The Reality of Poverty - Online Game depicts life with poor options - How long will your money last

I just thought this was interesting and unique.

A 32 year old copywriter who grew up in a poor, single parent household came up with a game to help explain poverty to those "out of touch" with the concept, those who believe it is the result of people making bad choices.

Jenny Nicholson is tired of hearing how the poor are poor because they make poor choices. Let’s see what kind of choices you make when it’s your turn to be flattened by the economy.

That’s the idea behind Spent, an online game Nicholson created to challenge popular misconceptions about poverty.

So far, it’s been played more than a million times by people from around the world. And Nicholson is challenging every member of Congress to play it, too

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It basically forces you to make choices on how to spend very limited income, and for a few minutes, you can see how some people have to live their lives and make difficult decisions when they have to make a small amount cover basic expenses, as well as the unexpected ones.

It also provides feedback on the consequences of those choices.

I ran out of money on day 8 - so I will be announcing my run for Congress very soon.

I made it through the month, but the rent's due, so you fail anyway.

This is a great idea, I hope many people get to check out this game. And what causes bad choices? Sometimes, illness does, (mental illness) and also ignorance from being born into and raised up in poverty.

I played and had money still by the end, but rent was due the next day and I wouldn't have had enough.

Unfortunately, I have lived this life before and am working on it again due to the economy. I posted my results to facebook with the hope that others will play too and understand. Several of my friends and family have no real clue what real poverty is about. Hope they will try this.

reply to post by Maluhia


I can't win and I live this life, so um, it's a bit unfathomable that I can't win!!!!
DARN!!! Three times I played, WTH?

This would be a lot easier if I didn't have a kid... Luckily I don't in real life because I've made good choices. I think I could easily find a place to rent for $700 a month.

I read the book they referenced in community college and actually agreed with the conclusion that if you start life out poor it's a lot harder. On the flip side I've got friends who were homeless half their childhoods who own their own houses now.

Good find OP. I think it's important to remember how much some have to sacrifice just to pay the bills.

reply to post by Komaratzi11

Several of my friends and family have no real clue what real poverty is about. Hope they will try this.

Many people don't. That's why I found it so unique. To actually see some of the choices and sacrifices many people have to make is, at the very least, educational.

I just played the game, and am pretty much living the life, but I failed the game cause rent was due the next day.

The SIMS weren't bad enough?
I play this game weekly since childhood, and I look white and live in America. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Could it be doing what I'm suppose to be doing according to "them"?

Monthly pay before taxes = $1440
Taxes - $216 ....LMAO! That's not even close to accurate in America! More like $1440 gross, $940 net.

I made it through the month and had enough money to pay the rent. This game is supposed to make me feel bad for poor people?

Edit: I made it through with over $1000, more than I started with.

Please,when I was 19 I was making $1200 a month working in a supermarket and living on my own.Rent was $550 a month and I did just fine. Granted I didn't have kids or anything...anywhoo,long story short,I don't feel bad for the poor.Life is what you make it,there's always options out there.It's up to you whether or not you choose to take them and have a better life.


Ps... being poor isn't like it is in a video game.


ETA : Played the game. It's so unrealistic it's not even funny

reply to post by Domo1

I think it't 's important to remember how much some have to sacrifice just to pay the bills.

Thanks that's the point. And it's not always poor choices, sometimes just bad circumstances.

I actually made it through the game and would have had enough to make the rent the next month, but only just. Also, it didn't matter what you did, if you were doing good the game would throw curve balls at you. There are actually some people who live like this and do it for years and do okay. I played it half a dozen times, and you kept having stuff come up.

I like the idea of the game, but I think it was executed somewhat poorly.

Originally posted by nightstalker78
Please,when I was 19 I was making $1200 a month working in a supermarket and living on my own.Rent was $550 a month and I did just fine. Granted I didn't have kids or anything...anywhoo,long story short,I don't feel bad for the poor.Life is what you make it,there's always options out there.It's up to you whether or not you choose to take them and have a better life.


Ps... being poor isn't like it is in a video game.

Anyhooo....You are obviously young and naive to the corporate sharks in this world.
In big pants world, most people have kids, whether intentional or not, and their jobs usually cover their costs at first, on the surface.... then there is a lot of "unknowns" that come up and dip into your budget, often!

Try dealing with a corrupt bank/mortgage company who is raising your pmts and rates at any given time they want. Then try it when credit card companies are doing the same at the same time!

Now try doing it after losing your fantastic supermarket job and having to stand in line competing for a job where you present nothing more to them than numbers on paper.

Now try it with hospital bills that were unexpected.

