Sometimes fact is scarier than fiction. The next time you pull out that dollar bill, you may want to take some of this information into consideration. Whether its the money itself or the way we handle it, there are some surprising statistics at play. Perhaps understanding them upfront is a good idea.
#1 The Flu is Due
The flu virus can live on a $1 for over 10 days. As a matter of fact, the average bill is a smorgasbord of fun bacteria. In a study done by at NYU’s Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, there are about 3,000 strains of bacteria on a bill- of which only about 20% they have cataloged through research. These species cause everything from acne, gastric ulcers, pneumonia, food poisoning, and staph infections. So next time you use cash, you may be buying into more than what you thought.
#2 She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie…cocaine.
90% of all US bills carry traces of cocaine. The green dye actually binds to the drug, helping to carry it. While the traces are too minute to cause harm (or effect), it has been a useful tool in measuring drug trade trends. Becoming more prevalent now is the presence of cannabis on the bill, but it has still a long way to go to meet its coca-plant counterpart.
#3 Chances are…..
You are more likely to die in a car accident on the way to buy a lottery ticket than actually winning the jackpot lottery. On a pick 4 game, the probability of you winning is 0.01% based on the number of possible combinations. As the total number of possible picks increase, so does the probability of loss. But if it makes you feel any better, on October 26th, in the Florida lotto, of the 4,918,625 people that played, 597,485 won something- 12% of players. You are much better off taking a chance on the stock market. There are actual websites you can go and invest as little as $5.00 per month- I’m just saying.
#4 Penny for your thoughts…
It costs more to make a penny than a penny is worth. It costs roughly 1.7 – 2.41 cents for every penny created. The actual value of a penny can fluctuate depending on the complexity of metals used to make it (which vary from year to year) as well as the type of value (intrinsic, marketplace, etc). In 2015 there were 9,365,300,000 minted at a cost upwards of $225,703,730.
#5 Develop a Negative into a Positive Picture
At least 1/4 people reading this article in the US have a negative net worth. About 1/3 has less than $1000 in savings and investments. The key to having good credit rests in your ability to execute a functional budget. Creating financial safety nets is the best way to prevent becoming one of our customers. Savings, insurance, investments, and lines of credit are all tools you want to have in place to create layers for the world at large to work through before they get to your core. These tools protect you against the inevitable obstacles in life that threaten your financial stability.
Make the Choice. Make the Change. Delta.