Follow the money: Boston's Insta-fueled cash hunt
For
But Beumee also sees something deeper at play; a current of economic anxiety, if you will. A New York City transplant, she quickly noticed the refrain that there's nothing to do in Boston that's affordable. People would comment on her social media posts: 'I leave my apartment and I'm spending $100 a day,' she told me. In response, she launched her $20 challenge online.
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'I explore different neighborhoods in and around Boston and spend $20 or less because there's actually a lot to do,' Beumee said. 'You can pair a free thing and then try out this restaurant. Or if you use your Massachusetts license or your library card, you can get a discount on a ticket. I've done Fenway, Charlestown, Beacon Hill, and Harvard Square, and spent $20 or less.'
Free-cash accounts, she said, are masters of serial content, and their success is a reflection of how audiences consume entertainment or recreational content nowadays. 'It's an easy engagement hack,' Beumee said. 'Serial content is one of the most strategic and easiest ways to grow. Social media is becoming Netflix for some people. They [follow] these accounts and creators that they view as characters.' It's the equivalent of a reality TV show but on Instagram.
Eventually, Beumee theorized, once these accounts have garnered a big enough public — Find the Cash Boston currently has 164,000 followers — they could partner with brands, like doing a cash drop at a pop-up or event to get people in the door. 'The initial $100 [giveaway] is an investment in building an audience.'
The appeal of 'Find the Cash' is obvious — what's not to like about free money? Beyond the scramble for cash, it also perfectly captures the current moment: Money is tight, attention is currency, and entertainment often comes in the form of public spectacle.
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This is an excerpt from
, a Globe Opinion newsletter from columnist Marcela García.
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Marcela García is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
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