What is your reaction to this exercise? What struggles/issues do the American poor face that keep them from moving up in social class?
http://playspent.org/
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
PlaySpent
After completing the PlaySpent exercise, what are your reactions? Detail your decisions and why you chose to do what you did. For example, what job did you choose? why? Did you choose health insurance? Why/Why not? What living arrangements did you make? Why? What other circumstances affected your living expenses for the month?
What is your reaction to this exercise? What struggles/issues do the American poor face that keep them from moving up in social class?
What is your reaction to this exercise? What struggles/issues do the American poor face that keep them from moving up in social class?
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Even though it was a hypothetical situation, it was really shocking to see the way that some people live. This website was informative but also extremely harsh in displaying the realities of living on low income. I chose to work as a typing assistant which was good because it $9/hr (the most out of the three options) but it wasn't good because the hours weren't regular. Even so, comparing this job to my dad's job isn't even a possibility. I ran out of money on day 9 because I couldn't imagine giving up a pet (a part of the family) but that took away the remainder of my money. I'm so unused to living in this sort of situation that I couldn't imagine running out that quickly. My residence was pretty far from my job, I left the scene of an accident, and made other hard decisions to lower the amount of money I owed others. On the other hand, I payed for health insurance because once again, I couldn't imagine not having these things available.
ReplyDeleteLiving as a poor American cannot be easy. After this exercise, especially, I can see how many hard decisions they have to make. Certain necessities, like health insurance and food, are an actual burden for these people. It's really devastating to see this played out on this website.
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ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that I didn't last the money, I actually only lasted 5 days. I chose a to be a temp, because it seems like the most logical job being a single parent. I didn't chose health insurance in case something more immediate happened and I chose to live about 15 miles away from work, because I thought it would be less in transportation costs. Then I got into a car accident and didn't bail, so I lost all my money.
ReplyDeleteI thought I would've been able to last the month, but that didn't happen. Poor American families are usually stuck in their class, because they usually barely make enough money for themselves or random things happen that make things even harder for them to over come.
I was very shocked after doing this exercise because i never realized how much money really does effect peoples lives. It really put into perspective for me how poor people have to get through things. By only working a low income job it is really hard to get by in life. A person has to pay so many bills that eat up their money, and forget health insurance because that is even more expensive. I barley lasted a month in this exercise but normal families have to last a lifetime. In my situation i had to let me "kids" skip alot of things in their school because it cost to much, if that was my real life i would feel terrible having to make them give up things. Poorer Americans struggle to move up the social class because they dont have the time or money to get a better education or to look for a better job because most of the time they cant skip a day of their own job because it would hurt their family. It is possible to move up but very hard because poorer people have other things to worry about like putting food on the table, not getting a better education.
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ReplyDeleteAfter completing the PlaySpent exercise I saw that it was very hard to last through the week or even the month based on the decisions that I made. I choose to have health insurance because I knew that in the future if I ended up getting sick I would at least be covered. I choose to be a waitress because although their pay is very low they make a lot of money in tips. Even though there can be days that work is slow and they can barely make any money but there can be days that they make over a hundred dollars. I choose to live farther away from work because the rent was cheaper. I choose this option because even though I will be spending more money on gas I will be saving $100 from my rent. There were a lot of outside expenses that people do not take into consideration. When your child asks you for money for food or a birthday party it would be hard to say no to your kids. If the parent did not allow their child to go to class trips or birthday parties then they would risk their children getting depressed.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed doing this exercise because it shows how hard life is to survive when working a minimum wage job. The American poor face many problems that keep them from moving up in the middle class. For instance, if they get sick and do not have health insurance they could put themselves into debt. Also bills are never ending which can send some people into debt if they are not careful what they put onto their credit card. Household problems also occur throughout the years which means a plumber, electrician, or landlord will be needed. Those costs can set someone back a month from eating or doing anything entertaining. There are many possibilities that cause the American poor to stay in the lower class and not be able to rise to where they want to be.
After playing PlaySpent, I was shocked and almost saddened. I couldn't attend my grandfather's funeral because I couldn't afford it. I had to go to work and my child was upset because she was being made fun of for having free meals. I chose to be a warehouse worker because it paid well with only a seven hour work day. I lived 30 miles away from home so that the rent was lower. I didn't have health insurance because I was hoping my job wasn't too demanding. I would pick up $10 dollars and pocket it and I would not donate to someone who was sick. I didn't send my child on a field trip. I only visited the doctor once for sharp pains in my chest and didn't take a sick day when I got sick. Basically, I did everything I could to conserve/make money no matter who got hurt by it. It was truly a sad life to live. I ran out of money on day 18 which isn't even a month.
