Money Monday

💰 Money Monday

Smart, Savvy…and Still Missing the Basics?
PLUS: We're launching our new Financial Literacy Series! 🎉

This week's Money Monday is filled with helpful resources and upcoming things you don’t want to miss. 

🎬 Let’s Start Here…

Here is a funny example of a teen missing a few skills yet very capable and engaging.
📺 Watch this Ellen clip

It’s hilarious—until you realize we’re living in a world where brilliant, connected students still don’t know how to budget, write a check, or understand interest rates.

And that is exactly why we’re kicking off our new...

🔓 Financial Literacy Series: “The Basics You Deserve to Know”

Over the next few weeks, we’re going back to the beginning—because understanding money isn’t just important, it’s empowering.

💡 Fun Fact of the Week

Only 17% of Gen Z say they feel confident managing their money—but 91% say they want to learn. That’s why we’re doing this series—because you deserve better than confusion when it comes to your future.

You’ll learn things like:

• How to create a budget that actually works
  

• How credit cards and student loans really work
  

• How to build wealth even with a small paycheck
  

• And how to avoid mistakes that cost more than money
  

Each week, you’ll get real-world advice, tools, and encouragement tailored for students, parents, and educators. We’re here to help you go from confused to confident—one small step at a time.

🧭 Words of Wisdom

“Being smart doesn’t mean you were taught the right things. And not being taught doesn’t mean you can’t still learn.”

🎓 College Students

This week’s focus: Know Your Numbers

• What are you earning?
  

• What are you spending?
  

• What are you borrowing?
  

That’s your starting point. And if no one ever showed you how, that’s okay. I’m Sherri Ross, a Personal Finance Educator, Scholarship Finder and Student Success Navigator, and I created Imagine Scholarships to help students like you take control of your future.

Start exploring tools made for you: ImagineScholarships.com

🏫 High School Students

You know how to use tech, but do you know how to use money?
Start by learning how interest works—because it can either work for you or against you.

🎁This week’s resource:
💼 10 Financial Habits to Start Before You Turn 20

More Great Resources: 

1. If you’re in grades 6-8 or a high school student, you might find this Lumiere Research Project of interest.

2. CaseCatalyst is a virtual business case competition designed specifically for high school students interested in entrepreneurship and social impact.

I get thousands of emails each week with people asking me to share their courses, resources and products. I usually choose not to share with you because I don’t know the character behind the products. We are not affiliated with the companies above in any way, but these two resources looked like really engaging opportunities for our students this summer so I wanted to share. 

👪 Parents

Is it caught or taught? For whatever reason, many of us parents assume our kids understand the value of money and how to manage it. We think they will “catch on” along the way. I’m here to say that we need to be more intentional about teaching our students about how to be successful with money. You’re doing a lot. We know. But financial literacy is a legacy you can pass on.

Start with this:

• Ask your teen what they think a credit score is.
  

• Then tell them one thing you wish you’d known about money at their age.

Want more financial literacy ? We have two amazing courses / digital workbooks to help you become cash confident. These would be an excellent resource for your students to do this summer for life changing results moving forward with their finances. 

1. 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.

2. 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. 

🍎 Educators

You’re not just teaching subjects—you’re shaping futures. And this month, you can bring financial literacy into the classroom in a meaningful way.

Our new financial literary series will give you amazing resources you can share with students. Here is one you can use this week. 

🎯 Challenge of the Week

Choose one basic concept (budgeting, interest, credit, saving) and learn one thing you didn’t know before. Then teach it to someone else.

🎓 Scholarship of the Week

📚️ $2500 Book Marketing Scholarship 📚️ 

Applicants must…

• be a high school senior or undergraduate student in a US-based university/college.

• write a persuasive essay (1,000-1,500 words) in response to: What media outlet, influencer, social media personality, or blog do you turn to for book recommendations? Why? What makes them your go to resource?

Deadline is June 1, 2025

➡️Apply here 

💬 Final Thought

We’re not just here to help you find scholarships.
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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