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/
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
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?
http://playspent.org/
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/
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
After completing the Play Sent exercise, I was very shocked and scared. No matter what I clicked, the money I earned either vanished or the things I needed to pay got too expensive. I first tried the type writing position but failed right away. I thought since it paid $9 an hour it would be easy to buy things. However, I wasn't fast enough with the typing. When I switched to the waitress, I thought since it paid less it would be more easier than the typing job. I picked a place close to where I work because I figured I could save money. I didn't pay health insurance because I thought without it I would have more money. However this made it harder and I made it to 6 days. I lastly tried the ware house worker and paid for health insurance. At the end, I barely made it to one whole month. I chose to live a lot further than where i worked because the house was less expensive. The other circumstances that affected the living expenses were paying for car damages, heat and phone bills. Overall my reaction gave me a new perspective. Even though this was just an exercise, some people in America are dealing with these decisions everyday. The America poor face problems paying for things when they don't make a lot of money with their job. They struggle everyday with making money decisions and housing decisions. This prevents them from moving up in the social class.
ReplyDeletePlaying the "playspent' game was a real eye opener to what kind of decisions people with very low-no income have to face. There are many sacrifices that have to be made, just to survive. At first I chose the typing job, because the hours were flexible and i could earn 9 dollars an hour. I failed this job which was disappointing, so I took the warehouse job instead. I did not choose health insurance because I figured that it was too expensive for something that I didn't exactly need right in the moment. It's risky, but i simply could not afford it on the salary I was given. I chose to live about 40 miles away from my job. The transportation fees were expensive but I was able to afford a place to live in where I could actually pay the rent. It was really hard to make some of the decisions that affected my "children" I often had to chose "no" when it came to paying for a tutor, field trip, or sports team, because we simply didn't have the money. I couldn't help out fellow co workers which I felt bad about because In my unstable state, it couldve been me that needed the financial help. I had to put off going to the doctor and worked everyday, no matter if I was sick or too tired. It really showed me how difficult life is for many people. I made it through the month, but barely. I was left with 33 dollars and rent was due the next day. I don't really know how some people live like that, and can see how it can gets to peoples heads. I couldn't imagine trying to raise a family or maintain a relationship under that kind of stress! It puts things into perspective for me, because I was somewhat able to see first hand-even though it was a game, how badly some people in America are living. It seems almost impossible for people like this to move up in the class system, because they are just barely surviving, and are in no position to think about moving up in the world or actually thriving. They just don't have the means, they are living literally paycheck to paycheck.
ReplyDeleteAfter completing the Play Spent exercise, I was shocked at some of the choices and sacrifices I had to make. Not only did I have to avoid things like health insurance, but I had to give up things that I do almost every day. I had to choose taking a bus or walking over driving to work or school. I also had to buy the cheapest food products which rarely included fresh produce. I had to make choices that were the cheapest, like buying new shoes at a thrift store rather than a sneaker store. I even picked up a ten dollar bill off the ground and kept it for myself. I feel like when I was down a bit of money, I always chose the cheaper route and got defensive with my money. I would sacrifice things that my “son” would need including school trips and even honor role in school. I couldn’t help out coworkers when they were ill, and had to lie all the time to avoid confrontation or embarrassment. This exercise showed me that people will a little money have to make huge sacrifices in life, some that seem unrealistic. I couldn’t imagine not living with health insurance, or not eating organic foods. I have recently become a vegetarian, so I could not imagine living without my veggies or fruits. I ended up having around 600 dollars at the end, but I had to make huge sacrifices and had to avoid spending money at all costs. It is difficult for people struggling to make ends meat to move up into higher social classes because they are always working to make more money. This struggle can also lead to crime; theft, burglary, violence because they are struggling financially. It is crazy to think people actually live like this, paycheck to paycheck.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCompleting the Play spent experience really shocked me and opened my eyes to the realities of money and social class. It helped me to see how easily people can lose money and why many people are struggling to survive. I chose to be a restaurant server during my experience. I chose this because I thought that it would be the best choice and that I could make the most money by earning tips. I decided not to get health insurance because I figured that it would be an easy way for me to save money. However, later in the game I ended up losing money for getting sick anyway. I decided to get an averaged priced house with reasonable distance to my job so that I could save as much money as possible. I also sold things in order to try and make money. I tried to save as much money as I could by not doing unnecessary things, even if it meant my child would have to miss out on certain things. I was continuously looking too see how far away pay day was. Although it was very challenging, I was able to end the month with about $315 left over to spend. This experience really showed me that people will do almost anything they have to do to survive. I think that people struggle moving up in social class because they struggle to keep jobs and struggle to make the right choices about how to handle their money. The poor most likely are not able to get good job and will struggle to get any money to survive.
