The big ideaA budget shares your coins across the things you want, so they all fit.
How it works
A budget is a plan for sharing out your coins across the things you want, so they all fit.
Dev had 12 pretend coins for a party. The cake cost 5 coins, balloons 2, music 3 and games 4.
All four cost 14, which is 2 more than 12, so Dev picked one thing to skip.
A budget shows that before spending, not after. There is no one right budget, just a plan that fits.
What each thing costs.Plans for 12 coins.
Example 1: Add up the list
The cake costs 5 coins and the balloons cost 2.
5 + 2 = 7
Add the music: 7 + 3 = 10
Add the games: 10 + 4 = 14
14 is more than 12, so all four do not fit.
Example 2: How many coins are left?
Dev has 12 coins and buys the cake and the balloons, which cost 7.
12 − 7 = 5
So 5 coins are left for the music and the games.
Example 3: Skip one thing
Dev skips the music, which costs 3 coins.
The cake, balloons and games cost 5 + 2 + 4 = 11
12 − 11 = 1
That plan fits, with 1 coin to spare. The music at the party was free, because a friend hummed.
Cake, balloons and games.
Example 4: An exact fit
The cake, music and games cost 5 + 3 + 4 = 12.
12 − 12 = 0
That fits exactly, with no coins left.
Words to know
budget
A plan for sharing out your coins so they all fit.
fit
The things cost the same as your coins, or less.
short
Not enough coins for everything on the list.
spare
A coin left over after the plan.
Watch out
Spending 7 of 12 coins leaves 5 coins, not 7.
Add the whole list before you spend, not one thing at a time.
An exact fit is still a fit: 12 coins for a plan that costs 12.
There is no one right budget. Another plan can fit too.
Try it
The cake costs 5 coins and the balloons cost 2. What do they cost together?
The balloons, music and games cost 2, 3 and 4 coins. Do they fit in 12 coins?
Two cakes and the games cost 14 coins. Do they fit in 12 coins?
Answers: 1. 7 coins · 2. Yes. They cost 9 coins · 3. No. They are 2 coins too much
Try at homeWith a grown-up, plan a small treat: list the things, add up what they cost, and see if it fits.
For grown-upsPlan a small treat together with pretend coins: list the things, add up what they cost, and see if it fits. If it does not, ask your child which one thing they could do without. There is no one right answer.
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