The Money PagesCan We Build a Booth for $40?
Three friends have big plans for the school fair. Their shopping list is too expensive.
“The dragon needs glitter,” Ava said.
“It needs a head first,” Finn said.
Their class had $40 for a school-fair ring-toss booth. Ava wanted a dragon's cave. Finn wanted strong rings. Nia wanted fun prizes.
Their first shopping list cost $52.
Too much on the list
They added the costs:
- Rings and targets: $18
- Signs: $10
- Prizes: $16
- Decorations: $8
“That's $12 more than we have,” Nia said.
A budget is a plan for using the money you have. It can't create more money. It can help you choose.
They agreed the game had to work. Signs had to explain the rules. Those were their priorities: the things that mattered most.
Make a new plan
With their teacher's permission, they used spare cardboard for signs. Paint and tape cost $4 instead of $10.
They cut decorations from $8 to $4. The new list cost $42. Still $2 too much.
Nia found a smaller prize pack for $14 instead of $16.
Now $18 + $4 + $14 + $4 = $40.
One more change
At the shop, the rings and targets cost $20, not $18.
“We need to save two dollars somewhere,” Finn said.
They chose $2 of decorations instead of $4.
Now $20 + $4 + $14 + $2 = $40 again.
A plan could change when a price changed.
At the fair, Ava painted scales on the spare cardboard. The dragon had a crooked head and exactly $2 of decorations.
“Why no glitter?” someone asked.
“It's a practical dragon,” Ava said.
The rings lasted all afternoon.
Money words
Budget
A plan for using the money you have.
Priority
Something you decide matters more right now.
A budget is a plan for the money you have. When prices or needs change, the plan can change too.
Your turn
Which booth item would you protect first? How would you hear everyone’s ideas?
