Money Monday

💰 Money Monday

“This Is Why You Keep Buying Stuff You Don’t Need”

 📱💸 A week of winning against the sneaky world of targeted ads

🧠 LET'S BREAK IT DOWN

You didn’t mean to buy those “limited edition” slippers or that mini waffle maker.
You weren’t even looking for them.

But social media was looking for you.
The apps know what you like, what you watch, what you hover over, what you whisper to your dog at 2 a.m. — and they use it to get you to spend.

That’s called targeted marketing.
And the less you know about it, the more it costs you.

🔐 5 WAYS TO OUTSMART TARGETED MARKETING

Want to keep your money? Start here:

1. Wait 24 hours before buying. If it’s still calling your name tomorrow, maybe it’s worth it.
   

2. Turn off ad tracking. Confuse the algorithm. Make it guess.
   

3. Unfollow spending triggers. That influencer isn’t paying your rent.
   

4. Use ad blockers. On your browser, on your phone — wherever you scroll.
   

5. Clear your cookies. Don’t let a website follow you around the internet like a lost puppy

🧠💸 WORD PROBLEM OF THE WEEK: “Cart Full of Regrets”

Jordan is chilling at home when an Instagram ad pops up for a cozy hoodie that says “Main Character Energy.” It’s $39.99 and…they’re sold.

Two days later, TikTok shows Jordan a viral desk lamp shaped like a cat paw. It’s $22.50. Add to cart.

The next morning, Amazon recommends a motivational water bottle that tracks hydration by hour (because of course it does) — $18.25. Yep, Jordan’s in.

All purchases were made on a credit card with 18% annual interest, and Jordan only makes the minimum monthly payment of $10.

Question:
If Jordan doesn’t buy anything else and just pays the minimum, how long will it take to pay it all off — and how much will that $80.74 in purchases really cost in the end?

Bonus:

• What could Jordan have done instead with that same $80.74 to actually grow their money?
  

• Find the answer below

COLLEGE STUDENTS

That “treat yourself” spiral is expensive.
Here’s your power move:
🔁 Replace “I deserve this” with “Future me deserves more.”
Then move that $15 into savings.
Now that’s what we call luxury.

🎒 FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

They’re not just tracking your clicks — they’re learning your habits.
Try this: Screenshot the first 3 ads you see this week and ask:

• Why me?
  

• What does this ad think I care about?
  

• Is that who I really want to be?
  

👀 Reminder: The most confident version of you isn’t easily sold.

👨‍👩‍👧 FOR PARENTS

Social media is raising shoppers who spend first and regret later.
This week, ask your teen:

“What’s the last thing you bought online because of an ad?”
“Did it change your life?”
“Would you rather have the $50?”

Consider a “Scroll Savings” jar — match what they don’t spend.

🍎 FOR EDUCATORS

Class prompt of the week:
🗣️ “What’s one ad that almost got you? Did you buy it? Why or why not?”
Discuss the psychology of marketing — dopamine, urgency, FOMO — and let students dissect what’s really going on.

✨ QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“You’re not behind on life — you’re just ahead of someone else’s marketing plan.” – Unknown

🎥 VIDEO OF THE WEEK - EVERYONE 

🎬 The Social Dilemma Trailer – Netflix
What if the algorithm doesn’t just know your favorite color… but also when you’re most likely to click “Buy”?

🎯 CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

🎯 The “Didn’t Buy It” Challenge
Every time you resist a social media ad this week:
✅ Screenshot it
✅ Write how much you saved
✅ Move that $$ into savings or track it in a note

Tag your wins with #MoneyMondayWins
We’ll repost our favorite screenshots. Bragging is highly encouraged.

🎓 SCHOLARSHIP OF THE WEEK

ETHAN ALLEN $5,000 SCHOLARSHIP

Ethan Allen Workforce Solutions is awarding a $5,000 scholarship for the 2025-2026 school year (payable over two semesters) to an area high school student with a bright mind and a big dream. Submissions will be gauged based on evidence of an unwavering work ethic towards achieving their goals. Check out this scholarship and more at Imagine Scholarships — there are awards for every type of student from HS to grad school with community college, trade schools and certifications as well!

🎉 FUN FACT OF THE WEEK

Instagram tracks how long you pause on a post — not just what you click.
So yeah…that 3-second stop on a candle ad? That’s all it needed.🕯

Here’s the answer to Jordan’s “Cart Full of Regrets” word problem:

• It will take 9 months for Jordan to pay off the purchases
  

• Jordan will pay a total of $90.00 for items that originally cost $80.74
  
  

💸 That’s nearly 10 extra dollars — just for the privilege of paying slowly.

🔁 Bonus Reflection:

If Jordan had instead placed that $80.74 into a high-yield savings account earning 5% annual interest, compounded monthly, and left it alone for one year, they’d end up with around $84.89 — no stress, no regret, no paw-shaped lamp.

📦 Impulse buys cost more than money — they cost momentum.

💬 Final Thought

We’re not just here to help you find scholarships, although we love seeing our students find ways to pay for their education. We’re here to help you find your way.
And Imagine Scholarships? That’s the bridge between where you are now…and where you can go.

📬 Want more real-life tips like this?
➡️ Subscribe to Money Monday for weekly advice that’s bite-sized, smart, and never boring.

Want more financial literacy? We have two amazing courses / digital workbooks to help you become cash confident. 

Financially Fit and Career Ready - This course explores potential career paths for you, using your personality and the salaries associated with different careers and how to be cash confident in an upside down financial world.

The Currency Conundrum - A "real life" experiment challenging you and teaching you the ways to spend, save and invest wisely through real life challenges and scenarios.

💌 Want to Share This with a Friend?

Feel free to forward this email to share with a student, parent, or educator who could benefit.

See you next week!
Sherri and the Imagine Scholarships Team 💰✨

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