Exploring the economic-psychological-sociological questions related to the purchase of goods, the publication is intended as a foundation on which comprehensive local programs of consumer education can be built. It provides a conceptual framework drawn from the academic disciplines. Focusing on three major concepts (the individual consumer, the consumer in the marketplace, and the consumer in the community) the document is presented in three sections. The first section provides concept generalizations and curriculum resources, and the second section presents objectives for organizing content at four levels of learning maturity. Program development and implementation are treated in the third section, providing suggestions to school districts. Criteria for developing consumer education programs are offered with illustrations of instructional settings to implement the program for learners in all levels from kindergarten through community college and adult school. Topics covered in the guide include: (1) life-styles, (2) resources, (3) decision making, (4) earning, (5) spending, (6) saving, (7) borrowing, (8) buying, (9) the consumer in the economy, (10) community services, (11) consumer rights and protection, (12) the law, (13) the environment, and (14) the media. Resource materials, sources of instructional materials, sources of consumer information, and elementary level resource materials are listed in the appendix. (MW)