Classroom economy planning sheet
Settle pay, bills, and store prices on one page before you launch, with a worked example and a quick check that students can still save.
Free to print and copy for your classroom.
Classroom economy · Planning sheet
Plan the money before the money
Fill in your column. The example column shows one setup that works: students who do their job can pay every bill and still save half of what they earn.
| Decision | Example | My class |
|---|---|---|
| Paycheck for the basic job (every student) | $5.00 | $ |
| Payday schedule | Every Friday | |
| Paydays in a month | 4 | |
| A. Monthly pay (paycheck × paydays) | $20.00 | $ |
| Rent | $5.00 | $ |
| Other bills (utilities, supplies fee, ...) | $5.00 | $ |
| B. Monthly bills | $10.00 | $ |
| Left to save or spend (A − B) | $10.00 | $ |
| Bills as a share of pay (B ÷ A) | 50% | % |
Quick check: if bills take most of a month's pay, saving feels impossible and students check out. Start low; it's easier to add a bill later than to take one back.
Store price levels
| Level | Example price | Saving time in the example* | My prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small reward | $5 | About 2 weeks | $ |
| Medium reward | $15 | About 6 weeks | $ |
| Big reward | $40 | About 4 months | $ |
*The example leaves $10.00 a month, or $2.50 a week, after bills. Bonuses and extra jobs make it faster.
Extra money in and out
| Example | My class | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical bonus | $1 to $3 | |
| Typical fine | $1 to $5 | |
| Extra pay for a class job | $5 per paycheck | |
| Savings interest | 2% a month |
Rollout dates
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Students sign in, job board opens | |
| First payday | |
| First bills due | |
| Store opens | |
| Loans open (after students have a payment record) |
From the Cashroom Supply Closetcashroomapp.com