Jadrian Wooten
@wootenomics.bsky.social
Economics Educator at Virginia Tech & author of Monday Morning Economist newsletter (https://www.mondayeconomist.com)
Feeling thankful for everyone who’s made this newsletter such a rewarding project this year 🙏
Today's special post is full of gratitude, turkey day economics, and a few Substack writers you should absolutely be reading.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/thanksgivi...
Today's special post is full of gratitude, turkey day economics, and a few Substack writers you should absolutely be reading.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/thanksgivi...
A Thanksgiving Thank You
Happy Thanksgiving!
www.mondayeconomist.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Feeling thankful for everyone who’s made this newsletter such a rewarding project this year 🙏
Today's special post is full of gratitude, turkey day economics, and a few Substack writers you should absolutely be reading.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/thanksgivi...
Today's special post is full of gratitude, turkey day economics, and a few Substack writers you should absolutely be reading.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/thanksgivi...
Thanksgiving dinner looks coordinated from the outside, but no one plans the national menu.
This week, I wrote about the spontaneous order behind the holiday meal and the people who make it possible.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/the-thanks...
This week, I wrote about the spontaneous order behind the holiday meal and the people who make it possible.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/the-thanks...
The Thanksgiving Meal That Plans Itself
Why Thanksgiving dinner looks the same across the country, even though no one is in charge of designing it.
www.mondayeconomist.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Thanksgiving dinner looks coordinated from the outside, but no one plans the national menu.
This week, I wrote about the spontaneous order behind the holiday meal and the people who make it possible.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/the-thanks...
This week, I wrote about the spontaneous order behind the holiday meal and the people who make it possible.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/the-thanks...
Penny shortages have led to rounding at the register, but the real story is why .99 pricing still dominates as the penny disappears.
This week's article breaks down the tax issues, the advertising challenges, and the psychology keeping .99 in place.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/99-cents
This week's article breaks down the tax issues, the advertising challenges, and the psychology keeping .99 in place.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/99-cents
How .99 Pricing Survives the Penny Shortage
The penny may be disappearing, but the psychology behind .99 pricing isn’t going anywhere.
www.mondayeconomist.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Penny shortages have led to rounding at the register, but the real story is why .99 pricing still dominates as the penny disappears.
This week's article breaks down the tax issues, the advertising challenges, and the psychology keeping .99 in place.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/99-cents
This week's article breaks down the tax issues, the advertising challenges, and the psychology keeping .99 in place.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/99-cents
Walmart says Thanksgiving dinner is cheaper this year.
It’s not. The basket just got smaller.
That makes it the perfect lesson in how economists measure inflation.
Read more: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/walmart-th...
It’s not. The basket just got smaller.
That makes it the perfect lesson in how economists measure inflation.
Read more: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/walmart-th...
The Case of the Cheaper Dinner That Costs More
Walmart says Thanksgiving dinner is 25% cheaper this year. Sounds like great news, right? But there’s a catch. They quietly changed what’s in the meal.
www.mondayeconomist.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Walmart says Thanksgiving dinner is cheaper this year.
It’s not. The basket just got smaller.
That makes it the perfect lesson in how economists measure inflation.
Read more: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/walmart-th...
It’s not. The basket just got smaller.
That makes it the perfect lesson in how economists measure inflation.
Read more: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/walmart-th...
The most interesting part of the 18-inning World Series game wasn’t on the field. It was in living rooms across the country.
Learn how economics can explain the decision to stay up for “just one more inning.”
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/world-seri...
Learn how economics can explain the decision to stay up for “just one more inning.”
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/world-seri...
The 18-Inning Lesson in Economics
Why did millions stay up past 2 a.m. for one more inning? Economics has a few ideas and a lesson worth staying awake for.
www.mondayeconomist.com
November 3, 2025 at 1:59 PM
The most interesting part of the 18-inning World Series game wasn’t on the field. It was in living rooms across the country.
Learn how economics can explain the decision to stay up for “just one more inning.”
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/world-seri...
Learn how economics can explain the decision to stay up for “just one more inning.”
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/world-seri...
When AWS went down, so did Canvas. Students initially panicked, but many of them eventually cheered.
