In November, Denver Broncos Rod Smith and John Lynch helped about 40 Denver students learn about personal financial matters.
The two football stars visited George Washington High School to take part in an interactive computer game called “Financial Football,” which features multiple-choice questions such as the meaning of liquidity and what a credit bureau does.
Last week, the National Football League and Visa made the game available as a downloadable cellphone game. Sprint and Cingular customers can access the game for free by texting the word VISA to 24421.
The game is available online at www.practicalmoneyskills.com.
2 dozen roses and a 50-inch TV, please
Either American men are getting a jump on their Valentine’s Day shopping or they expect to do some serious damage control on Super Bowl weekend.
Data released this week by Visa USA showed that sales at jewelry and flower stores historically jump nearly 30 percent the weekend of the big game.
“We expected that supermarkets and electronics stores would see the largest increases in spending as consumers stock up on chips, dips, beer and flat-screen TVs,” said Wayne Best, senior vice president, business and economic analysis for Visa USA.
“What’s interesting is the rather dramatic rise in spending in the jewelry and floral retail categories. Perhaps (consumers) are feeling guilty about spending a lot of time watching football and are planning peace offerings to their loved ones.”
Or maybe making up for the fact that they just plunked down thousands of dollars for a new HD flat-screen TV?
A bevy of burritos, a couple good causes
Check out these calendar girls (or guys!).
The folks at Chipotle Mexican Grill have launched their first-ever calendar, featuring a bevy of models decked out in seasonal poses. Miss February is dressed like cupid, for example, and Miss August is lounging on the beach.
The catch?
Each model is a Chipotle burrito, fully clad in foil wrapping. The burrito chain has also added an eighth day to each week and deemed it Chipotlday.
Denver-based Chipotle is donating proceeds from the $5 calendars to The Land Institute and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
You and your honey, agreeing on money
Opposites don’t necessarily attract, particularly when it comes to money. A recent report found that nearly two- thirds of spouses were on the same page about saving. That is, they agreed to save, or they agreed not to. But they agreed.
“It’s a piece of folk wisdom” that opposites attract, says Cary Funk, a senior researcher at Pew Research Center. “It’s more common for people to be attracted to those who resemble themselves.”
This tidbit on couples’ finances is part of a broader look by Pew at Americans’ attitudes about money and life’s necessities. Other findings:
About one-third of adults suffered a serious financial setback in the past year, typically related to health, a car or house. More evidence for the need to build up an emergency fund.
Women worry more about money than men. It could be they have good reason. Women live longer and have more retirement years to finance.
Three out of 10 people married someone with different ideas about money. If someday that will be you, be prepared. More than half of these couples say they argue about finances.
FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
