3.19.4
“A Teenager’s Spending Plan”
Family Economics & Financial Education
Life Of…..
Mandy Gonzales
Get ready to Take Charge
of Your Finances
3.19.4
© Family Economics & Financial Education — November 2007 — Life of…Mandy Gonzales — Page 2
Funded by a grant from Take Charge America, Inc. to the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences Take Charge America Institute at The University of Arizona
Family Economics & Financial Education
Mandy Gonzales
It is Friday morning and Mandy is on her way to school. Mandy is a junior at Pueblo High School where she is on the
varsity cheer squad. Tonight is the big homecoming game. Mandy enjoys cheerleading because it helps her to stay in
shape and she enjoys spending time with all of the friends she has made.
At the end of every summer the cheerleading squad goes to a two week camp in California. The cost of the camp is $350
and this includes transportation, housing, and food. Mandy’s parents told her that she must pay for all the costs
associated with her extra-curricular activities. In order to pay for the expenses Mandy works three days a week, including
Saturdays, at the Tasty Freeze a few blocks from her house. Mandy also helps her family by baby– sitting for her sister,
Carmine. Carmine idealizes Mandy. She loves to watch Mandy participate in cheerleading and hopes one day she will
join the squad. The rest of Mandy’s week is reserved for school work, practices, and her church related activities.
Mandy attends St. Francis Catholic Church. She is a part of the church youth group and a member of their choir. This
Sunday, the church youth group is having a bake sale to earn money for the annual youth group weekend retreat.
Mandy’s step-mother Connie is providing the ingredients for rice krispies treats that Mandy must prepare and donate to
be sold. Mandy loves being a part of the church choir. She understands that gaining musical experience will help her to
achieve her goal of attending a local university to become a music teacher. The first big concert is Sunday night. Mandy
must spend $50 on a black knee length skirt, white collared button down shirt, black flats, and a red bow tie for her
concert attire.
Mandy lives with her father Roberto, her step-mother Connie, her three year old-step sister Carmine, brother Bobby,
and grandmother Lolita. In addition to working as a full time construction worker Roberto does side jobs mostly on the
weekends to help meet financial goals within his family. This week Roberto had to decide to not work two jobs so that
he can attend Mandy’s game on Friday and her church concert on Sunday night. He is very proud of his daughter and
feels that by going to her extra curricular events, he is showing her support. Connie is a stay at home mom and takes care
of Carmine. To help with the financial expenses, Connie does clothing alteration from the home.
Roberto and Connie want to turn their storage shed into a workshop for Roberto and Connie’s side jobs. However, this
has to be approved by Roberto’s mother, Lolita. Lolita is very generous to her family but does not like change. Lolita is
in her 70s and is having a slow recovery from surgery and needs help with daily activities. Lolita gave her car to Mandy
and Connie because she cannot drive anymore. Lolita pays for her own health insurance and Roberto and Connie pay
for all other expenses in exchange for Lolita allowing them to live in her home.
Mandy’s older brother dropped out of Pueblo High School earlier this year. He finds it hard to follow the rules of
conventional school. Eventually he wants to earn his GED. Bobby is currently working at a fast food restaurant. Bobby
does not get along with the family because he refuses to help with the household expenses within the household.
Roberto has given him one month to help before he intends on forcing Bobby to move out.
Directions: The following information is a Snapshot on Mandy and her family. Read all information carefully
to make wise decisions when creating a spending plan for the Gonzales family.
Snapshot
3.19.4
© Family Economics & Financial Education — November 2007 — Life of…Mandy Gonzales — Page 3
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Family Economics & Financial Education
Mandys Income
The goal is to create a spending plan that balances Mandy’s expenses with her income.
She cannot have more expenses than income.
Transportation
Mandy shares her grandmother’s car with her step mother Connie. The
cost of gas for the car is $100. Mandy and Connie share the car so they
each pay $50 in gas per month.
Cellular Phone
Mandy is on her family’s cell phone plan. This plan includes unlimited
text messaging . Mandy was charged fees one month for going over her
text messaging limit so she now has a more expensive plan. Her cell
phone costs $75 per month.
