The challenge
Most students graduate without knowing what their dream lifestyle actually costs.
25%
of states require a personal finance course for graduation
73%
of teens feel unprepared for managing money independently
$38K
average student loan debt — often chosen without understanding the payoff
Sources: NGPF 2025 State of Financial Education · NFEC · Federal Reserve Bank of New York
What is Reality Check?
A free, interactive tool that shows students what it really costs to live the life they want.
1 · Choose Lifestyle
Housing, transportation, food, savings — students build the life they want.
2 · See Real Costs
Location-aware estimates, full budget breakdown, donut chart of where income goes.
3 · Explore Careers
6 careers matched to their income goal — with BLS salaries, education, and growth.
Then vs. Now
A complete rebuild for 2026.
Original Reality Check
Reality Check 2.0
Plain text form, desktop only
Mobile-first visual cards
National averages only
Location-aware cost estimates
3 numbers as result
Full budget breakdown + charts
No career connection
Career explorer with BLS data
No experimentation
“What If?” interactive simulator
No classroom tools
Educator dashboard + class mode
No save/share
Shareable results, PDF export
The student experience
A 5-step journey — takes less than 2 minutes.
STEP 1
Location
Pick where you want to live — personalizes all costs.
STEP 2
Home & Food
Choose housing, utilities, and how you eat.
STEP 3
Transport & Tech
Car vs. transit, phone, streaming, clothing.
STEP 4
Savings & Fun
Sliders for savings, travel, hobbies, loans.
STEP 5
Results
Income needed, budget chart, career matches.
A live “Monthly Total” counter updates throughout — students see their choices add up in real time.
Ready to bring Reality Check 2.0 to your students?
No accounts. No friction. Just a link.