ReplyDeleteAfter completing the "Play Spent" activity I was shocked at so many of the struggle and choices many people in America have to face everyday in order to make it through one month financially. As I began the activity i was told to choose a job. I chose a Temp because I figured that would be the best job for me and the pay was good but little did I know, I do not have the typing qualifications for that job. The next job I chose was a Warehouse worker because pay was better than the other remaining job. Most of my decisions were based off low cost, such as the price of rent and transportation so I chose the location of my house to be furthest from my job. I chose to pay for health insurance because of the importance health insurance has. The cost of hospital bills god forbid something happens will be far more significant without health insurance. As I continued the activity my total expenses left varied from day to day but by the end of the activity I was left with $216 in total. Throughout the month I had to make very difficult decisions but somehow managed to make it through the month. This activity can show society how many of citizens have to go through life.
ReplyDeleteAfter completing the PlaySpent exercise it was really upsetting to get even just a glimpse of probably half of the choices and struggles many unemployed Americans face everyday. To start i chose the job of a warehouse worker because I knew that I wouldn't have the qualifications to be a temp and the few extra dollars would help rather than being a waitress. I chose to have health insurance because I know of people who have and or are going though these situations and if they would have had the option to have health benefits, it would have completely changed some of the things they went through. Living closer to my job was slightly more, but paying that extra money would benefit me if my car was to ever die out. Things such as home issues and kid issues affected the living expenses for the month because some in some cases I needed to use the money that I could have and would have see for my primary monthly expenses. This activity really showed what unemployed Americans go through and the struglls they face to make a living and get through unemployment.
ReplyDeleteAfter completing PlaySpent I felt a small portion of pressure that is put on everyday lower class Americans. It was intimidating what job I should choose when I knew my family's life would be affected by it. Every choice I would make would be deflected by something going wrong that would ultimately dig into my bank account. All of those incidents that occurred happened only in one month, and even though I stopped after one round, many other lives do not get the chance to "re-due" a wrong click on a computer screen; this is their lives. At first I chose the temporary job, but I failed the writing test, so I then decided to take the warehouse worker job because it payed more than a waitress. I then decided to not get health insurance because of the cost and made sure I rented a house far away from my job because it was cheaper. I am glad I did not choose to be covered because with all the other pop up payments I had to pay off, I wouldn't have made it through the month. A lot of little things I ignored (like the expired registration on my car) came back to bite me. Even from the smallest things, like my kids not having a full lunch, made me choose things I otherwise wouldn't have chosen if I were in other circumstances. At the end, I ended up making it through the month, but one of the many reasons why the lower class can't climb up the ladder easily is because of ignoring small fees that overtime add up and come back to bite. One moment it's an expired registration fee, next it's a maintenance fee. Before you know it, you're tight on money and you are holding up until your next pay check. Also, many people in this situation don't have the necessary degree needed to be considered for a higher class job. Overall, this activity was very interesting because I got to experience grocery shopping on minimum wage, while succumbing to the "typical" items that most lower class citizens are known to buy because they are cheaper and fit within my budget.