Other
On pages 8-9 there are many other items such as a makeup, clothing,
and entertainment options. All costs are identified in red. You may
choose as many of these items as Mandy can afford to purchase.
Saving
To continue participating in her extra curricular activities Mandy must
save for her cheerleading uniform and camp as well as her choir outfit.
To help reach this goal Mandy saves $100 per month.
Mandys Expenses
The expenses Mandy is responsible for are described below. When creating Mandy’s Spending Plan, be sure to
consider her values, needs and wants before selecting items.
Tasty Freeze
Mandy works after school and on the weekends at Tasty Freeze. She
earns $7.45 per hour and works sixteen hours a week.
Mandy enjoys being a part of cheerleading and the choir but finds it difficult to balance her job, school work, and
extra curricular activities. Mandy is not willing to give up her activities because they are helping to give her the
experience to achieve her long term goals such as attending the University of Arizona to be a music teacher.
However, Mandy understands that she must pay for all extra curricular activity expenses. She currently works
part-time at Tasty Freeze. Mandy enjoys the social aspect of working at Tasty Freeze and is a very good
employee.
Snapshot
3.19.4
© Family Economics & Financial Education — November 2007 — Life of…Mandy Gonzales — Page 4
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Family Economics & Financial Education
Housing
Roberto and Connie live in Lolita’s house which is older, but has been paid for.
Because Roberto is good at maintenance he does all of the work on his own. They
allocate $500 each month to spend on utilities, repairs, and other housing expenses
including television and cellular phones described on pages 5 and 6. They must
pay for the monthly utilities, but the other expenses are optional. When making
housing decisions for the family, remember $575 is the maximum amount for all
housing expenses.
Transportation
The Gonzales family has expenses for two cars. Roberto is making payments on a
truck which is ideal for his weekend work on his side jobs. Connie and Mandy are
paying for the gas of Lolita’s car. Connie pays $50 per month towards gas for
Lolita’s car. Their expenses are $400 per month for both vehicles.
Insurance
The Gonzales family pays $500 each month for insurance with limited coverage.
Their homeowner’s, disability, life and auto insurance costs for all vehicles are
included. Since Mandy took a drivers education course she receives a safe driver
discount as well as a good student discount on her insurance. The family receives
full health benefits from Roberto’s employer for a $225.00 deduction each month.
Food
Connie is very resourceful and stretches food dollars as far as she can. Mandy
often eats at Tasty Freeze on the days that she works there. The family does not
eat out often. Each month the Gonzales family allocates $600 for food.
Credit Card
Balance
A large portion of what Connie and Roberto make each month goes towards credit
card debt. They currently have $3,000 in credit card debt with a minimum
payment of $75 monthly. They try hard to pay $100 per month to help reduce
the balance faster. Currently, their credit history is in good standing because they
do not make late payments.
Mandy’s
Expenses
Mandy’s father and step-mother work together to ensure she has the basic
necessities such as clothing, toiletries and other personal items. They understand
that she works very hard at her part-time job yet want her to understand the
important of working hard therefore demands her to pay for her extra curricular
activity expenses.
Gonzales Family Expenses
Directions: The chart below describes the Gonzales’s major expenditures; housing, transportation, insurance
food, and credit card debt. Read each category below to determine how much is allocated for each expenditure.
A house and vehicle need to be selected for the family from the options on pages 5-7. The total amount allowed
for all housing and transportation expenses are described below and must not be exceeded when completing the
Gonzales family spending plan on pages 13-14.
Snapshot
3.19.4
© Family Economics & Financial Education — November 2007 — Life of…Mandy Gonzales — Page 5
Funded by a grant from Take Charge America, Inc. to the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences Take Charge America Institute at The University of Arizona
Family Economics & Financial Education
Directions: Choose one home for the Gonzales family. Consider the size of the family, age
of all family members and the family’s lifestyle. The
Utilities and Taxes
cost includes
heat, electricity, water, sewer and garbage. Refer to page 4 for the total amount allotted for
housing expenses ($575) and record the following housing others for the Gonzales family
on page 13 of the spending plan.
House A
This is 2110 sq. ft. house built in 1978 has 4
bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a den. A pool and
covered parking is also included. The house is
equipped with a dishwasher, stove, oven, and
central air along with the fireplace in the living
room.
