I had done this activity with Cub Scouts, so I decided to try it on the Young Women. The other leaders have specific roles in this: 2 store clerks, a banker, a bishop, and a few bosses. The bosses give the girls work to do (cleaning the church) and pay them for the work. The girls can choose to spend that fake money on little toys at the store, pay tithing, or put money in savings. At the end, we discuss their choices and I give them their budget assignments. I also give them a prize, depending on the choices they made (i.e., their "eternal reward").
I learned quickly that this was not a good idea. I realized it too late to change plans, though. The main problem is the cost. When you do this with little boys, you go to a store and buy a giant bag of plastic bugs for a tiny price and the boys are thrilled. Teenage girls' tastes are far more expensive.
Hindsight advice: Never do this activity with Young Women. If you do, spend some time in advance shopping at the stores, waiting for good stuff to be really cheap. Also, stickers are a great prize for little boys. Not for teenage girls.
"Developing self-reliance--the ability to care for ourselves and our families--is the responsibility of every sister. . . . When we are self-reliant, we use our blessings and resources to prepare for and avoid problems."
