Life Skills

Planning Ahead

Making Wise
Consumer Choices

Time Required

20 minutes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be sure to refer back to
Activity 5 for help
in choosing the right
materials and supplies
for your breed. Then, use
the back button to return
to this page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRAIN TEASER

How would your initial and maintenance costs change if you had two rabbits instead of one?

 

 

 

In a project there are two main categories of costs:

1. Initial cost: this is the cost of starting the project, it includes materials such as_____________ (important for sheltering the rabbit), ____________ (needed to give water ), and___________ (holds the feed). As well as the first purchase of cleaning supplies, feed, and extras (such as a toy).

                 Extras can be both a maintenance cost and an initial cost.

 

2. Maintenance costs: these are re-occurring costs, supplies that you have to buy more than once to maintain your rabbit, such as; feed, _____________ (needed to eliminate dirt and micro-organisms from the cage), and ____________ (such as treats).

 

This activity will guide you through how these costs will affect your project and, at the end, you will be able to determine not only how much it will cost to start your project, but how much it will cost to maintain it.

 

Activity

Step 1:

1. Initial Materials

Print out this table for Initial Material Cost. Use the table to list the initial materials that you will need to purchase and how many of each you will need. Some have already been filled in for you.

As you list the materials consider:

• Will the cage need bedding material?
• Do you already have cleaning supplies that you can use at home, like bleach and gloves?

 

2. Maintenance Supply

Print out this table for Maintenance Supply Cost. List the materials that you will need to purchase and how many of each you will need. Some have already been fill in for you.

As you list the materials consider whether you will need to buy any of your initial materials again. 

 

 

Step 2:

Once you have completed your lists, go to two different stores and compare the price and quality of each item. In your tables be sure to fill in each items price and a brief description that will help you differentiate between the items in each store.

 

Step 3:

Compare both the quality and price of each item from each store. Then, choose the "better" item. Write its cost in the final cost column. Add up the cost of your Initial Materials in order to know how much it will cost to start your project. Add up the cost of your Maintenance Supplies to know how much it will cost to maintain your project.