ReplyDeleteMy reaction to this was that I didn't know how hard it would be to live on a little amount of money until I tried it. It was so difficult; more so than I imagined. Poor Americans are stuck in a cycle of poverty because all their money that comes in is used for survival only. There is no way for them to save their money or to invest it. They are stuck in their class and most of the time, so are their children.
After completing the play spent game, it was really an eye opener. We always hear about poverty but none of us really know what its like. I think this game is great because even though it was fake for us, it is a reality for a lot of people. I chose to work as a waitress because even though it was a low paying job I thought maybe the tips I received would help me. I did not take health insurance because it was a big chunk of money that I honestly could not afford. I also chose to live as far away from work as possible because it was the cheapest but on the other hand my gas would cost more. Picking out food from the grocery store was also difficult because i did not want to spend a lot of money on food when i had so many other things to worry about. Besides paying bills, my "kids" going to school, wanting a tutor, going to birthday parties all added up and i had to opt out of almost all of those things because i did not want to waste my money. After completing this game it really made me see that people do actually live like this and their life has to be planned out in order to survive. We are all fortunate enough to live privileged lives but i thought it assignment was a great way to expose us to a different life style. A lot of Americans are living like this and it showed me just how difficult it can be.
ReplyDeleteI was very shocked after completing this game, it was a real eye opener. I was how hard it was to make a living and to pay the bills, pay for food, and support a family. The job I chose was the warehouse worker, and I chose to have health insurance. But after seeing how much they take away for health insurance I understand why the lower class may not have health insurance. Living in such poor conditions put a lot of stress on me, I became depress and I was not even to get help because it cost so much more money. As i was playing this game, i saw my personality change. It was more about the money then whats best for me. I wasn't eating well because it was cheaper and I was sick but couldn't go to the doctor because it cost to much.
ReplyDeleteI think the lower class struggles a lot especially with money. They cant afford a lot of food or to go to the doctor. They have to work very hard to make just a little income. It made me realize how lucky I am to have what i have a.
When you hear of something that costs $1,000 it seems like a lot of money, but in reality it is not which is why this exercise is actually really hard to complete and even harder to believe that this is what people have to endure to stay afloat. I chose to be a warehouse worker, and I got health insurance. I chose health insurance based on the job, but if I was a server I wouldnt have opted for health insurance. When buying at the grocery store, I made sure to try and buy nonperishable food such as beans and ramen and then tried to balance it out with eggs and spaghetti, but it is hard to make a balanced meal. I was also under a lot of stress and experienced chest pain but couldnt go see and therapist. I chose to see a doctor because since I had health insurance it didnt cost that much. I felt bad for my kid because I had to break her piggy bank at one point and they were unable to buy lunch at school or go on their class field trip. I had to ask a lot of friends to do my laundry and take my pet. You dont even really have time for yourself when you are worried about everyone else around you that you are responsible for.
ReplyDeleteMy reactions for this is that I am amazed that people have to live like this. They have to go through this every day and it is an ongoing battle. I chose to be a waitress because I thought they made good money on tips, but realistically I would only be making eight dollars an hour. I chose health insurance because in the end it would be cheaper to go to the doctor if you needed to rather than pay a lot each time you go. I lived in an apartment and it was so small that I needed to put a lot of my things in with my friend at her house. I had a car to get to work each day, but one morning someone stole my gas so I had to take the bus which delayed my time showing up at work that it took away from my pay. This exercise really made me realize how fortunate I am. It also made me realize what some people have to go through everyday just to make it through the day. The struggles and issues the American poor face from moving up in the social class include how they are living on day to day pay. They also typically don't have any money saved since they are spending all their money on necessities like food, health insurance (if possible), and housing. Like I said before, they are literally living on a day to day salary and doing what they can with it. I found this "activity" very difficult, and I was just doing it online. I cannot even imagine how hard this would be as a lifestyle and to be taking part in this daily. It is a very tough lifestyle in all aspects. I went broke on the eighth day.
