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Show HN: I made a sandbox game to help with financial planning

simulator.money

51–60 of 145 posts

Re: Show HN: I made a sandbox game to help with financial planning

#51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This may well be an en-gb locale specific bug. Also, who's mum charges rent?

Mine charged me rent (once I was finished highschool and was working), saved it, and then gave it all back when I moved out.

scribbles down notes furiously

Re: Show HN: I made a sandbox game to help with financial planning

#52
The idea is great, but it gives some very weird ideas, like having 4% interest p.a. (not something I think still happens in the west). Maybe add a stock market fonds aspect in there (which may rise and fall), have more risky, more potentially lucrative, and less risky, more stable fonds in there.

Re: Show HN: I made a sandbox game to help with financial planning

#53
post #22

Really liked the idea and spent 15-20 mins playing it. Would be good to save your progress. To be more realistic I shouldn't be able to buy a house after about 5 months of salary. Make the house prices 10 times more expensive if you want it to more like real life! Also It's not clear to me if I take the job I can't go to university? I took the job in the absence of another choice, like real life if I got a great alte…

> I shouldn't be able to buy a house after about 5 months of salary

Why not? If you have the cash for the downpayment, a fixed contract, and the property is within 4-5x your yearly salary, you can definitely get a mortgage. I've seen people do that within a month of arriving in a new country & job, depending on the local market it's a very smart thing to do.

Re: Show HN: I made a sandbox game to help with financial planning

#56
I played for around 10 minutes, quite fun. Some comments:

- how would you get 4% gains in real life? it makes a massive difference, but you're unlikely to reach this unless the money is put into the stock market

- was unable to sell my property (the "request valuation" button does nothing)

- the university option never showed up

- there were no further jobs after ~12 years of career (stopped at something like engineering manager at ~45k/year which is very low for London)

- advancing month-by-month is pretty slow. there should be a way of fast-forwarding to important events (new job, promotion, housing market goes up/down, etc)

- had to transfer $ to savings / pension in batches every year or so, losing out on a lot of interest. should be possible to set a monthly amount

- the expenses are way too stable to reflect real life

I ended the simulation at 35 years old, with €200k savings, €60k mortage equity, and €80k on a pension fund. Living on a €100k house, no car, no gifts, no travel, no family. It's not bad, but for someone saving fiercely from 18 years without any major expenses it's not a great result. Getting a high-paying job (80k+) around your 30s will land you in the exact same place, while giving you 12 years to live more liberally.

Re: Show HN: I made a sandbox game to help with financial planning

#57

I changed job and suddenly started paying rent to mum even when I've had my own house for 2 years... payment for mortgage and to mum are right next to each other. It would be nice if the houses showed the energy expenses and fees. And mortgages show the interest rate and the expected monthly payments. Oh, and every property still shows the green "Purchase successful" message since I bought the first property.

Mum better be refunding all this rent she's been stealing over the years since I moved out!

Re: Show HN: I made a sandbox game to help with financial planning

#58

I played for around 10 minutes, quite fun. Some comments: - how would you get 4% gains in real life? it makes a massive difference, but you're unlikely to reach this unless the money is put into the stock market - was unable to sell my property (the "request valuation" button does nothing) - the university option never showed up - there were no further jobs after ~12 years of career (stopped at something like enginee…

It starts out set in 2002. You could absolutely get 4% on a savings account in 2002.

Re: Show HN: I made a sandbox game to help with financial planning

#59
post #8

It simulates real life pretty well: - I have an unread email in the inbox but I can't find it - The banks send me emails with no content in the body, some email glitch on their side - I tried to buy a property, lost my solicitor's fee but never got the property - There are no good jobs available except one underpaid junior position - I pay way too much in tax compared to what I make

This may well be an en-gb locale specific bug. Also, who's mum charges rent?

Mine did :). Or rather, I volunteered to do so, once I landed my first proper job during university years.

Re: Show HN: I made a sandbox game to help with financial planning

#60
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ya, it's technically possible, but boring and tenous. If you won't spend any extra money on socializing, you're going to be a snooze to be around.

Sorry, kinda wanted to respond sarcastically, but I'll be direct instead: Hiking, cooking together, playing board games, card games, playing music together, exploring, and just talking are all inexpensive or free. The most interesting people I've known in my life focused on those things anyway.

I find I do that just great with friends and no money, until I want to do it far away
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