Farm Progress

New University of Idaho-developed video game brings some entertainment to the challenge of personal debt management.

January 4, 2017

2 Min Read
DEBT GAME: University of Idaho Extension educators have turned teaching debt from lecture to fun with a new app that has information, insight — and zombies.

Educators know that dry subject matter can slow the process of teaching new ideas and concepts. But what if you added zombies? That's the question University of Idaho Extension educators asked, and their answer is a new game app called Night of the Living Debt.

The aim is to tap into popular culture to help young people learn about finances. And not only do the educators get their students' attention with zombies, but they also teach that you can manage debt through the use of credit cards — which goes against popular financial advice.

The game provides lessons in financial literacy for young people through a video game scenario. UI Extension educators Luke Erickson and Kyle Hansen offer insight into the game, which was developed by New Mexico State University. Funding was provided by CoBank, the ag cooperative lender.

This is the latest learning tools offered through the Northwest Youth Financial Education program that Hansen and Erickson pioneered with funding from Northwest Farm Credit Services in 2014.

You can download the game from the Apple Store. The game has only been designed for use on the iPad.

Understanding the game
During the game, players are challenged to earn income by finding prizes and cashing them in. The next step is deciding to invest, with choices ranging from college to a car — perhaps you want a more expensive home. Or maybe you want to get a credit card.

However, that credit card choice comes at a cost, because that creates a zombie that stalks the card holder, demanding payment. Those zombies appear whenever you incur debt, and they follow players until they're paid.

The point is that overextending yourself financially means you're vulnerable financially. As Hansen notes, "We didn't make the rules, but we want players to understand what the rules are so they can get an A on their credit score."

The rising importance of credit scores is an important part of the game, and also of life. Erickson notes that more than half of employers use credit in evaluating job candidates. The military uses personal credit information to assess security clearances, which can determine that person's ability to advance in rank.

Extension work often goes beyond agriculture, but good debt management, learned early, can help even future farmers be better prepared for a successful ag future.

Credit cards and debt
The twist in the game, of course, is that Hansen and Erickson see value in teaching users about the value of credit cards and that credit score. Both note that proper use of credit cards can help a person build up that credit score. The secret to proper use: Pay the balance off each month, and avoid carrying a balance.

You can visit the Apple Store and search Night of the Living Debt to download the game for free, and try it out yourself.

Source: University of Idaho

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