Economics Personal Finance Budgeting Project (Print & Digital!)

I'm Mrs. P and I'd love to help you increase student engagement while you're teaching personal finance! "Learn by doing" when it comes to finances will allow your students to explore their financial futures in a structured, thorough, and exciting way. Every year my seniors tell me that this was the most important and valuable project they completed in their high school careers. They leave my classroom with the confidence they need to tackle finances head on and lead a successful financial future.

The Personal Finance Project for Economics is an engaging, realistic approach to teaching high school students how to properly create a budget. Each of the 10 assignments asks students to examine a different element of budgeting while thinking through their values and plans for the future. As they enter the adult world, they need to be prepared to face financial realities and pay their bills responsibly. This project will help get them ready for that reality.

This project can be taught in multiple ways. I teach this as a semester-long project where students complete the assignments mostly at home. They complete and submit each assignment on the due date. I space out the assignment so that one is due approximately every other week. You could also use this project as a personal finance unit during class time for about 2-2.5 weeks until all the assignments are completed.

This project includes 2022 updates that provide a bit more scaffolding for the assignments, a restructuring of the topics, and more options for formatting and implementation! This project is compatible with distance, online, or in person learning. See included instruction formats below! For options that use Google Apps, students just make a copy and they can use all the included resources! Links are in the included START HERE! PFP Teacher Instructions PDF.

For each assignment, students will:

-Complete one or more reflection and/or research-based written portion which thoroughly examines the topic

-Update their budget in light of their reflections, values, and research

Topics Covered:

-Future, Career, & Monthly Income

-Housing & Transportation

-Food

-Health Insurance, Utilities, & Bills

-Clothing, Entertainment, Shopping, & Other Expenses

-Debt & Educational Loans

-Investment, Saving, Charity, & Gifts

-Adult Budgeting Interview

-Final Budget & Reflection

-Maintaining a Budget & Project Reflection

What's Included:

-PDF of Student Packet

-Editable Student Packet (MS Word, PPT, & Google Slides formats)

-Advice for Implementation & Grading (no rubric included)

-Link to Digital Budget Template on Google Sheets (find link in the START HERE! PDF)

Versions of the Students' Project Packet:

• PFP Print PDF: If you do not wish to make any changes to the project, you can simply use this version and print off enough packets for all of your students. There is space for students to physically write their responses using a pen/pencil and space for students to update their budget with each assignment.
• PFP Print Word (or Google Docs) Version: This version is editable so you can make changes using MS Word and then print it out for your students to write on using a pen/pencil. Also available as a Google Docs version. Link in the included START HERE! PDF.
• PFP Word Version: This version is editable and students can type directly onto their own digital copy of the document. They would need MS Word. This might work for you if your school uses One Drive.
• PFP Simple PDF Version: If you just want your students to use the instructions but write their responses on their own Google Docs or lined paper, this version includes directions but no space for students to write. This version is shorter and therefore more printer friendly at 18 pages long (9 pages total if you print double sided).
• PFP Simple Word (or Google Docs) Version: If you just want your students to use the instructions but write their responses on their own Google Docs or lined paper, this version includes directions but no space for students to write. This version is shorter and therefore more printer friendly at 18 pages long (9 pages total if you print double sided). This version allows you to edit in MS Word. Also available as a Google Docs version. Link in the included START HERE! PDF.
• PFP Google Slides Version: An editable version using Google Slides. Students can type their responses directly onto the Google Slides after making their own copies. Link in the included START HERE! PDF. There are hyperlinks in the Google Slides for easier navigation. You can edit your copy of the Google Slides to suit your needs before students make a copy of your copy.
• PFP Google Docs Version: An editable version using Google Docs. Students can type their responses directly onto the Google Doc after making their own copies. Link in the included START HERE! PDF. There are hyperlinks for easier navigation. You can edit your copy of the Google Docs to suit your needs before students make a copy of your copy.

Materials Needed:

-Student access to computers and printers for researching and completing the assignments

To reduce tech issues, please be sure to have the most recent free version of Adobe Reader downloaded. More help linked here.

Note: all Google Drive versions appear in the START HERE! PDF. As of right now, there is no way to copy a folder in Google so for right now you will need to open the PDF and make a copy of each digital resource using the provided links and instructions.

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