ReplyDeleteI thought this game was very interesting. I took the job of a restaurant waiter and did not make it. I then tried again, with no health insurance and really put myself in the mind set of having to make these decisions that were being thrown at me through the computer. At one point I was actually stressed and the exercise seemed very complicated. I did not choose health insurance, because it was simply to expensive and I learned that the first time around when the exercise ended quickly for me. I lived farther away from my job because it was a lot cheaper than living close. There were a lot of questions about making decisions for your child and what's best for you and the people you take care of. After playing the game a few times, I finally made it to 30 days. However the decisions I made were not the most responsible and helpful for my child and myself. When it came to the questions about my child, I hesitated because I think it would be so hard to say no to your child, especially when they come home crying because they are too hungry. The first round, I got health insurance and was out on the 10th day. therefore the second time around, I risked it and went with no insurance. This activity definitely shows how people in society can face these struggles daily.
ReplyDeleteI thought Playspent was very interesting to play. I was shocked about how much everything cost and necessities i needed to buy. I chose to not spend a lot of money on things that were not necessary like a flight to my friend's wedding. I chose to work in a warehouse because it had set hours and I would make the most money. I bought health insurance because it would cost a lot more if i did get hurt or sick and pay the bill. I chose to live far away and pay the cheapest rent because i think it is better to pay less rent even if transportation costs more. The living expenses that affected me were just everyday costs like groceries, car repairs, and home repairs.
ReplyDeleteThis exercise made me realize how much we actually spend each month. The American poor faces a low salary and many costs which keep them from moving up in social class.
After doing this activity, I was even getting a little stressed out (and I was just playing!). I feel like this site is such a good site to go on to be in the shoes of a poor American. At first I didn't take it very seriously, which is probably why I didn't make it through the month. For my job, I wanted to be a temp, but I didn't "qualify" for it. So the first time through I picked a restaurant worker (which payed the least). The second time through (when I made it through the month) I was a warehouse worker. This job was the same pay as the temp, so I figured I'd do this one because I couldn't get the other job and the other one didn't pay as much. I opted for health insurance both times through because I think that it was the safest thing to do. Though it was a good amount of money, I still wanted to have the health insurance just in case something happened. I definitely wanted to get it while working at the warehouse because it said I had a good possibility of getting hurt. For living, I didn't want to live too many miles away from work because of gas, so I got a place to stay a little more than 20 miles away. Throughout the month, I faced a lot of different decisions. For instance, with my "kids". My child's friend came over and they wanted ice cream; my kid was invited to a party and needed a present. I accepted to pay for those little things because I wanted to make my child happy. It was hard because I knew I couldn't waste a lot of money, but I ended up doing it because although I didn't have a lot of money, at least my child won't have to suffer with certain things. Another extremely tough decision I had to do was decide whether or not to put my dog down. The situation read that my dog was sick and can only get better if treated. The treatment was more than what I had (so obviously I couldn't do that), and the other two options were to put the dog down or have him suffer. I ended up putting the dog down because I didn't want him to have to suffer day by day. There were so many little things that popped up throughout the month that I take for granted in my life.
ReplyDeleteI was really glad to do this activity because it made me appreciate the little things in life that my parents can provide for me no problem. It really made me think about the poor Americans who have to think about all the financial consequences of everything they do. The poor Americans can't really move up in the social class because of the lack of good paying jobs and abundance of jobs that pay minimum wage. Housing is also very hard to find for cheap these days, so a poor American will basically use his/her paycheck to pay month's rent. The poor American faces so many decisions every day: what to eat, what job to get, where to live, how will the child live, etc. All the decisions have a common thing: money. Everything costs money and, therefore, it's hard for a poor American to move up in the social class. Everything costs money and everything is expensive.
The first time I played Spent, I chose the job involving manual labor. It had stable pay and I didn't need to have any certain talents or teachings. I also didn't have to rely on tips in order to make a living. I was forced to live the farthest away from the city because I couldn't afford to be near the city so I had to rely on the city transport. I couldn't buy health insurance because I was scared that it would put me farther into debt. I never realized how significant a single dollar would be to people living on minimum wage. They must live off of the bare necessities and rarely have the ability to spend something on themselves for all of their hard work
ReplyDeleteI chose to take the labor job which is good because it was solid pay but it was also hard on my body, but i chose to buy health insurance just in case. i had to live pretty far from my job because living close was too expensive and it was easier to pay a little more for transportation. it paid off that i bought health insurance because i was having heart problems and it only cost me $20 to get checked out. This exercise made me realize how hard people with little to nothing have to work to survive and support themselves and their families.