ReplyDeleteAfter completing the PlaySpent exercise I felt very upset about the fact that I had lost all of my money before the month was even over. There was one time where I kept my child from going on a field trip because we just did not have the money to do so. I originally chose the temp position but I failed the typing test so I had to apply for a waitressing job. I assumed that people would be generous and give good tips so I would be able to earn enough money to try to get by. I did not choose to have health insurance because with my low hourly pay I was not sure if I would be able to afford it. I decided to live 20 miles from my job because the rent was cheaper. I did not take into consideration that the gas would cost more for a more extensive travel. My child participated in a lot of normal activities. He went to a birthday party, got ice cream with his friend, and went on field trips. I tried to allow him to do as much as we could afford but when the field trip came around we did not have enough money for him to go so he had to sit in the office while the rest of his classmates went to the museum. I felt very stressed out while doing this exercise and I was very conscious about everything I was doing. I think that the American poor have to worry about just keeping their essentials in check and it keeps them from moving up in society. I can not even imagine the type of struggles a person in this position would go through.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was doing the Playspent exercise, it really shocked me as to how much money everything really is in the real world. Every time I would opt in for something, I would slowly loose all my money. My reactions while doing this exercise were shocked, surprised, annoyed, and sad. I was primarily shocked at the fact that so many things cost money and it is really hard to live off of very little things while trying to support your kids. I was annoyed and sad because I had to spend so much money for my kids and for health insurance to keep me healthy for my life. For my job, I chose the warehouse worker. At first, I chose the typer but unfortunately I was too slow to have this job. The warehouse worker involves a lot of work everyday and it is hard for you to miss a day of work since this is all you have to live off of. After doing this exercise, I realized how grateful I am for what I have. It made me also realize how some people in the world don't have much to live off of and it is hard for them to make a living. I am lucky to have material items in my life when I don't really need them to live. Americans face poverty and low income jobs that is making them struggle. It is hard for them to live with this sort of lifestyle. We are lucky today to be living with high income jobs and an education because a lot of people don't have these opportunities.
ReplyDeleteWhile participating on PlaySpent, I felt a lot of pressure to make the correct decisions to be able to get me through the month, and that made me realize that the pressure on someone who has to make these decisions that actually affect their lives is ten times that. When I first started I attempted to get the Temp job, but was unable to pass the typing test so I decided to take the factory job instead. From that moment on, every decision I made had to be extremely thought out so I could make it to the end of the month. These decisions started with me not paying for health insurance, and opting to live further away from my job in order to save money. I began making decisions I never though I would ranging from missing out on my child’s school play and denying them the opportunity to get a tutor to ignoring a fender bender because I could not pay for the damage on the car. I found myself struggling to make it to my next paycheck, and relying on that amount of money I received. When it came to food shopping I tried to stick to the bare necessities, but even that began to add up. Every new obstacle that came up was something I never would have even though of and it shocked me at how unaware I was about the situation some people are living in. Overall, this exercise gave me a whole new outlook on the position some people are facing, and on my own lifestyle. The American poor are faced with so many decisions that leave them living paycheck to paycheck, and it is extremely difficult to get out of that cycle. They are faced with pressing problems that need to be dealt with immediately making it extremely difficult for them to move out of their social class.
ReplyDeleteI chose Warehouse worker because i failed the test to be a temp and it was a higher paying job than a server. I did choose health insurance though because I feel that is almost a necessity to have. I choose to live further from work so the cost of living would be less expensive. Also, I had to pay to put my family pet to sleep because I did not have enough money to treat it and I didn't want to let it suffer. I also couldn't afford lessons in a summer course at the college that would help me get a higher education and possibly a better paying job. This is a huge problem that poor people face because they cannot afford good educations to get those higher paying jobs in order to move up in social class. It was also extremely hard for me to pay all of the bills with the little money i received a month. I have to admit, when someone dropped their 10 dollars on the street I pocketed it because that's how desperate I was for extra money. I applied for food stamps as well. I did not have enough money at all to entirely pay off my credit card bill which is bad because eventually it will cost me more to pay off in the future but what am I suppose to do if I didn't have the money? I also had to take a job and miss my child's play and didn't pay the money for them to go on the field trip. I made it through the month with 119 dollars left.
ReplyDeletePlaySpent was really eye-opening for me and made me realize a lot of the daily struggles that many people have to work through due to their poverty. Most of these things that these less-fortunate people have to sacrifice to try to afford are things that I take for granted, such as paying for groceries or paying rent. At first, I applied for a job as a temp but didn't get the job so I applied to be a restaurant server. Even though it pays less than a warehouse worker, it seemed to be more feasible, but I would have to rely heavily on tips. Next, I opted for health insurance, incase I would ever need it, even though it was expensive. For my living arrangements, I decided to move the furthest away from my job in order to save money on rent. This obviously increased my transportation fee, but overall would save the most amount of money out of all of the choices.
