The decision-making grid is an essential part of financial literacy. How individuals make choices about money, use of resources, wants (clothes, cars, cellphone, computers, use of time, etc.) is a skill that starts with filling in a grid and ultimately results in thinking through the process internally. Students can practice the steps of good decision-making by filling in the rows of alternatives (options for satisfying wants) and the columns of criterion (what is valued by the decider- cost, appearance, trendy, etc). Using a + or a – at the intersection of each pair of alternative and criteria to indicate satisfaction, or dissatisfaction will determine the alternative that is most satisfying (more +s than -s).
Pass out a copy of the decision-making grid to each student. You can make copies of the decision grid from the CARE booklet if you have printed booklets, or you can download the pdf of the decision grid. Allow students to practice completing the grid with typical teen wants – cars, spring break destinations, colleges, jobs, apartments, shoes etc.