ReplyDeleteThis website is a real eye opener, I honestly never realized how many responsibilities adults and parents have. If I were living on minimal wage I would first of all be extremely unhealthy because fattening food is cheap food. All of the insurances are so expensive as well as all the bills you have to pay for electricity, cars, rent, and children. I just do not understand how families living on minimum wage can survive considering I could not even make it one week a computer game.
ReplyDeleteWhen going on this website it was exciting for me to see how i would survive in a low budget situation. I chose to be a watress hoping those tips would help my weekly pay. I did choose to get health insurance because i do get sick a lot and never realized how much the expense was. After only typing in my food and house i was already done! i only survived 6 days! I really used this task to see how my living now would fit into a life with less money and clearly it would never work. I didnt even get to the part to have kids haha well this was definitely an eye opener and made me feel sad so many Americans who are in poverty deal with these struggles of living and really makes me grateful for what i have.
ReplyDeleteAfter completing the PlaySpent exercise, I was shocked to see how hard it was to maintain my lifestyle and keep money in my wallet. The first time I completed the activity, I chose to be a waitress, which was a bad move considering I made very little an hour. I was out on the sixteenth day. The second attempt, I chose to be a factory worker, and I made more cash than the first time. I did not choose health insurance when I was offered because I needed to save my money for the bills and for the several accidents which I caused. I chose to live farther away from work, and pay more for gas because I would rather pay less rent on my home and more on transportation. The several bills which I had to pay affected me because when I refused to pay them, I would get into an accident and have to pay for the damage I had done. I was very surprised by this exercise because it was so hard to keep money in my bank when I constantly had to pay for things, and when I ignored a bill or if an accident occurred and I didn’t pay for the damage, the price would increase when the situation was ignored. So I wound up paying for more when I was attempting to not pay at all. Living as a poor American is not an easy thing to do. As a poor American, you do not have an easy ride in life; you have the hardest time in life. Poor Americans are struggling more and more each day, and after completing this exercise, I gained much more respect for them and the sacrifices they make in life every day.
ReplyDeleteI think this was a great exercise! It was really eye-opening to see just how much money is needed to survive with only the bare minimum. I was able to make it through a month with a couple hundred dollars, but to do that I let things like my health, my child's education, and my safety take second place to how much money I was spending. I chose to be a warehouse worker, like many other people did because it was the only job with steady hours and the most money. I chose health insurance because medical costs can be expensive and I didn't want to risk getting sick and having to pay hundreds of dollars for my medical bills. I chose to live farther away from work, but that cost me a lot of money in gas. I also was forced to not let my child go to birthday parties or on school trips. However I was able to help my child with their homework, which is not something a lot of poor people can do. A couple times, I had headaches or back pains, but I went to work so I could get paid. I never really realized how much money actually goes into daily life. If it was so difficult on a computer game to survive a month, I can only imagine how difficult it must be in real life.
ReplyDeleteMy reaction to playspent was shocking, due to the fact that I never realized how hard it is for people with a minimum paying job and a family to support. American’s daily go through struggles portrayed in this game and it’s a real issue, it’s so hard for poor people to move up in social class because they literally have to live paycheck to paycheck. I chose my decision wisely although at times they were hard, such as when I had to keep my child home from birthday parties because we couldn’t afford a present. For my job I chose office work because for a single mother it’s the easiest most reliable job of all of them. I didn’t chose to buy health insurance because working in an office job the risks of getting hurt are slim and it was unaffordable. I decided to live far from my work because when adding up the gas and rent it was still cheaper than living in the city where I work. Circumstances that affected my living expenses were hitting my car, which I decided to drive away from, because I could not afford to fix it.
