It is actually REALLY fun!~
I don’t use a book though...
I make it up...
First I tell them that they have to have an apartment...
To find what they “want” and then send me links...
(I open a folder for each of them on my server...we keep all of their info (not personal) in their folder and they get to print it all out and keep it)..
Then...we discuss wages and (some) taxes...
Then we discuss room-mates...
(we also throw in some practical...let’s discuss what makes a good/bad room-mate.....it’s a good chance to talk about life...choices and their (mostly) crummy parents...)
We discuss 1 vs 2 vs 3 room-mates...and how possibly getting a house to rent is an idea..
We then go through making an Excel table.
(Totally fun because they can frequently show ME stuff...I give extra credit for teaching the teacher...)
Then, we go through things like cars and insurance etc...
THEN...we get into checking accounts and reconciling your account...(much different than when I was a kid..since MANY will never likely have checks)...
We also talk a TON about savings...these are NOT kids who come from families who save money..at all...
We have probably 1 whole WEEK on Credit Cards...and the traps...
I make them all find a story online of a credit card disaster story and they get to share it...
We spend a BUNCH of time working out percents and interest...and what “compounded” means...
Anyway...I also have them practice filling out forms...tons of forms..
They have a list to chose from...and they have to pick 10 and fill them out...
Bank account #’s
SS#’s
Names
Addresses
References
Etc...
(usually, depending on the make up of the group..I then TAKE their info (which they have freely given me on their work), and fill it in on some bogus application for a Target card or whatever...trying to illustrate just how easy it is to get phished)...
So...
It’s a really “good” time...sometimes we finish off with a game of Life...and I offer them an ice cream party...or, they can put their “party” in “the bank” and watch it grow into pizza at the end of the year/semester...
Also...we do a “thing” on Starbucks...and pretend to invest $4.00 per week to see JUST HOW MUCH 1 coffee per week would be worth when you’re 53 years old (invested at 35 years at an aggressive 12% return compounded monthly..)
(it’s $13,500 by the way)...
We talk about buying houses...and interest rates...points...closing costs...different loans...
etc..
Really a FUN, FUN time for all...
I’ve had a speaker come out from the bank to talk to them..
They always bring magnets...would you guess that high school kids still like getting magnets?
Really funny...
Anyway...enough of my BOOK!
:-)
Can you tell I LIKE my job???
That sounds like a fun program. I’ll bet the students do enjoy it.
The workbook my son used last year was middle school-level, but it had the same types of exercises, such as filling out applications for a job and an apartment, opening a bank account, managing a budget, etc. He loved it, but it wasn’t as extensive as the project you described.