Routing #: 291480141
FINANCIAL EDUCATION
HOME > EXPLORER NEWS >
Bills, Budgets, and Big Life Lessons at Ethan High
Wait, Daycare Costs HOW Much? Ethan High Gets a Bite of Reality
April 9, 2025 | Ethan, SD
ETHAN, SD – Last week our Explorers crew packed up our smartphones and a healthy dose of financial wisdom and headed to Ethan High School for a full-on financial adventure with the 7th through 12th grade students. The mission? To deliver the Bite of Reality program—a hands-on, real-world budgeting simulation that’s part life lesson, part game show, and entirely unforgettable.
What Is Bite of Reality?
Imagine being 15 and handed a job, a spouse, a couple of kids, a credit score, and a bank account. Welcome to adulthood! Each student received a fictional persona—complete with a career, salary, family situation, and yes, even credit card debt. Their task: navigate the real world by budgeting for housing, transportation, food, childcare, and entertainment (because even simulated parents deserve a night out).
With smartphones in hand and curiosity in the air, students were sent off into the financial jungle—making choices that would affect their monthly budget and, in some cases, their blood pressure. “Wait, daycare costs how much?!” was a common reaction. Spoiler alert: adulthood is expensive, folks.
-
Tables of Temptation & Triumph
Each station—like Housing, Transportation, Clothing, and (a crowd favorite) Childcare — offered students choices ranging from sensible to splurge-worthy. Some opted for used cars and basic cable. Others… well, let’s just say we had a few aspiring influencers who prioritized designer wardrobes and the fanciest smartphones available.
And lurking at the center of it all? The “Fickle Finger of Fait, where unexpected life events either rained on their financial parade or gave them a bonus (hello, birthday money!). Flat tires, medical bills, and job changes? Just another Tuesday in the adulting simulator.
A Team Effort
We couldn’t have done it without our incredible community volunteers, who brought Bite of Reality to life with energy, enthusiasm, and just the right amount of real-world pressure. These table assistants didn’t just dish out prices—they played the part of savvy salespeople. Sensible sedan or flashy sports car? Basic cable or must-have streaming bundle? With tempting “upgrades” and emotional sales tactics, students got a real taste of how easily budgets can bust when wants win over needs.
One of the key stops? The Credit Union table—our financial reality checkpoint. This is where students faced the consequences of their spending: credit card debt, budget breakdowns, and the hard truth about luxury apartments and daily coffee runs. We offered guidance, budget reviews, and gentle reality checks—with just enough humor to keep it light, but lessons that stuck.
To the students, it may have started as a fun class break—but it quickly became a crash course in adulting. Juggling kids, car payments, and grocery bills, some found themselves bargaining over smartphone upgrades or realizing five nights of takeout wasn’t sustainable (spoiler: it wasn’t). There were laughs, dramatic sighs, and new respect for just how fast money can disappear.
A huge thank you to Ethan High School for letting us bring this program to your students. Your hospitality and humor made the day a blast. And to our volunteers—whether you were selling houses, pitching car insurance, or pointing out that $1,200/month on food might be a bit much—you’re the real MVPs. Your time and energy left a lasting impact.
- Want to Learn More?
If you would be interested in bringing the Bite of Reality Program to your High School next year, please reach out to our Marketing Department at 800.491.4309.