ReplyDeleteThis exercise was very surprising to me. Some of the decisions i had to make, were very hard for me. For example, i could not attend my best friend's wedding even though i was asked to be the maid of honor. I also could attend the funeral for my grandfather but i had to drive and put wear and tear on my car that was already broken. I did not get health insurance so when i was sick i ended up staying home instead of going to the doctor to see what was wrong with me. It is very hard for people, especially in the lower class to move up in class because they have to deal with so many more problems then other people do. If they don't feel well and stay home one day their paycheck is cut in half, where as if someone of the middle or upper class did not feel well, they could just take a sick day. I ended up tutoring my child in math even though they deserved getting a tutor and i could not go out with my friends because i could not afford a tutor. These people make so many sacrifices in their lives and i think that is something people tend to forget because i don't think people know how hard it is to live like this.
ReplyDeleteI completed the Playspent exercise three times and during the exercise I saw some of the decisions that Americans go through everyday and I was in shock with some of the scenarios that came up on the exercise. The job I first chose was a temp; to apply for the job they made you go through a typing test and I failed, so then I applied for the waitress job. I think the waitress job was a good choice in the end because they paid by the hour and plus you had received tips as well. I opted to have health insurance even though it took $70 from my paycheck because you never know what could happen and you might need it just it incase, you never know what could happen. I chose to live 20 miles from work even though the total cost was kind of expensive I just thought that was the best decision to do, and I decided to have a yard sale to sell some of my belongings so I could make some extra money to have. When little things came up, for instance when your mother needs medication, I lent the $100 even though I probably really couldnt. Whenever my child wanted something I made sure that I gave it to him/her because I would want him/her to have a better life than I did. For grocery shopping I made sure I only got what I needed and tried not to get an excessive amount of things that I didnt need.
ReplyDeleteI thought this exercise was very eye opening, you could never really imagine what people go through on a daily basis and it's hard to make decisions like that all the time, especially if you are a single parent wanting the best life for your child. Of course people want to move up in their social class, but there are some situations that come about and that wont give them the opportunity to save the money they need to, or let them have time to receive the education that they need.
The first time I played Spent, I chose the resturant job. It had stable pay and I didn't need to have any certain talents or teachings. I relied on tips just so I could have some good nights and make more than what I actually make.I was forced to live the farthest away from the city because I couldn't afford to be near the city.I couldn't buy health insurance because I didn't want to go into more debt. I was shocked by all of the difficult decision I had to make regarding my children and family. It is crazy to think that people have to make these decisions on a daily basis. A dollar can seriously go a long way when it comes down to it. Only living with the bare necessities definitely takes a toll on you. I had $22 left over but I had to make some very difficult decisions, for the most part i gave my child everything they wanted/needed. It was hard though because giving them what they wanted made getting certain things for me and making decisions about going to work a lot harder. I can seriously only imagine how people deal with this everyday in real life.
ReplyDeleteafter playing playspent, it made me reevaluate what was really important and take into consideration the things i usually take for granted. They say that money isn't everything but i found myself thinking otherwise at some points whilst playing this game. It was a true struggle to survive a month on such a low pay and granted, i did come out with around $150 dollars, what i had to pay off physically was far greater. I chose to be a factory worker without any health insurance, and I went without fixing my teeth, getting my heart checked, saving my dog, keeping my car, and having electricity all so that my child would have the best life that i could give him. It's crazy to think that what seemed to be just a harsh game is a harsh reality for many people.
ReplyDeleteAfter playing PlaySpent, I have discovered interesting things. I chose to be a waitress because I felt it was the most desirable to balance since I am having a difficult time economically. I decided to choose health insurance because I believe health is very important and health is what keeps you going. In addition, I decided to live farther away from work because it was cheaper. Before I became broke, I was able to live until day 27. This exercise was an eye-opener to me because I never realized that are certain things that you have to think about when you are struggling economically. Before this exercise, I knew that people with economic issues have difficult lives, but I did not realize how really difficult it is to save money. I completely forgot about the factor of having children can play a huge effect on your money. With prices increasing every year, it makes it even harder for the poor to make money. All in all, this exercise has inspired me to be even more mindful of my money.
ReplyDeleteI chose to take the job as a waitress because I feel that realistically that would be the only job I could qualify for now. I opted out of paying for health insurance, because it is so expensive. To save money once again I chose the cheapest apartment, however because of this, a lot had to spend a lot on transportation, but it still worked out cheaper than living closer to my job. I finished the month with a balance of 349$. I think this is pretty impressive, however within the course of the month I lost my cell phone, and I still need to save 800$ for a root canal, that will probably not get treated anytime soon. If I had not taken lifestyles I think that this assignment would have been very eye opening. It does a very good job of actually getting a message across because it gives realistic, unpredictable, life events. The decisions that have to be made by those living below the poverty line are really rough, because they rely completely on working. They do not have the luxury of having savings to fall back on, so they are essentially stuck where they are.
