The Money PagesDoes Imani Need a New Backpack?
Sam thinks a new bag is just a want. Then Imani’s zipper breaks.
“Nobody needs seven pockets,” Sam said.
“I could keep a different cookie in each one,” Imani said.
They were looking at a $30 backpack. Imani's old bag had two pockets, a moon patch, and a sticky zipper.
“A new bag is a want,” Sam decided.
Then the zipper broke
On Monday, Imani's book fell out of her open bag onto a wet sidewalk.
“Still just a want?” she asked.
Sam paused. “You need a way to carry your books safely.”
A need is something important for health, safety, or daily life. A want is something you'd enjoy having.
Imani needed a working bag. She didn't have to choose the $30 one.
Three ways to solve it
Imani and her aunt checked their choices:
- Repair the zipper: $6, if the repair would last.
- Buy a basic bag: $18.
- Buy the seven-pocket bag: $30.
They had a sturdy tote to use while they decided. Books could go in a folder to help keep them dry.
The repairer checked the old bag. Its cloth was still strong. A new zipper should work.
They chose the $6 repair. That was $18 − $6 = $12 less than the basic new bag.
Different people, different needs
“You kept the moon patch!” Sam said the next day.
He thought about his little brother's bag. It held medical supplies. Extra pockets helped his family find things quickly. Those pockets had an important job.
“So seven pockets could matter for someone else,” Sam said.
“Exactly.”
Imani still liked the new bag. That was okay. Choosing the repair didn't make her better than someone who needed a new one.
She reached into her old bag and found a cookie.
“Enough pockets for today.”
Money words
Need
Something important for health, safety, or daily life.
Want
Something you would enjoy having.
A need depends on a person’s life. Think about the job an item must do and the choices available.
Your turn
Can the same item be a need for one person and a want for another?
