The Mycenaean

On Thursday, December 5, Leesville Economics and Personal Finance classes partook in an event called “The Reality of Money.” During each class period, the State Employees Credit Union held the event in the Leesville library.

At the beginning of the activity, each student had a paper with a preassigned job, relationship status, and number of children. Each individual’s monthly spending was based on their annual salary. 

“The Reality of Money simulation was eye-opening for many students who weren’t quite sure how much certain things could impact their finances,” said Ms. Van Gorden, social studies teacher. 

Throughout the library, there were tables resembling aspects of life. Some of the tables included insurance, groceries, childcare, clothes, housing, credit card debt, etc. 

Certain stations offered a variety of tried options based on your budget and desired lifestyle. In other tables, students were asked to draw a random card to determine their financial situation. In addition to the specific tables, teachers walked around with random real-life situation cards for students to randomly draw, to mock the financial surprises throughout life.

Van Gorden said, “Many students were shocked to learn how expensive childcare is. We then had the opportunity to explain how those numbers do not accurately reflect our current time, meaning that it is even more expensive nowadays. Experiences like these can be very formative for young adults hoping to learn more about potential future expenses.”

Students managed their money between their needs and wants, highlighting the reality of budgeting in adulthood. The remainder of their money was put into savings.

“The Reality of Money event allowed me to learn about the importance of family planning, and how much you have to plan for the individual needs of family members,” said Lilly McElrath, senior. 

This activity allowed for a hands-on activity for students to better understand budgeting in the real world.