ReplyDeleteThis exercise was really eye opening. Usually I don’t think of money as being a big issue in my life because my parents have paid for almost everything I do. This exercise made me see how many decisions in life are based off of how much money you have, and many of the decisions were really tough. Also a lot of the decisions I had to make were between doing the right thing or doing what was best for my family, such as deciding to keep $10 someone dropped on the floor. I thought about it for a little while and then I realized I had a child who needed to be taken care of so I took the money. I chose to work as a restaurant server because it seemed like a job I would be able to do easily and would not risk me getting injured often. I was concerned about that because I did not pay for the health insurance, because it was too much money. When the decisions were about myself I was not too concerned, but when questions came up about my child I had to think about them, such as deciding if I should get him a tutor or give him money for lunch. It is scary to think that most Americans cannot even afford to do this for their children. Also when I got the question about having a toothache and needing to go to the dentist and looked over at my money I realized I could not afford it. For me having a dentist and a doctor seems so normal and whenever I don’t feel well I can just go to them, but for most people it is not that easy. I made it through the game with money left but all of these things happened in only a month and most people have been living with these decisions their entire lives. Most of them cannot move up a social class because new bills and expenses keep pouring in every day and the cost of living these days is just way too high.
ReplyDeleteI felt really bad after completing this exercise. I chose to be a restaurant server because and have health insurance. I also chose to live farther away because it was the cheapest. Later in the exercise I also allowed my friend's friend live with me so that I could make rent. When I went shopping I chose the least expensive foods that would last the longest, but unfortunately they were not very nutritious. I felt bad because I did not allow my child to do some of the things she wanted to do. I let her do some of the things that I thought would be least expensive and the most rewarding. I felt bad for all the kid who cannot do what they enjoy because of financial issues.
ReplyDeleteI think this exercise was really interesting and eye-opening. I never quite realized all of these things that someone could face. This exercise shows some of the struggles that the American poor face that keep them from moving up in social class. I ended the month with $61, but the rent was due the next day and I had to repay a friend and pay a bill, so I probably would have become homeless. I would never have had enough of a surplus of money to save. Because I needed money right away, I could never quite my job in order to look for a better one. Even though I had a college education, I was still a restaurant server. Their lives are extremely difficult and very stressful.
People tell us every day that life is hard and that living is expensive and it doesn’t matter how many classes you take or information you learn because its always going to be harder than you think. Once again, this exercise was eye opening and these things teach you a lot. However, I feel that I’ll never know exactly what I’d do until I’m really experiencing it. I chose to work at a restaurant. I did so because I had the option of making 2+ dollars an hour with tips as well. I have learned from personal experience that tips go a long way especially since I can afford much more than some of my other friends with minimum wage jobs. I decided to invest in health insurance because if I am independent, it is important that I make it to work each day. So, when I get sick or injured I am going to need coverage. I also chose to work about 30 miles away because I didn’t want to be too far not only for transportation fees but also for time. However, the cost of living was too high for me to live closer. Ultimately, I ran out of money after 14 days because I wanted to make my kid happy and insurance and dental was too high. Its difficult to move up because things are just too expensive.
ReplyDeleteThe first two times I tried the exercise I was broke by the 17th day, which did scare on how i can not make at least a month with becoming broke. The last time I tired the game I made it through the whole month with 396 dollars left but had a root canal and no car. My job was a waitress which I choose because of the tips and how I might get a few extra dollars for serving people. My living situation was difficult i choose to live 40 miles away from my job which would take more time to get to work but would cost less rent so it benefited but not at the same time. I had a roommate which helped me out but then I had to get rid if him because he made to much noise and I could not sleep. It was difficult for me living on this budget for only a month, it is unbelievable that somewhere in the country this can really happen even in New Jersey which is frightening. It was a great exercise to do.
