Mission: The Smart Shopper — Level 5
Akuuu has $50 to buy a new backpack. She finds three options:
- Store A: $45 with “20% off today only!”
- Store B: $38 with “Buy 1, get 2nd half price” (but she only needs one)
- Store C: $50 with “$10 cashback after purchase”
Her friend says: “Store A is best — 20% off is huge!”
Her mom says: “Store C is safest — you get money back.”
👉 Who is right? What is the REAL final price at each store? Is “best” just about lowest price?
Think: Percentages can trick you. “20% off” sounds big, but 20% of what? And is cashback the same as an instant discount?
✏️ Calculate the final price at each store. Then decide which is truly best and why:
- 💰 Discount = money subtracted immediately from the price you pay
- 🔄 Cashback = money returned AFTER you pay full price — you need the full amount first
- 📊 Percentage = “per hundred” — 20% off means you pay 80% of original
A: 20% off $45
B: $10 cashback on $50
C: “Half price” on a $38 item when you buy two
Akuuu sees a sign: “50% OFF! Then an extra 20% off the sale price!”
Her brother thinks: “That’s 70% off total!”
👉 Is he right? Test with a $100 item. What is the actual total discount?
👉 Why is “50% + 20%” not the same as “70% off”? Explain the trap:
Option A: 1 kg rice for $8
Option B: 3 kg rice for $20
Option C: 5 kg rice for $35 with “Buy 5, get 1 kg free”
👉 Akuuu needs 2 kg. Which option is cheapest per kg? What if she needed 6 kg? Show all work.
A store advertises: “Was $100, now $75 — YOU SAVE 33%!”
👉 Is 33% correct? What is the REAL savings percentage? Why do stores use the wrong number?
Akuuu wants to sell handmade bracelets for $5 each.
👉 Create THREE pricing strategies that sound attractive but still give her at least $4 profit per bracelet. Explain the psychology of each.
🧠 Part A — Transfer
Akuuu finds a “subscription trap” online:
- Monthly: $12/month, cancel anytime
- Yearly: $100/year (save 30%!
- Lifetime: $300 once, never pay again
👉 If Akuuu plans to use this for 3 years, which is cheapest? What if she might quit after 6 months? Create a decision framework, not just an answer.
Think: The “best” deal depends on what you DON’T know — your future behavior. How do you plan for uncertainty with money?
🧠 Part B — Thinking Pause
- I calculated the real final price, not just the advertised discount
- I spotted when percentages were used to trick me
- I designed a strategy that considers uncertainty, not just today’s price
⭐ Mission Reflection
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