ReplyDeleteI ran into a few obstacles in my living arrangements when my landlord increased the rent or when I could not afford to pay both my gas and my electricity bill. Circumstances like these made me realize how hard it is for a lot of people, not only to support themselves, but also their children. I also had to make tough decisions such as choosing between money I needed and seeing my child in a school play. I chose to support my child in the play, despite the fact that we needed the money, which would've been a hard decision to make. I also had to tell my child that he/she could not go to his/her friend's birthday party because we could not afford a gift. Simple things like these made me realize what I take for granted. I think that this exercise definitely made me think twice about the simple things in life. It also made me think about my future and some of the possible circumstances that could most likely affect my life, such as trying to afford rent and different types of insurance. Poor Americans face a lot of different struggles on a daily basis like trying to afford groceries, rent, a car, or choosing whether or not to get health insurance. A lot of poor Americans cannot even afford health insurance, which is something very important to have. A lot of these struggles keep them from moving up in social class because just when they might have the money to afford more things, they still have to pay for expensive things like health insurance, if they want it. Most poor people are stuck in a poverty trap due to their low income and possibly their low level of education. Overall, PlaySpent made me think twice about the future and the daily struggles that affect many peoples' lives.
After completing this experiment, I can honestly say that I felt a signifigant increase in awareness regarding the situation of those living on the poverty line. I was amazed that, along with material sacrifices, which I suppose I expected to encounter, there were also signifigant social and emotional sacrifices that had to be made. For instance, the question came up as to whether one should attend their daughter's play or do a job for 50 dollars. I chose the job because I saw how far that money could take us, but in retrospect, I was appalled at myself for such a decision. That is a huge reflection on priorities that I never even considered needing to set.
ReplyDeleteAt the start, I chose the construction job because it seemed the most stable. Unfortunatly, I can see how this is reflected amongst the poor in our society in that they always end up in the manual labor jobs. Dven in this job, I came across the option to receive pay by the hour or by the task. I can see where many would choose the pay by task because they think they can work harder, but they don't expect the many schemes employers will use. Next, I chose tompay for health insurence. It was a very large percentage to give and many sacrifices were later needed, but when an accident occured, I saw that it was a necessity. It would make sense that not everyone would forsee these unexpected accidents until it is too late. I chose to live far away and save the 23% per mile, even though I became very dependendent on my car which also became expensive. In addition to these expenses, I found myself choosing very unhealthy food for the family because I could get more for less. I also found myself compromising on which bills to pay or not. I post electricity and cellphone service in the process, things I always considered a necessity before this.
I would say that the greatest thing Imobserved from this was the necessary dependence on friends. I can understand hoe this must contribute to a very strong network amongst poor people, often resulting in the the tight communities that we, from the outside, might be intimidated by. The simple sacrifices that one needs to make in order to feed his family make it impossible to ever move up in social class. The dependence on menial manual labor and ones status as a dependent worker inhibit an increase in power. Tight money restricts property. Prestige is almost unheard of in such a lifestyle. All together, this would contribute to a great sense of pacivity where individuals do not hope to better their circumstances. By the end, I was amazed as the change in mentality that I underwent and found myself much more sympathetic.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI took the factory job because it paid the most money. I went to work sick. I walked away from the Union rep because I don’t want to lose my job. My paycheck gets cut when I chose not to work by the piece.
ReplyDeleteI did without health insurance because it looked like it would be too expensive but I am in danger – getting sick, depressed, heart problems and I do nothing about it. I had to sell off some stuff in a yard sale and made very little money – hopefully not stuff I’ll need later. I had to ignore my credit card payment which will cause it to grow higher and will ruin my credit score. It is great that I can use the public library internet, but I did not take the computer class because it was too expensive. I took in a roommate, but that ended up being the wrong move. I didn’t go out with my friend to the concert (the babysitter was too much money). I missed my kids play but I bought him the stuff for the sports team. I shop at the thrift store. I help them myself and luckily I can get by with that. I had to live far away from work. Had to take the bus to work one day and it took 3 hours. I bought food that was not as healthy at the store and at work. I do without paper towels – figure I can use rags and wash them. I got food stamps – that won’t buy toilet paper. I need to use it sparingly. I did not start smoking but apparently many people do to reduce stress. I don’t buy a lottery ticket although I can see it would be tempting – the odds are too low. I fixed my plumbing myself and that might make it worse. I pay most of my bills except cell phone and it gets disconnected.
