A budget only means something the moment life tries to blow it up. Life Happens ditches the spreadsheet and hands students a working budget, real money, and a deck of curveballs — a car repair, a surprise bill, a birthday nobody planned for — and asks them to hold it together in real time. Every choice has a trade-off, every trade-off has a consequence, and every player finds out what "staying in control" actually feels like under pressure, not just what it means on paper. No worksheets, no calculators — just decisions, discussion, and the occasional plot twist.

Learning outcomes

• Build and adjust a working budget against real constraints and shifting priorities

• Absorb a financial curveball without derailing the whole plan

• Build the "pay yourself first" habit and feel why a cushion matters before it's tested

• Walk away with a felt sense of financial control, not just the theory of it