Techniques for bi-modal learning in a financial context are described. These techniques are configured to improve a user's financial acumen and bring the user into an optimal financial state. Some of these techniques are embodied in a device that operates financial education lessons specifically configured for the improving the user's current financial state. These techniques may implement rewards/penalties (in tokens) for correct/incorrect user responses to financial decisions being presented in these lessons for user to make. By exploiting the user's desire for rewards and tokens and the desire to improve the user's current financial state, these techniques may leverage machine learning techniques to identify an appropriate financial education lesson that is most likely to have a positive effect on the user. Over time, administrating the financial education lessons builds customer loyalty to the device that implements these techniques. Other embodiments are described and claimed.