Summary
Some expenses feel like an emergency, but they are actually just irregular. Explore how sinking funds turn predictable irregular expenses into painless monthly line items, and practice the math that makes it work.
Bellringer: December Surprise
- Display the holiday gift scenario and give students 1–2 minutes to jot a response.
Instruction
- Walk through sinking funds vs. emergency funds, the formula, common irregular expenses, and the emotional payoff of guilt-free spending
Discussion: Granular vs. Simplifier
- Split the room into two camps and let them debate whether you should have a sinking fund for everything
- Close with a vote on which method they'd actually stick with
Activity: Owning a Car
- Distribute the Owning a Car worksheet — students explore the irregular expenses associated with car ownership.
- Circulate and prompt students to connect car-related costs to the sinking fund concept.
Wrap-Up & Assessment
- What is the math formula for a sinking fund?
- Why is a sinking fund not an emergency fund?
| Est. Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Bellringer: December Surprise |
|
| 10 min | Instruction |
|
| 8 min | Discussion: Granular vs. Simplifier |
|
| 15 min | Activity: Owning a Car |
|
| 7 min | Wrap-Up & Assessment |
|
Lesson Prep
Owning a Car Worksheet
Students calculate the ongoing costs of car ownership.
Class Presentation
Includes a 16-slide deck with teacher notes. Present from Banzai, download a PDF, or copy it to Google Slides.
Presentations, Ready to Go
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- Teacher NotesSlide-by-slide guidance, printable as one handout
Unit 4: Budgeting
Emergency Funds & Liquidity
An emergency fund is the primary defense against debt. This lesson explores how to calculate emergency fund targets, define liquidity, and distinguish emergencies from emotional wants.
Irregular Expenses
Some expenses feel like an emergency, but they are actually just irregular. Explore how sinking funds turn predictable irregular expenses into painless monthly line items, and practice the math that makes it work.
Gifts & Giving
Generosity is a budget category most people forget to plan for. This lesson explores how to budget for gifts and charitable giving—and how to vet charities before donating.
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