Last Tuesday proved to be a record day for home, automobile and cellular phone sales in Vicksburg.

About 400 students got to experience what it’s like to budget a monthly income with living expenses as part of Junior Auxiliary’s Game of Life at Vicksburg High School, service project chair Holly Porter said.

“It’s a real-world scenario for the students,” she said.

Porter said as the students filed in they were given a packet that included an assigned job and income.

“From there there’s all these different stations where they have to go around and pay bills,” she said. “They have options at each table.”

When students go to purchase a house, they have the option of living in a trailer, an apartment or a house and depending on which one they choose, their electricity and other variables will fluctuate, Porter said.

“If you don’t have a high paying job, you can always get a part-time job,” she said.

Businesses from the community came and donated their time to help the students get an idea of the real world, Porter said.

“At each station they’re also writing a check, so they’re also getting check-writing skills,” she said. “They’re learning how to balance the decisions that they make versus the income they take in.”

Numerous other factors played into the game including, taxes, children, healthcare and random chance cards that could be good or bad.

Porter said the JAs plan to repeat the event in the spring at both Vicksburg High School and Warren Central High School and she was thankful for the sponsors of the event who volunteered their time to make it a success: Harley Caldwell and Lindsey Gilliland with Coldwll Banker; Robin Lea with State Farm; Sam Porter with Edward Jones; Kroger; City of Vicksburg; Jodi Sumerall with Merit Health; Janet Rantisi with Cannon Toyota; Rebecca Antwine with Antwine Accounting; Trustmark Bank; Mutual Credit Union; and Newks.

Vicksburg senior Austin Manuel said he lucked out and was assigned to be a doctor.

“I got an apartment because I don’t have any kids,” he said. “I’m going to save my money for when I need it.”

Vicksburg freshman Markayla Mack who was assigned to be an office clerk said she learned a lot from the game.

“I’m living in a trailer because it’s the cheapest,” she said. “I don’t have the budget to afford an apartment or a house yet.”

Mack said it was going to be hard to make her money stretch.

“I’ve still got to pay my electricty, insurance, phone bill and groceries,” she said.

Mack said she couldn’t see spending the rest of her life as an office clerk and added she wants to be a lawyer.

“I’m going to go to college,” she said. “I have to.”