Interview Project

Father-Fero age 64
Mother-Xhixhi age 45
Me- Erisa age 23

The government should regulate the economy Father-agree, Mother-agree, me-agree

Politics has a major influence on the economy Father -strongly agree, Mother-agree, Me-angree

Everyone should take an economics class in high school Father-strongly agree, Mother-strongly agree, Me- Agree

The drinking age should be lowered to 18 Father-strongly disagree, Mother-Strongly disagree, Me-Neutral

The government bailouts worked Father-agreed, Mother-Neutral, Me-Neutral

The United States should have a higher minimum wage Father- strongly agree, Mother-agree, Me-Strongly Agree

In 6 months the economy will be better than today Father-Neutral, Mother-disagree, Me- disagree

I am well informed about economic news Father-Strongly agree, Mother-Strongly agree, Me-agree

The recession personally affected me Father-Strongly agree, Mother-Agree, Me-Strongly agree

Me, Erisa age 23

1. In your lifetime, what city that you are familiar with has changed the most (both positive and negative)? Bridgeport because more businesses started opening in the down town area and there are money people coming from different areas to stay here because it’s starting to make major changes for new businesses. The negative part is that some of the parts in Bridgeport are still making changes with the crime rates that are going up and down during seasons.

2. In your opinion, what president had the biggest positive impact on the economy? Why? Bill Clinton because when he was the president the country wasn’t in debt and everyone wanted to come to America to start a better life. Now a lot of people are going back to their homeland because they can’t afford to live here anymore.

3. What is your first memory of a major economic event impacting your life? What economic event in your lifetime had the biggest impact on you? For me the economy started to change after 911 and we went to war with Iraq. The recession after had the biggest impact on me because I wasn’t able to find a job for a long time.

4. What tradeoffs in your life have you made due to economics (note to interviewer/student: this question is about the concept of scarcity)? I haven’t made any tradeoffs in my life thus far.

5. How do you get economic news? How has this changed over your life? I usually watch the news with my dad and this hasn’t changed because I still continue to do it. I also started to learn more things in school about it and I am more familiar with things now.

6. How do you deal will rising prices e.g. substitute cheaper brand, stop buying? Any examples? It’s hard to make such changes, but I started to eat home for a change and not go out and spend my money on food. I also don’t buy things that are unnecessary and I don’t need them. I try to not buy something I want, but buy something I need and that will benefit me.

7. What product or service has most changed over your lifetime? Over my life time I would say cellphone services, car insurance and things of that sore have changed a lot over my lifetime.

8. How do you handle saving and how has this changed? I am unemployed at the moment, but when I did have a job I tried to save as much as I could, but having to pay bills and food my paycheck would be gone in a week. I would then have to spend my savings just to get by.

9. What was your personal best year? How was the country doing? My best year was 2000 I just came to America in late 99. Coming to America was a big change the country was doing very well and I was very happy to be here I wish it could have stayed that way for ever.

10. What was your wage at your first job? At my 1^st job I got paid $7.75

 

Father, Fero Age 64

1. In your lifetime, what city that you are familiar with has changed the most (both positive and negative)? Prishtina in Kosovo because it went from been the best place to the worst during the war. Now it has changed a lot there are a lot of new things been introduced and it’s for the better.

2. In your opinion, what president had the biggest positive impact on the economy? Why? Ibrahim Rugova he was the best president for Kosova he did everything he could and got our country back from Serbia with the help of other countries. Kosova is not suffering from Serbia anymore we are our own country and it’s all thanks to him.

3. What is your first memory of a major economic event impacting your life? What economic event in your lifetime had the biggest impact on you? Growing up in Prishtina during the 60s our country when through a lot of changes but the biggest of them all was in the 90s when Kosova was in war with Serbia this made the economic change so much.

4. What tradeoffs in your life have you made due to economics (note to interviewer/student: this question is about the concept of scarcity)? I had to sell my store in Prishtina to be able to support my family at one point because I didn’t have any money left do to the war.

5. How do you get economic news? How has this changed over your life? Yes I read the newspaper I watch the news. It has changed a lot the economy changes all the time it can get really bad or it can be good.

6. How do you deal will rising prices e.g. substitute cheaper brand, stop buying? Any examples? It’s hard when the prices rise because it’s hard to support my family when the money I get now doesn’t pay for half the things you need. I try to work more if I want better things, but sometimes it’s hard when there isn’t any work for me.

7. What product or service has most changed over your lifetime? I would say telemarketers even though I hated when they called, but it is better than trying to talk to a machine now. I am not good with the new technology and it gets over whelming for me sometimes, but I try my best to keep up.

8. How do you handle saving and how has this changed? I can’t save anymore because it all goes to bills and other expenses. I would like to but with the work I do it is impossible it’s hard for me to even come up with the money for the bills let along save. I use to save a lot of my money, but now it is impossible for me to save.

 9. What age were you when you got your first credit card? I was 45 when I got my first credit card I never needed one because I always had cash, but when I started to see that I couldn’t support my family I decided to get one.

10. What was your wage at your first job? At my first job I got paid $15 dollars which was a big deal and a lot of money in Kosovo at that time. I had finished college in London and went back to Kosovo to start working.

 

 

Mother Xhixhi Age 45

1. In your lifetime, what city that you are familiar with has changed the most (both positive and negative)? Drenas because it went from a small city where people from the villages go buy or sell their products. Now it is a beautiful place to go visit because there is much more to do there than before.

2. In your opinion, what president had the biggest positive impact on the economy? Why?  I would say Bill Clinton because the economy was doing very well when he was the president.

3. What is your first memory of a major economic event impacting your life? What economic event in your lifetime had the biggest impact on you? The war in Kosovo had a big economic impact where everything was gone people didn’t even have food for their families.

4. What tradeoffs in your life have you made due to economics (note to interviewer/student: this question is about the concept of scarcity)? I have left my home in Kosovo for a better life here and now I am struggling in America more than I was struggling in Europe.

5. How do you get economic news? How has this changed over your life? I watch the news.

6. How do you deal will rising prices e.g. substitute cheaper brand, stop buying? Any examples? I don’t like the high prices on foods because I can’t cook everything I want to. I started shopping at price right where most of the things are substituted brands and I stopped buying things I didn’t need such as junk food for my kids.

7. What product or service has most changed over your lifetime?  A lot of them have changed but over my lifetime I would say there are more banks that give out loans with a lot of interest rate, but people need the money so they go in debt.

8. How do you handle saving and how has this changed? I am good at saving my money I only spend what I need and the rest I try to keep in case something happens and we need the money to sport the family.

9. What age were you when you got your first credit card? I am 45 years old and I never in my life had a credit care. I chose not to get one because I see what everyone else goes through. I think of it as if u don’t have the money to buy it you shouldn’t have it unless it is food or something very important.

10. What was your wage at your first job? In my 1^st job I got paid $5.00 and that was good for a young person like myself going into a fashion design company.