Poverty Simulation

Welcome! This is your story. There's an epidemic in parts of the USA called obese malnutrition. What does that mean? It means that the foods that are available to a certain tier of socioeconomic status citizens are high in calories, sugar, carbs, etc. and low in vitamins, minerals, and other nutritious categories. You are going to pretend to be the head of a household. So, to begin, choose: Are you a [[Mom]] or [[Dad]]?

Ok, Mom, here is your finance profile: You work as a secretary for a doctor's office. You get paid $17/hour and work 40 hours/week. That means your income is $520/week or $2720/month, before taxes. Taxes are total about 15% for state and federal tax. That means that your net income is $2313. You have 3 kids: Joan (3 years old), Mike (5 years old), Hannah (8 yrs old). Proceed to your [[expenditures]]

Ok, Dad, here is your finance profile: You work as a car mechanic. You get paid $13/hour and work 40 hours/week. That means your income is $520/week or $2080/month, before taxes. Taxes are total about 15% for state and federal tax. That means that your net income is $1768. You have 3 kids: Joan (3 years old), Mike (5 years old), Hannah (8 yrs old). Proceed to your [[expenditures]]

Doctor's copay: $40/visit Insurance deductable: $1000, then you pay 20% after that Day Care: $200/week Car costs (average gas, insurance, etc.) = $1/mile Distance to work: 15 miles (10 miles from Day Care), Distance to Day Care: 10 miles Distance to Grocery Store: 5 miles Distance to Doctor: 15 miles Distance to Hospital: 20 miles Distance to playground: 5 miles Distance to Gas Station: 5 miles (0 from grocery store) Proceed to [[fixed monthly costs]]

You must drive to the Day Care and then work 5 days a week ($20/day, $400/month) You must drive to the grocery store at least 1 time a week ($20/month) You must drive to the playground at least 2 times/week ($40/month) You must go to the doctor once a month ($55/month) Rent: $800 Due by the 1st of each month Utilities: $200/month, due by the first of each month Net income after fixed expenses: $797 This is all that you have to spend. Proceed to [[Week 1]]

Reminder, you have $797 left to spend for this month. You're planning meals for the week. Your kids get breakfast and lunch at school/day care for $7/day/kid, that's $21/day or $105/week or $420. This leaves you with $377 left for the rest of the month. You must provide an additional 58 meals a week for yourself and your kids or 232 meals for the rest of the month. You can make a beef stew for $30 that will serve 20 meals. You can make chicken nuggets and french fries for $35 that will serve 30 meals. You can make tacos for $35 that will serve 20 meals Do you buy: [[beef stew]] [[chicken nuggets and french fries]] [[tacos]]

Good Job! You provided 20 meals for your kids for $30. You still have $390 to spend this month. You still need 38 meals this week or 212 meals this month. You can make rice and beans for $20 that will serve 30 meals. You can buy cereal and milk for $15 that will serve 21 meals. Do you buy: [[rice and beans]] [[cereal and milk]]

Good Job! You provided 30 meals for your kids for $35. You still have $390 to spend this month. You still need 28 meals this week or 202 meals this month. You can make rice and beans for $20 that will serve 30 meals. You can buy cereal and milk for $15 that will serve 21 meals. Do you buy: [[Rice and Beans]] [[Cereal and Milk]]

Good job! You provided 20 meals for your family for $35. This leaves you with $342 left for the rest of the month. You must provide an additional 38 meals a week for yourself and your kids or 212 meals for the rest of the month. You can make stir fry for $30 that will serve 20 meals. You can make ham and cheese sandwiches for $20 that will serve 20 meals. Do you buy: [[Stir fry]] [[ham and cheese sandwiches]]

Good Job! You provided 20 meals for $30. This leaves you with $312 left for the rest of the month. You must provide an additional 18 meals this week or 192 meals this month. You can make oatmeal for $20 that lasts for 40 meals. You can make tuna fish sandwiches for $20 that lasts for 20 meals DO you buy: [[tuna fish sandwiches]] [[oatmeal]]

Good Job! You provided 30 meals for your kids for $20. You still have $370 to spend this month. You still need 8 meals this week or 182 meals this month. You can make oatmeal for $20 that will serve 40 meals You can make tuna fish sandwiches for $20 that will serve 20 meals You can make mac and cheese for $10 that will serve 20 meals Do you buy: [[Oatmeal]] [[Tuna fish sandwiches]] [[Mac and cheese]]

Good Job! You provided 21 meals for your kids for $15. You still have $375 to spend this month. You still need 17 meals this week or 191 meals this month. You can make oatmeal for $20 that will serve 40 meals You can make tuna fish sandwiches for $20 that will serve 20 meals You can make mac and cheese for $10 that will serve 20 meals Do you buy: [[OatMeal]] [[Tuna Fish sandwiches]] [[Mac and Cheese]]

Good Job! You provided 20 meals for $20. This leaves you with $322 left for the rest of the month. You must provide an additional 18 meals this week or 192 meals this month. You can make oatmeal for $20 that will serve 40 meals You can make tuna fish sandwiches for $20 that will serve 20 meals You can make mac and cheese for $10 that will serve 20 meals Do you buy: [[OAtmeal]] [[Mac And Cheese]]

Good Job! You provided 40 meals for $20. This leaves you with $312 left for the rest of the month. You don't need to provide any additional meals this week but you still need to provide 152 meals this month. Proceed to [[Week Two]]

Good Job! You provided 20 meals for $20. This leaves you with $312 left for the rest of the month. You don't need to provide any additional meals this week but you still need to provide 172 meals this month. Please proceed to [[week two]]

Good Job! You provided 30 meals for your kids for $20. You still have $365 left to spend this month. You don't need any more meals this week but you still need 172 meals this month. Please proceed to [[WeEK 2]]

