Loan-a Lisa

The episode was written by Valentina L. Garza and directed by Matthew Faughnan, after Yeardley Smith suggested writing one centered around microfinancing.

Bart pays Gil Gunderson to walk up the down escalator, while Marge picks out a purse but mis-reads its $500 price tag as $50.

Pressure from other shoppers leads her to charge it to her credit card; though she cannot afford it, Homer suggests that she use it until the store's return period is about to expire, then take it back.

Meanwhile, Lisa decides to donate her $50 to charity, but an online introduction to microfinance and a video from Muhammad Yunus prompt her to use the money to support a local business instead.

He decides to drop out of school in order to invest all his time in the business; Lisa is upset by the news, but Principal Skinner thinks it would pay nicely as a part-time job.

At a meeting of entrepreneurs, Lisa tries to persuade Nelson to stay in school, but she fails when she discovers that the attendees all left college (including Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Richard Branson), and that the janitor is the only person present who did not drop out.

Yeardley Smith, a supporter of Grameen Foundation, pitched an idea to executive producer Al Jean about Lisa and micro-financing.

[8] Grampa Simpson reveals he lost most of his life savings by investing in a failed Broadway musical about Eddie Gaedel, the smallest person to ever play in a Major League Baseball game.