Summary
Most people underestimate housing and transportation costs, but together they can consume 70% of an adult's budget. This lesson breaks down upfront and ongoing costs of renting, total cost of car ownership, and trade-offs that define financial stability.
Bellringer: Can You Afford That Apartment?
- Display the $3,000/month scenario and give students 1–2 minutes to formulate a response
Instruction
- Walk through housing and transportation as major expenses
- Pause after each on-slide question for 30-second think-pair-share before revealing the answer
Activity: Life Scenarios
- Students continue playing the Life Scenarios game — allow 20 minutes of uninterrupted gameplay
- Circulate to check progress and answer questions about in-game financial decisions
Discussion: The Priority Auction
- Post the 5 lifestyle upgrades on the board; students spend 3 tokens silently
- Ask volunteers to share choices, then pose the follow-up: "Which upgrade would you give up first?"
Wrap-Up & Assessment
- Give examples of an upfront cost and an ongoing cost of renting
- Why should you buy renters insurance?
| Est. Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Bellringer: Can You Afford That Apartment? |
|
| 10 min | Instruction |
|
| 20 min | Activity: Life Scenarios |
|
| 5 min | Discussion: The Priority Auction |
|
| 5 min | Wrap-Up & Assessment |
|
Lesson Prep
Life Scenarios
Finish the Life Scenarios game.
Life Scenarios Vocab
Review the vocab terms from Life Scenarios.
Life Scenarios Posttest
Discover what students have learned.
Class Presentation
Includes a 17-slide deck with teacher notes. Present from Banzai, download a PDF, or copy it to Google Slides.
Presentations, Ready to Go
- Built-in PresentationPresent full screen, straight from Banzai
- Copy to Google SlidesMake an editable copy for your class
- Download or PrintSave as a PDF or print
- Teacher NotesSlide-by-slide guidance, printable as one handout
Unit 4: How to Budget
Fixed & Variable Expenses
Rent stays the same after a bad month—the grocery bill doesn't. This lesson teaches students to classify expenses as fixed or variable and launches the Life Scenarios budgeting simulation.
Major Expenses
Most people underestimate housing and transportation costs, but together they can consume 70% of an adult's budget. This lesson breaks down upfront and ongoing costs of renting, total cost of car ownership, and trade-offs that define financial stability.
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.
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