Challenge Levels
Level 1:
Money Basics & Household Budgeting
Recommended for grades 5–6
Level 1 Introduces students to the basic principles of money management in a practical and age-appropriate way.
Participants learn how to:
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Understand the difference between needs and wants
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Recognize the importance of prioritizing needs
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Develop healthy saving habits
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Identify common household expenses
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Understand how families use money to meet their responsibilities
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Identify different types of bank accounts
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Compare the benefits and limitations of common banking options
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Make thoughtful financial choices
This level helps students build a strong foundation for responsible money management before entering their teenage years.
Level 2:
Career & Lifestyle Lab
Recommended for middle & high-school students
Level 2 is an interactive financial-learning lab that helps students understand how career choices, income, and lifestyle decisions are connected.
Participants explore how education, training, and career selection can affect monthly income and future financial opportunities. Through realistic lifestyle scenarios, students see how housing, transportation, family responsibilities, personal choices, and unexpected expenses can influence financial stability.
Participants also learn how to:
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Distinguish between needs and wants
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Prioritize essential expenses
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Build saving habits
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Identify common household expenses
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Understand different types of bank accounts
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Compare banking options
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Connect career choices to income
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Evaluate how lifestyle decisions affect a monthly budget
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Make adjustments when expenses exceed available income
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Recognize how short-term choices can affect long-term goals
This level encourages students to think beyond choosing a career and consider whether their future income can support the lifestyle they hope to achieve.
Level 3: Adult Financial Sustainability & Planning
Recommended for adults and families
Level 3 takes participants on a guided journey through their current financial situation.
Each participant reviews their actual income and household expenses to identify where they currently stand financially, where they would like to be, and what changes may be necessary to reach their goals.
Using the interactive Living & Spending Challenge operating system, participants can view their spending in real time, evaluate their financial decisions, and make practical adjustments based on their priorities.
Participants learn how to:
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Evaluate their current income and expenses
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Identify areas of financial strength and concern
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Understand their level of financial sustainability
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Set realistic short- and long-term financial goals
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Distinguish between necessary and flexible expenses
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Make adjustments to support greater financial stability
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Develop a realistic household budget
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Create a personalized action plan
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Identify steps toward reducing financial stress and building financial freedom
Participants leave the session with a completed household budget and a practical plan they can use to begin working toward their financial goals.