Financial Literacy Made Available to Filipinos by Gameplay Company Sense for Money - Part 1

Photo by: RSS

“Breaking news! Breaking news!” The game master hollered. 

The players stopped, turned their gaze towards the lovely, but confident voice, and listened intently, as if their lives depended on it. And in a way, it did, because the game highlights how a player thinks and reacts to situations. It re-creates what really happens to players' lives in gameplay without losing real money.

Ms. Tuesday L. Santiago, Sense for Money Gameplay Development Head, and game master during the launch of Praxis Café belted out information in the form of breaking news stories, which changes the external economic conditions in the make-believe world and in turn affect the players’ financial position, either positively or negatively.

The game is engaging, fun, and simulates real-world scenarios and decision points that people make every day. It simulates the financial life of people. It made me think about the importance of getting health insurance and the high interest rate loan sharks charge their customers (I've had the opportunity to get a loan from a 5:6 before so I can really relate to this one). It isn’t far off from my perspective of what my financial world is, and may become, if I haven't learned my lesson yet.

During the game, players start with some money, a job, and hope that they do well. The roll of the dice, the luck of the draw from the deck of cards, breaking news stories, board placement events, and player decisions combine to make for an interesting, stimulating, and sometimes, suspense-filled evening that somehow feels surreal.  

Photo by: RSS

Alas, only one player is left standing when the money count ended. And it wasn’t me (it was that guy with the restrained grin on the right being interviewed by Ms. Santiago). Sigh. Luckily, this is only a simulation, a game. I get to do it over again and aim for better results. I didn’t finish at the bottom, which is a small consolation, but the goal is to be better at it because this will translate into what happens outside the café, when a breaking news story really affects the value of my assets, and the roll of the dice maybe the last paycheck because of contractual work.

I learned much without the dire consequences of wrong financial decisions and others may, also, in a safe and encouraging environment. As a life-stage financial planner (my day-time job), I always think of ways to help educate clients on the importance of savings, income replacement, and sound investments. Praxis Café is a crash-course in what I try to explain to clients daily, without lecturing, and in a gamely atmosphere.

This game is highly recommended for young ones who aim for more awareness in how their personal finances can be improved and also for the more mature with lots of experience and higher expectations. For more information, please get in touch with these lovely ladies ---> see photo below.

The All-Women Sense For Money Philippines Team

www.senseformoney.com

Unit GFC-1A Classica 1 Condominium

112 H.V. dela Costa St. Salcedo Village,

Makati City

+6327205753

fb: @praxiscafePH

p.s. you can sign up for a fun, fantastic, and free game. Just click on the link ---> i want to change my financial life for the better!

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 *March 8 is International Women's Day. Happy Women's Day to All!

**all photos by me. I retain all rights to these images. :)

EDITED: 2 August 2017