BY KARISSA MILLER

Troutman Middle School students recently tackled real-world budgeting — complete with bills, budgets and tough financial decisions — through an interactive financial literacy simulation activity called Bite of Reality hosted by Members Credit Union.

MCU Community Outreach Specialist Jon Hamby-Lattimore guided eighth-graders through a real-world budgeting exercise that challenged them to think beyond their personal wants and focus on their made-up family’s needs.

“It’s not just your money,” Hamby-Lattimore told students. “It’s your money, your spouse’s money and your family’s money. Every decision you make should be what’s best for your entire family.”

Students were assigned careers, salaries, credit scores and family responsibilities using an App-based program. From there, they engaged with with scenarios representing real-life expenses, including housing, transportation, food and childcare.

Students quickly realized how far their money would actually go.

“If you run out of money, that’s it. There are no loans, no extra funds. Your salary is your salary. You have to make it work,” Hamby-Lattimore said.

Throughout the simulation, students ran into unexpected events, both positive and negative, that mimicked real-life financial surprises. Students also had to make retirement decisions, pay credit card bills and adjust spending when they overspent.

The exercise revealed common financial pitfalls. Some students overspent on luxury vehicles or entertainment, only to find themselves in the negative and forced to rethink their choices.

Math interventionist Brittany Swanson, who helped run the simulation, said the experience connects classroom lessons to real life.

“They’re really seeing how much things actually cost,” Swanson said. “We talk about taxes and budgeting in class, but this brings it to life. It surprises them when they realize they don’t have enough money for everything.”

Student Tripp Barkley wasn’t swayed by Swanson’s attempt to sell him the most expensive vehicle. Barkley said he knows how quickly things can add up, so he decided to buy an old car for himself and a used one for his wife.

“My parents taught me a lot about saving and budgeting. I have been investing money since I was 7 years old,” he explained.

Student Gerron Barnes said being on a budget teaches you “to pay off all of your bills before you buy fun stuff.”

Counselor Christy Davidsonm, who also helped with exercise, said students had to weigh quality against affordability.

“They want the best stuff,” Davidson said. “However, they realize they can’t afford it. It forces them to make smart choices.”

The financial literacy program aligns with Iredell-Statesville Schools’ goals for middle-schoolers.

“The goal is to show students how expensive life is so that they have a sense of adulting in terms of bills and budgeting while also thinking about the realistic lifestyle they want to live and coincide that with potential career choices,” said Debra Lester, STEM coordinator.

Career Development Coordinator Juli Tipton noted that eighth-graders are required to create career plans, and the simulation helps connect those plans to real-world financial realities.

“This is a reality check,” Tipton said. “It helps students understand that the decisions they make about their future careers and education have long-term impacts on their lifestyle.”

Hamby-Lattimore, who has led the program for more than 12 years, said that early awareness is the goal.

“Childcare is expensive. Cars are expensive. We want them to realize the importance of planning ahead and making good decisions now,” he said.

The program is offered free to schools, churches and community groups. 

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