I learned how hard it is to live on a sub-standard job and make it through this life with any sense of happiness. I had to give up a lot on myself which in reality I might not have the bravery to do. I spent money when it came to my child but couldn’t participate in their activities like many of the working people. I can’t be charitable or polite.I can’t do anything discretionary that costs $ unless it is for my kid. It would be hard to stay healthy with all the stress and I don’t have insurance. I would have to live paycheck to paycheck and not have the money to better myself. I would depend on help from others so it is important for everyone with money to help the less fortunate out. Community services are also very important – for example, library internet. If I could find the time to teach myself something, that could improve my life but that would be hard as a single parent. I don’t see how any low income person can have a cell phone for themselves, and forget their kid. Through this program, I walked in the shoes of somebody below the poverty line and saw his or her day to day struggles. This really opened my eyes.
After completing this exercise, I realize I WOULD NOT be able to make it through the month because by the 6th day I completely ran out of money! I tried out for the temp job but could not type fast enough, so my next option was a server at a restaurant. This job didn’t pay much; I also needed to find a place to live. The only set back was the closer place to where my job resides is more money than to rent farther away. I also opted out to get health insurance because I wanted to save money, but I then regretting it after I “started having heart problems” and had to pay for my own visit. I believe no one should have to go without health insurance, I feel it is a basic right especially as an American citizen. I’m overcome by this exercise knowing people actually go through these struggles. They are stuck in a vicious cycle which keeps them from gaining access to more of an upper-middle class life.
ReplyDeleteAfter completing the PlaySpent exercise, what are your reactions? I was not sure what to expect before completing this exercise, but I realized just how difficult it is for unemployed Americans just to get through a week - I know how my parents feel now. I only made it to day 6, so I can only imagine how much more difficult it becomes throughout the course of a full week, month or even year. I chose to work as a restaurant server after failing the typing test while applying to be a temp, and also chose pay for insurance because in my mind, it is best to have coverage and get a health problem fixed for less than to wait until an issue becomes so bad that it requires a treatment that would be 10x more expensive than an insurance premium. I chose to live far away from my job, and had to have a yard sale because I could not rent out a storage unit, and the extra cash would only benefit me. My landlord decided to raise the rent, though, and I was stuck paying that with all the money I made at the yard sale - $150. I really feel like more people should be aware of this website and the exercise we completed for class. For some, maybe even a few other classmates, this is not just an exercise; this is reality. It should never be a question for a citizen to have job opportunities that will help them to support themselves and their families, but unfortunately, education is a big part in what holds Americans back. With this in mind, everyone should have access to education that will help them to succeed.
ReplyDeleteAfter playing this game I realized that it is a harsh reality for many people. This was a true eye opening experience. I never really took notice to how many things and factors can affect your life. The first time i tried the game i only lasted 12 days because i didn't think carefully about the choices i was making. The next time around i had to really take into account what i could afford and what i could not. I chose the job of the warehouse worker, mainly because it paid the most. The struggles i encountered though were wether or not to buy health insurance, miss a day of work because i was sick, etc.. I also had to make a lot of sacrifices. For example, i couldn't miss a day of work to go my kid's play. I had to decide between family and work. I chose work because i really needed the money, i couldn't afford a day with no pay. Playspent really opened my eyes to the harsh reality that living paycheck to paycheck is.
ReplyDeleteAfter completing the PlaySpent exercise, I became more aware of how a lot of people in America live. I chose to work as a waitress because I thought it would be the easiest job out of the three. I didn't choose health insurance because I couldn't afford it. I chose to somewhat close to my job because living really close would be more expensive but living really far would be hard on gas money. When it was time to shop for food, I couldn't buy that much food. I couldn't buy any fruit or vegetables because it was too expensive so I just ended up buying a bunch of ramen noodles. Because of work and lack of money, I had to distance myself from my family. I couldn't go to my kid’s school functions. I also couldn't visit my family that lived far away because I could afford it. I also was in a lot of debt because I borrowed a lot of money from friends. This exercise definitely opened my eyes to the issues and struggles that many Americans face. This exercise reminds me of the show Shameless. The family in the show are in the lower class and struggle every day to get food on the table and pay their bills. All these struggles keep them from moving up in the social class. This exercise has made me more sympathetic to people who have to struggle like this every day.
ReplyDeleteI was really surprised by the difficulty of making ends meet. I knew that it was hard, but I had no idea how incredibly stressful it was.
