NJ Coalition for Financial Education Teacher’s Guide Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Real Money™ …A Financial Simulation for Young Adults is an interactive financial literacy program that helps teenagers and young adults understand how personal behaviors and decisions affect a person’s finances and quality of life. Real Money™ uses scenarios about fictional people at three ages – 25, 30, and 35 years – living and working in New Jersey. Working individually or in small groups, participants discuss and plan the use of money within the context of each of the five scenarios. The New Jersey Coalition for Financial Education, with funding through a grant from the New Jersey Credit Union Foundation, is pleased to provide you with this financial education tool. Materials may be duplicated at no cost by nonprofit organizations and educators with acknowledgment. Best wishes teaching your students about Real Money™. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 1 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Students will learn how personal behavior, education, employment decisions, lifestyle choices, and anticipated and unanticipated life events affect their finances. Through the classroom activities, scenarios, discussions, and debriefing, students will learn the following: The importance of saving money for unexpected life events The importance of setting life goals The difference between needs and wants The benefits of comparison shopping Financial risk factors and ways of managing risk The economic value of education and/or job training The value of cost-benefit analysis TOTAL LESSON TIME: The scenarios are designed for a 60- to 90-minute time frame. Additional time may be allotted for in-depth discussion and review. The activities can be used as a multisession lesson for shorter class periods. MATERIALS: This packet includes the following materials: 9 9 9 9 9 9 Teacher’s Guide, including a summary of the five scenarios and resource list Five scenarios Game board Debriefing questions for each scenario Student evaluation form Teacher evaluation form Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 2 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 The Real Money™ materials are designed to be used in five consecutive phases. Phase 1 – Classroom Learning Phase 2 – Group Activity Phase 3 – Debriefing With Students Phase 4 – Student Evaluation Phase 5 – Teacher Evaluation Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 3 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Phase 1 – Classroom Learning To work best, the simulations should be preceded by classroom training on basic financial concepts, including needs and wants, gross and net income, saving, budgeting, goal setting, comparison shopping, prioritizing needs, insurance, risk management, credit and loans, life events, workplace benefits, and retirement planning. The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) High School Financial Planning Program® is a good resource for teachers. To obtain a copy, access the NEFE website at http://hsfpp.nefe.org. Information on the effects of life events on a person’s finances can be obtained at the “facts of life” section of the Smart About Money website at http://smartaboutmoney.org. Be prepared to field questions about the real costs of such items as rent, utilities, and groceries. Most teenagers do not have that information. Ask the class to make a chart of some estimated costs, (e.g., $50 per person per week for groceries purchased; $100 per month for electricity). Students could use weekly advertisements and the classified section from local newspapers to determine the costs of such things as apartment rent, furniture prices, and groceries. NOTE: The income levels in the scenarios are based on 2005 job categories taken from America’s Career Info Net for Edison, New Jersey, and are adjusted for 2007. You can access this website at http://americascareerinfonet.com. Income and expense levels in these materials have been established to facilitate mathematical calculations and may not reflect real-life costs. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 4 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Phase 2 – Group Activity Real Money™ can be used as a classroom activity or for a school fair. Divide students into teams of two or three. Allow students 30 minutes to work on each round. Before the activity begins, review a list of estimated costs with the students. The list should include an estimated amount to spend on groceries per person each month, apartment rental fees, utility costs, and other living expenses. Keep in mind that the students have limited knowledge of actual costs, so the list will be very important. TIP: You can present the scenarios in two ways. One option is to have all the teams work on one scenario at the same time. This option allows for the entire class to discuss one scenario in detail and may make it easier for you, as the instructor, to teach the financial concepts. It also provides an opportunity for the participants to gain experience in working as a team, applying their knowledge of financial issues, and using the game board. You may still utilize the remaining scenarios in other sessions. The second option is to have various teams work on different scenarios during the same session. This option provides participants the opportunity to learn about a variety of financial situations in a shorter time frame. Additional preparation and class time may be required for this option. Distribute one scenario and two blank game boards to each team. Each team will work through at least two rounds of their scenario. One game board will be used for each round of the scenario. (Distribute a third blank game board if students have time to do a third round). Explain the activity in general terms to the group. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 5 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 EXAMPLE: “Welcome to Real Money™. Today, you will work together to experience real-life decision making about money at two or three different ages. Your scenario will show how a person’s financial picture can change at age 25, 30, and 35. You will work in teams. Each team will decide how to spend and save money, based on income and expenses of the individual or couple in the scenario. Your team will face challenges along the way and will need to make decisions on the best way to handle them”. “Each team will receive three documents: a scenario, and two game boards to use for the first and second rounds”. (Distribute the forms and the documents to each group.) “Please look at Round 1 of your scenario. As you review and discuss the person’s situation, use the game board to determine how you will spend and save money. The game board allows you to decide how to spend money in various areas, such as housing, entertainment, and debt and loan repayment. Write down the amount you spend in each category. You may have to adjust and then readjust the amounts as you make decisions, so use a pencil with a good eraser”. TIP: Prepare a sample game board for the students to review. Draw the sample game board on the blackboard or make an overhead transparency. An example is provided in the Appendix. “Let’s work through an example together. Let’s say that Mary is a high school graduate and has a gross income of $18,000 per year. Her net income, or the amount she receives after taxes and workplace deductions, is $14,400 per year, or $1,200 per month. She has a roommate and pays $450 each month for her portion of the rent. Her utilities are $85 each month and she has a car loan of $3000 and makes monthly payments of $120. Gasoline runs about $60 per month. Her landline phone is $27 per month; her cell phone is $38 per month. She spends $20 on movies each month. On the way to work each day, she gets a mocha latte at $3.50. This leaves her $285 to spend on other things. Her employer does not provide health insurance, but she can purchase it for $100 per month. Use these numbers to fill in the game board. Mary has $375 in savings. She has credit card debt of $800 and pays $45 each month -- a bit more than the minimum. How should Mary best spend her money? What does she have to think about”? (Review the sample scenario and game board). Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 6 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 TIP: Suggested Discussion Topics • She may get sick or injured. How would she pay for medicine or hospital costs? • She could have money put directly into a savings account via a direct deposit of her paycheck. • Groceries, gasoline, parking, car maintenance, insurance, furnishings and personal expenses are other things she must plan for. • Her income is very modest. What could she do to increase her income? “You will need to think about your scenario in order to determine some costs that are not always obvious. For example, if you rent an apartment, you will have to pay for utilities if they are not included in the rent”. “The payments you make are monthly payments. Remember, you cannot spend more than you earn. Remember, too, that it would be impossible to eliminate all your consumer debt in one month”. “There is also a Wild Card area on your game board. The Wild Card box allows you to select some financial options. You do not have to choose a Wild Card. However, if you do, you must determine the costs and deal with any future payments incurred. For example, you may try to get a scholarship or student loan if you cannot afford your college tuition. Your student loan payments will have to be added as a debt. If you get a part-time job, your net income must be tabulated and added to your income total”. “You have 30 minutes to complete Round 1 – age 25. After 30 minutes, we will stop and discuss your financial concerns and observations. Then we’ll move on to Round 2 – age 30. We’ll discuss your concerns and observations at the end of Round 2, also. Use a pencil, since you may have to erase as you go along. You may begin”. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 7 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Encourage students to read through their scenario before they begin their discussion. Tell students that the scenario begins on the first month of the first year (i.e., January of the year the person becomes 25). If, in Round 1, the students have saved money, they should transfer the savings to Round 2. Money saved in Round 2 should be transferred to Round 3. Students write the amount of their savings at the top of the game board. They should also transfer any unpaid loans or other expenses incurred in the previous round. Remind students that, when making payments on credit card debt, the minimum payment required is usually around 3% of the outstanding balance owed. TIP: Allow 30 minutes for the teams to work on Round 1 of their scenarios (age 25). As students are working, walk around the classroom to assist the teams. They will have questions about how much they should budget for such things as groceries, gasoline, and maintenance, etc. Keep in mind that the intent of this exercise is to show that there is some frustration when money is tight and that life can be expensive. Focus on helping students find resolutions to the financial challenges and dilemmas faced. After 20 minutes, remind the students that they have 10 minutes left to complete Round 1. When 3 minutes remain, remind them about the time again and ask them to finish their work. Try to do at least two rounds of each scenario. For more advanced learning, move students to the third round (age 35). A summary of the five scenarios is provided in this Teacher’s Guide. Refer to the summary for information as you help your students. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 8 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Phase 3 – Debriefing with Students At the end of Round 1, conduct a debriefing with the students. The purpose of the debriefing is to help students focus on what they have learned and to implement their learning in the next round. The following general questions can help you guide students through a discussion of their experiences. What prevented people from saving? How does education influence income? How did personal decisions affect income, expenses, and the ability to save? Can you predict how education can help build financial resources? Why or why not? What challenges did you face as you worked through the scenario? Which budgeting decisions were easiest and which were the most difficult? Why? How did wants and needs change over time? How did those changes affect savings, spending, and personal goals? In this scenario, you could not spend more than you earned. What do people do in real life when they cannot meet their financial obligations? (e.g., use credit, borrow from family or friends, get an extra job) What are the consequences? (e.g., incur debt, get a loan, feel stressed, file bankruptcy) After the debriefing, allow the students to continue to Round 2. Conduct a debriefing after each round. If there is time, students may continue to Round 3, or you may save Round 3 for the next class session. Suggested debriefing questions are included in the Summary of Scenarios. Feel free to develop additional questions or to use general queries such as “What did you learn from this scenario?” Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 9 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Phase 4 – Student Evaluation At the completion of the project, ask the students to complete the evaluation form. The completed evaluations will help you determine what the students learned from the activity. The results will also help the New Jersey Coalition for Financial Education assess what the students gained from the program. Please share a summary of your findings with the Coalition when you submit your evaluation online to www.njcfe.org. Phase 5 – Teacher Evaluation Upon completion of the project, complete a Teacher Evaluation Form online at the New Jersey Coalition for Financial Education website, www.njcfe.org. Your information will help the Coalition evaluate the success of the program and plan for additional financial education projects. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 10 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 NJ Coalition for Financial Education Summary of Scenarios Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Summary of Real Money™ Scenarios Scenario 1 Chase and Caitlin Wilson Scenario 2 Brent Snider Scenario 3 Madeline and Trey Scott Scenario 4 Myra Valle Garcia and Alberto Onate Scenario 5 Allison Mayberry and Daniel Grossman Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 11 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Scenario 1 Summary PERSONAL INFORMATION Chase and Caitlin Wilson Chase Wilson Is working at a lumber company Is single and living with parents Wants to get own apartment Has a high school diploma Working toward an associate’s degree in medical technology Wants to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing Marries Caitlin Wilson in Round 2 Caitlin Wilson: Is a counselor at a nonprofit organization Has an associate’s degree Is a member of the National Guard Has baby Jane Wants to stay home with the baby FINANCES Chase chooses to pay for health insurance Both have college loans Chase has a car lease Both have credit card debt Life insurance and health insurance is covered for Caitlin Chase saves 5% of income through direct deposit Caitlin saves her National Guard income. She may be called up for military service CONCEPTS Needs vs. Wants 6-year-old car vs. new car Education Health insurance Can he afford to move out of his parent’s home? Day care Value of Education Net and gross income Increased income and employment options Paying off loans Benefits provided by employer College loans Savings Pay yourself first through direct deposit Save extra income Savings as a safety net for life’s changes (e.g., baby, military service) Meeting future goals Chase and Caitlin want to buy a house or condo. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 12 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Scenario 2 Summary: Brent Snider PERSONAL INFORMATION Is single Is working in maintenance at a hotel Has a General Education Diploma (GED) Was living with parents and moves to own apartment Takes some classes with the tuition paid by his employer Is promoted to supervisor Brent wants to get a plumbing license. FINANCES Has a classic sports car. It was wrecked and totaled, with a lump-sum payout Has a car loan and defaults on the loan Has a skiing accident that results in a large hospital bill; has no health insurance His roommate moves out CONCEPTS Risk Management Health insurance – costs of not having insurance Personal behavior – car crash results in loss of major asset Higher risk results in higher insurance costs Needs and Wants Using tax refund for a television Paying for insurance vs. paying for skiing New car vs. used car Credit Debt/Loans Defaulting on loan and impact on finances Large hospital bill Savings Managing large sums (e.g., insurance payout) Save for life events (e.g., roommate leaves) Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 13 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Scenario 3 Summary: Madeline and Trey Scott PERSONAL INFORMATION Are married with 2 children A third child is born Trey teaches school Trey has a bachelor’s degree and wants to get a master’s in education FINANCES Madeline has a bachelor’s degree; is a loan officer at a credit union Own a small home that needs work Trey is disabled in a car accident; collects disability benefits; home is remodeled; needs care and medications Madeline becomes a widow Madeline and Trey want to save for their children’s education. Both employers provide medical, dental, and life insurance Trey purchases a $50,000 permanent life insurance policy Collects disability benefits Use a home equity loan for remodeling costs CONCEPTS Risk Management Life, health, and dental insurance as employee