Good Job! You provided 21 meals for your kids for $15. You still have $390 to spend this month. You still need 7 meals this week or 181 meals this month. You can make ham and cheese sandwiches for $20 that will serve 20 meals. Buy: [[Ham and Cheese sandwiches]]

Good Job! You provided 20 meals for your kids for $20. You still have $370 to spend this month. You don't need any more meals this week but you still need 161 meals this month. Please proceed to [[WEeK 2]]

Good job! You provided 40 meals for $20. You still have $350 to spend this month. You don't need any more meals this week, but you still need 142 meals this month. Proceed to [[week 2]]

Good Job! You provided 20 meals for $20. You still have $350 to spend this month. You don't need any more meals this week, but you still need 162 meals this month. Please proceed to [[WEek 2]]

Good Job! You provided 20 meals for your kids for $10. You still have $360 to spend this month. You don't need any more meals this week, but you still need 162 meals this month. Please proceed to [[WEEk 2]]

Good Job! You provided 40 meals for your kids for $20. You still have $355 to spend this month. You don't need any more meals this week but you still need 151 meals this month. Please proceed to [[WEEK 2]]

Good Job! You provided 20 meals for your kids for $20. You still have $355 to spend this month. You don't need any more meals this week but you still need 171 meals this month. Please proceed to [[wEEK 2]]

Good Job! You provided 20 meals for your kids for $10. You still have $365 to spend this month. You don't need any more meals this week but you still need 171 meals this month. please proceed to [[weEK 2]]

You still have $350 to spend and you still need 162 meals this month. [[MOVe on]] to week 2!

You still have $360 to spend and you still need 162 meals this month. [[MOVE on]] to week 2!

You survived week 1! You still have $350 to spend and you still need 142 meals this month. [[MOve on]] to week 2!

You still have $350 to spend and you still need 162 meals this month. [[MOVE On]] to week 2!

First week is done! You still have $355 to spend this month and you still need 151 meals. [[MOVE ON]] to week 2!

You still have $350 to spend and you still need 162 meals this month. [[mOVE ON]] to week 2!

On Sunday, your kids are playing while you cook. One of them accidentally breaks the washing machine by loading too much laundry in. You must pay for the repair. It costs $100. This leaves you with $250 left to start with on [[Monday]]

On Sunday, your kids are playing while you cook. One of them accidentally breaks the washing machine by loading too much laundry in. You must pay for the repair. It costs $110. This leaves you with $250 to start with on [[Monday]]

On Sunday, your kids are playing while you cook. One of them accidentally breaks the washing machine by loading too much laundry in. You must pay for the repair. It costs $105. This leaves you with $250 to start with on [[Monday]]

You still have $360 to spend and you still need 162 meals this month Please [[Move ON]] to week 2!

You still have $360 to spend and you still need 162 meals this month Please [[MovE ON]] to week 2!

You have $312 left for the rest of the month and you still need to provide 172 meals. Please [[move ON]] to week 2.

You have $312 left for the rest of the month and you still need to provide 152 meals. Please [[MOVE oN]] to week 2

Good Job! You provided 20 meals for $10. This leaves you with $312 left for the rest of the month. You don't need to provide any additional meals this week or 172 meals this month. Please go to [[Week two]]

Good Job! You provided 40 meals for $20. This leaves you with $302 left for the rest of the month. You don't need to provide any additional meals this week but you still need to provide 152 meals this month. Please proceed to [[WeeK Two]]

You have $312 left for the rest of the month and you still need to 172 meals this month. Please [[MoVe On]] to week 2!

You have $302 left for the rest of the month and you still need to provide 152 meals this month. Please [[MOvE On]] to week 2

On Sunday, your kids are playing while you cook. One of them accidentally breaks the washing machine by loading too much laundry in. You must pay for the repair. It costs $62. This leaves you with $250 to start with on [[Monday]]

On Sunday, your kids are playing while you cook. One of them accidentally breaks the washing machine by loading too much laundry in. You must pay for the repair. It costs $52. This leaves you with $250 to start with on [[Monday]]

For week 2, you have $250 left to spend and 160 meals left this month. Proceed to [[Tuesday]]

Today you take your kids to school and day care and go to work. You get a call at lunch time that your boy Mike has fallen from the playground equipment and needs to be taken to the doctor for further assessment. Drive to the Doctor: 15 miles (subtract $15) Doctor Co-pay: $40 (subtract $40) You are now left with $195 and still have to provide 160 meals. You spend $60 on food this week and make 60 meals. Proceed to [[Week 3]]

You have $135 left and must provide 100 meals. This week, you spend $75 on food and make 60 meals. Proceed to [[Week 4]]

You have $60 left to spend and have 40 meals yet to provide. Hannah gets sick this week and needs to go to the doctor. You spend a total of $55 to take her to the doctor. You have $5 left to provide 40 meals. You can: [[go without lunch]] and subtract 21 meals from your total. OR [[divide dinner]] portions in half and subtract 21 meals from your total.

You have $5 to spend in order to make 19 meals. Do you buy Three cans of [[soup]] and water them down or [[Pasta mix]]

You have $5 to spend in order to make 19 meals. Do you buy: Three cans of [[soup]] and water them down or [[Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches]]

You have made your kids enough to eat. How healthy do you think your choices were? [[Healthy]] or [[Could use improvement]]

Although your kids got enough to eat, very few of the choices would provide adequate nutrition, especially for growing children. You also had to choose between skipping a meal yourself or 'stretching' the amount of food you could give. What would you have done if skipping a meal wasn't an option? [[Start]] or [[End]]

Thanks for playing! Have a nice day.