Utilities & Taxes: $246.62
Repairs: $25.00
House B
A newer home built in 2003 is a single story 1287
sq. ft. 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home. This
provides a two car covered car port and patio.
Along with the fireplace in the master bedroom it
also has a dishwasher, stove, oven, central air and
garbage disposal.
Utilities & Taxes: $510.04
Repairs: $15.00
House C
This 2102 sq. ft. 1962 home has 5 bedrooms and
2 bathrooms. It sits on a huge lot that is fenced
in. The patios are covered. This home has a
dishwasher, oven, stove, garbage disposal, and
central air.
Utilities & Taxes: $325.59
Repairs: $125.00
House D
This 1449 sq. ft. single story home has 5
bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. This home was built
in 1935. There is covered parking and additional
storage. The property is walking distance to
school and shopping centers.
Utilities & Taxes: $270.36
Repairs: $110.00
Housing
3.19.4
© Family Economics & Financial Education — November 2007 — Life of…Mandy Gonzales — Page 6
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Family Economics & Financial Education
Directions: The following options are for the Gonzales's home. Before making any
decisions, take into consideration how much free time the Gonzales’s have and the needs of
the family.
LOCAL ANTENNA
Local reception with antenna booster: $0.00
Includes four local stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS).
INTERNET
dial-up access: $9.95
Wireless access: $19.99
DSL access: $36.99
TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION
Incoming Basic package: $18.17
Unlimited local calls and $.05 long distance calls
Incoming Standard Plan: $30.98
Unlimited local calls, $.05 long distance calls,
choice of three calling features such as caller id,
call waiting, and voice mail
Cellular phone family plan 4 phones
sharing 2100 minutes: $149.99
DIGITAL CABLE
Basic Package: $26.48
Includes basic (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS) and expanded (CNN, DISC, ESPN, FAM, MTV,
TBS, TWC, WGN, etc.) channels.
Expanded Package: $42.95
Includes basic and expanded channels featuring ESPN, Travel Channel, Discover
Channel, Cartoon network plus many others
Additional add on for $2.50 each
Paquete Latino spanish language programming, movie tier, variety tier, and sports tier.
ADDITIONAL ADD ONS
Additonal add ons for $2.50 each to the digital cable packages.
Paquete Latino spanish language programming, movie tier including stations such as Encore!,
varitey tier including channels like Hallmark and Oxygen, and sports tier.
Housing Others
3.19.4
© Family Economics & Financial Education — November 2007 — Life of…Mandy Gonzales — Page 7
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Family Economics & Financial Education
Directions: Choose one vehicle for Roberto. Record the costs on page 14. The
Monthly
Payment
includes the car payment , fuel, and maintenance costs. Remember, the Gonzales
family has allocated $400 each month for their vehicles. Choose one of the options described
below and record on the spending plan on page 16.
C.
1986 Ford Bronco
Monthly Payment: $85.00
Fuel Costs: $60.00
A.
1999 Ford Explorer
Monthly Payment: $225.00
Fuel Costs: $96.00
B.
2002 Hyundai Elantra
Monthly Payment: $200.00
Fuel Costs: $40.00
D.
2004 Hyundai Elantra
Monthly Payment: $200.00
Fuel Costs: $50.00
E.
1998 Dodge Ram
Monthly Payment: $225.00
Fuel Costs: $100.00
Lolitas Car
Monthly Payment: PAID
Fuel Costs: $100.00
F.
Transportation
3.19.4
© Family Economics & Financial Education — November 2007 — Life of…Mandy Gonzales — Page 8
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Family Economics & Financial Education
PERSONAL ITEMS
MUSIC
Concert Ticket: $40.00
Favorite performer in a near by city
New released movie: $15.00
See a movie at the local theatre plus popcorn!
Dining Out: $20.00
Dinner out with a friend.
Makeup: $50.00
Allergy tested 100% fragrance free makeup. Helps skin keep looking young
and healthy.