The outage revealed something deeper about college: it’s not just about learning, it’s about what the degree signals.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/canvas-aws
The outage revealed something deeper about college: it’s not just about learning, it’s about what the degree signals.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/canvas-aws
What the AWS Outage Revealed About What Students Think They’re Buying
When Canvas crashed last week, millions of students suddenly couldn’t submit assignments, check grades, or prepare for exams. Some panicked, others celebrated. Together, they offered a perfect lesson ...
www.mondayeconomist.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:27 PM
When AWS went down, so did Canvas. Students initially panicked, but many of them eventually cheered.
The outage revealed something deeper about college: it’s not just about learning, it’s about what the degree signals.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/canvas-aws
The outage revealed something deeper about college: it’s not just about learning, it’s about what the degree signals.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/canvas-aws
Smucker's is suing Trader Joe's. Not for stealing a recipe, but for copying the shape of a crustless PB&J.
Behind the sandwich is a billion-dollar lesson in how firms protect their profits through differentiation.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/uncrustables
Behind the sandwich is a billion-dollar lesson in how firms protect their profits through differentiation.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/uncrustables
Taking A Bite Out of the Competition
Smucker’s is suing Trader Joe’s over a crustless PB&J sandwich. The lawsuit isn’t about peanut butter or jelly. It’s about how companies stay different in markets where everything looks the same.
www.mondayeconomist.com
October 20, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Smucker's is suing Trader Joe's. Not for stealing a recipe, but for copying the shape of a crustless PB&J.
Behind the sandwich is a billion-dollar lesson in how firms protect their profits through differentiation.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/uncrustables
Behind the sandwich is a billion-dollar lesson in how firms protect their profits through differentiation.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/uncrustables
Getting fired usually means losing your paycheck. In college football, it can mean cashing in.
Here’s the economic logic behind multimillion-dollar buyouts and why universities keep paying coaches not to coach.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/buyouts
Here’s the economic logic behind multimillion-dollar buyouts and why universities keep paying coaches not to coach.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/buyouts
Why Fired Coaches Still Get Paid Millions
When college football coaches are fired, they often walk away with millions. Buyouts act as insurance for taking one of the riskiest jobs in sports, but they also create costly incentives for universi...
www.mondayeconomist.com
October 13, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Getting fired usually means losing your paycheck. In college football, it can mean cashing in.
Here’s the economic logic behind multimillion-dollar buyouts and why universities keep paying coaches not to coach.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/buyouts
Here’s the economic logic behind multimillion-dollar buyouts and why universities keep paying coaches not to coach.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/buyouts
AI stocks are booming, and some are warning that it looks like a bubble. Jeff Bezos agrees, but says this might be the rare kind of bubble that benefits society in the long run.
Here’s what makes an “industrial bubble” different than the others: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/ai-bubble
Here’s what makes an “industrial bubble” different than the others: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/ai-bubble
The Upside of a Bubble (Yes, Really)
Artificial intelligence may be shaping up like a bubble, but history shows some bubbles can leave society better off.
www.mondayeconomist.com
October 6, 2025 at 1:11 PM
AI stocks are booming, and some are warning that it looks like a bubble. Jeff Bezos agrees, but says this might be the rare kind of bubble that benefits society in the long run.
Here’s what makes an “industrial bubble” different than the others: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/ai-bubble
Here’s what makes an “industrial bubble” different than the others: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/ai-bubble
You’ve probably seen it before: Lowe’s and Home Depot, sitting right next to each other. But why?
I asked @josemonkey.com to figure out how often these rivals cluster in real life. The answer may surprise you, but the explanation goes back nearly 100 years.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/josemonkey
I asked @josemonkey.com to figure out how often these rivals cluster in real life. The answer may surprise you, but the explanation goes back nearly 100 years.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/josemonkey
So, What (Economics Concepts) Can We See?
Why are Lowe’s and Home Depot so often neighbors? With help from TikTok sleuth JoseMonkey, we looked at the actual data and found dozens of store pairs close enough to share a parking lot. Turns out, ...
www.mondayeconomist.com
September 29, 2025 at 3:47 PM
You’ve probably seen it before: Lowe’s and Home Depot, sitting right next to each other. But why?