I can go on, I hope you get my point. Don't be so apathetic to the poor for one day you may become one of them.

reply to post by Nosred

Edit: I made it through with over $1000, more than I started with.

Well then you should be sending your resume to Mr. Geithner - He could use your help.

Of course, your dog is dead, your mother is dying due to lack of medicine and you're driving around in a death trap. Choices.

The game is so inaccurate it makes my brain hurt.

First question:

"You need to find a job! Where do you apply?"

and that's where it loses touch with reality.

The economic problems are currently being caused because there ARE no jobs... at least, there aren't enough jobs.

Then it throws random costly medical bills at you, accidents, HUGE bills, etc... the guy who made that game didn't want you to Win.. is the point.

I stopped playing after day 7, when I had to get internet and the game said $60 per month.

LOL, I have never once paid more than $20 per month for internet.

reply to post by Nosred


i bet you said no to every oppertuntiy that came up at school and ignored all the health problems, if so you might of ended up with over 1000 but what was the true cost? an idiot kid and poor health?

Originally posted by JibbyJedi

Originally posted by nightstalker78
Please,when I was 19 I was making $1200 a month working in a supermarket and living on my own.Rent was $550 a month and I did just fine. Granted I didn't have kids or anything...anywhoo,long story short,I don't feel bad for the poor.Life is what you make it,there's always options out there.It's up to you whether or not you choose to take them and have a better life.


Ps... being poor isn't like it is in a video game.

Anyhooo....You are obviously young and naive to the corporate sharks in this world.
In big pants world, most people have kids, whether intentional or not, and their jobs usually cover their costs at first, on the surface.... then there is a lot of "unknowns" that come up and dip into your budget, often!

Try dealing with a corrupt bank/mortgage company who is raising your pmts and rates at any given time they want. Then try it when credit card companies are doing the same at the same time!

Now try doing it after losing your fantastic supermarket job and having to stand in line competing for a job where you present nothing more to them than numbers on paper.

Now try it with hospital bills that were unexpected.

I can go on, I hope you get my point. Don't be so apathetic to the poor for one day you may become one of them.

Excuse me? You know nothing about me,so don't assume things. I've already been one of the poor so I know what it's like. And I'm not 19 anymore nor do I work in a supermarket.I was pointing out that I've been there.Guess what? Life isn't a video game.And now I'm 33 and have a decent paying job as well as a 4 year old daughter.And you know what? She was my motivation to do better not only for myself,but for her..

Do try again and this time try not to talk down to me.Like I said,you don't know me.

Originally posted by ErtaiNaGia
The game is so inaccurate it makes my brain hurt.

First question:

"You need to find a job! Where do you apply?"

and that's where it loses touch with reality.

The economic problems are currently being caused because there ARE no jobs... at least, there aren't enough jobs.

Don't hurt yourself now. In many areas it's not about "enough jobs", it's about the quality of the available jobs that you are qualified to get.

When you try to get a job, WITHOUT the help of a friend of course, you find there are plenty of jobs but you'd rather not do any of them and the pay is ridiculously low. Can you give up your iPhones and iPads and XBOX 360 online and your "entertainment" costs when you have to?

Most unemployed people I know are unemployed by choice.... and I say that because they won't take what IS available. What is available is absolute crap most of the time, but you got to do what you got to do to survive, and as you get older, the crap gets more ridiculous.

Originally posted by ErtaiNaGia
The game is so inaccurate it makes my brain hurt.

First question:

"You need to find a job! Where do you apply?"

and that's where it loses touch with reality.

The economic problems are currently being caused because there ARE no jobs... at least, there aren't enough jobs.

Then it throws random costly medical bills at you, accidents, HUGE bills, etc... the guy who made that game didn't want you to Win.. is the point.

I stopped playing after day 7, when I had to get internet and the game said $60 per month.

LOL, I have never once paid more than $20 per month for internet.

IT IS!! I mean okay here's the thing I help my kid do their math homework If I don't know what exactly you do to solve a problem I READ THE DAMN BOOK with them and LEARN IT (most of the time it's something I knew anyway but forgot, you know old age and all) AFTER ALL I just got a B+ and a C+ in TRIG1 & 2 for God's SAKE!!!! SECOND I don't give a rat's about physical fitness and if I did I am independant enough to jog by myself! I'd never friking buy a new car on a minimum wage (As if one could). I would not have lost my house because I would have found odd jobs to do to make that money (I never gone into a mortgage so I don't know, I just would not find myself in that situation, I always rented until we bought our trailer bleck but it is owned outright so can't complain!) And you can be late for rent of course you have to pay dearly for that but still, whatever, it's not very accurate.
I don't know maybe I am not really poor?