Voice Lessons: $20.00/1 hour lesson
Learn from the professionals the tools that are needed to advance to the
next level of vocal performance
Clothing: $45.00
This will buy one new shirt
and one new pair of pants
Shirt only: $15.00
Pants only $25.00
Hair care products $50.00
Durable curling iron and blow
dryer to help style any type of
hair.
Movie Rentals: $7.00
2 rentals at the local video store
Ice cream: $3.25
Ice cream with friends on a hot summer night!
iTunes: $0.99
Download the greatest hits for 99¢ each.
ENTERTAINMENT
Rent a Flute: $100.00/1 year
Rent a Clarinet $100.00/ 1 year
Magazine Subscription: $20.00/1 year
Catch up on the latest fashion ideas, gossip, and entertainment
Others
Directions: The following “other” items are available for Mandy to purchase. You may
choose any items described below. Each cost listed in red is a monthly expense that must
be recorded on page 16 of Mandy’s spending plan.
3.19.4
© Family Economics & Financial Education — November 2007 — Life of…Mandy Gonzales — Page 9
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Family Economics & Financial Education
CREATE YOUR OWN
Draw a picture and list the cost of other items that Mandy would like to have in the space provided.
Cheerleading Practice Shorts: $22.00
Excellent for perfecting
your cheering skills
Cheerleading shoes: $75.00
Shoes to give ultimate
support while on the
sidelines
Bicycle: $250.00
Save on gas on those nice days
Picnic Lunch: $30.00
Lunch on the beach with 3
friends
Hair Ties: $2.00/Ribbon
The perfect way to keep your hair tied
back during a game
Donation: $10.00
Donation to her favorite charity.
Mega Phone: $30.00
Helps save the voice of a cheerleader and
helps to get the crowd excited at a big
game!
Cannon PowerShot A520 Digital Camera: $119.95
4 Megapixels, 4x optical zoom with a 1.8 inch
LCD screen size.
MISCELLANEOUS
Others
CHEERLEADING
Family Economics & Financial Education
© Family Economics & Financial Education - November 2007 - Life of…Mandy Gonzales -Page 10
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3.19.4
Directions: Pages 10-17 include reflection questions and spending plan worksheets. Read each question carefully
and respond with a short answer or insert the correct dollar amount. Each line is worth 1 point if not otherwise
indicated in parenthesis.
1. Describe how singing in the church choir helps Mandy reach her career goal. (1 point)
2. How would Mandy and her family be impacted if she did not share a car with Connie? (1 point)
3. The Gonzales family values spending time with each other. How does this impact their spending plan?
(1 point)
4. What impact does Connie and Roberto’s side jobs have on the family? (1 point)
5. Describe how Mandy is active within her community. (1 point)
106 Points Possible
Points Earned
Percentage
Name
_____________________
Date
_____________________
Class
_____________________
Snapshot Reflection
Family Economics & Financial Education
© Family Economics & Financial Education - November 2007 - Life of…Mandy Gonzales -Page 11
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3.19.4
6. What is Mandy’s net pay? How is this determined? (1point)
7. What three deductions are added together to determine Mandy’s monthly payroll withholdings? (3
points)
Directions: Read the paycheck below and answer questions 6 and 7 in the spaces provided.
Tasty Freeze
Authorized Signature
Tasty Freeze
5555 1st avenue
This City, USA 87654
1234
Date
March 5, 2007
Memo
National Bank
5832 Main Street
Any City, USA 98765-4321
Dollars
$ 390.48
Mandy Gonzales
Pay To The
Order Of:
Three-Hundred, ninety and 48/100
0123456789 : 0987654321 : 1234
February Paycheck
Tasty Freeze
Pay Period 2/1/2007-2/29/2007
Employee
Mandy Gonzales
SSN
999-88-4444
Check #
1234
Check Amount
$390.48
Employee Address
5555 1st Avenue
This City, USA 87654
Hourly Rate
Number of
Hours
Gross Pay Year-to-date
Gross Pay
Deductions Current Year-to-date
$7.45/hour
64 hours
$476.80 $953.60
Federal Withholding
State Withholding
FICA
$42.44
$14.30
$29.58
$84.88
$28.60
$59.16
Totals $86.32 $172.64
Mandys Paycheck
Family Economics & Financial Education
© Family Economics & Financial Education - November 2007 - Life of…Mandy Gonzales -Page 12
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3.19.4
SMART Goal
Specific
State exactly
what you would
like to do.
