Contents
Pay Day Game Rules
Countdown to payday
Your bank loans
At the beginning of the game, each player starts with a bank loan of $3750. If you pay off your loan, you won’t have to pay any interest. However, if you don’t pay off your loan, you will have to pay 20% interest on the remaining balance when you reach payday.
Your salary
You will receive a monthly salary of $3500 at the end of each month. This is your income and the main way to pay off your expenses and debts.
Gameplay
Choose a career
At the beginning of the game, choose a career card. Each career card has a different salary and special abilities that can help you during the game.
Start the month
At the beginning of each month, draw a ‘Mail’ card to determine your monthly expenses. These expenses can include bills, insurance, loans, and other financial obligations.
Roll the dice
Roll the dice and move your game piece along the game board. Each space represents a different event or action that can affect your finances. Follow the instructions on the space you land on and take the necessary actions.
Income spaces
If you land on an income space, you will collect your monthly salary. This money will help cover your expenses and pay off your loans.
Deal spaces
If you land on a deal space, you can make a deal with another player. This can involve buying or selling properties, receiving or giving loans, or negotiating other financial transactions.
Save or spend
Throughout the game, you will have opportunities to save or spend your money. It’s important to find a balance between saving for the future and enjoying your current lifestyle. Think carefully before making financial decisions.
Month-end
At the end of each month, you will have to pay your monthly expenses. Make sure you have enough money saved or earned to cover these expenses. If you don’t have enough money, you may have to take on additional loans and pay interest.
Reach payday
The game continues until one of the players reaches payday. At this point, all players will have to pay off their remaining loans and calculate their final score.
Winning the game
Calculate your score
To calculate your final score, add up the money you have left, the value of your assets (properties, investments), and any other bonuses you have earned during the game (such as paid off loans). The player with the highest score wins the game.
Continue playing
If you enjoyed the game, you can play again to try different strategies and improve your financial skills. Remember, the more you play, the better you’ll get at managing your money.
Have fun and good luck!
The goal of this game is to have the most money by the end of the game. You’ll play through one or more months to see who comes out on top.
Getting Ready
- First, decide how many “months” you want to play. This means how many times you’ll go through the calendar from Monday the 1st to Wednesday the 31st. We recommend playing at least 2 months. With 4 players, a 3-month game takes about one hour, while a 6-month game takes about 2 hours.
- Next, shuffle the Mail and Deal cards separately. Put each stack face down in Draw piles near the board. If you run out of cards in a Draw pile, shuffle the discarded cards and use them.
- Now, take the top Deal card and place it face down, halfway under the left edge of the board next to the “Yard Sale” space and under the “Deal” sign.
When you gather together to play the game, here’s what you need to do: Each of us selects a token and puts it on the START space. Then, we choose someone to be the Banker. The Banker will handle all the money that comes in and goes out of the Bank. To start the game, the Banker gives each of us $3,500. This money comes in different denominations: we get two $1,000 bills, two $500 bills, and five $100 bills. Next, we need to pick another player to be the Loan Record Keeper. This person will keep track of all the loans made during the game. They will write down the names of all the players at the top of the loan record pad. If there are six players, we’ll need two sheets. Now, it’s time to figure out who goes first. The Banker and the Loan Record Keeper are both playing, so we’ll just start with the player to the left of the chosen Banker. As we play, turns will pass to the left around the table. Now that we’ve got all the technical details set up, let’s move on to the deals and high finance!
Hey there! If you want to get ahead financially, listen up! Making deals is the name of the game. It’s how you succeed and get ahead in America. So don’t pass up any opportunities that come your way.
We all have those moments when we don’t have enough money to buy something or pay our bills, help out a neighbor, or make a charitable donation like we’re supposed to. What do you do in that situation? Well, you do what any true-blooded American would do: you take out a loan!
Loans
- Do you need some extra cash? No problem! You can take out a loan whenever you want. The banker will give you the money, and they’ll make a note of it in their records.
- Loans are given in increments of $1,000. So you can borrow as much as you need!
- But here’s the catch: every time you land on “Pay Day”, you’ll be charged 10% interest on your outstanding loan balance. It’s like a small fee for borrowing the money.
- Now, here’s the good news: on “Pay Day” you have a chance to pay off part or all of your loan. That’s right, you can chip away at that debt if you want. But remember, if you decide to make a payment, it has to be in increments of $1,000.
Whenever I need to borrow some money, I make sure to keep a record of it. It’s important to stay organized and keep track of the amount I owe. When I take out a new loan, I update my loan record by crossing out the old amount and writing in the new total.
Now, let’s talk about how to play the game. It’s really simple! First, I roll the die and move my token along the calendar. The track represents the days of the week, just like a real calendar. I start on Sunday and move to Saturday, and then start again from Sunday.
When I land on a space, I follow the instructions written there. Each space has its own set of instructions. I have to do whatever the space tells me to do before my turn ends.
