It doesn't have to be though! Use these templates to help you play the Game of Life with the youth in your ward to help them practice budgeting and living within their means. Full instructions can be found at "The Game of Life: Living within Your Means".
Career/Budget Cards:
I had about 21 different careers and incomes printed out on colorful paper. The monthly incomes are reflections of average monthly incomes for people in these positions. Most are entry level jobs since the youth won't have any degree but a GED (most likely) after high school but have high incomes so that the youth actually have some numbers to work with. Here are the other careers I had used:
- Photography Studio Associate $2,050.00
- Television Program Editor $1,150.00
- Baker $1,623.00
- Library Assistant $1,906.00
- Chili's Waitress/Waiter $1,920.00
- Retail Salesperson $1,250.00
- Car Saleswoman $2,332.00
- Actress $2,190.00
- Lifeguard $1,284.00
- Call Center Rep $2,262.00
- Animal Trainer $2,048.00
- Truck Driver $2,402.00
- Nanny $2,100.00
- Copy Writer $2,288.00
- Registered Nurse $2,050.00
- Crime Scene Cleaner $2,400.00
- Mail Carrier $2,190.00
- Toll Booth Collector $1,694.00
- Construction Worker $1,694.00
- Plumber $1,800.00
"The Price is Right": Housing
Instructions for the Table: Girls can choose what type of housing they would like based
on their needs. Once a girl chooses her living quarters, let her take the “rent
listing” with her because it’s now off of the market for the other girls.
Towards the end, if it comes down to one girl with no real income and only expensive properties, suggest that she find one or two other girls to go in on the property with her (you can only have as many roommates as you have beds for - listed on the rental listing). Only do this at the end, if needed. Otherwise, follow what the listings say and each girl will be responsible for the total cost listed on the card.
"Luck of the Draw": Utilities
Instructions for the Table: Girls choose their “package” of utilities at random since
often time you get what you get with a certain apartment, etc. Once chosen, the
girls can open their utilities package and add the cost of each utility to
their budget. Once chosen, the girls cannot
re-choose a package. This is a fixed cost.
"Pick a Car, Any Car!": Transportation
Instructions for the Table: Choose any one of the modes of transportation here to be
your primary means of travel! Each “vehicle” has a list of additional expenses
that follow – car payment, insurance, gas cost. After the girls have looked
through the choices and make a selection, give them the roll and make sure they
include the additional charges on the back of the vehicle to their budget. Each
of the costs have been divided by 12 to equal a monthly cost (even the bikes J)
- If a “USED” vehicle is chosen (the card on the back says “USED”) tell the girls after they’ve selected the vehicle to look inside of the roll for any hidden charges that may come later when purchasing a used vehicle. Make sure to do this after she’s chosen the car and have her add this charge to her budget. (Some of the USED vehicles have $0 in repairs since you can find good ones)
- If a girl would like to return her vehicle, she can do so after she’s visited at least one other table.
2015 Honda Accord: Leased $200.00/month
Insurance: $65.00
Insurance: $65.00
Gas: $70.00
2015 Honda Crosstour: Leased $270.00/month
Insurance: $70.00
Insurance: $70.00
Gas: $80.00
2015 Honda SUV: Leased $285.00/month
Insurance: $75.00
Gas:$80.00
2015 Subaru BRZ: Leased $390.00/month
Insurance: $90.00
Gas: $70.00
2015 Subaru Crosstrek Leased $327.00/month
Insurance: $90.00
Gas:$80.00
Yamaha Bullet Bike: Leased $99.00/month
Insurance: $50
Gas: $40.00
Helmet: $2.25
2015 Scion XB: Leased $275.00/month
Insurance: $100.00
2015 Scion XB: Leased $275.00/month
Insurance: $100.00
Gas: $80.00
2015 Jeep Wrangler: Leased $266.00/month
Insurance: $100.00
Insurance: $100.00
Gas: $100.00
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4: Leased $409.00/month
Insurance: $100.00
Insurance: $100.00
Gas: $90.00
USED 2009 GMC Acadia: 112,000 miles = $190.00/month
Insurance: $70
Insurance: $70
Gas: $60.00
Repairs: $0.00
2009 Chumba Racing F5 Downhill Bike: $35.00/month
Helmet Cost: $1.25
Helmet Cost: $1.25
USED 2000 Ford Taurus: 165,000 miles = $16.00/month
Insurance: $18.00
Insurance: $18.00
Gas: $50.00
Repairs: $150.00
USED 1988 Volvo 240: 180,000 miles = $20.00/month
Insurance: $30.00
Insurance: $30.00
Gas: $40.00
Repairs: $50.00
USED 1274 Trek Bike: $20.00/month
Helmet Cost: $1.25
Helmet Cost: $1.25
911 Carrera Porsche: Leased $1000.00/month
Insurance: $150.00
Insurance: $150.00
Gas: $100.00
"Food, Glorious Food!": Groceries
Instructions for the Table: There are two shopping lists the girls can choose from here.
One is longer with healthier foods, the other is shorter with packaged,
unhealthy foods. The girls can choose one or the other, but they do not take
the shopping list with them. Make sure they deduct the grocery list bill from
their budget.
- If girls would like to come back and exchange the grocery list, they may do so with no penalty.
Grocery List Choices:
"A Night Out on the Town": Entertainment
We all love a night out on the town! The girls are welcome
to buy any and all of the different activity vouchers here! Prices are listed
on the vouchers for the activities. Once purchased, the girls can take the
ticket with them, but are NOT
allowed to return their entertainment vouchers. Make sure they deduct their
entertainment from their budgets!
We offered a lot of other vouchers as well. Some of the additional vouchers included the following:
- $10: Redeem for an afternoon picnic for you and four friends. Includes cost of food for 5 people
- $70: Weekend camping getaway. Includes tent, cooler, food, and other camping gear
- $20: Day trip hiking in Shenandoah Mountains. Includes entry to national park
- $30: Fun day at the Virginia Safari. Includes tickets and feed for 2.
"Shop 'til you Drop": Shopping Centers
The girls do not have to visit the stores but some,
especially those going on missions or shopaholics may want to stop by! They
have the option of shopping from one of four stores: Goodwill, Target, Sister
Missionary Mall, and Nordstroms. Once they choose the store(s) they’d like to
shop at, you randomly draw a receipt from the pocket of receipts attached to
the back of the store.
-
Girls can shop at multiple stores or shop
multiple times at one store
- If a girl would like to return her purchase, she may do so after having purchased at least one other item off of her budgeting sheet.
Nordstroms:
Target:
Sister Missionary Mall:
Goodwill:
Chance Cards:
Leaders are to hand these out randomly to the girls. Some "chances" are good and some not so good. Each one of these chance cards has something that really happened to Justin and I throughout the last year since we moved to Virginia - good and bad. I'd recommend changing up some of these to match financial "chances" you've had over the last year to help bring in to perspective the importance of preparing for the unexpected.
Tithing: We didn't mention that there would be a tithing table to the girls at the beginning. I would recommend just mentioning it before they start. Mostly because the first six girls to choose to pay their tithing absolutely first will get one of six "Blessing for Paying Tithing First: Save $50" chance cards. The table was decorated very simply compared to the others with only this taped to it's surface:
And that's it - all you need to create your very own "Game of Life". Check out more details about how to pull off teaching budgeting to teenagers in the original post, "The Game of Life: Living Within Your Means."
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