Students
Payday…did someone say money?
So I was looking for a game that was fun and educational and I stumbled upon the game PayDay. Who doesn’t want to go through the end of the month and have money leftover (especially in these economic times).
So what you do is simply go through the month and get paid and pay your bills. No…it is really not that simple. You have mail that you collect which may include a bill, a postcard, or Moneygrams (someone needs money from you). Get extra income by winning the lottery, selling a business, win a radio contest, or even a sweepstake. Maybe you have the opportunity to go into business for yourself, but you may need a loan to get started. You can get a loan and go completely into debt.
This sounds like an awesome game in which you can really see how the real world works, by borrowing money to get ahead or find out that it was a poor decision in the process. It seems apporpriate with these economic times to teach the concept of good economic decisions and not to be too far in debt at any one time.
The game however needs to be updated. I do not know of too many people who get Moneygrams anymore, or win sweepstakes. I think it would be great if there were more Internet based items on the gameboard to make it more like the 21st Century. Although the principles are still the same in the economy.
October 31st, 2009 at 7:23 pm
I remember playing this game as a kid (I think at a friends house). If it hasn’t changed since then (70′s) then you’re right-it definitely needs to be updated! I do remember being excited to play it. It was cool to envision myself as an adult, earning money and getting a paycheck. And it did teach us the concepts of debt, investment, and a bit of what is involved in managing money. This is one game that is screaming for re-invention. In these economic times it would probably be a big hit.
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:41 pm
I played this game at my grandparents house way back in the day and I agree, it is a perfect candidate for a 21st century remake (I think your “paycheck” was something like $350 a month – a small amount even for a broke student like me).
From an educational perspective, i think this game’s primary value comes from its incorporation of the concept of interest rates into its gameplay. As a kid, this game me my first exposure to interest, how it compounds, and why it is something be aware of when making financial decisions. As a former economics teacher, it was always interesting to see just how many highschool aged students had little to no knowledge on how interest actually works and why it’s important.