Introducing The Oregon Trail Guide to Personal Finance

Have you ever hunted buffalo, walked your family to exhaustion, contracted dysentery, and ended up in Oregon all in the same hour? If you have, you’ve played The Oregon Trail (or you’ve had a hell of a day. Either one. I’m not here to judge).

I’ve never been a big gamer but starting in the 3^rd grade, when my elementary school had one computer that we had to sign up to use (with a partner), I’ve been a fan of The Oregon Trail. It’s hard to place my finger on what exactly it is about the game that I love so much, but I do. There’s just something about it that’s intriguing and exciting (and informational!) at the same time. I guess since I’m kind of dork, I like games that are fun and educational.  So when I found the app for my iPad, I was instantly hooked. Again. Like I was in 3^rd grade, waiting my turn to play.

And do I play the game (it’s much nicer now that I can play it whenever I feel like, without having to wait my turn. Yup, I’m kind of impatient). Constantly. The more I play, though, the more I realize that The Oregon Trail isn’t just a game to play to simulate what pioneers did back in the 1800s (and give us an opportunity to kill bunnies and die of cholera. Which is always a good time). No, it’s more than that. The Oregon Trail is really our first introduction to finance and budgeting. But it’s done in such a way that you don’t realize what’s actually going on.

Think about it. In the old school version, you only get so much money, based on your profession, in the beginning to shop at the general store to buy all the supplies you need. Then you had to make due as you went along the trail until you got to a fort and could shop at another store. There were some chances in between to earn a little more but for the most part, you had to be frugal. You had to save your leftover money. You had to ration your bullets. You had to ration your food, supplies, and everything else.  You had to make sure that your family was surviving on whatever you were able to provide. And in the new (and much snarkier) version, there’s so much more than that.

There’s so much more, in fact, that I realized the game is really just a cleverly disguised guide to personal finance. But I’m onto them. I figured it out. And now I’m going to share it with you.

With that, I introduce The Oregon Trail Guide to Personal Finance.

I know you’re thinking “Wow, that sounds intriguing! What’s included in The Oregon Trail Guide to Personal Finance?” (or you could also be thinking “What the hell is she talking about?” Totally understandable).  I’m glad you asked. Here’s what you can expect as you read through this fine guide:

Part 1: Preparing for the journey

Part 2: Shopping at the general store

Part 3: Surviving the trail

Part 4: Arrival in Oregon: Reflections on the journey

While I can’t promise that this will teach you everything you need to know about personal finance, I can assure you that, at the very least, this 4 part series will provide many of the basics you need to get started on your own personal finance journey.  You will learn tips and tricks for making the most of your money, surviving on little, growing your bank account, and much more, all as presented in my favorite game of all time, The Oregon Trail.