By Angela Zhang
The U.S. economy has taken a turn for the worse. The stock market plummeted, while unemployment rates rose dramatically. Adults are going through difficulties financially, so how are teens faring?
“So far it’s just the little things that have gotten cut out,” said Eric Zager, a junior at Woodbury High School. “You know, like the everyday luxuries. (For example) with Christmas… my extended family and my family aren’t really exchanging gifts this year.”
Katherine Du, a sophomore at Math and Science Academy in Woodbury, is in a similar situation. “We tend to spend more time clipping coupons and being more aware of what we do, like turn off the lights when we’re not in, or turning off the water,” she said. “We’re just more aware of where the money goes.”
Ian Taylor, a sophomore at Woodbury High School, feels that for him, nothing has changed at all. “The state of the economy has not really affected my lifestyle or decisions,” he said. “I come from a thrifty family that spends money sparingly anyway.”