Measurable
Include how the
success of the
goal can be
measured.
Attainable
Determine how
the goal can be
reached.
Realistic
Do not set the
goal for
something
unattainable or
unrealistic.
Time Bound
Specifically state
when the goal
needs to be
reached.
Directions: After reading Mandy’s Snapshot on pages 2-4 and reviewing the items Mandy can
purchase on pages 8 and 9, answer the following questions. Remember to include the 5 elements of
goal setting described below when setting education and financial goals.
9. Write one long-term goal for Mandy. (reached in a time period more than one year) (5 points)
8. Write one short-term goal for Mandy. (reached in a time period less than one year) (5 points)
10. Why is it beneficial to set education and financial goals? (1 point)
Setting Goals
Family Economics & Financial Education
© Family Economics & Financial Education - November 2007 - Life of…Mandy Gonzales -Page 13
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3.19.4
Directions: Refer to pages 5 and 6 to determine the housing options for the Gonzales family.
Record all expenses on the lines below and answer questions 11-13 in the spaces provided.
Expenses—Housing
12. What is the letter of the house that you chose? Why did you choose this home? (2 points)
11. How much money has the Gonzales family allocated for their total housing expenses? (1 point)
HOUSING
From the options on page 5, choose a home for the
Gonzales family and record the Utilities & Taxes on line
A, the repairs on line B and Housing Total on line C.
Utilities& Taxes:
Repair Costs :
HOUSING TOTAL:
(A + B = C)
A.
B.
C.
13. How did you determine which Housing Others the Gonzales family should have? (1 point)
TOTAL HOUSING COST
Add the Housing Total and Housing Others Total
from above to determine the Gonzales Total Housing
Cost and write on line L. Ensure is it less than or equal
to the allocated amount described on page 4.
Housing Total:
Housing Others Total :
TOTAL HOUSING COST:
(J+K = L)
J.
K.
L.
HOUSING OTHERS
After reading the other housing expenses on page
6, determine which the Gonzales family will
have. List which options were chosen on the line
before each expenditure. Record the monthly
expense of each desired item on lines D-H and
calculate the subtotal on line I.
Antenna:
__________________ Add Ons:
__________________Telephone:
_______________Digital Cable:
__________________Internet:
HOUSING OTHERS TOTAL:
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
Gonzales’s Major Expenditures
Family Economics & Financial Education
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3.19.4
Directions: After reviewing the transportation options on page 7, choose one vehicle for Mandy
and her mom. Answer questions 14-16 in the spaces provided.
Gonzales Family Major Expenditures Summary
MAJOR EXPENDITURES
Refer to the Gonzales family snapshot on
page 4, selections made on page 13 and
those listed above to complete the major
expenditures summary. All expenses are
listed on lines Q thru U with the total on
line V.
ExpensesTransportation
16. What is the letter of the vehicle you chose? Why did you choose this vehicle? (2 points)
15. How are transportation needs within the family impacted by Mandy and Connie sharing a car? (1
point)
14. How much money has the Gonzales family allocated for their total transportation expense? (1 point)
Monthly Payment :
Roberto Fuel:
Connie Fuel
TRANSPORTATION TOTAL:
(M + N + O = P)
M.
N.
O.
P.
TRANSPORTATION
Refer to page 7 and decide what car
Roberto will drive. Record the expenses on
line M and N, record the fuel costs for
Connie on line O. Total the transportation
costs on line P and ensure it is less than or
equal to the allocated amount on page 4.
Total Housing Cost:
Total Transportation Cost:
Insurance:
Food:
Credit Card Balance:
MAJOR EXPENDITURES TOTAL:
(Q + R + S+ T+ U = V)
Q.
R.
S.
T.
U.
V.
Gonzales’s Major Expendiures
Family Economics & Financial Education
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3.19.4
17. What services do you receive from paying taxes? (1 point)
Directions: Identify Mandy’s payroll withholdings and amount to save and write on the lines
below. Answer questions 17-19 by writing a short answer in the spaces provided.
