Inspiration and activities for memorable meetings
Money Management Lessons!
Bonus Activity: Discuss the difference between wants and needs
The Difference Between Needs vs. Wants
In a 2020 survey, teen spending was averaged to be $2,150 with food as the top spending item. The survey showed increases in several categories, including video games, movies and room accessories.
Differentiating between needs and wants can help you make better spending decisions and resist peer pressure. A need is something you need in everyday life, such as food, clothing or shelter. A want is a nice-to-have, such as a trip abroad or a book collection.
Needs
- A functioning laptop. This may be a necessity for online or in-person school and its projects.
- Food is a basic need. Even if you’re trying to save money, it won’t do you any good if you start skipping meals.
- If you’re sick, purchasing medication is essential and shouldn’t be avoided.
Wants
- Purchasing a brand new laptop with features you won’t likely use.
- Depending on what you buy and how much you spend, food can also be a want. Do you really need a Starbucks coffee every day?
- Cosmetics may not be a necessity, especially if you’re duplicating similar products or don’t use them often.
- Based on where you live and your access to public transportation, having your own vehicle may not be a necessity
Many expenses can fall into a gray area. For example, buying clothes is a need, but only purchasing expensive brand name items makes it a want. Oftentimes, your spending habits may also be influenced by your peers. Although you may feel that you need some things to fit in, you should carefully weigh your options. The following strategies can help you stay on track with necessary spending and avoid overspending on things you want. Open Discussion Time – ask for examples of wants and needs.
| Music Playlist During Snack |
- Winter Wonderland – Bing Crosby
- Frosty the Snowman – Bing Crosby
- Happy Holiday – Andy Williams
- All I Want for Christmas – Mariah Carey
Healthy Snack:
Simple Ingredients:
Decorate clear plastic cup with marker
tie red ribbon
fill with popcorn
Movement Activity:
Fitness lines:
Set up 1 given exercise in a straight line all the way down the hall on paper. For example in one long straight line I may have the following spaced out appropriately: Aerobic step, jump jacks, bicep curls (dumbbells), calf raises, sit-ups, push-ups, lunges, water break, jog back to start, rest 30secs. Depending on the width of your hallway determines how many fitness lines you can have. Students rotate through the fitness line moving one spot up on the signal, once students finish their way through the line they walk/jog/sprint back to the begin, rest a rotation, and then start again