Money-Smart Month is almost over!

Hi there, credit union friends!

As both National Financial Literacy Month and National Credit Union Youth Month come to a close, are you feeling a bit like my sirenian pal here?

If you’re asking “What’s next?” and searching for meaningful content to share or engaging events to host, then never fear! You’ve come to the right aggregation. (Yes, that’s what a group of manatees is called. 🤓 You can thank me later if you ever appear on Jeopardy!) Read on to discover resources and strategies to keep the money-smart momentum going beyond April.

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Are We Chasing Carrots?: So it’s confession time, everyone! Have you heard of a Stanley tumbler? Capable of holding up to 40 ounces of liquid, it’s quite cumbersome yet somehow trendy. In fact, it’s the latest accessory taking social media by storm. (According to this Food Network article, TikTok videos with the hashtag #stanleytumbler have racked up 11 million views!) So naturally, after being inundated with posts about it, I had to purchase one to see what all the fuss was about. 🙈

Admittedly, sipping from my Stanley has encouraged me to drink more water, but at what cost? ($50, to be exact!) So upon reading Chief Mammal John Lanza’s latest short essay, “Are We Chasing Carrots?”, I realized my Instagram scrolling had caused me to fall victim to mimetic desire.

And to what does this term, coined by French philosopher René Girard, refer? John explains in his piece:

“Mimetic desires are extrinsically motivated. You want something because someone else wants something. I was obsessed with things not because I wanted them, but because others around me did.”

And even though we may eventually recognize mimetic desire at work, just like I did, that doesn’t mean our days of “wanting” are done. So what’s the solution? According to John, it’s channeling, controlling, or compartmentalizing our desires. Read his full essay here to find out how!

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Into the Metaverse: Still trying to figure out just what exactly is the metaverse? Me too! To help us all understand how parents and financial institutions can take advantage of this new digital frontier, tech guru and credit union innovator Brett Wooden joined The Art of Allowance Podcast with John.

Brett is currently the SVP of Innovation at FTSI and was previously the Chief Operations Officer at a credit union in the northwest. He was named the Northwest Credit Union Association’s Young Credit Union Professional of the Year in 2011, Credit Union Times’ 40 and Under Trailblazer and Credit Union Magazine’s 2020 Rock Star. And while serving in multiple leadership roles at credit unions across the United States, Brett has set a national trend for using mobile applications and digital technology to advance financial institutions.

Here are a few key points from Brett and John’s far-reaching conversation:

👉 How financial institutions can leverage the metaverse

👉 Financial education for kids in the metaverse

👉 “Living in life events”: credit unions’ biggest opportunities

Click here to stream the full episode.

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A Day at the Museum: But enough about the goings-on at Snigglezoo! Here’s how one of your fellow financial institutions spread the money-smart message to its youngest members this month.

Portsmouth-based Service Credit Union partnered with the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire to host two live events last week. By doing so, the credit union was able to leverage the Spring Break vacations of neighboring Maine and Massachusetts to draw crowds.

And speaking of crowds, children and their families were treated to a live reading of the picture book Joe the Monkey Saves for a Goal and an appearance by Money Mammal Clara J. Camel.

Regarding the success of the event, Service Credit Union’s Community Relations Manager, Jaime Yates, states:

“Clara J. Camel had a great time recently meeting new friends at a local museum. Kids and parents alike were engaged with the book, and enjoyed Clara’s visit! The Money Mammals are a great way to teach children about sharing, saving, and spending smart, and we look forward to more Clara events in the future!”

What’s more, events like this one for all ages and stages promote the Service Credit Union mission of “Building Value and Enduring Relationships.”

Well, credit union friends, that’s a wrap on another edition of “Marketing Manatee Musings.” As we bid adieu to April, I hope you’ve come away with useful content to share with your young members and their families as well as practical strategies to encourage engagement with these valuable segments.

And as we head into the summer months, here’s to putting our best fin lit flippers forward!

Erin Prim

Marketing Manatee