Objectives
Students will:
- Understand why being alert when making purchases is important
- Define what flashing cash means
- Understand why it is better to be safe than sorry when dealing with money
- Identify the negative consequences of flashing your cash
- Identify personal benefits of keeping cash secure
- Identify behaviors that accompany a stranger’s distraction
- Model how to reject a stranger’s interruption successfully
Step 1: Lesson Introduction
Discuss with students why living independently in the community is important. Ask students why being able to go out and shop independently in the community is essential. Have students discuss places where they must shop. Have them discuss if they can go shopping without having to interact with other people. Ask students if they have ever gone shopping and lost or misplaced their wallet or purse, or if they know of anyone who has had this experience. Ask if they’ve had people try to take things from them or trick them into giving them something of theirs.
This first video segment involves the idea of flashing your cash (showing how much money you have). When going to shop, most people carry some amount of cash on them. When you are in a store and you have bags of items in your hands, the assumption is that you have purchased some items. By having your cash out in your hands while walking around, you show others that you have money. This can make you an easy target for thieves and crooks.
▶️ Show the video.
⏸️ Stop the video when the “Pause for Discussion” title appears on the screen.
Step 2: Guided Discussion, Part 1
What happened to the man because he was NotSmart?
While walking out of the coffee shop, the man had his hands full of bags and he was counting his money. He was not aware of anybody around him who may have been watching. Anybody passing him could have seen that he had a lot of money. After counting it, he put the money in his wallet but left the wallet on the table. He was then easily distracted by a stranger. And when he did go seek help, he left his package at the table where someone else could have taken the items he purchased. His wallet was taken from him not only his money but his identification, too.
Why was the man’s behavior unsafe?
Emphasize to students that the first rule of MoneySmart shopping is not to flash your cash, but stash your cash. Put your money away right when you receive it from the cashier or clerk, and then secure your wallet or purse. Making sure to put your money away and securing it as many ways as you can, adds safety. Most thieves look for easy targets, not people from whom they will have trouble trying to steal.
How could the man have been MoneySmart?
Have students discuss ways the man could have been MoneySmart in the same situation. Watch the next part of the video to see one way the man could have been MoneySmart.
▶️ Show the video.
⏸️ Stop the video when the “Pause for Discussion” title appears on the screen.
Step 3: Guided Discussion, Part 2
How was the man MoneySmart this time?
He put his money away as soon as he received it. He put it in his wallet, and then he put his wallet in his front pocket. Then, as he exited the store, he looked around to see if people were watching. When he sat down at the table he was not a target for a thief because it was not obvious where the man stored his money.
What happened because he was MoneySmart?
The man did not lose his wallet or money. By simply making an effort to stash his cash and stay alert, he was not harassed or robbed. If he remains MoneySmart, he probably will continue to shop for the rest of the day and be safe and unharmed.
Step 4: Activities
Invite store or mall security from your local businesses to your classroom to discuss:
- The importance of stashing your cash when shopping
- Ways to secure your purchases or wallet/purse to avoid being robbed
- What to look out for in regard to thieves and deceitful people
Have students discuss different ways to carry cash or valuables while shopping. Discuss the use of automated tellers or debit cards instead of money.
Take a field trip to the business area or local mall to watch people either be NotSmart or MoneySmart.
Have students create a shopping list for different types of shopping grocery, hygiene, clothes, etc. Next, have them price these items in the stores before they actually buy. Have them estimate how much money they should take with them to buy the things they need without having a lot of extra cash on them.