Educational browser game about budgeting and prioritising while being poor.
http://playspent.org/
Fairly effective tool though, I've got to give praise to the presentation.
One thing that it didn't note (and it seemed fairly good at this in general) was the staring $1000. Having a grand in your back pocket is a pretty privileged situation and most of the requests are nigh impossible without that starting fund. Even with it, it's far from easy.
It's an interesting setup. Present realistic, best case options (Hired straight away instead of job hunting for months/years) with realistic consequences (fired for talking to union rep) and it's immediately obvious that the system is fucked. Of course, this is nothing new to anyone who's been in this kind of situation. Might get a few more people talking about in-work poverty and such.
There's also probably mileage to be had in making a libertarian version of this.
Very well done, I will now try to reach a month.
Oh man, the end of the month thing is just vicious.
I got to the end of the month by hoarding every penny and now my kids hate me and we're all starving and I still only came out with about 50 bux.
Quote from: Faust on November 19, 2013, 03:23:08 PM
I got to the end of the month by hoarding every penny and now my kids hate me and we're all starving and I still only came out with about 50 bux.
You managed to pay rent???
Quote from: :regret: on November 19, 2013, 03:24:22 PM
Quote from: Faust on November 19, 2013, 03:23:08 PM
I got to the end of the month by hoarding every penny and now my kids hate me and we're all starving and I still only came out with about 50 bux.
You managed to pay rent???
I did but only by basically not spending anything.
Oh and I took in a lodger who brought in 200, and an extra 200 after he got real drunk and smashed up the place.
I made it through the month. Barely. Think I had 2 dollars at the end.
I just answered how we are currently handling things. It's a very accurate game.
Quote from: Pæs on November 19, 2013, 09:37:03 AM
Educational browser game about budgeting and prioritising while being poor.
http://playspent.org/
Oooh, I can play a game that's exactly like my real life!
Made it to the end of the month with $680. Got sacked for talking to a union dude so I'll make a fuckton more next month when I do over the bosses place. :evil:
Quote from: Mrs. Nigelson on November 19, 2013, 04:30:16 PM
Quote from: Pæs on November 19, 2013, 09:37:03 AM
Educational browser game about budgeting and prioritising while being poor.
http://playspent.org/
Oooh, I can play a game that's exactly like my real life!
Also, this. I'm living pretty now but 10 or 15 years ago? Starting the game with a grand in my pocket? LOL :kingmeh:
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on November 19, 2013, 04:31:59 PM
Quote from: Mrs. Nigelson on November 19, 2013, 04:30:16 PM
Quote from: Pæs on November 19, 2013, 09:37:03 AM
Educational browser game about budgeting and prioritising while being poor.
http://playspent.org/
Oooh, I can play a game that's exactly like my real life!
Also, this. I'm living pretty now but 10 or 15 years ago? Starting the game with a grand in my pocket? LOL :kingmeh:
:lulz: I have $92 in my bank account right now, until the end of the month.
I've got about the same but I suspect I go through a bit more "disposable income" than you do :sad:
I'm not as bad off at the moment as the situation in the game, but there are a LOT of decisions I have to make based on keeping a roof over my head and food in my belly that I really wish I could decide differently.
Flatmates, Transport and not buying things for myself that I probably should.
In any case, I got through the month by being a complete asshole, losing my job three times over and would probably feel like such a useless shitbag at the end of it I'd probably off myself in real life.
The first time I played I went by 'family values'. Lost the game on day six. Second time I went by what I thought I should do and made it through the month with $413.
Playing the moves I thought I would play in those situations, I made it with 624 dollars. Good game, my 13-year-old son got drawn in.
Quote from: holist on November 19, 2013, 11:19:19 PM
Playing the moves I thought I would play in those situations, I made it with 624 dollars. Good game, my 13-year-old son got drawn in.
Before or after rent? Remember the end message? you have X money left, but tomorrow rent is due, or something to that effect. The lowest possible rent is 650 iirc.
Quote from: :regret: on November 20, 2013, 09:16:34 AM
Quote from: holist on November 19, 2013, 11:19:19 PM
Playing the moves I thought I would play in those situations, I made it with 624 dollars. Good game, my 13-year-old son got drawn in.
Before or after rent? Remember the end message? you have X money left, but tomorrow rent is due, or something to that effect. The lowest possible rent is 650 iirc.
:( oh. Yes, I did, and in fact I moved as close to work (warehouse packing) as possible, so my rent was higher. So I made it to the end of the month and now face eviction or getting into debt... well.
I think there are a number of aspects to living cheaply that weren't included (and which are not included in the zeitgeist, either, which makes living on little money that much harder for those without much of an inclination for lateral thinking). The foodstuffs were all wrong (I'd go brown rice, the cheap fruit and veg at the nearest market, oil and animal fat in bulk), there's free energy to be had in most underprivileged urban landscapes, and had there been an option to grow my own food, I would have moved further from work and use any garden I have...). The health things... well I won't go into that. But a large drum of ascorbic acid (cheapest, synthetic) and a few other relatively cheap bits and bobs go a long way towards staying healthy, along with eating and moving habits.
Quote from: holist on November 20, 2013, 11:13:29 AM
Quote from: :regret: on November 20, 2013, 09:16:34 AM
Quote from: holist on November 19, 2013, 11:19:19 PM
Playing the moves I thought I would play in those situations, I made it with 624 dollars. Good game, my 13-year-old son got drawn in.
Before or after rent? Remember the end message? you have X money left, but tomorrow rent is due, or something to that effect. The lowest possible rent is 650 iirc.
:( oh. Yes, I did, and in fact I moved as close to work (warehouse packing) as possible, so my rent was higher. So I made it to the end of the month and now face eviction or getting into debt... well.
I think there are a number of aspects to living cheaply that weren't included (and which are not included in the zeitgeist, either, which makes living on little money that much harder for those without much of an inclination for lateral thinking). The foodstuffs were all wrong (I'd go brown rice, the cheap fruit and veg at the nearest market, oil and animal fat in bulk), there's free energy to be had in most underprivileged urban landscapes, and had there been an option to grow my own food, I would have moved further from work and use any garden I have...). The health things... well I won't go into that. But a large drum of ascorbic acid (cheapest, synthetic) and a few other relatively cheap bits and bobs go a long way towards staying healthy, along with eating and moving habits.
Not having a car is another one.
Still, it is quite an accurate representation of being poor.