Spending My Paycheck

This webquest focuses on independent living skills including basic budgeting, estimating and computation skills

It is that time again!  You have worked really hard this week at your job.  It is time to receive your paycheck.  Your pay check will be used for food, personal care items, and entertainment.  You have $50 to spend on your materials for the week.

Your task for this project will be to budget your $50 in the following ways:

• $30 will be spent on food
• $10 will be spent on personal care items
• $10 can be spent on entertainment

• Plan atleast 2 meals per day for the whole week.
• As we practice in life arts, each meal should include one main dish, 1-2 side dishes, and a beverage.

Personal Care items:
You have $10 to spend on personal care items such as:

• toothpaste
• soap
• shampoo
• sanitary items
• shaving cream
• lotions
• hair care items
• deodorant

Entertainment:
You have $10 to spend on your weekly entertainment.  Some examples may include:

• renting a video
• going to the movies
• buying a tape or CD
• going out to eat
• buying a magazine or book
• going to the mall
• going to a video arcade, bowling alley
  

Person 1: Good work! You received the paycheck this week!  You are the team leader for this week. As the leader, you have the final say on how to spend the money.  Your team will give you some suggestions, but it is you that will make the final decisions on what to eat, grooming supplies and where to spend your entertainment money.  You will need to fill out the "wish list" and give to your team members.  Remember to stay in your $50 budget!!

Person 2: Your job is to determine the ingredients needed for each meal suggested by the team leader. Fill out and give "menu worksheet" to person 3.

Person 3: Look up prices for food items. With the use of the worksheet, report your finding to the "reporter".

Person 4: Look up prices for personal care items.  With the use of "Personal care worksheet", report your finding to the "reporter".

Person 5: Look up prices for  the use of the "Entertainment worksheet", report your finding to the "reporter".

Reporter: You will receive the final "wish list" and prices.  Your job is to determine whether the prices were within budget.  Talk to the team leader about the final list.  Remember: If the items on the list go over the $50, it is your job to work with the team leader to make changes.  

You will use these resources to look up ideas and prices:
 

	Store sale papers
	Recipe Books
	Classroom "Lunch Ideas" binder
	Newspaper
	Websites: Groceries http://www.peapod.com Grooming Supplies http://www.walmart.com http://www.target.com http://www.walgreens.com Entertainment http://www.moviefone.com http://www.blockbuster.com
	Fast Food  and Restaurant take-out Menus

For your evaluation, you will fill out the "Self evaluation worksheet".

Good Work!  I hope you were able to stay within your budget.  

Here are some questions to think about as you finish this project:

• Why is it important to stay within a budget when shopping?