I asked @josemonkey.com to figure out how often these rivals cluster in real life. The answer may surprise you, but the explanation goes back nearly 100 years.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/josemonkey
I asked @josemonkey.com to figure out how often these rivals cluster in real life. The answer may surprise you, but the explanation goes back nearly 100 years.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/josemonkey
Nate Bargatze tried to shorten Emmy speeches with a $100,000 charity pledge that dropped $1,000 for every second winners went long.
If loss aversion works, it should have worked here. It didn’t.
Why the pot went negative: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/emmys-flop
If loss aversion works, it should have worked here. It didn’t.
Why the pot went negative: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/emmys-flop
When Loss Aversion Flops
Emmys host Nate Bargatze tried to use a classic behavioral economics trick to shorten speeches. Instead, the night ended with a negative balance and a lesson in why incentives need to feel real.
www.mondayeconomist.com
September 22, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Nate Bargatze tried to shorten Emmy speeches with a $100,000 charity pledge that dropped $1,000 for every second winners went long.
If loss aversion works, it should have worked here. It didn’t.
Why the pot went negative: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/emmys-flop
If loss aversion works, it should have worked here. It didn’t.
Why the pot went negative: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/emmys-flop
Someone buys you a coffee and texts: “Just Venmo me $7.58.” Do you round up or pay the exact amount?
That tiny decision says more about your brain (and your social instincts) than you might think.
Read the full piece: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/venmo
That tiny decision says more about your brain (and your social instincts) than you might think.
Read the full piece: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/venmo
What Your Venmo Behavior Says About You
Do you round up or send the exact amount? That tiny decision reveals more about your brain, and your social habits, than you might think.
www.mondayeconomist.com
September 15, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Someone buys you a coffee and texts: “Just Venmo me $7.58.” Do you round up or pay the exact amount?
That tiny decision says more about your brain (and your social instincts) than you might think.
Read the full piece: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/venmo
That tiny decision says more about your brain (and your social instincts) than you might think.
Read the full piece: www.mondayeconomist.com/p/venmo
Economists watch many signals for signs of recession. One of the quirkiest? Cardboard boxes.
With producers cutting nearly 9% of capacity, the “cardboard box index” may be flashing a warning.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/cardboard-...
With producers cutting nearly 9% of capacity, the “cardboard box index” may be flashing a warning.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/cardboard-...
What Cardboard Can Tell Us About the State of the Economy
A decline in cardboard box sales may serve as an early indicator of whether the U.S. might be headed for a recession
www.mondayeconomist.com
September 8, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Economists watch many signals for signs of recession. One of the quirkiest? Cardboard boxes.
With producers cutting nearly 9% of capacity, the “cardboard box index” may be flashing a warning.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/cardboard-...
With producers cutting nearly 9% of capacity, the “cardboard box index” may be flashing a warning.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/cardboard-...
The TI-84 looks the same as it did in the early 2000s.
Casio and Desmos exist, so why do students still pay $100 for one?
The answer has less to do with features and more to do with economics.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/graphing-c...
Casio and Desmos exist, so why do students still pay $100 for one?
The answer has less to do with features and more to do with economics.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/graphing-c...
How Texas Instruments Won Math Class
Millions of students are back in the classroom. New notebooks, fresh pencils, maybe even a laptop upgrade. But for many, there’s also an old friend tagging along: the graphing calculator.
www.mondayeconomist.com
September 1, 2025 at 6:22 PM
The TI-84 looks the same as it did in the early 2000s.
Casio and Desmos exist, so why do students still pay $100 for one?
The answer has less to do with features and more to do with economics.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/graphing-c...
Casio and Desmos exist, so why do students still pay $100 for one?
The answer has less to do with features and more to do with economics.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/graphing-c...
A knitting bean just beat Google and ChatGPT in the App Store. Focus Friend is the latest productivity app to catch fire, but the economics behind its success explain why it’s more than just cute.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/focus-friend
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/focus-friend
Why a Knitting Bean Might Help You Focus This Fall
September is almost here, and with it comes the annual scramble to get life back on track as school gets back underway.
www.mondayeconomist.com
August 25, 2025 at 12:16 PM
A knitting bean just beat Google and ChatGPT in the App Store. Focus Friend is the latest productivity app to catch fire, but the economics behind its success explain why it’s more than just cute.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/focus-friend
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/focus-friend
She borrowed $85K for college, made small payments while in school, and now pays $1,500/month. After two years of payments, she owes… $90K.
