Help Stop Dr. Spendit

Dr. Spendit is at it again. He’s created commercials to trick people into buying things they don’t need. He’s placed them EVERYWHERE: television, radio, Internet, newspapers and even mail.

Don’t worry, Cash and Violet have figured out how to outsmart Dr. Spendit. Just look for these tricky schemes Dr. Spendit has concocted:

CELEBRITY TRANCE
Some celebrities get paid to star in commercials for products. This is called a PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT, and it’s a tricky way to get people to buy stuff just because they see a celebrity in a commercial.

What to do: Don’t buy something just because your favorite celebrity is in a commercial.

FANTASTIC FIB
Some commercials stretch the truth to make products look more exciting. For example, an ad may show a doll house turn into a princess castle. Sounds magical, but it’s not reality.

What to do: When you see a commercial that seems amazing, ask yourself, “is it real or make-believe?”

MUSIC MAGIC
Have you ever heard a cool, popular song in a commercial? This is another trick to get people to buy a product just because they hear a song they like in a commercial.

What to do: If you like a song you hear, buy the song and skip the product.