benefits Value of government benefits – Disability and SSI Concept of a safety net Value of Education Increase in income because of education and experience Education as a tool to maintaining income for a family Life Changes Death of spouse/parent Children growing Special needs for person with disability Savings Direct deposit 403(b) retirement plan Using savings for future events Savings to enhance education of children Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 14 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Scenario 4 Summary: Myra Valle Garcia and Alberto Onate PERSONAL INFORMATION FINANCES Myra is single at beginning of scenario Pays union dues Marries Alberto Onate Employer provides health, life, and retirement benefits Have no children Has a business loan Myra has a high school diploma from a career and technical school; wants to get a business degree Both spouses have money in savings Myra buys a duplex and fixes it up; rents half to her brother Has advanced construction training; opens own construction business Alberto’s employer provides benefits Receives rental income Alberto has an associate’s degree in bookkeeping and helps with the business Myra and Alberto want to have a child. CONCEPTS Savings Saving money to reach future goals Having money in savings when you no longer have a permanent job Value of savings and spouse’s savings Long-Term Goals Setting goals and saving for them Using government and Myra loses her benefits when she community services Preparing for life changes starts her business Has business expenses Credit and Debt Using credit cards for needs vs. wants Mortgage and secured loans; business loans Marriage and responsibility for spouse’s debt Value of Education Enhancing education to meet your goals Skills to make additional money Value of education Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 15 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Scenario 5 Summary: Allison Mayberry and Daniel Grossman PERSONAL INFORMATION FINANCE Allison is single at beginning of scenario No student loans Allison has a master’s degree in business administration Health, medical, disability, and life insurance are paid for by her employer Is working for a pharmaceutical company and eventually gets promoted Has a 401(k) retirement plan with match of up to 5% of her salary, also invests Has no children Marries Daniel Grossman and divorces after 5 years Daniel works for state government Allison and Daniel divorce. Has a stock option plan at work and invests each month at work through payroll deduction CONCEPTS Savings Living within your means Putting money away for future expenses Savings as a means of avoiding debt Long-Term Goals Setting realistic goals Importance of having goals Impact of risk on reward Credit and Debt Using credit cards for needs vs. Has a high level of credit card wants debt due to life style Costs of paying more than minimum Divorce decree requires Allison to Impact of divorce on finances pay her ex-spouse half of her 401(k), half of her stock portfolio, Value of Education and monthly alimony Value of education and future income potential Loses money in high-risk investments Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 16 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 Debriefing Questions and Answers 1. How does direct deposit help Chase and Caitlin save? 2. What must Chase and Caitlin do to plan for Caitlin’s potential deployment with the National Guard? Scenario 1 QUESTIONS 3. If Caitlin wanted to stay home full-time with baby Jane, what would they have to do to plan for this change? 4. How does credit card debt affect their lives? ANSWERS 1. By putting money directly into savings, Chase and Caitlin do not spend it. The money goes directly into the account. 2. Deployment could come with little notice. Having money in savings to cover expenses when Caitlin does not have her regular income will help them meet expenses. A low debt level is also help. They must plan for child care and for health and life insurance coverage if it does not continue while she is serving. 3. They will need to look at their income and their expenses. By staying home with the baby, Caitlin and Chase would have a cut in income and expenses. For example, if Caitlin is not working out of the home, her travel, meal and clothing expenses will decrease. They will also save the money they currently spend on child care. Caitlin would also lose her employee benefits. 4. Credit card debt keeps them from saving more. Too much debt can affect their credit ratings. If they are paying only the minimum amount due each month, they are paying interest to the credit card company. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 17 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 1. How does Brent’s lifestyle affect his finances? 2. What could Brent do to lower his insurance costs? Scenario 2 QUESTIONS 3. Brent has made many choices. How do his choices and behaviors affect his finances and his ability to reach his goals? 4. What did Brent learn from his skiing accident? ANSWERS 1. Brent places importance on short term pleasures and often disregards their long-term impact. He has a “spend it all” attitude and has no money saved for emergencies. He has not paid attention to the employee benefits he receives and, therefore, cannot use these. 2. Brent can stop taking as many risks as he has been, and show that he is a safe driver. The accident with the car raises his risk level and increases his auto insurance premiums. By owning a sport car, he is also a higher risk which costs more money. Brent could take a safe driving class, sign up for insurance, and pay his bills on time. 3. When he defaulted on the car loan, he could not afford another new car and probably could not get a good loan. He suffered major financial consequences because he did not sign up for health insurance. Brent has no money in savings to cover unexpected events (e.g., his roommate moving out). 