68 customizable lessons, aligned with National Standards, exams and more.
Read NGPF's school-by-school analysis of financial education in America today
Activities
Advocacy
Behavioral Economics
Best Of
Budgeting
Buying a Car
Career
Checking
Consumer Skills
Credit
Cryptocurrencies
Current Events
Curriculum Announcements
Economics
Entrepreneurship
Edpuzzle
ELL Resources
FinCap Friday
Gambling and Sports Betting
Insurance
Interactive
Investing
Math
Paying for College
Philanthropy
Podcasts
Press Releases
Professional Development
Question of the Day
Savings
So Expensive Series
Taxes
Teacher Talk
With the kick-off of holiday shopping just days away, I thought this activity might be timely. How many times have you uttered or heard someone else utter: “…but it was on sale” OR “I got it 40% off” OR “what a steal.” Yes, as the title says, we all love a bargain. Why? This Marketplace article (and audio) explains why:
There is a psychological aspect to this, too. Finding deals can make people feel good. For some shoppers, it’s about the thrill of the hunt. “When there’s something I’ve been eyeing and I see it go on sale, it’s like God just sort of put it there for me,” said Elise Ariel, a 37-year-old legal assistant, as she shopped recently at Century 21 in Manhattan. “How do I feel about sales? Like a moth to a flame.”
And while she admitted that shopping through a price aggregator site for a new pair of pumps, as she might for airline tickets, would be better from a practical standpoint, it would mean an end to her love affair with retail. “You come across something with a little red price tag on it in a bin of God knows what. You feel like it’s destiny.”
Want to see this “thrill of the hunt” in action in a student activity? Come up with a standard item (best-selling book, a box of copy paper (2,500 sheets), a big-screen TV (be clear on specs here), a flight to Hawaii on a given date….something your students will identify with and want) and send your students out to the internet to find the best price. Maybe even use the item as reward..whoever finds the lowest price, gets to keep the item (OK, maybe not a trip to Hawaii or big screen TV but if you use lower cost item). Be sure that they include shipping and handling in the price (common tactic is to lowball the item price and make it up on shipping). Good luck!
Credit Scores In the News
NGPF Featured Lesson: Needs vs. Wants
Use NGPF's Online Banking Simulation to Bring Real-World Skills Into the Classroom
Activity Idea: Virtual Career Day
NEW! NGPF Economics Resource Directory
Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.
Join the more than 12,000 teachers who get the NGPF daily blog delivered to their inbox:
MOST POPULAR POSTS
1
Question of the Day: How much did Taylor Swift's Eras Tour gross during its two-year, 149 concert run?
2
Get Festive with NGPF Resources and Activities
3
Useful Personal Finance Movies and Documentaries with Worksheets
4
NEW Holiday Personal Finance Posters
5
NEW NGPF Review Materials Released
Before your subscription to our newsletter is active, you need to confirm your email address by clicking the link in the email we just sent you. It may take a couple minutes to arrive, and we suggest checking your spam folders just in case!
Great! Success message here
New to NGPF?
Save time, increase engagement, and teach life-changing financial skills with NGPF’s free curriculum
1.Register for a free TeacherAccount
2.ExploreSemester Course
3.Findstudent favorites
4.LeverageNGPF Academy
Your new account will provide you with access to NGPF Assessments and Answer Keys. It may take up to 1 business day for your Teacher Account to be activated; we will notify you once the process is complete.
Thanks for joining our community!
The NGPF Team
Complete the form below to access exclusive resources for teachers. Our team will review your account and send you a follow up email within 24 hours.
To speed up your verification process, please submit proof of status to gain access to answer keys & assessments.
Acceptable information includes:
Acceptable file types: .png, .jpg, .pdf.
Once you submit this form, our team will review your account and send you a follow up email within 24 hours. We may need additional information to verify your teacher status before you have full access to NGPF.
Take the quiz to quickly find the best resources for you!