FinLife – Your Financial Story 🎮
Inspiration
Most people finish school without ever learning how to budget, file taxes, manage loans, or invest. Meanwhile, financial decisions define the quality of our lives. FinLife was born from a simple question: What if learning money skills felt like living a game? Inspired by games like BitLife, we reimagined the life-simulation genre — but with real financial lessons built into every decision.
What it does
FinLife is an interactive browser-based life simulator. Players live out a virtual life from age 16 to 65, making financial and personal decisions along the way. Each year presents new challenges and opportunities: jobs, college, emergencies, investments, family, and more. Player stats like Money, Happiness, Health, and Financial IQ evolve based on choices, and the game concludes with a personalized Life Report Card.
How we built it
- Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- Game Logic: JavaScript objects and functions manage player stats, aging, events, and outcomes
- State Management: localStorage to preserve game progress
- UI/UX Design: Prototyped using Figma
- Deployment: GitHub Pages or Replit for easy public access
Challenges we ran into
- Balancing fun and learning: We needed gameplay to stay enjoyable while introducing real-world concepts.
- Meaningful decisions: Designing life choices that reflect realistic financial trade-offs without oversimplifying.
- Explaining terms: Embedding accessible definitions and real consequences (like APR or debt cycles) without breaking immersion.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
- Built a fully playable financial simulator with minimal tech stack.
- Created a dynamic player stat engine that reacts to realistic decisions.
- Made financial literacy approachable through micro-learning moments.
- Designed a UI that feels like a game, not a classroom.
What we learned
- Simulating real life requires thoughtful systems design.
- JavaScript is surprisingly capable for creating life-event logic and state transitions.
- Teaching is most effective when it feels earned — letting players see consequences works better than just telling.
What's next for FinLife
- Dynamic economy: Add inflation, market crashes, and economic cycles.
- AI Financial Coach: Chat-based assistant that answers questions and suggests paths.
- Multiplayer & Leaderboard: Compare lives and financial outcomes with friends.
- Accessibility Enhancements: Voice narration, offline support, and mobile-first UX.
- Educator Tools: Classroom scenarios, analytics, and learning reports.
Core Gameplay Loop
- Player starts at age 16 with initial stats.
- Each year presents decision cards: school, job, purchases, emergencies.
- Choices affect money, happiness, health, and financial IQ.
- Random events (scams, bills, bonuses) add unpredictability.
- Game ends at retirement (65) with a Life Report Card.
Key Modules & Screens
1. Life Stages by Age
| Age Range | Example Decisions |
|---|---|
| 16–22 | Part-time job, save or spend, start side hustle |
| 23–35 | College loans, credit cards, rent vs buy, marriage |
| 36–50 | Kids, insurance, career changes, emergencies |
| 51–65 | Retirement planning, scams, health costs, legacy |
2. Financial Systems
- Income: Jobs, freelancing, passive income
- Expenses: Bills, rent, insurance, lifestyle
- Debt: Loans, credit cards, interest systems
- Investments: Stocks, crypto, real estate
- Budget Slider: Adjust savings vs spending
- Financial IQ: Grows with good decisions, unlocks perks
3. UI Elements
- Dashboard: Tracks all stats and financial health
- Decision Cards: Key yearly life choices
- Tooltips: Explain terms (e.g., “What is APR?”)
- Random Events: Car broke down, bonus at work, scam alert
- Final Report Card: Net worth, smart choices, debt, happiness
Scoring System (Endgame)
- Net Worth – 40%
- Financial IQ – 20%
- Debt Level – 10%
- Life Balance (Happiness/Health) – 20%
- Decision Diversity – 10%
Education Moments
Every choice includes a “Learn Why” button:
- Explains real-world reasoning
- Defines financial terms (e.g., APR, compound interest)
- Shows simple math (e.g., how interest compounds)
Stretch Goals
- Voice narration for accessibility
- Market simulation engine
- Real-time news integration for global events
- Leaderboard for best financial paths
- Unlockable financial trivia or puzzles
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