ReplyDeleteI chose to save as much money as possible, except when it came to things like the law, because I knew I couldn't afford to get arrested. I also decided to go for the heart pain, because how would my child survive if I died? I still felt incredibly guilty spending the money, and very stressed. I chose to work in a factory because I couldn't type fast enough to be a temp. I opted out of health insurance because it was too much money, I just hoped I wouldn't get sick. I chose a home far away from my job to try to save money. I was surprised by the amount of random, unexpected expenses which I had to deal with, even if it was only 60 dollars.
I really feel impressed by people who can live with so much stress and hardship. The American poor can barely make ends meet and survive for a month, so how would it be possible for them to think long term? It really made me realize how fortunate I am.
What is your reaction to this exercise? What struggles/issues do the American poor face that keep them from moving up in social class?
I struggled a lot with saving my money and figuring out what to spend it on. I chose to be a restaurant server because even though the salary was lower, I though that I would make up for it and even more with tips. I chose health insurance because I thought that it would pay off later in case of an emergency. If I opted out of health insurance, the hospital bills would be much greater in the long run. I chose to live far from work because it was the cheapest way of living. I held a yard sale because I was desperate for money and did not want to have to rely on my friends. I relied on public places such as the library for internet and shelters for cheap clothes. I bought cheap food and food off the dollar menu which in the long run, would affect my health. When deciding between my electric bill or gas bill, I chose the electric bill because heat and water are essential for my home. When deciding to send my kids on field trips or to pay sports, I had to say no because I did not have a dollar to waste. That was one of the toughest decisions because everyone wants their children to be able to play sports but I did not have the money for it.
ReplyDeleteThis exercise stressed me out. It made me prioritize what is really important and essential to stay alive with shelter and food. Living pay check to pay check was extremely hard with the risk of slipping into debt. The struggles and issues that Americans face that keep them from moving up in social class is the cycle of getting a paycheck then having to pay off all the bills. These people really do live pay check to paycheck, day by day. Once they earn money, they must pay off debts and bills which result back to the minimum amount of money people began with.
I actually had to think pretty hard about this. It really was a struggle. I chose to be a waitress because not only do I get paid, I have a bit of extra cash from tips. I tried to save money as much as possible. I tried to give my kid the best. I chose a home halfway from my work. I just thought it would would better because it was alright for both housing and travel price.
ReplyDeleteI never really noticed how hard it really is. This survey may even have gone a little lighter than how it truly is. It's hard moving up.
I chose to be Warehouse worker because it is a shift of 9 dollars an hour, I have enough muscle to lift 20 pounds and keep up with the other workers, and since I only work 7 hours so I can take care of kids and rest up for the next day. I decided to live 35 miles away from work, but the transportation money was very high and that was a mistake. I originally chose this to save money but I did not consider the costs of transportation. I had the option the pay for healthy insurance and I decided to not pay and hope to not get sick. That was a mistake because if I were to become deathly sick I genuinely could not pay it off and I could possibly die. A kid was playing outside my house and he hit my glass window and it shattered. I decided to get legal help and in reality I wasted a full day at the clinic and found out it will take 3 months of waiting to get legal help so I ended up paying it anyways. I was approached in the parking lot and a man who works at the same warehouse as me says he wants a union and better pay. I decide to walk away instead of opting in because I cant risk losing my job at this point. My best friend had here wedding and I decided not to go to the wedding because flying expenses were 350$ and also I would not be able to get outfits together and pay to stay over. I chose to pay my moms 100$ medication bill. Next I get a call to pay 250$ to pay for a vehicle and I decide to pay it and ran out of money on day 9 which is really embarrassing. I was shocked that I could only last 9 days. I think my main problem was that I would try to make moral decisions instead of making smart decisions. Some decisions I made because I literally did not have the money to pay for it. I faced many struggles and ran into problems especially involving medical bills.
ReplyDeleteMy reaction after completing the PlaySpent exercise was surprising. I honestly thought it was easier to get by in the world. The job I chose was to be a Waitress. I thought that being a waitress was a good job to choose you would get tips. I honestly thought that they would make more than 8$ an hour. Yes I did choose health assurance because since I was a waitress I would be handing food and interacting with all types of people and handling dirty money all the time. I choose to live farther away so my rent was cheaper but I spent most of my money on gas. I choose to live farther away because then rent was cheaper but the gas was more expensive but I believe that I wouldn't be filling up my gas tank every day. The other circumstances that affected my living expenses for the month was being able to feed my child and I. My child would have to get lunch stamps at school. The issue that I believe the American poor face from moving up in social class is that they will not get the job opportunities that the rich have available to them.
