Poverty Simulator

SIMULATION PURPOSE

  • Experience what living as an ALICE household means today in Marshall County.
  • See how inflation is creating impossible choices. Food or healthcare? On a tight family budget, with costs of living increasing, those are the decisions that must be made.
  • Understand how United Way fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in Marshall County.

Make 1 Choice For Each:

  • Housing
  • Healthcare
  • Food
  • Transportation
  • Technology
  • Child Care
  • Utilities
  • Spending Money
     

15 Credits & 8 Decisions

  • Your 15 credits is your household budget for the month.
  • You will have options worth between 1 and 3 credits for each of the 8 categories.
  • Will you have 1 meal a day or 3? Have reliable transportation or not? Dependable childcare so you can work?
  • Inflation means your credits (dollars) don't stretch as far as you need.
  • Let's see what you decide.

Family of 4

YOUR MONTHLY INCOME COMES IN THE FORM OF 15 CREDITS

Two Parents, Two Kids
HOUSING - SELECT ONE
Studio apartment (1 bedroom), 1 bath, unfurnished, no patio/deck/yard, street parking only, stove only
3 bedroom apartment, 1 bath unfurnished, covered patio, 1 covered parking space, stove and refrigerator
2 bedroom house, 1 1/2 bath, unfinished, small fenced yard, 2 car garage, stove, refrigerator and dishwasher

HEALTH CARE - SELECT ONE
No health insurance, you pay for all health related costs
Health insurance for you through your employer but no health insurance for your family members
Health insurance for you and your family through your employer

FOOD PER PERSON - SELECT ONE

TRANSPORTATION - SELECT ONE
No public transportation

TECHNOLOGY ACCESS - SELECT ONE
no computer or tv
no cable or computer

CHILD CARE - CHOOSE ONE
an unreliable family member a few times a week, may not be available
reliable family member or neighbor, three times a week
All week full service childcare, during work hours

UTILITIES - CHOOSE ONE
Skip this month's bill, face disconnect services

SPENDING MONEY - CHOOSE ONE
No extra money left after bills are paid
$20 extra left over each week after all the bills are paid
$50 extra left over each week after all the bills are paid

Remaining Credits

Housing1

Housing2

Housing3

Health1

Healthcare2

Healthcare3

Food1

Food2

Food3

Transportation1

transportation2

transportation3

 

technology1

technology2

technology3

Childcare 1

childcare2

Childcare3

Utility1

Utility2

Utility3

 

Spending1

Spending2

Spending3

15

You are OUT OF CREDITS!