Maya's Year, A Personal Budgeting Simulation | Cambridge OCR Level 3 Personal Finance

M

Maya

Hi. I'm Maya, I'm seventeen, and I'm in Year 13, finishing my A levels next summer. I've got a part-time job, my family help me out a bit, and right now I've got £100 saved in my bank account. Not much, but it's a start. I'm saving up for something I really want for after exams. Trouble is, the year ahead has twelve months of unexpected stuff, and I keep finding ways to spend money I should be saving. Help me get there.

How it works

You'll set up Maya's year: where she works, how her family help, and what she's saving for.
Twelve months play out. Each month brings income, regular costs, and sometimes a curveball.
At each decision you choose: spend or skip, take the overtime or rest, repair the phone or live with the crack.
At month twelve, you find out whether Maya hit her goal, and which choices got her there.

12Months

~20Minutes

27Setups

What you'll get out of it

The point of the year isn't really the goal. It's noticing the difference between what's essential and what's discretionary, and learning the cost of every small choice. By month twelve, you'll see the pattern: small leaks sink big plans.

Maya starts the year with

£100in her bank account

It's a head start, not a cushion. One bad month could wipe it out.

Question 1

Where does Maya work?

Question 2

How do Maya's family help?

Question 3

What is Maya saving for?

£0

of £0 saved

M

Maya

The breakdown

Total income

£0

Across the whole year

Essential spend

£0

Living costs and necessities

Discretionary spend

£0

Choices she could have skipped

The moments that mattered

The three discretionary choices that cost the most progress toward the goal.

Month by month

Month	What happened	In	Out	Saved

What the year really teaches

0%of spend was discretionary

£0distance from goal

0decisions made