At the end of each year, I have had the pleasure of partnering with Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Nitz, and other Wapsie Valley staff to host a “Game of Life” experience for our High School Seniors. The point of the game for the students preparing to enter their college and workforce careers is to experience the cost of everyday decisions and to get clarity on the differences between “needs” vs. “wants” when it comes to their spending. This was our third year and each group that participates is different, and has their own unique experiences. Our hope is that they gain a few valuable ideas that may help set them up to create a stronger financial foundation. When our kids and our communities are financially stable and confident, we all thrive!
About two weeks before the game, the kids are asked to select their top three ideal professions. From there, a bunch of work begins behind the scenes to gather income, student loan expenses, and other data to generate a “starting salary” for each specific scenario. The seniors also have a randomly generated personal life as it relates to marriage, divorce, kids, child support, pets, etc, baking the appropriate expenses into their scenarios.
The morning of the game, the seniors are each given their synopsis: “Here is your life!” This is one of my favorite parts…for a few minutes they all digest the scenario they’ve been given and proclaim whether or not they have a fair hand before the game has even started. It’s a chaotic few minutes but it is funny to sit back and listen.
To begin, their first stop is the bank. The kids are expected to write checks and to balance their accounts after deducting taxes and a student loan payment. From there, they move on to their big purchases: a home, a vehicle, the insurances for the home and vehicle, as well as health, and life insurances. After those stops *and a few mild meltdowns* they can move into smaller purchases – like childcare – Ha! The bills never stop coming!
There are also tables for subscriptions, convenience store purchases, utilities, clothing, and charitable giving. We have amazing volunteers* who come every year to help work each station and sometimes even try to up‐sell the kids as a salesperson would in real life. Going face-to-face with a salesperson can be its own learning experience. Of all the tables, there is one very important table: the S.O.S. At any time, the kids can veer away from the game and seek help if they’re in a pickle. Lasty there are “fate” and “cop” cards where our volunteers arbitrarily stop by to hand out random expenses that life throws at us.
Afterwards, the students come do a short, post‐game‐debrief with me. We talk about budgeting, saving, and investing (if they have any money left to invest). We discuss how it’s easier to pay yourself first instead of scraping up leftovers at the end of the month and bounce around ideas of how to do that without feeling like you’re eating into a comfortable lifestyle. We also talk extensively about advocating for yourself. There are almost always solutions to problems without letting the stress of money degrade your sense of self‐worth. Some solutions are easy, some are complex, but ALWAYS advocate for yourself and ask questions. Maybe you need to sell that brand new truck you bought and buy a used mid‐sized car. Maybe you need to cancel a few subscriptions or sell that designer bag you bought. Maybe you even need to pick up a second job. Anything to gain traction, get your feet back under you, and win the game! It is so fun to listen to their comments, let them brainstorm, and sometimes just watch them try to process how much your decisions can impact your confidence and comfort financially.
We raise a good crop of great kids in our small communities and if we continue to support them, there is no limit to what they can achieve and give back to the community! Happy last month of school to our WV seniors!! Go make the most of the opportunities in front of you and don’t forget your roots!
*SHOUTOUT TO THE AMAZING VOLUNTEERS WHO MAKE THIS EVENT HAPPEN! WE HAVE A GREAT RETURN RATE OF VOLUNTEERS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS AND WE ALWAYS GAIN A FEW EXTRA FACES EACH YEAR. YOU GENEROUSLY POUR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT INTO THIS EVENT AND IT DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED!
YOU CAN’T HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY WITHOUT GREAT PEOPLE!!
Financial Advisor
Prime Capital Financial
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
primefinancialcedarrapids.com
(319) 269-7143
Advisory products and services offered by Investment Adviser Representatives through Prime Capital Investment Advisors, LLC (“PCIA”), a federally registered investment adviser. PCIA: 6201 College Blvd., Suite#150, Overland Park, KS 66211. PCIA
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Ashlea Jones