Ohio State University Extension: Real Money. Real World.

Each year, America’s high schools graduate thousands of young adults who are unprepared in matters of employment and financial decisions.

The Lessons

Real Money, Real World is an active, hands-on experience that gives young people the opportunity to make lifestyle and budget choices similar to those they will make as adults. The curriculum is comprised of six lessons including:

1. How Occupation Affects Income;

2. Deductions-What You See is Not What You Get;

3. How to Use Checking and Savings Accounts;

4. Making Choices- Preparing for the Simulation;

5. Real Money, Real World Simulation; and

6. What Did You Learn?

Throughout the duration of the program, students assume the role of a 25-year-old adult who is the sole income provider for a family. They receive an occupation, monthly salary, and the number of children they are raising. Students learn to subtract savings, taxes, and health insurance amounts from their income. The amount of money left over is what they have to spend during the simulation activity. The simulation involves community volunteers who represent actual businesses in the community; these volunteers set up and staff booths representing real-life businesses. By visiting the appropriate booths, students spend their salaries on items typically found in a monthly budget including housing, utilities, groceries, insurance, childcare, and transportation. Throughout the activity, students keep track of their finances and attempt to complete the simulation with a positive balance. During the post-simulation lesson, students reflect on their experience and what they learned by completing a self-assessment.

Signature Program Leaders

Curriculum and Implementation, Evaluation Data Entry
Kathy Michelich, FCS Specialist
michelich1@ag.ohio-state.edu
phone: 513-695-1311

Counties Currently Offering RMRW (Updated 3/6/2009)

Please contact your county Extension office to find out more about RMRW in Ohio. Click here for contact information.

Adams Allen Ashland Ashtabula Athens Auglaize
Brown Butler Champaign Clark Clermont Clinton
Columbiana Crawford Cuyahoga Darke Defiance Delaware
Erie Fairfield Fayette Franklin Fulton Gallia
Geauga Greene Hamilton Hancock Hardin Harrison
Henry Highland Hocking Holmes Jackson Jefferson
Knox Lake Licking Logan Lorain Lucas
Madison Mahoning Medina Meigs Mercer Miami
Monroe Montgomery Morrow Muskingum Noble Ottawa
Perry Pickaway Portage Preble Putnam Richland
Ross Sandusky Scioto Shelby Stark Summit
Trumbull Tuscarawas Union Vinton Warren Washington
Wayne Williams Wyandot      

The Real Money. Real World. 2013 curriculum kit will be available by early September 2013.

RMRW is a Signature Program of OSU Extension and is designed to be a cooperative effort between Extension and local schools and communities. Conducting Real Money. Real World. as a partner with your county Extension professionals assures that the program will be cost efficient for you and educationally effective for your youth. If you are interested in Real Money. Real World. and live in Ohio, please contact your county Extension office.

DVD

To order a DVD of the video above, contact Keira McGlone.

OSU Extension Educator Tools

These additional supports are available for OSU Extension Educators.

Click here and scroll to Password Protected Information.  If you forgot the password, contact Kathy Michelich, or the FCS Educator in your office.

Documented Impact Resources

Real Money, Real World 2009 Follow-up Study - Executive Summary (pdf) (07.16.09)

Real Money, Real World Evaluation - Executive Summary (pdf) (04.04.2008)

Real Money, Real World Evaluation -Final Report (pdf) (04.04.2008)

Review of Literature in support of Real Money, Real World Evaluation (pdf) (05.23.08)

Value Added Resources