Lesson 2: Spending Diary – what you spend



Single class period


Activity One: How Ryan ‘spent’ his week


In Lesson One, we thought about our biggest weekly expenses, but do we really know how much we spend in a week? Often it is the small day-to-day things that really add up and this is where savings can be made. In this lesson, students will read through a case study to see exactly where the character’s money is going and identify where they can make savings

Step-By-Step Instructions

Activity One: How Ryan ‘spent’ his week

1.   Display Ryan’s week on the whiteboard/overhead projector.

2.   Read Ryan’s week aloud, checking to ensure that everyone understands all the words/terms used.

3.   Divide students into pairs.

4.   Invite each pair of students to think about what Ryan did the day before and the different ways he spent his money. Encourage students to write notes as they brainstorm.

5.   Distribute one copy of Student Worksheet: How Ryan ‘spent’ his week to each pair.

6.   Invite students to record Ryan’s weekly spending by filling out the item description section and estimating the corresponding amount. When they are finished they should calculate Ryan’s total weekly spending.

7.   Facilitate a whole class discussion using the following questions as prompts:

  • Did you like this activity/find it easy?  Why?
  • How much money do you think that Ryan spent in total?
  • How much money does Ryan earn every week?
  • Do you think Ryan spends the same amount every week?
  • Are any of his expenses one-off?
  • Ryan is short €18 this week. Where do you think he’ll get this money from?
  • Can you think of any ways Ryan could save/earn money?
  • What does Ryan’s spending tell us about his needs/wants?
  • Do you think it is important to keep a list of your spending over a week? Why/why not?

8.   Explain that by completing the Student Worksheet: How Ryan ‘spent’ his week each pair of students had essentially written Ryan’s weekly Spending Diary.

9.   Conclude by explaining that a Spending Diary involves writing down everything you spend money on so you can see exactly where money is going and figure out where savings can be made.


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