Hailey Keller

Housing
I chose to use the 2-bedroom townhouse I currently live in for the family. The
townhouse is located on 25th Street allowing for easy commute throughout town. The location
is close to a nice park as well as the downtown area. The townhouse would provide a two large
bedrooms, one for the parents and one for the children. The bedrooms are close together so
the parents would be able to monitor the children. There is a full bathroom including a tub and
vanity upstairs as well. A laundry closet containing a washer and dryer are found in the
basement which has a space large enough for a play room or an office area as well as a
bathroom with a standup shower are in the basement as well. They would pay a monthly rent
of $975 which would eliminate the need for real estate taxes. I think renting would be
beneficial for the family because housing in Kearney is pricey and I don’t like the idea of buying
a house unless it is the right house and the market is good.
The water, sewer, and trash are paid for by the landlord. The rental insurance is $10 per
month through State Farm Insurance and insures up to $100,000. The gas billed through
Northwestern Energy runs on average $50 per month, accounting for decrease in the summer
and increase in the winter. The average power bill through Nebraska Public Power District is on
average $80 per month. The maintenance in the townhouse is minimal, so simple lightbulbs
and cleaning supplies are all that are needed which would cost around $20 per year. Netflix can
be used in place of cable for movies and television entertainment. A Netflix account costs $10 a
month. A Charter account can be used for internet/wifi and a landline phone. The monthly
cost for a phone and internet bundle is $70 through Charter. I feel that a landline is easier to
manage because it eliminates wasted money for texting and internet use. I used Verizon’s
online site to estimate the monthly cost for basic service for two basic phones. The monthly
cost would be over $100 per month. It would be more cost effective to utilize a landline for
communication.
Rent: $975
Rental Insurance: $10
Internet and Landline: $70
Energy: $50
Power: $80
Maintenance: $20
Netflix: $10

Food
The weekly meal plan is found below. I grew up in a house where nutrition was very
important. I believe that spending the extra few dollars for healthy food options instead of on
things such as cell phones, clothing, or entertainment is well worth it. I based the meal plan off
of meals I had during my childhood. I used recipes based on my mother’s cooking and have
attached a grocery list with pricing as well. I would plan to pack a lunch for the 8-year-old to
take to school every day, because that is what my mother did for me. I would also expect the
parents to eat the same lunch as the 8-year-old to eliminate eating out expenses. I used pricing
from Boogarts grocery store located on 2nd Street in south Kearney. The snacks are able to be
prepared and stored in snack baggies in order to allow for quick and easy access to snacks in
the refrigerator during lunch preparation. The orange juice is a frozen concentrate so it
Hailey Keller

requires preparation but is also more cost effective than prepared juices. The popcorn is from a
bag of kernels and brown paper bags with flavored powdered seasonings available. This is a
much cheaper and healthier option than buttered brand popcorns. The bottle of merlot wine is
a cheaper, more affordable brand. I think the wine purchase is necessary to allow the parents
to unwind and relax on a Friday night while watching a movie and having some popcorn with
the children.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snack Drink

Sunday Cinnamon Sloppy Joes Chicken and brown Broccoli and 2% Milk
rolls and hot rice with asparagus cauliflower
chocolate with ranch
Monday Breakfast Turkey Breast Taco Salad with Celery and Orange
Casserole sandwich leftover sloppy joe Carrots with Juice
Peanut butter meat peanut
and jelly butter
sandwich
Tuesday Oatmeal Grilled Chicken Baked Potato Bar Raisins 1 bottle
with honey salad of
and bananas Turkey and Merlot
cheese wraps
Wednesday Leftover Turkey Breast Leftovers Greek Yogurt
breakfast sandwich and apple slices
casserole Peanut butter
and jelly
sandwich
Thursday Oatmeal Grilled Chicken Chuck roast with Popcorn
with honey salad carrots and potatoes
and bananas Turkey and
cheese wraps
Friday Eggs and Tuna fish Catfish sandwiches and carrots and celery with
Toast sandwich ranch
Honey and
banana wrap
Saturday Pancakes Hamburgers Roast with mashed potatoes

Clothing
I am basing this project around a family living in Kearney, Nebraska. The seasons are
very drastic so the need for extreme weather clothing is necessary. The children will need to
have warm winter coats, snow pants, snow boots, hats, and gloves. They will also need shorts,
pants, and shirts. A bathing suit is also needed for the children during the summer months.
The mother and father should have a sufficient wardrobe and will not be included in the
clothing budget for this assignment.