A viral crash out, a 17% interest rate, and a lesson in the math behind student loans.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/student-lo...
A viral crash out, a 17% interest rate, and a lesson in the math behind student loans.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/student-lo...
Why Your Loan Balance Isn’t Going Down, Even When You’re Paying A Lot
A viral crash out offers a chance to understand how student loans can grow faster than most borrowers expect, and what we can do to prevent it.
www.mondayeconomist.com
August 18, 2025 at 1:17 PM
She borrowed $85K for college, made small payments while in school, and now pays $1,500/month. After two years of payments, she owes… $90K.
A viral crash out, a 17% interest rate, and a lesson in the math behind student loans.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/student-lo...
A viral crash out, a 17% interest rate, and a lesson in the math behind student loans.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/student-lo...
What happens when a neutral expression in an interview is read as disinterest by the person hiring you?
This week’s Monday Morning Economist looks at the “Gen Z stare” through the lens of signaling theory.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/gen-z-stare
This week’s Monday Morning Economist looks at the “Gen Z stare” through the lens of signaling theory.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/gen-z-stare
Is the Gen Z Stare Hurting Their Job Prospects?
Millennials had avacado toast. Gen Z has the stare.
www.mondayeconomist.com
August 11, 2025 at 7:47 PM
What happens when a neutral expression in an interview is read as disinterest by the person hiring you?
This week’s Monday Morning Economist looks at the “Gen Z stare” through the lens of signaling theory.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/gen-z-stare
This week’s Monday Morning Economist looks at the “Gen Z stare” through the lens of signaling theory.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/gen-z-stare
The BLS reported 73,000 new jobs in July. Hours later, the BLS commissioner was fired.
Trump accused her of manipulating the numbers, but data revisions happen every month. It's part of the process. So what makes this time different?
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/revisions
Trump accused her of manipulating the numbers, but data revisions happen every month. It's part of the process. So what makes this time different?
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/revisions
What’s Going On With the Jobs Numbers?
Revisions aren’t a sign of failure.
www.mondayeconomist.com
August 4, 2025 at 4:02 PM
The BLS reported 73,000 new jobs in July. Hours later, the BLS commissioner was fired.
Trump accused her of manipulating the numbers, but data revisions happen every month. It's part of the process. So what makes this time different?
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/revisions
Trump accused her of manipulating the numbers, but data revisions happen every month. It's part of the process. So what makes this time different?
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/revisions
Taking off your shoes at TSA took about 10 seconds. Multiply that by ~2 million travelers a day, and you have a multi-million dollar problem.
This week’s post explores what small inconvenience really costs us:
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/tsa-shoes
This week’s post explores what small inconvenience really costs us:
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/tsa-shoes
How 10 Seconds Became a Multi-Million Dollar Problem
A small security ritual adds up to a big economic burden when repeated by millions.
www.mondayeconomist.com
July 28, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Taking off your shoes at TSA took about 10 seconds. Multiply that by ~2 million travelers a day, and you have a multi-million dollar problem.
This week’s post explores what small inconvenience really costs us:
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/tsa-shoes
This week’s post explores what small inconvenience really costs us:
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/tsa-shoes
Would you rather eat a sandwich made from a 1920s recipe or one from your local deli today? 🥪
I teamed up with Sandwiches of History to explore how 100 years of economic growth changed the way we eat. Even your fridge tells a story of progress.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/how-sandwi...
I teamed up with Sandwiches of History to explore how 100 years of economic growth changed the way we eat. Even your fridge tells a story of progress.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/how-sandwi...
How Sandwiches Explain 100 Years of Economic Growth
The simple sandwich can help explain how everyday life has changed over the last century
www.mondayeconomist.com
July 21, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Would you rather eat a sandwich made from a 1920s recipe or one from your local deli today? 🥪
I teamed up with Sandwiches of History to explore how 100 years of economic growth changed the way we eat. Even your fridge tells a story of progress.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/how-sandwi...
I teamed up with Sandwiches of History to explore how 100 years of economic growth changed the way we eat. Even your fridge tells a story of progress.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/how-sandwi...
