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To save money, young people would rather go commando than buy used undies

3 min read

3 min read

April 14, 2014


DoSomething.org and H&R Block Dollars & Sense use hilarious money-saving scenarios to give young people real money-saving tips

Three in four students feel they don’t know enough about personal finances. And according to a recent survey by H&R Block Dollars & Sense, 58 percent of teens worry about being worse off financially than their parents.

To help teens increase their financial knowledge, DoSomething.org and H&R Block Dollars & Sense created “Would You Rather?”, a campaign that uses an interactive SMS text message game to teach young people personal finance. Now in its second year, “Would You Rather?” asked young people to choose between different money-saving scenarios and delivered personal finance tips straight to their cell phones. Actor Justin Long recorded a public service announcement to encourage young people to participate and from January 28 to April 3, more than 100,000 young people played the game.

When making choices on what they would rather do to save money, young people’s responses were entertaining. In fact:

  • 73% would rather work concessions at the Super Bowl than clean up after a music festival;
  • 72% would rather go commando than buy used undies; and
  • 55% would rather be Lindsay Lohan’s personal assistant than wash the Dallas Cowboy’s laundry

Following the questions, young people were offered tips to increase their financial fitness. Tips included:

  • Before opening a checking account, seek an account that doesn’t require a minimum balance or charge you for each check written.
  • Familiarize yourself with credit card interest rates. A pair of $50 jeans can become expensive if you are paying 20 percent interest.
  • Pack a lunch instead of eating out. Saving a few dollars at each meal will add up in the long run, helping you to buy other items you crave.

“It’s easy for a young person to feel overwhelmed when it comes to managing money,” said Naomi Hirabayashi, chief marketing officer at DoSomething.org. “’Would You Rather?’ made a complicated topic fun and relatable for young people. Working with H&R Block Dollars & Sense was a natural fit to meet young people where they are with informative and relevant tips on how to save money. Our members loved receiving personal finance tips straight to their cell phone.”

Kathy Collins, chief marketing officer for H&R Block, said “Learning how to save and be financially fit is such an important skill for everyone. ‘Would You Rather?’ gives young people real tips to help guide their financial future so hopefully they’ll never need to make any crazy choices with their money.”

To learn more about “Would You Rather?, visit dosomething.org/wyr.

Media Contact:
Colleen Wormsley
cwormsley@dosomething.org
(212) 254-2390 ext. 254

About DoSomething.org
DoSomething.org makes the world suck less. The largest org for young people and social change, our 2.5 million members tackle campaigns that impact every cause, from poverty to violence to the environment to literally everything else. Any cause, anytime, anywhere. *mic drop

About H&R Block Dollars & Sense
Funded by H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB), the world’s largest consumer tax services provider, H&R Block Dollars & Sense provides educators and students with personal finance curriculum and resources to increase financial literacy among teens. Since 2009, H&R Block Dollars & Sense has awarded teens and educators with more than $4 million in grants and scholarships. For more information, visit hrblockdollarsandsense.org.