Facilitator's Guide - PBS

ACTIVITIES
Activity One - Needs vs. Wants
Materials Needed: “T chart” found in the appendix
The facilitator should begin the activity by asking the following questions:
a One of the experts, Michelle Singletary, says, “Anytime you go shopping
you should ask yourself, is this a need or a want?”
Is this how you decide when to spend money? Why or why not?
b What is the difference between a need and a want?
“Anytime you go
shopping, you should ask
yourself, is this a need or
is this a want?”
---- Michelle Singletary
The facilitator should distribute a copy of the T chart to each participant and have them label one column
“Wants” and one column “Needs.”
Next, the facilitator should provide a list of items someone might want or need such as: rent, car or other modes of transportation, coffee, milk, cable,
paper towels, cell phone, bottled water, etc.
Divide the room into two sections, one side being “wants” and the other “needs.” Read off the list of items again and have the students move to the
“needs” or “wants” side of the room and explain their choices.
!
Facilitator Tip: Having the participants physically move helps make the point how fluid our choices really are and how everyone sees them
differently. What may be a “want” for one person might be a “need” for another, depending on personal situations.
Each participant should then list his/her current needs and wants in the appropriate “T chart” columns.
Discussion should follow with participants sharing information.
The facilitator should conclude this activity with the following:
Emphasize that every financial choice has consequences.
Activity Two - Personal Spending Plan
20% for debt payments
30% for rent
10% for savings
Materials Needed: “Personal Spending Plan” found in the appendix
The facilitator should begin the activity by asking the following
questions:
a Experts believe that once you look at your monthly budget, you
can see where the money is going. Why do you think this is
important to do?
b Do any of you actually write up a budget like Min Lwin did—-keeping track of expenses versus income? If not, why not?
The facilitator should distribute a copy of the “Personal Spending Plan” for each participant.
The facilitator should then direct participants to:
a List their monthly income(s)
b List their monthly expenses: They should include fixed and variable expenses, for example, rent is fixed, utilities are variable.
c List their discretionary expenses. For example, entertainment, ie. movies, concerts, etc.
d Participants should then total all expenses and subtract this figure from their monthly income(s).
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