Lastly, let’s talk about the mail spaces and cards. These are special spaces that can give me extra benefits or sometimes present challenges. When I land on a mail space, I pick a card and read what it says. The card will tell me what to do next.
So, remember to keep track of your loans and follow the instructions on the spaces. And don’t forget about the mail spaces and cards, they can be a lot of fun!
When you land on a MAIL space, you’ll need to draw the number of Mail cards shown on the mailbox flag.
If you receive instructions, follow them right away. If not, simply keep the cards in a pile with their faces up in front of you until you land on “Pay Day”. That’s when you’ll have to pay your bills and get rid of the Mail cards.
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Pay Your Neighbor:
When you draw this card, you have to pay another player the specified amount, no matter what. You might even have to borrow some money to do it.
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Mad Money:
Hey there! When you get your hands on this card, you gotta be ready for some serious cash action. As soon as you lay down this bad boy, you can demand that another player cough up the exact amount of money shown on the card. And let me tell ya, they might have to borrow some dough just to pay you back.
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Charity:
When you come across the word “Charity,” it means that you have to take the amount specified on the card and place it on the corner of the board labeled “Jackpot.”
Monster Charge:
When it comes to paying off your balance on Pay Day, there are a few options to consider that can help you manage your finances effectively.
If you don’t want to fully pay off the entirety of your balance on Pay Day, you have the choice to pay only the interest, which is 10% of the total amount owed. By doing so, you’ll be able to carry the remaining balance over into the following month.
Alternatively, you also have the option to pay off a portion of the balance on Pay Day. This can involve paying the interest alone, or paying the interest along with any additional charges that may have accumulated on your account.
It’s essential to understand the different possibilities and consider what works best for you when managing your financial responsibilities. By making informed decisions about how to approach your balance on Pay Day, you can better navigate your financial journey.
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About Deals and Buyers:
Let’s talk about deals and buyers. There are two types of spaces you can land on: a deal space or a found a buyer space. It’s up to you to decide which one to choose.
If you land on a deal space, you’ll need to follow the instructions provided. This will help you move forward in the game.
If you land on a found a buyer space, you’ll also need to follow the instructions. This space will help you progress in the game as well.
Understanding Deal Spaces and Cards
If you land on a Deal space, just pull the top Deal card. If you want, you can buy the item on the card right away. Don’t worry if you don’t have enough money – you can borrow from the bank. Make sure to pay them back, though!
You can have as many Deal cards in front of you as you can pay for. So, if you have lots of money, go ahead and buy as many Deals as you like. The Dipsydoodle Noodles card, for instance, is worth $8,000.
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So here’s the deal, my friend. When you happen to land on a Found a Buyer space or get sent there, you can hold onto your Deal card. And let me tell you, that’s when things get interesting because you can actually cash in that card for an increased value! Yup, the bank will pay you for it.
Now, let’s talk about Dipsydoodle Noodles. If you sell that particular Deal card, you’ll get a whopping $12,000! And guess what? That means you’ll be making a cool profit of $4,000. Not too shabby, huh?
But hold up, there’s a catch. You can only sell one Deal at a time. So choose wisely, my friend. And here’s another thing to note – if your Deal card is not sold by the time the game ends, it becomes worthless. Yeah, I know, tough luck.
What about the Other Board Spaces?
Sweepstakes:
Guess what? You have a chance to win $5,000 from the Bank! Exciting, right? Just picture all the things you could do with that money. Maybe you’d go on a dream vacation, buy something special for yourself, or even help out a loved one. The possibilities are endless! All you have to do is enter the Sweepstakes, and you could be walking away with a big, fat check.
Lottery:
Hey there, lucky person! Are you ready to try your luck and potentially win big? Well, the Lottery is just the thing for you. With the Lottery, you have the opportunity to win a whole lot of money. It’s like a magical ticket that could completely change your life. Just imagine all the amazing things you could do if you hit the jackpot. Pay off your debts, buy a new house, treat yourself to something special – the choice is yours. So don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity!
Alright, here’s how the game goes: The Bank puts in $1,000 right off the bat, and if you want to join, you can put in $100, but it’s totally up to you. We begin with the player who landed on this space, and each player who joined in will take turns picking a number between 1 and 6.
Now, the player who landed on the Lottery space gets to roll the die. Whoever’s number matches the one rolled gets to collect all the money. But hey, if nobody picked the rolled number, we keep on rolling until we find a winner!
A Day of Fun
Here’s what you need to do: take the money shown and place it on the Jackpot corner of the board. If you don’t have the cash, don’t worry! You can always take out a loan.
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Let’s Play the Radio Phone-in Contest!
Hey there! Have you ever played the Radio Phone-in Contest? It’s a super fun game that I want to tell you about. So, here’s how it goes:
First things first, we gather all the players around a table and get ready to roll the dice. We start with the player sitting next to me and take turns rolling the die.
