Living On a Budget of One Dollar a Day
We began by taking a $125 microfinance loan to rent a piece of land and purchase radish seed, fertilizer and tools. Our budget for the summer was 56 dollars each (to be unpredictably distributed). This dollar a day was budgeted to grow crops, feed ourselves and pay our bi-weekly installments towards our microfinance loans.
This element of the simulation provided us an inside perspective into how the Grameen Bank, the world pioneer of microfinance, operates, including both challenges and benefits
BUDGET BREAKDOWN
Total Budget = $208 = 1664 Quetzals ($1 = Q8) Total Budget - Initial Expenditures = Q1664 - Q76.5 = Q1586.5 Microfinance Loan = $125 = Q1,000 + (interest 25%) Must pay installments of Q51.36 every 15 days. ----------- Amount Randomly Drawn From Hat June 19 = Q72 June 20 = Q0 June 21 = Q0 June 22 = Q8 June 23 = Q8 June 24 = Q48 June 25 = Q64 June 26 = Q8 June 27 = Q8 June 28 = Q24 June 29 = Q32 June 30 = Q24 July 1 = Q0 July 2 = Q56 July 3 = Q48 July 4 = Q8 July 5 = Q0 July 6 = Q72 July 7 = Q56 July 8 = Q8 July 9 = Q16 July 10 = Q24 July 11 = Q8 July 12 = Q40 July 13 = Q8 July 14 = Q48 July 15 = Q56 July 16 = Q56 July 17 = Q56 July 18 = Q40 July 19 = Q16 July 20 = Q32 July 21 = Q40 July 22 = Q16 July 23 = Q16 July 24 = Q8 July 25 = Q0 July 26 = Q 8 July 27 = Q16 (Ouch, tough streak) July 28 = Q0 July 29 = Q0 July 30 = Q72 (Sean came in huge with this pull!) July 31 = Q72 Aug 1 = Q48 Aug 2 = Q16 Aug 3 = Q32 (Gotta save some money for the Antony dinner) Aug 4 = Q48 Aug 5 = Q40 Aug 6 = Q32 (Fully saved for Anthonys dinner!! We are now feeding 20 people) Updated Comments: Chris and I are fully recovered from the E Coli attack and are hungry. Sean now has 2 parasites though... One of them being E. Coli. Pullick tonight and then one last dinner of rice beans and lard... :( |
GROCERY LIST
Initial Expenditures - June 16 5lb Rice, 5lb Beans, Toilet Paper = Q50.5 1 Salt and Matches = Q2 1 Soap = Q5 15 pc. Wood = Q15 Ocote (natural red pine fire starter) = Q4 Total = Q76.5 June 20 12 Bananas = Q7 2 Oranges = Q1.20 3lbs. Rice = Q13.5 3lbs. Beans = Q15 1 Ocote = Q2 1 Head Garlic = Q1.5 2 Carrots = Q2.50 Ride to Market = Q4 25 pc. Wood = Q25 .5lb. Onions = Q1.30 Total = Q72 June 22 Ride = Q4 1lb. Beans = Q4 Total = Q8 June 25 2lb Potatoes = Q4 12 Bananas = Q6 4.5 lb Black Beans = Q22.25 1.5 lb Lima Beans = Q6 8 Carrots = Q3.5 .5 lb Lard = Q3 3 Heads of Garlic = Q 3.75 4.5 lb Yellow Rice = Q8 4 Avocados = Q5 Ride = Q4 Total = Q65.5 June 29 30 Tortillas = Q6 Salt = Q1 Matches = Q1 3 lb Rice = Q12 3/4 lb Lard = Q6 4.5 lb Black Beans = Q20.25 16 Bananas = Q8 Total = Q54.25 July 2 1lb Lard Q10 7lb Black Beans Q28 3 Heads of Garlic Q4 6lb Rice Q24 20 Bananas Q8 Ride Q4 4 Bags of Vegetables Q2 3 Eggs Q2 Total = Q82 July 3 15 pc. Firewood Q15 Total = Q15 July 6 6 lb Rice Q24 3/4 lb Lard Q8 20 Bananas Q8 8lb Beans Q32 1lb Tomatoes Q3.5 1oz Spice Q1.5 Salt Q1 Total = Q78 July 9th 3/4 lb. Lard 8Q 8lb Beans 32Q 8lb Rice 32Q 20 Bananas 8Q Ride 4Q Total = 84Q July 10 15 pc. firewood 15Q Total = 15Q July 13 Salt 1Q Garlic 1Q 3 Avocados 5Q 3 Cucumbers 3Q 1.5lb Tomatoes 5Q 5 Limes 1Q 5lb. Rice 20Q 3.5lb Beans 14Q 3/4 lb Lard 3Q 1/2 lb onions 1Q Ride 4Q 20 Bananas 8Q Total = 64Q July 16 1lb lard 5Q 4lb Corn 5.20Q 6lb Rice 24Q 10lb Beans 40Q 1lb Onions 1.75Q 1oz. Chile Pepper 1.5Q 42 Bananas 15Q Cal .5Q Ride 4 15 pc. Firewood 15Q Total = 111.95Q July 20 6lbs Beans 24Q 6lbs Rice 24Q 1lb Lard 4Q 4 Cucumbers 4Q 6 Limes 1Q 1 packet of Matches 1Q 1 Soap 5Q 1 Roll toilet paper 1Q Ride to Town 4Q 1/2 lb Onions 1.25Q 44 Bananas Q16 Total = 85.25Q July 23 8lbs Beans 32Q 6lbs Rice 24Q 2lbs Lard 8Q (Going all out!) 5lbs Corn 6.50Q Peppers 1Q 1lb Onions 2.25Q Salt 1Q 36 Bananas 12Q Ride 4Q Total = 90.75Q July 24 15 pcs. Firewood 15Q Total = 15Q July 27 4 lbs beans 16Q 6lbs rice 24Q 1/2 lb lard 3Q 24 bananas 8Q Ride 4Q 15 pcs. Firewood 15Q Total = 70 Q Aug 1st 6 packs of noodles Q12 1.5 lb Carrots Q3 2 lb Potatoes Q2 3lb Rice Q12 2lb Tomatoes Q5 2 packs Flavor Q1 18 Bananas Q7.5 Oil Q4 1.5 lb Mosh (Oatmeal) Q5.25 6lb Corn Q8.4 Ride Q4 Bread Q2 Total = Q66.15 Aug 3rd 6 lb Rice Q24 4lb Tomatos Q8 Hot Sauce Q3 4x Flavor Q1.5 5 lbs Oats Q17.5 6lbs Corn Q8.4 Ride Q2 (Hitched a ride on a friends motorcycle one direction. Saved 2) 5x Bread Q2 Total = Q66.4 Aug 5th 10 pieces of Firewood Q10 Total = Q10 August 6th (Pullick Dinner for 20 people!) 5 lbs Red Meat! Q70 3x Meat Flavor Q2 3 lbs Tomato Q9 8 lbs Corn Q11 1 ounce Achote Q1 3 Red peppers Q3.75 20x Bread Q10 2x Chocolate bars Q6.5 2 lbs Rice Q8 2 lbs Beans Q8 2 lbs Oats Q7 1/2 lb Lard Q2 Ride Q4 Total = 142.25 |