Shanghai Cab Driver Activity

This activity is designed to show how a family in China has to budget their money in order to survive. This is based on a true story. You are a cab driver in Shanghai. Your work schedule is a twenty hour day from 6 AM ~ 2AM every other day. The cab you drive is shared with another driver who drives on opposite days. The cab is owned by a local hotel. You and your partner must pay the hotel 10 000 yuan a month. You are 44 years old, with an unemployed wife and a 13 year old son. You have been a taxi driver for 24 years. On an average month you bring home, after paying the hotel, 1750 yuan a month. Now create a monthly budget for you and your family. You must buy the items in bold red print!! On your own paper write down what you bought, how much it cost and subtract it from your total income of 1750 yuan. Here are the things you may purchase:

Food
You must buy 20 bottles of something to drink.
You must buy 5 kilo of meat or fish.
You must buy 12 kilo of vegetables.
You must buy 1 bottle of soy sauce.
You must buy 20 kilos of rice.
Optional:

Watermelon  5 yuan  
1 kilo of beef    36 yuan
Cabbage    5 yuan  
1 kilo of pork 36 yuan
Ginger    3 yuan  
1 fish   10 yuan
Garlic    3 yuan 
beer  2 bottles 10 yuan
water  2 bottles 5 yuan
Peanut oil for wok 10 yuan
Garden veggies 8 yuan  
1 kilo of chicken 36 yuan
Onions  5 yuan
Soy Sauce  10 yuan
Rice 10 kilos 35 yuan
1 kilo of tea  32 yuan
soda  2 bottles 7 yuan

House Expenses - You must pay all these.
Rent   350 yuan
Coal for fuel  30 yuan
Electricity  30 yuan

Taxi Expenses - You must pay all these.
Gas for the month 2.5 yuan per gallon, you need 40 gallons
General car maintenance  20 yuan

Personal Expenses
    Soap  3 yuan
    Deodorant 3 yuan
    Toothpaste 3 yuan

Other expenses, these are optional
    Night out for dinner 35 yuan
    School supplies 5 yuan
    Donations to temple 5 yuan
    Movie   8 yuan/person
    Book  12 yuan/book