The goal is simple. We want to be the first person to roll a 3. Yep, that’s right – rolling a 3 means you “win” $1,000 from the Bank! How cool is that?
I gotta admit, it’s a game that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You never know when luck will strike and you’ll be the one rolling that winning 3. It’s exciting, suspenseful, and the best part? It could be any one of us!
So, are you ready to give it a shot? Gather your friends, grab a dice, and let’s see who will be the lucky one to win the Radio Phone-in Contest!
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When I Find a Buyer:
Hey, guess what? If I have one or more Deal cards and I land here, something great happens. The Bank pays me the “Value” amount from one of my cards. How cool is that? I get to choose which card I want to use, and then I pocket all the profit. It’s like free money! But wait, there’s more. After I use the card, I have to put it in the discard pile. Oh well, can’t win ’em all!
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Happy Birthday:
Guess what? It’s your birthday, and boy, oh boy, do I have some exciting news for you! Picture this: every single player – they’re all lined up, one after the other – they’re all giving you a special gift. Can you believe it? It’s a whopping $100! That’s right, I said one hundred big ones – just for you! Isn’t that something? So, go ahead and celebrate, my friend, because this is your day, and the presents keep on pouring in!
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Yard Sale:
If you roll the dice and land on this space, you have the chance to snag a great deal! Just pay the Bank $100 times the number you rolled, and you can take the Deal card that’s hidden under the edge of the board. It’s like finding a hidden treasure! And don’t worry, after you take a card, a new one will be placed from the Deal deck.
Walk for Charity:
When you land on this space, you have the opportunity to do something good for others. It’s called Walk for Charity. It’s like going on a walk to help raise money for a good cause. And if you decide to take part, you’ll be rewarded! So go ahead and step up to make a difference!
Hey there! So, here’s the deal: I need to tell you all about rolling the die and landing on the Jackpot corner. Don’t worry, it’s simple! Ready? Let’s dive in!
Okay, so when you land on the Jackpot corner, something exciting happens. But, hold your horses! It’s not just for you. Nope, it’s for everyone except the player who ended up there. So, let’s say it’s your lucky day and you landed on the Jackpot corner. Well, you’re not the only one who’s going to benefit from it.
Here’s where things get interesting. All the other players, not including you, get a chance to roll the die. And based on what they roll, they need to place some cash in the Jackpot. How much cash, you ask? Well, it’s pretty straightforward. They take the number they rolled and multiply it by 100. And that’s the amount they put in the Jackpot. Simple math, right?
Let’s walk through an example to make sure you’ve got it. Say you roll a 4. Now, it’s time to do some quick calculations. Take that number 4 and multiply it by 100. What do you get? That’s right, 400! You place $400 in the Jackpot. Easy peasy! And hey, don’t worry if you don’t have the cash on hand. You can even take out a loan to make it happen. Just like that, you’re part of the Jackpot magic.
So, remember, when you land on the Jackpot corner, it’s not just about you. It’s about everyone else getting a chance to contribute too. And who knows? Maybe next time, it’ll be your turn to benefit from the Jackpot. Exciting, isn’t it? So, dive in and let the good times roll!
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Wow, Look What You Can Win:
Guess what? If you manage to roll a 6 during your turn, you hit the jackpot! That’s right, any player who rolls a 6 on their regular turn gets to collect the Jackpot! (Just to make sure we’re on the same page, a regular turn means rolling the die and moving your token). Oh no, what a bummer if you forget! In that case, you’re out of luck.
Time to Cash In:
Hold on! Stop right here, even if you rolled a number that would take you past this space. Just like in real life, there are advantages and disadvantages to getting paid. Here’s what you need to do, step by step:
- Collect your monthly salary of $3,500 from the Bank.
- If you have taken out a loan, you must pay 10% interest to the bank.
- If you want to, you can pay off part or all of your loan. The payment must be in $1,000 increments. The Loan Record Keeper will write down the transaction.
- Pay all the bills you received this month. If you don’t have enough money, you can take out a loan or increase your existing one. Put the bills you paid in the discard pile for the Mail cards.
- Move your game piece back to the START space. On your next turn, you’ll start the month all over again.
- At the end of the last month of the game, get rid of any Deal cards you still have.
Important:
If you’ve made it to the last month of the game, which is Pay Day, it’s time for you to retire and wait for the other players to finish. While you wait, you can still participate in fun activities like playing the Lottery, entering a Radio Phone-In Contest, celebrating Happy Birthday, or taking part in a Walk for Charity, if any of these opportunities arise!
Wrapping Up the Game
Once all players have completed the predetermined number of months in the game, it’s time to calculate your total cash. Since you paid off all your bills on Pay Day, you don’t owe any money. Now, the only thing you need to do is subtract any outstanding loans from your total cash. The remaining amount is your net worth.
The player with the most cash, or the highest net worth, when all players have reached Pay Day for the final time, is the winner of the game.