This free printable resource is intended to provide educators with FREE curriculum, activities, and resources that meet national content standards for use in your digital classroom. This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of resources and Utah Money Moms/Utah State University Extension does not endorse any of the products.
Resources originally complied by Carrie Johnson, Ph.D., AFC®; Extension Specialist NDSU Extension. Adapted by Amanda Christensen, AFC®; Extension Associate Professor. 

​Believe it or not, scammers take every opportunity at a time like this to collect our personal information and money. As online shopping and remote work increases, here are the current common Coronavirus scams according to the Federal Trade Commission and what to do about them:
​
SCAM 1: Undelivered Goods. Scammers selling goods online claim they have high-demand items in stock. You place an order and never get your shipment. This is more and more common as anyone can set up shop and look like they’re selling legitimate products.
WHAT TO DO: Stick to sites you know and trust. Check out the seller by searching for previous customer reviews.  If you decide to buy, use a credit card to keep record of the transaction and make sure you see ""https" when you check out. If you’re concerned about the pricing of products in your area, contact your state consumer protection officials via www.naag.org .

​Have you found yourself out and about “panic buying” lately? Moment of truth: I have. If you've tried hitting up the grocery store lately, you've seen the chaos! Panic buying is defined as the unplanned purchasing of large quantities of a particular product/commodity due to sudden fears of a shortage or price increase.

The psychology of panic buying is generally summed up as an attempt to take back control in a time when you feel completely out of control (sound familiar?). Panic buying is connected to our fundamental psychological needs to control our circumstances, relate to those around us (or the “everyone’s doing it” mentality) and feel competent about our abilities as consumers. Empty shelves and rising prices can tempt us to stock up but buying what you do not need or what your family will not use actually gives you a false sense of security that you’re a “smart shopper”.
​
As connected as we are online, it’s easy to see just how empty the supermarket shelves are regardless of whether or not you’ve been there in-person lately. Let’s be clear – there is a distinct difference between disaster preparation and panic buying. I am certainly not suggesting you ignore recommendations to purchase what your family needs. However, irrational stockpiling can make shortages worse and bust your budget over and over, so here are six hacks to combat future panic buying (cause we're not out of the woods yet...cue Taylor Swift). 

​There’s an important percentage rate that influences everything from inflation to what you pay to borrow money. The federal funds rate is raised and lowered by the Federal Reserve (aka America’s central bank). Increasing rates means the Fed thinks the economy’s doing well enough to handle higher borrowing costs. Fed’s lower rates to encourage people to borrow, spend, and invest in hopes to boost the economy. In light of current events, here’s what lowering the federal funds rate can mean for your wallet: