Home and Family Living and Consumer Education
Core concepts
Candidates must understand family types and functions, stages of the family life cycle, roles and responsibilities of members, and the importance of communication and shared decision-making. Know the elements of good home management: planning, organising, implementing and evaluating; use of resources (human and material), time and energy management, and work simplification. Consumer education covers needs versus wants, budgeting, saving, comparing goods and services, reading labels, warranties, receipts, and knowing consumer rights and responsibilities and where to seek redress. Understand factors influencing buying decisions such as advertising, peer pressure and income, and the dangers of impulsive buying and credit misuse. Include safety in the home and awareness of HIV/AIDS and other health issues affecting family welfare.
Traps in questions
Do not confuse a need with a want: food is a need, a luxury snack is a want. Do not list consumer rights without responsibilities. When asked about budgeting, show income, fixed and variable expenditure, and savings, rather than a vague statement about spending less. Do not confuse management steps with resource types.
Worked example
A question gives a monthly income and expenses and asks whether the budget balances. Rule of thumb: total income minus total expenditure equals surplus or deficit. If expenditure exceeds income, identify variable items to cut first (entertainment, snacks) before fixed items such as rent, and state the effect on family welfare.