Chapter 2: Money Buckets – Where Does Your Money Go?
LESSON GOAL
BY THE END OF THIS LESSON,
you’ll know how to create your very own budget using the 4 Bucket System: Save, Spend, Share, and Invest. You’ll learn how to plan where your money goes before you spend it, so you can make smarter choices and reach your goals faster!
💬 let’s break it down
A budget is a plan for your money. It tells your money where to go — kind of like being the boss of your dollars.
Without a budget, money can disappear fast. Ever had $20 and then a few days later it was gone and you didn’t even know what you spent it on? 🙈 Yeah… we’ve all been there.
But when you make a plan — even a small one — your money starts working for you.
You already learned about the 4 Bucket System in the last lesson (Save, Spend, Share, Invest). Now it’s time to decide how much money goes into each bucket when you get paid or gifted money.
Let’s say you get $10. How do you split it? Maybe:
$3 to Save
$3 to Spend
$2 to Share
$2 to Invest
Or maybe you’re saving up for something BIG, so you put more in Save and Spend less for now.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer — your budget is your choice. The goal is to be intentional, not just spend without thinking.
🧠 ANALOGY: A Budget is Like a Map for Your Money
Imagine going on a road trip with no map, no GPS, and no clue where you're headed. You might get somewhere fun… or you might get totally lost. 🗺️
A budget is like a money map. It shows you where to go, helps you avoid dead ends, and gets you to your goals faster.
🤔 critical thinking questions
What usually happens when people don’t have a budget?
How could a budget help you save for something important?
Would your budget change depending on how much money you get?
Which bucket is hardest for you to plan for — and why?
✍️ journal entry: “My First Budget Plan”
Imagine you just earned $20.
How would you divide it between Save, Spend, Share, and Invest?
Why did you choose those amounts?
Write your plan, and then write about how it might help you reach one of your goals!
Optional: Draw your 4 buckets and write the dollar amounts in each.
👨👩👧👦 ACTIVITY WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS: Budget It Out!
What You’ll Need:
A pretend paycheck (you can write an amount on a sticky note or use real money)
A simple worksheet or paper to list the 4 buckets
Pens or markers
What to Do:
Pretend you just got paid — choose an amount (like $10 or $25).
Talk together about how you’d split that money.
Each person makes their own budget with the 4 buckets.
Share your budget and explain your reasoning!
🎯 What This Teaches: Everyone budgets differently — and your money plan should match your goals, your values, and what matters to you.
💵 real-life practice: Make a Real Budget This Week
This week, every time you earn, find, or receive money, write it down and create a real 4 Bucket Budget.
You can use:
A printable tracker
A notebook
Or even an app with help from a parent
Keep track of:
How much you got
How you split it
What you plan to do with each bucket
🌟 Bonus: Look at your “Spend” money and plan before you buy something. Ask: Is this worth it? Could I use this better?
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