Money Monday

💰 Money Monday: Making Saving & Budgeting Fun!

Hey there,

Let’s talk about money, ducks, and digital mind tricks.

This week, we’re diving into the wild, weird, and sometimes ridiculous things people spend money on—like the 100 rubber ducks I recently bought for a scavenger hunt. Each duck had a different hat, and my husband thought I had lost my mind when he opened the box. 🦆🎩😂

Was it necessary? Nope. Did I still buy them? Yep. And I bet you have your own version of a “100 rubber ducks” purchase.

💰 This Week’s Challenge: Track everything you buy this week. Then ask yourself, was this a need, a want, or just an impulse buy? If an impulse buy, can you track the conversation you had that prompted the ad?

And speaking of impulse buys… let’s talk about how social media listens to us. Ever mentioned something once and then suddenly, ads for it flood your feed? Social media algorithms are designed to show you exactly what you’re tempted to buy, making it easier than ever to spend money without thinking.

🛑 Let’s outsmart the system!

• Next time an ad tempts you, wait 24 hours before making a purchase.

• Ask yourself: Would I still want this if I hadn’t seen the ad?

• Consider using ad blockers or adjusting your social media settings to reduce targeted ads.

🤯 Crazy Facts About Social Media Ads That Will Blow Your Mind!

1. Facebook Knows More About You Than Your Best Friend

📌 Meta (Facebook & Instagram) collects over 52,000 data points per user.

• It tracks everything—your likes, shares, watch time, scroll speed, and even how long you hover over a post.

2. The First Social Media Ad Was for... Sneakers?!

🛍️ The first-ever social media ad was published on Facebook in 2004 for a small sneaker company called Gravity Defyer.

• The ad read, "New Shoe Makes You Jump Higher" and got so much engagement that it sold out within days.

• This marked the birth of performance marketing on social media.

3. You’re More Likely to Survive a Plane Crash Than Click on a Banner Ad

📌 The average click-through rate (CTR) for a display ad is 0.05%.

• That means only 5 out of every 10,000 people will click on it.

• By comparison, the odds of surviving a plane crash are about 95.7%. ✈️😳

4. Instagram Ads Are 120X More Engaging Than Facebook Ads

📌 Instagram’s engagement rate is 1.94%, while Facebook’s is only 0.16%.

5. TikTok’s Ad Algorithm Can Predict What You’ll Buy—Before You Do

📌 TikTok’s algorithm analyzes every second of your watch time and adjusts ads in real time.

• A leaked internal document from ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company) revealed that TikTok can predict what you’ll purchase up to 3 weeks in advance based on your viewing habits. 😳

• "Unboxing" and "how-to" videos drive 300% more conversions than traditional ads.

🏈 In 6 days, you can watch the best advertising commercials on the Super Bowl:

These ads focus on your emotions and feelings. It’s the best way they can get your attention. Here is an old Super Bowl commercial that did this well.

I Challenge You:  Watch the Super Bowl and identify what emotion they are playing on to get you to buy their product. 

Advertisers are very talented at what they do. Why? Because there is a significant financial benefit to them. Let’s look at a notable commercial that intends to capture your attention and your dollars. You’ll see it during the Super Bowl this year. 

Hellman’s Mayonnaise - Parents, you’ll love this one.

Record-High Prices for Super Bowl Ads: The cost for a 30-second ad slot has reached unprecedented levels, with some spots selling for over $8 million.

In other news, we have an exciting announcement this week:

OUR CASH 4 COLLEGE COURSE JUST LAUNCHED -

This is a great option for students and parents who are looking for creative and proven ways to pay for college.

Scholarship of the Week

Davidson Institute Fellows Scholarship

This prestigious scholarship is for gifted and high-achieving students, 18 years old or under, who have completed a significant piece of work.

For High School Students

🚀 Your biggest money-draining habit? Small, frequent purchases. A $5 coffee here, a $10 app subscription there—it adds up! This week, try tracking your spending. You might be shocked at how much money goes to things you don’t really need.

For College Students

📱 Ever fallen for a late-night online shopping spree? Social media is designed to keep you scrolling—and spending. If you see an ad for something tempting, use the “Save for later” option and revisit it in a week. Most of the time, you won’t even want it anymore!

💸 Instead of impulse buying, stash that money for your future. Even $20 a month can turn into serious savings over time.

Here is a great blog post that will help college students learn to manage their money.

🚨 Big news coming next week— I can’t wait to share it with you!

For Parents

🏡 Have you ever checked your Amazon order history and thought, “Wait…why did I buy that?” You’re not alone! Online shopping is sneaky, and companies know how to get us to hit "Buy Now."

💡 This week’s tip: Set up a 72-hour wait rule for non-essential purchases. If you still need it after three days, then consider buying it.

📢 Next week’s Imagine Scholarships freemium launch is the perfect chance to help your teen find more money for college—for FREE! Stay tuned!

For Educators

📚 Ever noticed how students talk about a random topic, and suddenly, they start seeing ads for it? It’s a great discussion starter about digital literacy and financial awareness.

📝 Classroom Idea: Have students track their social media ads for a week. What’s being marketed to them? Do the ads match their conversations? Discuss how companies use data to encourage spending.

Here is a great blog post that will help students learn to manage their money.

🔥 Exciting news: Imagine Scholarships is launching a FREE version next week—this is a game-changer for students looking for scholarships! Stay tuned for details!

See you next Monday!

💰 Money Monday Team

P.S. If you’re ready to find more scholarships, streamline your college application process, and make smarter financial decisions, check out Imagine Scholarships. It’s a game-changer, and we’re here to support you every step of the way! We also have courses and other resources waiting for you here. Reply to this message or email [email protected] if you have questions about signing up your group. As the leading platform for scholarships, college, career, and life readiness, we connect you to scholarships you can actually get with expert guidance to make your educational journey simple and easy.

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