Are Americans saving more because they feel good about their finances or because they’re scared?
This week, I teamed up with @yourbrainonmoney.bsky.social to answer that question. I tackled the economics, and she tackled the behavioral finance.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/savings-rate
This week, I teamed up with @yourbrainonmoney.bsky.social to answer that question. I tackled the economics, and she tackled the behavioral finance.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/savings-rate
Why Are Americans Suddenly Saving Again?
An economist’s honest (and annoying) answer would be: “It depends.”
www.mondayeconomist.com
July 14, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Are Americans saving more because they feel good about their finances or because they’re scared?
This week, I teamed up with @yourbrainonmoney.bsky.social to answer that question. I tackled the economics, and she tackled the behavioral finance.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/savings-rate
This week, I teamed up with @yourbrainonmoney.bsky.social to answer that question. I tackled the economics, and she tackled the behavioral finance.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/savings-rate
Tonight’s the #LoveIslandUSA finale, which means it’s the perfect time to bring this one back:
💔 Matching markets
🔄 Strategic recoupling
💵 The economics of love
(No need to love the show, just bring your inner economist.)
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/love-island
💔 Matching markets
🔄 Strategic recoupling
💵 The economics of love
(No need to love the show, just bring your inner economist.)
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/love-island
The Surprising Economics of Love Island
It may look like just another reality dating show, but Love Island is also a live experiment in incentives, preferences, and strategic matchups. Here's what an economist sees when a new bombshell ente...
www.mondayeconomist.com
July 13, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Tonight’s the #LoveIslandUSA finale, which means it’s the perfect time to bring this one back:
💔 Matching markets
🔄 Strategic recoupling
💵 The economics of love
(No need to love the show, just bring your inner economist.)
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/love-island
💔 Matching markets
🔄 Strategic recoupling
💵 The economics of love
(No need to love the show, just bring your inner economist.)
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/love-island
Amazon’s not losing money on Prime Day. It’s using one of the oldest pricing strategies in economics: second-degree price discrimination.
This post explains why charging you to access discounts is smarter than it sounds.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/what-amazo...
This post explains why charging you to access discounts is smarter than it sounds.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/what-amazo...
What Amazon Prime Day Can Teach Us About Economics
A look at why Amazon's deep discounts are actually a high-priced strategy
www.mondayeconomist.com
July 7, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Amazon’s not losing money on Prime Day. It’s using one of the oldest pricing strategies in economics: second-degree price discrimination.
This post explains why charging you to access discounts is smarter than it sounds.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/what-amazo...
This post explains why charging you to access discounts is smarter than it sounds.
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/what-amazo...
I’ve been writing Monday Morning Economist for five years, but I’m still eager to discover new writers, podcasters, and creators doing smart, engaging work around economics, teaching, or pop culture.
Who should I be reading or listening to?
Tag your favorites down below.
Who should I be reading or listening to?
Tag your favorites down below.
July 5, 2025 at 12:46 AM
I’ve been writing Monday Morning Economist for five years, but I’m still eager to discover new writers, podcasters, and creators doing smart, engaging work around economics, teaching, or pop culture.
Who should I be reading or listening to?
Tag your favorites down below.
Who should I be reading or listening to?
Tag your favorites down below.
Every July 4th, millions watch Joey Chestnut crush hot dogs during Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on ESPN.
But he’s not just a competitive eater! He’s also a great example of diminishing returns in action. Will it happen to him again this year?
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/competitiv...
But he’s not just a competitive eater! He’s also a great example of diminishing returns in action. Will it happen to him again this year?
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/competitiv...
Competitive Eaters Experience Diminishing Returns, Too!
Even without Joey Chestnut in this year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, diminishing returns will "ketchup" to all the eaters at some point in the contest.
www.mondayeconomist.com
July 3, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Every July 4th, millions watch Joey Chestnut crush hot dogs during Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on ESPN.
But he’s not just a competitive eater! He’s also a great example of diminishing returns in action. Will it happen to him again this year?
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/competitiv...
But he’s not just a competitive eater! He’s also a great example of diminishing returns in action. Will it happen to him again this year?
www.mondayeconomist.com/p/competitiv...