Warm-up
How long have you had your current phone?
- Under 1 year
- 1 to 2 years
- 3 years or more
- No idea
Hands up for your answer.
Top story
Tech stocks fell on AI spending worries.
- Meta's AI spending worried investors, and tech stocks fell on Thursday.
- AI companies are buying huge amounts of memory chips for their data.
- Samsung raised U.S. prices on most Galaxy S26 phones by $100.
−2.6%
the Nasdaq's drop on Thursday, its biggest since early June
Talk about itIf AI companies make chips more expensive, who ends up paying for it?
Your money: Cost per month beats the price tag
Price ÷ months = cost per month.
Spreading a big price over the time you use something shows its real cost.
- $900 ÷ 24 months = $37.50 a month
- $900 ÷ 36 months = $25 a month
- $100 price hike ÷ 24 months ≈ $4.17 a month
TakeawayBefore buying, divide the price by how long you'll use it.
Guess the number
You keep a $900 phone for 3 years instead of 2. How much less does it cost per month?
$12.50
$900 ÷ 24 months is $37.50 a month. $900 ÷ 36 months is $25. The difference is $12.50.
Pop quiz
Phone A costs $600 and lasts 24 months. Phone B costs $720 and lasts 36 months. Which costs less per month?
- APhone A, $25 a month
- BPhone B, $20 a month
- CThey cost the same
- DYou can't tell without the brand
B. Phone B, $20 a month. $600 ÷ 24 = $25 a month for Phone A. $720 ÷ 36 = $20 a month for Phone B. The phone with the higher price costs less per month because it lasts longer.
Discuss
Would you rather buy a cheaper phone every two years or pay more for one that lasts four? What would make you switch?
Worksheet
Today's worksheet
The story, the money lesson and questions, with an answer key on its own page.
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