Balancing a real life (adult) budget is one of the most fundamental life skills that our kids should be taught. This project aims to do just that through concise lessons and activities that have them sourcing actual options and costs for their future (24 year old self). 
 
Students will choose a possible career, determine the median wage and adjust for age and income tax. From there they will go through lesson and activities on various fixed and variable expenses and work to MAKE CHOICES that every adult has to make and to balance their budget. 
 
For each budget line they’ll create a budget profile (templates included) to expand on their choices, their providers, etc. This requires students to fully engage the realities of the expenses. 
 
Budget Elements included:
 
💸 Income & Expenses
 
💸 Living within your means + Needs & Wants
 
💸 Choose a Career + Profile
 
💸 Housing Expenses + Choose a Rental
 
💸 Vehicle Expenses + Choose a Vehicle
 
💸 Utilities Expenses + Source Providers and Costs
 
💸 Groceries + Meal Planning + Online Grocery Order (mock)
 
💸 Phone & Streaming + Find providers and costs
 
💸 Savings & Emergency Fund + Goal Setting
 
💸 Discretionary Spending + Allocations
 
💸 The BUDGET - Google Sheets OR Paper option. Students will enter values and calculate.
 
💸 Final Reflection and Assessment (grading rubric included)
 
Students will need online access to find ACTUAL options for each budget line. 
 
This project is very consistent with real life, incorporates choice and requires them to understand the costs in the area they live in (or want to live in). This is a must do for teens before the end of high school!
 
For younger students we recommend doing the Wonder Budget Simulation first for an introduction to real life budgeting in a gamified resource.