Feed Yourself
You're trying to save money. Which usually tells you more about the better deal: package price or unit price?
Answer: Unit price.
$100: What's one thing you should check before washing an unfamiliar piece of clothing?
Answer: Care label.
$100: Your smoke detector starts chirping. What's something you should not do just because it's irritating?
Answer: Disable/remove it and leave yourself without a functioning alarm.
$100: What four things should you generally have with you before leaving the house for an appointment?
Answer: Flexible—ID, phone, necessary paperwork, payment/insurance information, medication list as applicable, etc.
$100: You oversleep and have 20 minutes to leave for work. What's the first thing you do?
Answer: Open-ended—award based on reasonable prioritization.
$200: Name three inexpensive protein sources you could keep in a basic kitchen.
Answer: Examples: eggs, beans, canned tuna/chicken, peanut butter, lentils, chicken, etc.
$200: True or false: More laundry detergent always means cleaner clothes.
Answer: False.
$200: Your toilet starts overflowing. What are you trying to stop first?
Answer: Incoming water/continued overflow, if it can be done safely.
$200: You have a doctor's appointment at 10:00. What does arriving at 10:00 potentially fail to account for?
Answer: Parking, locating the office, check-in, paperwork, etc.
$200: You get paid today. Your friends want to go out tonight, but rent is due in three days. What comes first?
Answer: Essential obligation/rent.
$300: You have leftover cooked chicken. What's smarter: leave the whole container out until you're hungry again or refrigerate leftovers promptly?
Answer: Refrigerate promptly.
$300: Your clothes finished washing, but you forget them in the washer for a long time. What's likely to happen?
Answer: They can develop an unpleasant/musty odor and may need rewashing.
$300: You smell a strong gas odor inside your home. Do you investigate with a lighter, ignore it, or leave and seek emergency/utility assistance from a safe location?
Answer: Leave and seek appropriate emergency/utility assistance.
$300: You're calling somewhere important and get voicemail. Name three pieces of information you should leave.
Answer: Name, reason for call, callback number/contact information.
$300: Your ride cancels 30 minutes before work. Give me three possible solutions before saying, “I can't come in.”
Answer: Alternate ride, public transportation, rideshare if feasible, coworker, call employer while problem-solving, etc.
$400: You have chicken, tortillas, rice, frozen vegetables and eggs. Name three different meals you could make instead of buying more food.
Answer: Multiple reasonable answers. Let the team defend theirs.
$400: You spill something on an expensive shirt. What's generally smarter: immediately throw it into a hot dryer or identify the stain/fabric before applying heat?
Answer: Identify the stain/fabric and appropriate treatment first.
$400: Name four things worth having in a basic household emergency/supply kit.
Answer: Flashlight, batteries, first-aid supplies, water, power bank, appropriate fire extinguisher, etc.
$400: You receive an official-looking letter you don't understand. What's better: throw it away because it stresses you out or identify the sender, deadline/action requested, and verify it?
Answer: Review and verify it.
$400: You have $25 until payday. Your phone needs $20, you need food, and you need transportation to work. How do you decide what gets paid?
Answer: Prioritize survival/employment-essential needs and explore alternatives/resources; let team defend its solution.
$500 — SCENARIO: You have $15 and need food for two days. Build breakfast, lunch and dinner options.
Answer: Open-ended. Award points if it's realistic, within budget, and provides reasonable meals.
$500: You're starting a new job Monday. It's Sunday night and your uniform is dirty. Give me your step-by-step plan so you're ready for work.
Answer: Judge based on realistic sequencing.
$500: Your breaker trips. You reset it. It trips again. Then again. What's wrong with continuing to reset it repeatedly without addressing the cause?
Answer: Repeated tripping may indicate an electrical problem/overload that needs to be identified rather than repeatedly bypassed/reset.
$500: You missed an appointment because you forgot. Give me three systems you could put in place so you're less dependent on memory next time.
Answer: Calendar, alarms, reminders, written planner, appointment card in consistent location, etc.
$500 — CHAOS CARD:
You wake up late. Your phone is at 8%. You can't find your wallet. Your ride is outside. You haven't eaten. You need to be at work in 25 minutes.
Put these problems in the order you would handle them—and defend your answer.
There doesn't have to be one perfect sequence. Best reasoning wins.