Monthly Archives: October 2020

Oct 24 2020

Bizarre Money Habits

During difficult times, as well as in other times, saving money is difficult. While high-tech and app methods may work, traditional actions can result in quickly increasing your wealth. These weird-sounding saving habits suggested by millennials include:

 

  • Save a certain denomination of money. People who get paid in cash or receive change suggest saving every five-dollar bill, for example, in an envelope. This money can be used for fun activities, a special dinner, or to add to your long-term savings.
  • Use a jar to control spending. Put a set amount of cash in a decorated jar for lunches, eating out, or other budget item. Having to actually pull money out of the jar will make you more cautious of your spending habits.
  • Skip buying certain items. Avoid coffee, soft drinks, snacks, or other impulse items, and save that amount. These small amounts can add up to larger sums saved. 
  • Make use of recurring payments. If you are paying each month for a car payment, when the vehicle is paid off, keep sending that amount into a savings account.
  • Save in short sprints. For one month, avoid eating away from home and bring lunch to work. This reduced spending can make you more aware of your spending habits and increase amounts saved.
  • Pay for your drinks (or snacks) at home. Every time you have a soft drink, other drink, or snack, “pay” for it be setting aside the “price,” such as $1 for a soft drink or $2 for a bag of chips. These funds will add up for your savings.
  • Visualize your savings goal. Display a photo or other visual as a reminder of items you plan to buy or when saving for holiday gifts or a vacation.
  • Actually, freeze your credit card. Place your credit card in a bag or container of water and place it in the freezer.  This action can help avoid impulse purchases, and you can easily defrost it under warm water when you need to pay for an emergency.

For additional information on unusual money actions, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students talk with others to obtain other ideas that they use to save money.
  • Have students create a video or other visual that might be used to encourage people to spend less and save more.

Discussion Questions 

  1. Why do most people have a difficult time saving money?
  2. Describe personal action that you have used to spend less and save more.
Oct 10 2020

Resources to help you avoid scams during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Scammers are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to con people into giving up their money. During this time of uncertainty, knowing about possible scams is a good first step toward preventing them.

Beware of these corona-related scams:

Vaccine, cure, air filters, and testing scams

The FTC warned  about an increasing number of scams related to vaccines, test kits, cures or treatments, and air filter systems designed to remove COVID-19 from the air in your home. There is no vaccine for this virus, and there is no cure. If you receive a phone call, email, text message, or letter with claims to sell you any of these items–it’s a scam.

What to do instead: Testing is available  through your local and state governments, but these tests are not delivered to your house.

Fake coronavirus-related charity scams

A charity scam is when a thief poses as a real charity or makes up the name of a charity that sounds real to get money from you. Be careful about any charity calling you and asking for donations. Also be wary if you get a call following up on a donation pledge that you don’t remember making–it could be a scam.

What to do instead: If you are able to help financially, visit the website of the organization of your choice to make sure your money is going to the right place.

“Person in need” scams

Scammers could use the circumstances of the coronavirus to pose as a grandchild, relative or friend who claims to be ill, stranded in another state or foreign country, or otherwise in trouble, and ask you to send money. They may ask you to send cash by mail or buy gift cards. These scammers often beg you to keep it a secret and act fast before you ask questions.

What to do instead: Don’t panic! Take a deep breath and get the facts. Hang up and call your grandchild or friend’s phone number to see if the story checks out. You could also call a different friend or relative. Don’t send money unless you’re sure it’s the real person who contacted you.

Scams targeting Social Security benefits

While local Social Security Administration (SSA) offices are closed to the public due to COVID-19 concerns, SSA will not suspend or decrease  Social Security benefit payments or Supplemental Security Income payments due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Scammers may mislead people into believing they need to provide personal information or pay by gift card, wire transfer, internet currency, or by mailing cash to maintain regular benefit payments during this period. Any communication that says SSA will suspend or decrease your benefits due to COVID-19 is a scam, whether you receive it by letter, text, email, or phone call.

What to do instead: Report Social Security scams to the SSA Inspector General online at oig.ssa.gov .

For more information, go to: click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Ask students if they or their families have received calls from scammers. If so, what was their response?
  • Ask students to prepare a list of actions to take if they receive calls from scammers. Share the list with others.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why is it important to do your homework when you donate to a charity? should you donate in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money?  Why or why not?
  2. What should you do if you receive a call, an email, text message, or a letter claiming that an air filter system will remove COVID-19 from the air in your home?
  3. How would you handle any communication which claims that Social Security will suspend or decrease your benefits due to COVID-19 pandemic?