ReplyDeleteI knew that it was really hard for people who have lost their job to make ends meet, but I never knew how hard! In fact, I had to play the game twice to make it through. I decided to be a waitress, since I couldn't type fast enough to be a temp and warehouse work would be out the window for me in real life (since I'm so tiny) and I wanted to keep this as close to real life as possible. I chose health insurance because, in my experience with these sorts of games, whenever you don't buy the insurance, you pay for it big time. I decided to live relatively far away, but still close-ish to my job, since rent was cheaper further away and I couldn't afford to live closer. I also agreed to let my friend live with me because I, quite frankly, I lost all sense of dignity by the time the offer came. I gave up the dog. I didn't attend my grandfather's funeral or my best friend's wedding. I couldn't! I didn't have the money. Again, lost dignity.
ReplyDeleteI knew much of this information, at least abstractly, already. But actually being forced to make those decision? That was really, really hard. I felt almost guilty that I couldn't give my non-existent child what I felt they deserved. This exercise really made me realize that there are very few "rags to riches" stories for a reason and that becoming the next Horatio Alger and moving up in society is practically a myth.
I am shocked as to how difficult it is to make a living on a small budget. I even went broke after the I chose to be a waitress because I figured with the tips, I would make more money in the end. I also opted to have health insurance because I thought that would save me money in the long run. I had to buy a house further away from my work because they were cheaper; however the transportation costs were a lot higher than I expected. All of the expenses began to add up. I couldn't afford the things I wanted to buy like brand name sneakers for my child and I couldn't hire a babysitter. After doing this exercise, I realize how difficult it is for people in these situations. Now I know that it is hard for the American poor to move up in social class. I didn't realize how much everything adds up to and I am thankful that I am fortunate enough to live comfortably.
ReplyDeleteThis was a tough exercise. I actually made it through the month, but with only 83 dollars left. I chose to work in a restaurant because that seemed the most interesting. I lived farther away from work, but paid more in gas. I elected to not have health insurance. I felt all of my choices were focused on surviving rather than living. After only one month, I couldn't imagine living like that for my whole life. Even though I lasted the month, anything unexpected would have caused me to go broke. It would be so hard to try to predict the future, to see if I would have to save money in case I got sick, to to have to choose what bills I could pay. And especially in this economy, when people lost their jobs, it would be particularly difficult. Some of my decisions were based on the fact that payday was a few days away. If I were to be laid off before then, I would not have made it through. It is very sad that many people have to live this way.
ReplyDeleteMy reaction is that it is hard to put yourself in the shoes of those who have to live with this lifestyle on a daily basis. I chose the job of the warehouse worker, and I chose this because it was one of the most stable and well-earning jobs offered. I chose to have health insurance because I thought it would be more beneficial than not having it. I decided to live 1/2 way near my work area, so I would not be faced with a high rent, however I would still not be faced with constantly paying for gas. I allowed the one friend to stay because it was an extra $200 for my family, for bills, and other necessities. Other living expediencies included gas, groceries, numerous bills, clothes, even pet costs. My reaction to this exercise that t is nearly impossible to live on this little fixed income. Many challenges that poor Americans face include the obvious not enough money for nearly everything they need, and also not even being able to be a part of their kids lives.
ReplyDeletei was surprised that i had lasted the month with the money that i had, but i soon realized that i had to make really tough choices to make it though. for my job i had chosen to be a waitress because hours a bit more flexible and even though it isn't the highest paying job you get tips. i chose to skip out on health insurance simply because i could not afford to pay for it, i also wound up choosing an apartment that was as close to my job as possible so that i would not have to spend more money then i have to on things like gas and transportation. this exercise made my sad, i had already had an idea of what the poor in american society go though because of a project i had done first semester, but this really made me understand what they go through. there where times in the exercise that i had to choose between letting my child go to a party or have them go without a present, or if i gave them a present then we would have to cut back on things like food. one other big thing that upset me was the fact that i had to choose what bills i wanted to pay and which i could go without, it really put into perspective what the poor go though.
ReplyDeleteI lasted $25 days. What got me was choosing to opt. out of the wedding. I know that I could have, but unfortunately, the question go to me. I could not imagine not being a part of a friends wedding (of all the things!) I knew I couldn't afford a lot of the things but I still paid because those situations were tough. Having to decide weather or not to help your mother with medical bills, its hard to say no. I choose to live far away. This was mainly because my father commutes to work so I know it is stressful, but possible. I chose to not get medical insurance because it was just to much money. I kept getting notifications about my health but because I couldn't pay, I kept ignoring them. It was a tough decision.
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