Budget Challenge

This month’s household

Take-home pay each month In the savings account

Made-up round numbers for practice. Real rent varies hugely from city to city.

How it works

Each team gives every dollar a job, until left to plan is $0.
Price a week of groceries from the flyers.
Draw life event cards, and adjust your plan to balance again.

Left to plan

Take from savings

Our decision, in one line

What goes whereTransport: a bus pass, or gas and car costs. Utilities: hydro, heat and water. Insurance: tenant’s, car and life. Giving: church, charity and helping others. Savings: emergencies and goals.

A week of groceries

Plan a week of meals, then find each price in the flyers. Change the list to suit your meals.

Item	Price ($)	How many	Cost	Remove

One week: A month (× 4.3 weeks):

Every team, adjust your plan

Move money between categories, or take some from savings, until left to plan is $0 again.

How did we do?

Saving, as a share of pay

Giving, as a share of pay

Talk about it

Which costs were needs and which were wants? What did you cut first when money got tight?
Why save? Which life events would have been hard without savings?
Why give, even when money is tight? How did it feel to plan giving first?
What surprised you about the price of groceries?

Budget Challenge

Budget in progress

Saved budgets

Budget Challenge

How it works

A week of groceries

Every team, adjust your plan

How did we do?

Saving, as a share of pay

Giving, as a share of pay

Print

Every dollar had a job!

How to play

Good to know

Plan like a steward

For mixed ages

Keys on a computer