Budget Strategies Student Worksheet
Personal Finance • Grade 9
Budgeting Methods Activity Sheet
Name: _______________________
Date: November 4, 2026
Class: 9th Grade Advisory / Math
Golden Rule of Saving: Pay Yourself First
"As soon as you get paid, you set money aside in your savings before paying for anything else." This ensures your future savings are funded first.
1
The 50/30/20 Rule Analysis
The 50/30/20 budget recommends you spend 50% of your budget on needs. What factors would impact your ability to stick to this rule?
Living in an expensive city with very high rents that exceed 50%.
Also, medical emergencies, expensive groceries, or a low minimum wage can push basic needs far above half of your paycheck.
(En español: Alquileres muy altos, cuentas médicas o alimentos caros que superan el 50% de los ingresos).
2
Zero-Based Budgeting (Every Dollar Has a Job)
Zero-based budgeting involves making sure every available dollar is accounted for. How is this beneficial for someone using this method?
It helps you know exactly where all your money goes. Because every dollar has a specific job, you avoid accidental spending and reach your goals faster.
(En español: Sabes con exactitud a dónde va cada dólar y evitas gastar en compras innecesarias).
Video Application: Try The Zero-Based Budgeting Method
Desean sets up his zero-based budget and has $175 left after he assigns all of his expenses to each category. What would be a good category for him to put that money in?
He can put the $175 into an emergency savings fund or pay off extra debt.
This brings his remaining unassigned money to zero and protects his future.
(En español: Puede poner los $175 en un fondo de ahorros de emergencia o pagar deudas).
Think about the process of zero-based budgeting. What might one drawback of this method be?
It takes a lot of time to track every single purchase each month.
Also, if your work hours change weekly, it can be stressful to constantly balance the numbers to zero.
(En español: Requiere mucho tiempo registrar cada gasto, y es difícil si tus ingresos varían cada mes).
Personal Finance • Grade 9 Student Portfolio Page 1 of 2
Personal Finance • Grade 9
Envelope Budgeting & Next Steps
Section: Cash Stuffing & Status
3
Envelope Budgeting (Cash Stuffing)
How does envelope budgeting work?
You put cash into labeled envelopes for categories like food or outings. When an envelope is empty, you stop spending in that category until your next paycheck.
(En español: Pones dinero en sobres para cada gasto; si el sobre queda vacío, no gastas más hasta el siguiente pago).
Video Application: FinCap Friday: Cash Blast from the Past
What is one benefit of envelope budgeting?
It stops overspending because cash is physical. Seeing the money disappear helps you think carefully before making purchases.
(En español: Evita gastar de más porque ves físicamente cuánto efectivo te queda).
True or False: Envelope budgeting means that you have to deal with only cash and physical envelopes. Explain your answer.
False.
You can also use digital budgeting apps or multiple bank accounts that act like virtual envelopes.
(En español: Falso. Puedes usar apps móviles o cuentas de banco que funcionan como sobres digitales).
Do you think this is a method that you would use? How might using this method benefit you?
Yes, I would use it for snacks, games, and going out with friends.
It would benefit me by setting a clear spending limit so I do not waste all my money right away.
(En español: Sí, me serviría para no gastarme todo el dinero de salidas y meriendas en los primeros días).
Pending Class Activities / Actividades Pendientes
CASE STUDY: How Do I Budget?
PENDIENTE
Actividad pendiente según tu solicitud para realizarse con la hoja del caso.
EXIT TICKET
EN ESPERA
Sigue las instrucciones del maestro al finalizar la clase.
Ready for Submission • Grade 9 Student Work Page 2 of 2
