Wheel and its discarding of shopping.

[Kevin Prather]

Thanks for the answers, guys. That does make sense.

And my memory failed me. The $100,000 thingy turned out to be a zero-coupon bond.

[TLEberle]

Essentially the show buys the bond at a discount (probably $75k or so). The bearer holds onto the bond (which doesn't make interest payments) until maturity at which time the bearer would collect the $100,000 face value. It is not the same as an annuity (nearer a Series EE savings bond), so the question is do you want $25,000 "today" or $100,000 several years from now.

[Kevin Prather]

So that zero-coupon bond in the video equates to "$100,000 in 2004, diddly squat until then"? I can definitely see why the $25,000 is more desirable then.

[Jay Temple]

Essentially the show buys the bond at a discount (probably $75k or so). The bearer holds onto the bond (which doesn't make interest payments) until maturity at which time the bearer would collect the $100,000 face value. It is not the same as an annuity (nearer a Series EE savings bond), so the question is do you want $25,000 "today" or $100,000 several years from now.

Side note: On TJW's kids weeks, the main game was played for points instead of dollars, leading to two things that I hated. First, the winner got a $500 savings bond, which only cost them $375. Second, it was a flat $500; that is, if they won with a score of 550, they didn't get a $50 savings bond in addition.

[dale_grass]

On TJW's kids weeks, the main game was played for points instead of dollars, leading to two things that I hated. First, the winner got a $500 savings bond, which only cost them $375. Second, it was a flat $500; that is, if they won with a score of 550, they didn't get a $50 savings bond in addition.

I don't see why it upsets you that a game show paid less for a prize than it's (eventually) worth. I also don't see why you're upset that the winner of the game won the advertised prize.

[Dbacksfan12]

Essentially the show buys the bond at a discount (probably $75k or so). The bearer holds onto the bond (which doesn't make interest payments) until maturity at which time the bearer would collect the $100,000 face value. It is not the same as an annuity (nearer a Series EE savings bond), so the question is do you want $25,000 "today" or $100,000 several years from now.

Side note: On TJW's kids weeks, the main game was played for points instead of dollars, leading to two things that I hated. First, the winner got a $500 savings bond, which only cost them $375. Second, it was a flat $500; that is, if they won with a score of 550, they didn't get a $50 savings bond in addition.

If you were a kid, would you have spent that $500 in cash wisely?

[clemon79]

If you were a kid, would you have spent that $500 in cash wisely?

No. Isn't that the POINT of being a kid?

/Hell, I'm an adult. Is hookers and blow all that wise?

[TLEberle]

Thing I learned this week: there was a time when the purchase price of a savings bond was 75% of face value instead of 50%.

[Dbacksfan12]

If you were a kid, would you have spent that $500 in cash wisely?

No. Isn't that the POINT of being a kid?

/Hell, I'm an adult. Is hookers and blow all that wise?

Yes, the point of being a kid is learning that there should be no limitations or boundaries.  Excuse me for thinking a little fiscal responsibility at a young age is a good thing.

[TLEberle]

Yes, the point of being a kid is learning that there should be no limitations or boundaries.  Excuse me for thinking a little fiscal responsibility at a young age is a good thing.

Well done at completely missing the point. Parents are there as the disk brakes on the car of "Gimme! I want it!" If I was in grade school and $500 of spendable money fell into my lap my first thought wouldn't have been "Huh, I wonder what kind of savings rate this will get," it would have been what thing do I want to buy. All of my parents made sure that I didn't go nutty with my allowance or gift money, but they also trusted that I wouldn't be stupid and blow it all without keeping some aside for when I needed it.

[BrandonFG]

If you were a kid, would you have spent that $500 in cash wisely?

No. Isn't that the POINT of being a kid?

/Hell, I'm an adult. Is hookers and blow all that wise?

Yes, the point of being a kid is learning that there should be no limitations or boundaries.  Excuse me for thinking a little fiscal responsibility at a young age is a good thing.

When I was about 10 or 11, I came into a small sum of money (about $500). My mom let me have a little bit for "play money", and I'm pretty sure the rest went into a savings account for Christmas gifts or something. I'm sure most parents would do the same for their children, and maybe suggest putting a little aside. But if the parent let the kid blow through the money, does it really show fiscal irresponsibility? Kids are gonna be kids, and guess what, if that kid wants to splurge on pizza and video games, I'm not gonna look down my nose at him, her or the parents.

And honestly, $500 is not going to do much for Junior's college or car fund these days. There's no harm in letting him have a little fun.

[TLEberle]

Lt. Mosher to Bridge, please:

When you found out that you were going to be part of Jeopardy's Kids Week, did you and your parents discuss what would happen with the money if you won?

(Someone will know this: was there a time period where Jeopardy's Teen Tournament paid off in scholarship awards to the contestants instead of legal tender? If so when did that come to an end?)

[clemon79]

Yes, the point of being a kid is learning that there should be no limitations or boundaries.  Excuse me for thinking a little fiscal responsibility at a young age is a good thing.

I am fairly sure I am the absolute last member of this community you should be clucking your tongue about "fiscal responsibility" at.

[chad1m]

Lt. Mosher to Bridge, please:

When you found out that you were going to be part of Jeopardy's Kids Week, did you and your parents discuss what would happen with the money if you won?

I don't vividly recall it, but a portion of the sum would have been "fun" money while much of it would be put away. Since my winnings were less than two thousand dollars after taxes, the majority of it ended up being "fun" money in a savings account that I was allowed to dip into periodically over the next couple of years.

[TLEberle]

That sounds almost exactly what I would have imagined: you were given some amount of freedom and fun, but they were also looking out for you later on.