Robbie’s Robbie’s BirthdayBirthday SpendingSpending

““Hi, my name is Hi, my name is Robbie and I just Robbie and I just turned 7 years turned 7 years old.”old.”

““For my birthday For my birthday

last week I got last week I got $22!”$22!”

““Today, mommy is Today, mommy is

taking me to the taking me to the toy store so I can toy store so I can spend my spend my birthday money.” birthday money.”

““This is my baby This is my baby brother, Bryan. I brother, Bryan. I want to make sure want to make sure that I save $4 so I that I save $4 so I can buy him a new can buy him a new stuffed animal.”stuffed animal.”

““His birthday is His birthday is next week. He will next week. He will be 3 years old. He be 3 years old. He loves monkeys, loves monkeys, maybe I can find maybe I can find him one!”him one!”

““Robbie, are you ready yet?” calls Robbie, are you ready yet?” calls mom from the front door. mom from the front door.

““Oh yeah, we better get going,” Oh yeah, we better get going,” says Robbie.says Robbie.

““Mommy, I’m going to buy a lot of toys,” says Robbie on Mommy, I’m going to buy a lot of toys,” says Robbie on the way to the store. “I want a new army man, and the way to the store. “I want a new army man, and new crafts, and a new...”. new crafts, and a new...”.

““Make sure you keep track of how much money you are Make sure you keep track of how much money you are spending,” Robbie’s mom interrupts. spending,” Robbie’s mom interrupts.

““Oh, I will because I have to remember to save $4 to buy Oh, I will because I have to remember to save $4 to buy Bryan a new stuffed animal,” Robbie responds.Bryan a new stuffed animal,” Robbie responds.

““Oh! We’re here, Oh! We’re here, I’m so excited!” I’m so excited!” Robbie screams. Robbie screams. “There are so “There are so many toys.” many toys.”

““There is the craft There is the craft isle. I want to go isle. I want to go there.”there.”

““Maybe they will Maybe they will have a some have a some paint by number paint by number books. Those are books. Those are my favorite!”my favorite!”

““This is the best This is the best set ever. I get 5 set ever. I get 5 books with books with brushes.”brushes.”

“ “ This paint by This paint by numbers set numbers set costs $4,” costs $4,” exclaims Robbie. exclaims Robbie.

He put the painting He put the painting set in his basket.set in his basket.

““Oooo, mommy Oooo, mommy look over there! I look over there! I see the isle with see the isle with the action the action figures.” figures.”

““I love army men! I I love army men! I don’t have one don’t have one like this. Wow, like this. Wow, I’m so excited,” I’m so excited,” yells Robbie. yells Robbie.

““This army man This army man costs $4.” costs $4.”

“Let’s see how much money I am spending.”

$4 for the painting set

+ $4 for the army man$8 that I am spending all together

“Ok, so I can still buy more things because $8 is a lot less than $22.”

““Hmm, What else Hmm, What else should I buy?”should I buy?”

““I love cars. Maybe I can I love cars. Maybe I can find a car to go with find a car to go with my army man!” my army man!”

““This car is awesome! It This car is awesome! It has a remote control has a remote control too.” too.”

““This car costs $5.” This car costs $5.”

““Do I have enough Do I have enough money?”money?”

So, I already spent: $8 for the painting set and army

man+ $5 if I buy this car

$13 for all three things

“I do have enough to buy the car! And, I still have some money to spend

because $13 is less than $22.”

““Robbie, remember to save $4 for the stuffed animal Robbie, remember to save $4 for the stuffed animal you promised your brother,” mom warns.you promised your brother,” mom warns.

““I will,” responds Robbie with a smile. Oooo, look at I will,” responds Robbie with a smile. Oooo, look at this basketball! I could really use a new basketball. this basketball! I could really use a new basketball.

““It is on sale for $3.” It is on sale for $3.” ““Let’s see how much I will spend if I buy all these Let’s see how much I will spend if I buy all these

things in the cart.”things in the cart.”

Together, everything will cost: $13 for the painting kit, army man, and car+ $3 for the basketball $16 for all four things

“Yes! I do have enough money.

And I still have some money left over because $16 is less than $22.

I’m getting close to $22, so I better be careful!”

““Let’s see, I need to find Let’s see, I need to find a stuffed animal a stuffed animal before I forget.” before I forget.” Robbie remembers. Robbie remembers.

““There is the stuffed There is the stuffed animal isle. And, I see animal isle. And, I see monkeys!” monkeys!”

““Here is one for $4.”Here is one for $4.”

“ “I think Bryan will like it I think Bryan will like it a lot. I better hide it a lot. I better hide it so he does not see it!”so he does not see it!”

““Oooo, look at that Oooo, look at that puzzle. I love puzzle. I love puzzles! This one puzzles! This one has Elmo on it,” has Elmo on it,” exclaims Robbie.exclaims Robbie.

““The Elmo puzzle The Elmo puzzle costs $3.”costs $3.”

““Oooo, there is Oooo, there is another puzzle another puzzle with bunnies on with bunnies on it!” it!”

““The bunny puzzle The bunny puzzle costs $2.”costs $2.”

““Which puzzle can I buy and still have enough Which puzzle can I buy and still have enough money for Bryan’s monkey?” money for Bryan’s monkey?”

““The $3 puzzle or the $2 puzzle?”The $3 puzzle or the $2 puzzle?”

““Remember, I only have $22.”Remember, I only have $22.”

Let’s see how much everything will cost if I buy the $3 Elmo puzzle:

$16 for the paint set, army man, car, and basketball

+ $4 for the monkey for Bryan+ $3 for the Elmo puzzle

$23 for everything and the puzzle

“Hmmm, I don’t have $23. Can I buy the other puzzle instead?”

If I buy the $2 bunny puzzle, I will spend:

$16 for the painting kit, army man, car, and basketball

+ $4 for the monkey for Bryan+ $2 for the bunny puzzle $22 dollars for everything

“Yay, I do have enough to buy the bunny puzzle and the monkey!

Now I just have to pay the cashier and I can go home and play.”

““I would like to buy all of these toys,” said Robbie to the I would like to buy all of these toys,” said Robbie to the cashier.cashier.

““Sure young man, I will be right with you,” the cashier Sure young man, I will be right with you,” the cashier responded. After she rung everything up, she said, “That responded. After she rung everything up, she said, “That will be $22.”will be $22.”

““I knew that already. I added it up,” said Robbie with a I knew that already. I added it up,” said Robbie with a smile. smile.

““This has been one This has been one exhausting day! exhausting day! Shopping makes Shopping makes me tired, and my me tired, and my little brother little brother too!”too!”

““Look at him fast Look at him fast asleep.”asleep.”

““Thank you so much Thank you so much mom! I’m really mom! I’m really glad we went glad we went shopping today,” shopping today,” Robbie said as Robbie said as they left the store.they left the store.

““Me too,” responded Me too,” responded mom, “and that mom, “and that was very nice of was very nice of you to buy your you to buy your brother a monkey.”brother a monkey.”

PicturesPictures

My nephew (Robbie): Robert HurstMy nephew (Robbie): Robert Hurst My sister (Mom): Melissa HurstMy sister (Mom): Melissa Hurst Photographs: Joel HurstPhotographs: Joel Hurst