ReplyDeleteI chose a job as a factory worker because it had a higher pay with stable working hours. I opted for the health insurance because although I struggled with the initial expense, it was worth it in the end because it reduced necessary medical bills by a lot. I chose to live farther away from my job in a cheaper home. My traveling fees were expensive but all in all I made a good decision because all together it was cheaper. I did struggle with the lack of room I had in my house for all of my belongings. I had a yard sale in hope that it would compensate for the storage fees but unfortunately I made very little money. Like I previously mentioned, my house was a little cramped but I allowed my friend to stay with me because I needed the $200 that they were willing to pay for rent. Grocery shopping was stressful but I made it work by taking into account quantity more than quality. I purchased items such as ramen noodles and beans that were not healthy choices but were very filling and I was able to buy a larger quantity due to the low prices. I got to see the struggles that many Americans face in their child-parent relationship when there are financial issues going on. I shopped for my child at a thrift store, and had to miss his leading performance in a play so I could take on an opportunity to earn more money. I also was unable to get my child a math tutor but thankfully could help him myself... but it is very true that many people can not and I think it is safe to assume that once he was to reach a certain age, I probably wouldn't have been able to be of much assistance to him anymore. Although I had to sacrifice a lot of what I would've liked to have given my child, I did allow him to join a sports team and payed for the fees because I wanted to give him the experience. I skipped out on dental appointments, borrowed money from some of my friends (but always made sure I payed them back as soon as I got the chance) and made many more sacrifices in order to make it through the month.
ReplyDeleteI thought that this exercise was very eye opening. It really showed me what type of tough decisions that many struggling Americans face everyday, such as decisions between family and finances. It once again just displayed to me how fortunate I, along with many others, truly are that our families do not have to rely on food stamps, or give up necessities such as health insurance just to make ends meet. I have a lot of respect for people going through hard times, and I think that it is very important for more people to realize that not everyone in situations such as these has the opportunity to get out. For example, sure I could have gone back to school in order for me to make a bigger pay... But going back to school costed money that I didn't have and although I made it through, I was unable to get out of this slump by the end of the month.
After completing PlaySpent, I was shocked at how difficult it is to live unemployed and with a limit on how much money I can spend. I chose a job as a waitress because I assumed that tips would help raise my pay significantly. There were many obstacles in my job such as people trying to protest for more pay and loosing hours. Living off of less than minimum wage and tips while supporting a family is nearly impossible. I also chose and to live close to my job so I would not have to pay for transportation. I nearly went into debt after paying for an apartment, but living far away meant more money per year for transportation. Making these decisions were difficult and I hope I will never have to make decisions like these when I get a job and a home. I paid for health care and tried to give "my children" everything that was offered through out the game. I chose health insurance because I thought that ultimately it would be a good investment if I or somebody in my family got sick and needed to see a doctor. I did not use the health care once through out the game, but in real life I think it is an important thing to have. I was surprised how much money people spend per day. Money is a huge part of everyday life and without it it is almost impossible to live. It is impossible to get high paying jobs without a college degree and I was really surprised how many things can influence how much you get paid at work. In the game it seemed as though the whole world was against me and nothing was working out, which is the unfortunate reality of many people living in the US.
ReplyDeleteSeeing the situations poor people are faced with during this exercise was very disheartening. For my job, I tried to become a temp, but I could not type fast enough, which I found very surprising because I consider myself a fast typer. I then took a job as at a fast food restaurant and I chose to get health insurance because although it was costly, I knew living in poor conditions would likely cause some health issues to arise. I chose to live as far away from the city as I could because although transportation is expensive, it was still less than rent in the city. Unfortunately, I was fired part way through the month for having a dirty uniform. The lack of sympathy I saw here was astounding. In the short term, this actually made things easier for me because I did not pay any car related bills, not needing to go to the city anymore. I think a lot of less fortunate people may make this decision, but in the long term, this would really hurt them. I ended with $360 for the month, making my decision seem like the right choice. But for the months ahead, I do not know what I would have done without a car or job. PlaySpent showed me the tough decisions people in these situations have to face in day to day life. Not only big things that one would think of like whether or not to get health insurance, but whether or not to take $10 from your child. In this situation, I chose to take the money so that I could pay for groceries that would be beneficial for my child, but there is still a moral aspect to this that is not sound. Also while playing this game, I had this feeling that no matter what I did I could not get out. Just as wealth breeds wealth, lack there of leads to more poverty.