Expenses—Payroll Withholdings
State Withholding Tax:
Federal Withholding Tax:
FICA:
PAYROLL WITHHOLDINGS TOTAL:
(W+ X+ Y = Z)
PAYROLL WITHHOLDINGS
-Review Mandy’s paycheck on page 11 to determine
her payroll withholdings and write each on lines W-X.
Total the payroll withholdings and write on line Z.
W.
X.
Y.
Z.
18. Did you decide to save more money than described in the snapshot? Why or why not? (2 points)
SAVINGS
Carefully review the Snapshot on pages 2-4 and short-
term and long-term goals set on page 12 to determine
how much money Mandy will save each month. Write
this amount on line AA.
SAVINGS TOTAL:
AA.
Expenses—Savings
19. Other than paying for cheerleading camp and choir, what could Mandy save money for? (1 point)
Mandys Spending Plan
Family Economics & Financial Education
© Family Economics & Financial Education - November 2007 - Life of…Mandy Gonzales -Page 16
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3.19.4
21. If Mandy did not want to share a vehicle with her step-mother and could not afford to purchase her
own, what other options does he have to get to school and work? How much should she include in
20. Was Mandy able to afford all items she wanted? Why or why not? (1 point)
Expenses—Others
OTHERS
After selecting the other items
Mandy would like, record the name
of the item on the line before the
category title and the costs on lines
BB-II. Add all lines and record the
total on line JJ.
Transportation Fuel:
Cellular Phone:
_______________________Personal Items:
________________________Entertainment:
______________________________Music:
_________________________Cheerleading:
________________________Miscellaneous:
_____________________Create Your Own:
OTHERS TOTAL:
(BB + CC + DD + EE + FF + GG + GG + II = JJ)
BB.
CC.
DD.
EE.
FF.
GG.
HH.
II.
Directions: After reviewing the Snapshot on pages 2-4 and all other items on pages 8 and 9, choose
which items Mandy would like and record below on lines AA-HH.
22. How could Mandy save money on her extra curricular activities? (1 point)
Mandys Spending Plan
Family Economics & Financial Education
© Family Economics & Financial Education - November 2007 - Life of…Mandy Gonzales -Page 17
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3.19.4
Directions: Transfer the total cost of all items listed on Mandy’s spending plan on pages 15-16 to
complete the Spending Plan Summary below. Once all income and expenses are recorded,
calculate the difference to determine if Mandy’s spending plan is balanced.
INCOME
GROSS INCOME
Review Mandy’s Snapshot on pages 2-4 and her
paycheck on page 11 to determine her gross income and
record on line KK.
GROSS INCOME TOTAL:
KK.
GROSS INCOME - TOTAL EXPENSES
To determine if Mandy has enough income to pay for her
expenses, subtract her Expenses Total from her Gross
Income Total.
If the difference is a negative number, go back and adjust
Mandy’s expenses. The amount on line RR needs to equal
zero to have a balanced spending plan.
Gross Income Total:
Expenses Total :
DIFFERENCE:
(PP — QQ = RR)
PP.
QQ.
RR.
Difference
EXPENSES
MANDY’S TOTAL EXPENSES
Review Mandy’s Snapshot on pages 2-4, her paycheck
on page 11, her savings which were determined on page
13, and the other items recorded on page 16 to
determine her total expenses. Record each item on lines
LL-NN to the right and total on line OO.
Payroll Withholdings:
Savings:
Others:
EXPENSES TOTAL:
(LL + MM + NN = OO)
LL.
MM.
NN.
OO.
Mandy’s Spending Plan Summary
Family Economics & Financial Education
© Family Economics & Financial Education - November 2007 - Life of…Mandy Gonzales -Page 18
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3.19.4
26. What impact does the Gonzales’ credit card debit have on their spending plan? (5 points)
24. Describe the benefits of creating a spending plan. (5 points)
23. Was it difficult to equal zero? Why or why not? (6 points)
Directions: Answer questions 23-27 in the spaces provided to reflect on the Life of Mandy
spending plan simulation.
27. If Bobby were to move out of the house what impact would this have on the family? (5 points)
25. How will Mandy’s financial goals change once she attends college? (5 points)
Snapshot Reflection