I know it gets crazy at the end of the year but great things happened this week with our Career Tech Students. At the Reality Check event in the old gym, students had to deal with real life situations through adulthood, navigating the difficulty through financial responsibility. Each student had a piece of paper telling them if they were married or single or had kids or no kids. The paper also told you what kind of job you had and how much you make along with your monthly balance that you had to spend that month on necessities. They began by selecting their “dream home”, only to realize the hefty price tags that came with them. Then, they had to get insurance on their home, understanding the necessity of protecting their investments with home and car insurance. As they progressed, the reality of budgeting became apparent, especially for those with families. Expenses mounted quickly, with the addition of childcare, healthcare, and education and many more expenses like groceries, furniture, self needs, entertainment ect.. Marriage brought shared financial burdens, while single individuals sometimes with low-income jobs faced challenges of making ends meet, often resorting to side hustles to supplement their income. Through this immersive experience, students gained a deep appreciation for the financial decisions adults face daily., equipping them with valuable skills for their future. As our instructors walked around they started writing down comments from students. Here are a few of their favorites:
What?? I have kids and a wife...NO WAY
I may need to get a 2nd job to support my habits
Um..... I cant get my nails done every 2 weeks???
Why are groceries so high, I can't afford $600/month for a family of 4
UGH I got a speeeding ticket, how do I pay this??
Um I can't pay for the house I want..
I will never shop at the goodwill..
Like I didn't want a husband, but he does make 100K a year so there's that......actually it's kinda helpful
I have to pay a water and electric bill every month...this can't be happening...
Adulting is harder than I thought...I had to go back and get a terrible car!
Insurance for my eyes, I didn't know we could get that...another student: yeah, it's called vision insurance, but I can't figure out why Health insurance won't cover braces for my kid!?