4. Brent learned the importance of insurance as a part of risk management. He also learned that he must take responsibility for his finances and must have a financial security net to help him through unexpected events. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 18 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 1. How did life change for Trey and Madeline? 2. What safety net was in place for Trey and his family after he was injured? Scenario 3 QUESTIONS ANSWERS 3. What decisions did Trey make that helped Madeline financially after he died? 4. What role does education play in financial security? 1. No one expects to die young. Trey’s accident impacted their finances because Trey could not work. Even though he collected disability benefits, Trey and Madeline needed to make other changes in their lives such as buying a van and remodeling the house to accommodate medical equipment and devices. Home care was also an unexpected expense. When Trey died, Madeline and the children had to live on less income. 2. Disability benefits, health insurance, life insurance, and Social Security were all safety nets that were in place to help Trey and Madeline. 3. By buying a permanent life insurance policy and continuing to pay on it, Trey helped provide financial resources for Madeline and the children after his death. The insurance covered the funeral expenses. When Trey could no longer work, he lost the term life insurance that was provided by his employer. The term insurance would have paid more, but the permanent insurance helped the family financially. 4. By having a good education, Madeline was in a position to continue in her job and get promoted. Her education helped her to have an income on which she and the children could live. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 19 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 1. What benefits did Myra receive from her construction job that helped her start her own business? Scenario 4 QUESTIONS ANSWERS 2. Now that she owns a business, what workplace benefits does she lose? 3. What decisions helped Myra be in a position to start her business? 1. Myra received on-the-job training and she took additional classes that helped her gain knowledge she would need to start her own business. With her new skills, she was able to make additional income outside of her regular job. The employee benefits provided by her employer and the trade union and the extra income she earned helped put her in a position to save money so she could purchase a duplex. 2. Myra no longer has employer sponsored health insurance. She also loses the pickup truck and gas. She no longer has a regular income. 3. Myra saved and purchased a duplex from which she could operate her business. By having money in savings and by purchasing a home she could afford, she was able to obtain a business loan. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 20 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 1. How did money possibly affect Allison and Daniel’s marriage? Scenario 5 QUESTIONS ANSWERS 2. Allison has a good education and a good job. Nevertheless, she has incurred a high level of debt. How did her behavior affect her financial situation? 3. What decisions could Allison and Daniel have made differently? 1. Allison and Daniel may have had different views about money. Allison was not a saver and Daniel was trying to save and spend wisely. Allison entered the marriage with high credit card debt, which continued to increase. Also, Allison took risks with her investments. Daniel, as the spouse, became equally responsible for her debt when they married. 2. Allison was living beyond her means. She was spending more than she earned and ran up large credit card debts. 3. Allison and Daniel could have had a less expensive wedding. They could have used their wedding gift money to help pay off their credit card debt. A less expensive apartment could also have been found. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 21 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The New Jersey Coalition for Financial Education thanks the following reviewers, who made valuable contributions to the quality of this material. Stephanie Bittner, Credit Counselor, Delaware Valley CCCS Emily Boys Stevenson, Former High School Teacher, Ellensburg, Washington Todd Campanella, Middle School Teacher, Hamilton Township, New Jersey Elizabeth Elmore, Professor, Stockton State College, New Jersey Sheree Green, High School Teacher, Teaneck, New Jersey Linda Hawkins, Office of the State Treasurer, State of West Virginia Joan Moir, Consultant, Basking Ridge, New Jersey Philip Rupe, Middle School Teacher, Sophia, West Virginia Author Carole Glade, Financial Education Consultant Consumer Dynamics International; Madison, New Jersey Project Manager Barbara O'Neill, Extension Specialist in Financial Resource Management Rutgers Cooperative Extension; New Brunswick, New Jersey Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 22 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007 The New Jersey Coalition for Financial Education, a Jump$tart Coalition state affiliate, strives to improve the personal financial literacy of New Jersey citizens by promoting the teaching of personal finance to people of all ages. The Coalition works on the principle that all New Jersey residents must have the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed financial decisions. The Coalition meets every other month and consists of over 100 representatives of government agencies, schools, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that provide financial education and related services. I The New Jersey Credit Union Foundation provides financial literacy, technical assistance to small credit unions, professional development opportunities, and support for philanthropic activities, all in connection with the New Jersey credit union movement. Real Money™ … A Financial Simulation for Young Adults Teacher’s Guide – Page 23 NJ Coalition for Financial Education © 2007
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