 Quicken. The answer is Quicken, or one of the other programs like it. I couldn't balance my checkbook without Quicken, because (despite a Ph.D. in English) I can't add, subtract, multiply, or divide without counting on my fingers. Once the computation bugaboo is out of your face, you discover that a lot of math is just plain logic, and logic is something anyone (even an English major) can do. Quicken. The answer is Quicken, or one of the other programs like it.

I couldn’t balance my checkbook without Quicken, because (despite a Ph.D. in English) I can’t add, subtract, multiply, or divide without counting on my fingers.

Once the computation bugaboo is out of your face, you discover that a lot of math is just plain logic, and logic is something anyone (even an English major) can do.

]]> By: plonkee http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126521 plonkee Sat, 08 Dec 2007 14:23:49 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126521 I think that asking for help can be good. I'm not the maths phobe amongst my friends and family, and I'm always willing to explain things to people where I can. I think that asking for help can be good. I’m not the maths phobe amongst my friends and family, and I’m always willing to explain things to people where I can.

]]> By: fathersez http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126152 fathersez Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:50:15 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126152 This reminds me of the time when we used to classify people as dy/dx comfortable and dy/dx phobic. But what Brian say's is true. We don't really need to know calculus to be financially savvy or at least careful. My mother and also my wife's unschooled grandmother are good examples. This reminds me of the time when we used to classify people as dy/dx comfortable and dy/dx phobic.

But what Brian say’s is true. We don’t really need to know calculus to be financially savvy or at least careful.

My mother and also my wife’s unschooled grandmother are good examples.

]]> By: mbhunter http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126144 mbhunter Fri, 07 Dec 2007 04:39:02 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126144 Trig? C'mon, that's child's play! ;) Trig? C’mon, that’s child’s play! ;)

]]> By: Sasha http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126127 Sasha Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:56:48 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126127 @ Heidi - I'm with you on this 100%. I've been in your position with debt as well! Thanks for sharing. @ Brian - The photo does illustrate how frightening math can be, yes? I was looking for numbers with devil horns but there were none to be found, sadly. @ Heidi – I’m with you on this 100%. I’ve been in your position with debt as well! Thanks for sharing.

@ Brian – The photo does illustrate how frightening math can be, yes? I was looking for numbers with devil horns but there were none to be found, sadly.

]]> By: Brian http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126123 Brian Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:15:06 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126123 I agree with your points, but having a picture of trigonometric memorization tables is just mean! The odds of someone needing to memorize that (sin x - cos x)^2 = 1 - sin 2x to do their budget is very low. :) I agree with your points, but having a picture of trigonometric memorization tables is just mean!
The odds of someone needing to memorize that (sin x – cos x)^2 = 1 – sin 2x to do their budget is very low. :)

]]> By: Heidi http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126082 Heidi Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:14:00 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/12/06/math-anxiety-could-hurt-your-finances-5-ways-to-get-over-it/#comment-126082 This is totally me! I changed my undergrad major from Marketing to Communications in order to avoid having to take stats and accounting! I really started taking control of my finances when I started teaching Financial Management at a local college (the irony is not lost on me). Another thing that is scary is owning up to how much debt you actually have. It's fun to manage finances when you have a postive net worth - but I used to go months without looking at my credit cards statements because I preferred to be in denial about how much debt I had acquired. This is totally me! I changed my undergrad major from Marketing to Communications in order to avoid having to take stats and accounting!

I really started taking control of my finances when I started teaching Financial Management at a local college (the irony is not lost on me).

Another thing that is scary is owning up to how much debt you actually have. It’s fun to manage finances when you have a postive net worth – but I used to go months without looking at my credit cards statements because I preferred to be in denial about how much debt I had acquired.

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