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Money Lessons We Learned From Stranger Things

Rebecca Ki • May 17, 2022

We love Stranger Things for being the perfect mix of heartwarming and terrifying, but have you noticed the wise money lessons embedded in the Netflix series?

Stranger Things took the world by storm when the show came out in 2016. The jazzy 80’s fashion fits,  the synth-y, nostalgic soundtrack, and the charming, empathetic characters felt like the best version of all of our favorite science fiction tropes. We fell in love with the (seemingly) quiet and cozy town of Hawkins and the prepubescent, super-powered gang at the heart of the show. 

It’s no surprise that such an iconic show has something for everyone—even financial gurus! With Stranger Things Season 4 coming out soon, it’s the perfect time for a refresh of some of the more hidden money lessons from the show. Grab your Eggo® waffles and get ready to level up your $$$ game with the gang!

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From Joyce: Expect the unexpected, and save for a rainy day 🌧️

If there’s anything we can learn from Joyce Byers and her crazy life, it’s that anything can happen. Even your precious son being abducted into The Upside Down! When Will goes missing, Joyce immediately dedicates all of her time to finding him like the good mother she is. She even asks for a two-week advance from her job to make ends meet. 

The real lesson here is that your emergency fund is your safety net when everything goes wrong. As much as we hope you’ll never need it, it’s always good to have one just in case. If starting an emergency fund sounds intimidating to you, you’re not alone. Start small, and you’ll be surprised by how much you can save when you stay consistent. Plus, with a Chime High Yield Savings Account, you can grow your money in your sleep (not that you’ll be getting much with the constant chaos in Hawkins)!

From Billy: Protect your ride and get car insurance 🚗

We all remember Billy’s iconic intro. His 1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z will live forever in infamy! While he’s reckless with everything else, Billy’s car was his baby. And if you love your whip, you gotta protect it with car insurance!

Choosing car insurance can be overwhelming, but the good news is that many insurance plans are super customizable to support your driving needs. Do your homework and make sure you know what’s included in any plan you consider. Even if Billy’s not the type to do research, he’s definitely the type to protect his prized possession.

From Steve and Robin: No shame in the service industry game 🥄

One of my favorite things about Stranger Things Season 3 was the introduction of Robin and her relationship with Steve. Their friendship blossomed at Scoops Ahoy, an ice cream shop in the newly opened mall. Even if you’re dealing with Demogorgons by night and high school crushes by day, having a side gig in the service industry can be great! 

Service industry roles often give you the flexibility to choose your own hours and decide how much you want to work on any given week. Plus, being friends with your coworkers (and free ice cream, in Robin and Steve’s case) never hurts!

From the squad: Sometimes, the best (and most affordable!) time is at home 🐉

Back in Stranger Things season 1, the squad often hung out together and played Dungeons & Dragons in the basement creating elaborate storylines for their campaigns. In seasons 2 and 3, they traded their cozy basement for the busy arcade and wild shopping mall. While it was cool to see them have more freedom and independence, it never seemed like they were having more fun than they were at home!

Sometimes, the best and most affordable hangout with your friends is at home! If you’re trying to save some cash, invite your friends over to your place rather than going out for a night on the town. Pick up a charcuterie board, have your guests bring a little something, and you’ll realize that, hey, this is more fun than paying for $14 drinks at the bar and getting pushed around by mouthbreathers! 

Everything you need to know about Stranger Things Season 4

How much did Stranger Things Season 4 cost? 💸

With all this talk about money lessons, we have to talk about how Stranger Things 4 is one of the most expensive seasons of television ever. According to the Wall Street Journal, this new season has a per-episode cost of $30 million. That’s a mind-flaying number! To put things into perspective, the final season of Game of Thrones cost HBO $15 million per episode.

It seems like Netflix is betting everything on season 4 blowing us away. Maybe there’s another money lesson here—take careful, calculated risks on the things that matter to you!

When does Stranger Things 4 come out? ​​📺

The new season is premiering on May 27th, so get your watch party plans in order! And don’t worry, this isn’t the last you’ll see of Eleven. The show has already been renewed for a fifth and final season, as announced by Netflix, so we’ll have at least another few years of coming up with season finale conspiracy theories—just like Murray!

Who are the new Stranger Things characters this season? 🤩

Netflix released some new images from the new season, and they’re exactly the grungy, horror movie vibe you’d expect. 

Joseph Quinn joins the main cast as Eddie, a member of Hawkins High’s D&D club. Shoutout to season 1! He’s shown to have allied himself with Steve and Nancy, and we’re excited to see what shenanigans these troublemaking teens have in store!

Eduardo Franco also joins the cast as Argyle, a boy who becomes good friends with Mike, Eleven, and Will. Check out these photos and get as hype as we are! 

Who (or what) is the main villain in Stranger Things 4? 😈

Not only are we getting new characters to love–we’re also getting a new big bad in Hawkins! Vecna, the horrifyingly grotesque monster shown in the official trailer, is this season’s new villain we’ll love to hate.

Not much is known about the character yet, but eagle-eyed D&D players will recognize the name. In Dungeons and Dragons, Vecna, also known as the Whispered One or the Undying King, was a powerful undead wizard. 

Between this wet-looking humanoid monster and the cute-ish sounding demo-bats, the residents of Hawkins will have plenty of creatures to battle!

Time to Re-enter The Upside Down 🙃

COVID production delays and the massive scope of the season have ramped up anticipation for this new season of Stranger Things. The creator even said himself that season 4 is “by far, far, far… the most ambitious of the seasons,” which only tells us that it will be worth the wait! 

So when you sit down with your Scoops Ahoy ice cream cone or your jelly bean and whipped cream waffles, keep in mind the valuable money lessons that your favorite Netflix show could be teaching you! Who knows, you might unlock a gem that opens the door to financial peace of mind.. 😉

Looking for more ways to turn up your financial life from zero to Eleven? You can easily pay anyone, build credit, and grow your savings all in the app when you sign up for Chime. 

Stranger Things is just the tip of the pop culture iceberg—discover what money tips we learned from Jurassic Park and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off! 💚

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