ReplyDeleteI always understood that people living in the lower class struggle, and usually live from paycheck to paycheck, but I didn’t know how hard it actually was until I was placed in a similar situation. I chose to work as a warehouse worker because I originally failed the writing test, and the pay wasn’t bad. I also chose this job because it was an easy way to keep me distracted and busy during the day, preventing me from staring at the clock. I also chose health insurance because I believe that it is completely necessary in any family to be protected. If your son breaks his leg, it is easily to find a doctor that complies with your health insurance rather than paying the full price for the leg surgery that he will need. Although, it is a great deal of money I believe that it is crucial to have. I chose to live a bit farther away because the living accommodations and monthly payments seemed reasonable. Although it will cost more for daily gas money, this house was the most affordable and qualified area for my family and I. Something that affected my family’s expenses the most was the spending money that my son constantly needed. I was asked if he could have $10 to go on a field trip with his class, and even though $10 here and $15 there doesn’t seem like a lot at the time, it definitely adds up. I was also presented with a situation where my son needed $10 for a present for his friend’s birthday party. The choices were to give him the money, send him without a present, or keep him from going to the party. Therefore, this exercise appealed to your emotions and made you feel sympathy towards the boy thinking, “how could I send him without a present, or keep him home?” It’s just not morally right. I believe that this exercise was effective in expressing the ways that these families struggle on a daily basis. Unfortunately these families living in these lower classes are basically stuck in the situation that they were put in. Although they may have jobs, they do not make enough money to live comfortably.
ReplyDeletePlaying this game really opened my eyes to the poverty in the world. I chose to be a waitress as my job because they get paid a decent amount of money but I had to make most of it off of my tips. Which meant treating the customers right. I did intact choose to have health insurance because I believe that it is important to be supported by your insurance, especially in cases where money is very little. I had chosen to rent an apartment for $50 a month which is good for a person who is on a budget. The hard part about playing this game was pleasing my son. He either had birthday parties, no money for lunch or wanted to buy ice cream. And playing this game really showed me how little many parents can give their children. Parents always want to give everything they can for their children but with limitations in a shortage of money. My son would go to school everyday while I was at work. Whatever left overs I could bring from work I would. The more I got the less I had to go out and buy. When working at a restaurant I didn't get my money every week I would get my check every 2 weeks, so I really had to support my son and I from my tips and health insurance supported us as well. With the money that I made I still had to pay off debts and bills and my sons field trips. It wasn't easy. Living in conditions where you are always on a budget is not the easiest thing in the world. My son and his friend wanted ice cream from the ice cream truck but I couldn't give it to him because I knew that we needed to save our money on more important things. All the decision that I made with money were all very critical. I only reached level 12, after losing all my money for paying the rent. This game was a great exercise to realize the real family struggles out in the world. Living a comfortable life is what everybody wants. Not over thinking if getting ice cream for your son will ruin you.
ReplyDeleteI chose the job of a waitress, because I figured I could make extra money on tips. However, I was let go once I tried meeting up with another worker that was forming a union to demand higher pay. I also chose health insurance, because I believe that it is something everyone should have in case something happens. I chose to live a little far from the city where I work, but not far enough into the wilderness where transportation would be too expensive. However, once the owner of the apartment raised the living expenses, I couldn't pay it and I was forced to move out. One of the circumstances that most affected my expenses for the month was grocery shopping. I opted to buy a lot of canned goods and cereal because they have a longer shelf life and can be conserved. As hard as I tried to be frugal, even a couple of cans of beans set me over my limit. I ran out of money grocery shopping on day 19, and I was extremely shocked.
ReplyDeleteThere are definitely a limitless amount of struggles/issues that American poor face that keep them from moving up in social class like work, health care, where they live, what food they buy, etc. It's amazing how much a single event can effect your spending money for the month. I definitely have a better outlook on what the poor go through, and I can see why things like food stamps, clothing drives, and help from the public can really change people's lives.