Summer Readers: Keep Sizzlin'

Statesman, philosopher, inventor and printer Benjamin Franklin said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” The $100 bill sometimes is referred to as a “Benjamin” because Franklin’s image appears on it. In today’s world, saving Benjamins (and Georges and Abrahams!) is important. People are learning to be more careful with their money and to live on a budget. Everyone should have a budget: families, businesses and the government alike.We all need long-term and short-term budgets and long and short-term goals for improving the quality of life. This week’s HOT SPOT sponsor, McDonald's, will help you stay within your budget and spend those Benjamins wisely.

This week’s HOT SPOT activity

This week, look for stories in the St. Petersburg Times about individuals who earn large salaries. Make a list of the things you like about that person’s job. Discuss how, if you had the same job, you would do the job in the same or different ways. What would you do with your money? Are you a careful spender? Do you have a savings account? Imagine you have just been paid one million dollars for a brilliant idea. Look in the Times for advertisements or stories about things you would like to buy, as if money were no object. Cut them out and paste into a collage of your “dream” shopping list. If the prices are not listed, research how much each item costs. Now imagine you have one Benjamin, $100, to spend. What item or items could you afford with $100? What would you buy first? Why would you buy these items?  Share your thoughts with others in this blog. Just click on the comment button below to share your thoughts.

If you want to participate in the Summer Reader program, go to tampabay.com/nie/summer for details on how to get started.