A few weeks ago, I discovered this website: playspent.org

The idea is to pretend you are the working poor facing a series of typical choices and figuring out how to live on $1000/month. While the game is seriously flawed (ex., it leaves out many, many options and only gives 2 choices per event), it still is eye opening. It made me realize how many options I have and things that I take for granted. It also made me realize exactly where I place my values.

For instance, every option that I was given that would benefit my child, I chose to pay for regardless of what it would do to me financially. I found that I was always honest in situations where I had the choice not to be. I tried to pay all bills that I could except for my car; I figured if I were really in that situation, I would just take the bus. I never took a payday loan. I bought the healthiest food I could.

I know that all of these decisions were made because of where I came from. I know my experience led me to make those decisions because regardless of economics, that’s how I think. It’s what I’ve been taught and it’s what I learned and I cannot separate those from any economic situation. But it does beg the question of what would I do if I really had to make those decisions.

I wish I could answer that question. I respect those who are going through these situations and I thank G-d that I’m fortunate enough that for me, this is only a game.

What do you think you would do if this were your reality?