Spent

Spent is an online "game" of sorts that simulates the experiences and ups and downs of the budget for a person who is barely surviving economically. It is formatted well and easy to use and a great tool for helping people see how difficult it is to live on a low wage.

I don't think I learned much specific as far as new information from the site, but it did remind me of worries I have had at other times in my life, such as the grocery shopping exercise. Healthy foods are very expensive. It is easier to live off of soup, hot dogs and spaghetti than worry about fat, sodium and fiber content, which would require a sacrifice in other areas.

The game format was helpful to illustrate how the bank balance was going up or (mostly) down. The timeline to the right also helped emphasize how many days were left in the month. I also liked that the game gave feedback on the choices I made and what people typically do in the same situations.

I do not feel like the game was biased. There were some unfortunate circumstances, but they were all plausible and in life it does seem that we get kicked when we are down sometimes, even if it is just because we have less coping skills as things mount. In fact, I thought it was strange that while I did have a job there was no expense for childcare. Infant care usually starts at over $100 per week, which would have broken my bank. Also, the grocery shopping part did not say for how long I needed to shop, so I only spent $30, which, of course my child and I could never live on for a month. If anything, I think it was easier than real life.

Another group of citizens that could be represented by a virtual experience like this could be a person with a decent job and insurance that has a medical crisis and the issues they have to deal with such as missing work, insurance company denying claims, calls from collections, etc.

I really liked this and plan to share it with friends.