Four money missions. Real numbers, real life. You pick the order.
0 of 4 missions complete
Math Mission
Can You Afford an Apartment?
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Apartment Math
You want your own place. Let's figure out if you can actually afford it on your paycheck.
The rule of thumb
A good rule: your rent should not be more than 30% of your monthly take-home pay.
Step 1 — Your monthly take-home
You bring home $132.60 per week. Multiply by 4 to estimate your monthly take-home.
Step 2 — Maximum rent you can afford
Multiply your monthly take-home by 0.30. That is the most you should spend on rent.
Hint: Monthly pay × 0.30
Step 3 — The apartment costs $650/month
The cheapest apartment nearby is $650/month. Is that under your limit? How much is left over after rent?
Hint: Your monthly take-home minus $650. If negative, you cannot afford it.
Math Mission
Monthly Bills — What's the Total?
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Bill Math
You got the apartment. Now the bills start coming in. Let's add up your monthly expenses.
Your monthly bills
Rent: $650 | Electric: $74 | Internet: $49.99 | Phone: $55 | Groceries: $200 | Gas for car: $80
Step 1 — Total bills
Add up all of your monthly expenses.
Step 2 — What's left?
Your monthly take-home is $530.40. Subtract your total expenses.
Hint: $530.40 minus your total expenses. This could be negative.
Step 3 — The honest question
If you have money left over, that's for savings and emergencies. If the number is negative, you are spending more than you make. How much would you need to earn per week to cover all these bills and have $50 left over each month?
Hint: Bills + $50 = monthly need. Divide by 4 for weekly.
Math Mission
Grocery Budget
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Grocery Math
You have $60 for groceries this week. You need to stay under budget.
Your cart so far
Chicken (2 lbs at $4.99/lb) | Bread: $3.49 | Eggs (dozen): $4.29 | Pasta: $1.99 | Pasta sauce: $2.89 | Apples (3 lbs at $1.79/lb) | Milk: $4.19 | Frozen pizza (2 at $6.99 each)
You have $60. How much over or under budget are you?
Hint: $60 minus your cart total. Negative means over budget.
Step 3 — Make it work
If you are over budget, remove the frozen pizzas ($13.98). Are you now under $60? What is your new total?
Math Mission
Your Car Is Due for an Oil Change
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Car Budget
Being an adult means keeping track of your car. An oil change is $49.99. But there's more to it.
Step 1 — Oil change with tax
The oil change costs $49.99. Add 8% sales tax.
Hint: $49.99 × 1.08
Step 2 — How many hours to pay for it?
You earn $13/hr. How many hours do you need to work to pay for the oil change? Round up to the nearest half hour.
Hint: Total cost ÷ $13. Round up.
Step 3 — Oil changes every 3 months
You need an oil change every 3 months. How much do you spend on oil changes in a full year?
Hint: Your total with tax × 4 times per year.
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All Good.
You ran the numbers like an adult. That is exactly what you need to know, Adam.
4
Missions Done
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Correct
📧 Your work has been sent to Dad.
🏀 Go outside. Move around. You earned it.
What you covered today:
🏠 Rent — The 30% rule and whether you can afford it 💡 Monthly bills — Adding up all your expenses against your income 🛒 Groceries — Staying under a weekly budget 🚗 Car costs — Oil changes, tax, and yearly planning