This week's news was dominated by the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day. The intersection of those events with finance abounds. Additionally, two personal finance educators were recently featured on television in Boston and the Bay Area. All that and more in this edition of Weekend Read.

Super Bowl Spending

The telecast of the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the San Francisco 49ers was the most-watched Super Bowl in history. (NFL.com)

Some consider the game an economic indicator, based on a 1978 hypothesis. According to the hypothesis, the Kansas City Chiefs' (AFC) victory could indicate a fall in the stock market. Investment banking company Federated Hermes remains optimistic. (Rankia)

Many non-football fans watch solely for the multi-million dollar ads. See how they stacked up according to engagement rankings. (Edo)

This year, Nerds and Drumstick both advertised in the Super Bowl for the first time. Learn more about how brands justify the expense. (Marketing Brew)

Notably, the crypto industry sat out the Super Bowl for the second straight year. (Axios)

>> Have your students understand and identify the various strategies advertisers use to influence consumers with our activity: ANALYZE: The Influence of Advertisements

Love & Money 

Valentine's Day surfaced some stories about the star-crossed path of relationships and economics. 

Financial compatibility is an important trait to consider in a partner. This article gives some tips to navigate money in relationships. (Forbes)

In a recent episode of Marketplace, Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams discuss how the economy and the economic circumstances can influence peoples' love lives. They cover how this differs for singles vs couples, money dates, and more. (Marketplace Episode 1097: Love, money, and this economy)

There's a a new dating app called Score for people with a credit score of 675 or higher. It's available for a limited time only. (Morning Brew)

>>Have your students reflect on the importance of having a conversation about finances with a spouse or partner with our activity: MOVE: The Real Relationship Test

In Other News

The wealth of Americans between the ages of 18 to 39 has jumped by 80% since 2019, according to a new analysis from the Federal Bank of New York. But even after that surge, younger workers still are trailing far behind older Americans, the data shows. (CBS News)

Billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos sold roughly $2.03 billion of shares in the company over the past few days, the third time he's done that this month. (CNBC) Bezos’s recent move from Seattle to Miami means he can sell without worrying about Washington state’s new capital gains tax. (USA Today)

>>Want to boost your understanding of the stock market? Check out our new On-Demand Starter Pack module: Stock Market 101

The U.S. Federal Reserve released scenarios for its annual bank health checks. It includes a 36% decline in house prices and a 40% decline in commercial real estate prices. It also includes a nearly 6.5 percentage-point increase in the U.S. unemployment rate. (Reuters)

>>Want to better understand the role of the Federal Reserve? Start our On-Demand module: The Fed: Bank of Banks

Financial Education Advocates Making Headlines

Banker-turned-educator Valerie Chapman of Franklin Elementary School in Oakland discussed her work blending her passions to promote financial literacy for kids. NGPF Co-Founder Tim Ranzetta also makes an appearance. (KRON4 News) 

Additionally, teacher Sue Comparato was interviewed in the video below along with other Massachusetts advocates for a guaranteed Personal Finance Course in the state. (CBS News Boston)

About the Author

Hannah Rael

As NGPF's Marketing Communications Manager, Hannah (she/her) helps spread the word about NGPF's mission to improve the financial lives of the next generation of Americans.

More posts by Hannah