This is your Two Dollar Challenge: a personal journey that will confront you with a few of the many constraints faced by those who live on less that $2 a day. There are three levels of participation: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. You choose the level of difficulty. You are also free to customize your own experience by choosing rules from each of the three levels of participation. In the end, you decide how deep you want to take the experience. We will say, however, that as you increase the level of difficulty you increase the level of interdependence among participants. In turn, you hasten the formation of community. And, community is the key ingredient that adds nuance and value to your group discussions.
Download a copy of the Rules (pdf or word)
FULL RULES
All Levels of Difficulty:
All goods and services consumed during the Two Dollar Challenge must be newly purchased out of your $2 a day income. These items include, but are not limited to: personal hygiene products, cosmetics, and all food or drinks.
You are limited to two complete outfits of clothing. Both complete outfits must be kept on your possession for the duration of the Challenge.
With a few exceptions (see below) you cannot use any part of the wealth you enjoyed before the Challenge (that includes stored food and drinks and meal plans if you are a student).
Exceptions Include:
- Health related goods and services
- Uniforms for work and extracurricular activities
- Stove top
- Pots and Pans for boiling water and preparing food
- Refrigeration for storing perishable food
- Reusable Water Bottle
- Backpack for carrying items
- Indoor heating and cooling is permitted.
- Gasoline for traveling to work, school, and/or internships
- For those choosing to live in shelters: Sleeping bag, Blanket and Tarp
You must participate in at least two group discussions. We have topics, readings, resources, and discussion questions to assist you.
Any monetary assistance you receive during the Two Dollar Challenge must be donated to the organization you are raising funds for. It cannot be used to supplement your income.
Beginner:
You participate for 3 days and 2 nights.
You receive your income in one lump sum ($6 or $2 per day for 3 days).
You can carry over savings from one day into the next.
You can sleep in your room or in the shelters.
You can access water from both private and public taps.
You can access both private and public restrooms.
You can use electronics (phones and computers) during the day in any location and after dusk.
You can barter for additional goods and services that you wish to consume outside of your $2 a day income. You must provide a service in exchange for these goods (for example, cleaning a room).
You can accept and consume unsolicited food donations that are perishable (non-perishable food items should be stored and donated to a local food bank).
Intermediate:
You participate for 4 days and 3 nights.
You receive a daily income of $2 per day.
You can carry over savings from one day into the next.
You reside in shelters constructed out of free and/or discarded materials for at least 2 nights.
No showers.
You can bathe from a public water source (for example, a common sink); however, you are not allowed to use the hot water tap. You can use other means to heat water to a desired temperature for bathing.
Your access to water is limited to public water sources (e.g. water fountains).
You must boil your water before it can be consumed (this includes water for drinking and cooking or brushing your teeth with)
You can only access public restrooms.
Your consumption of electricity must coincide with nature. For example, lights can come on when the sun rises but must go out at sunset.
You may not use your phone or computer after sunset.
You can barter for additional goods and services that you wish to consume outside of your $2 a day income. You must provide a service in exchange for these goods (for example, cleaning a room). And, you can only barter with individuals outside of your network of family and friends.
You are not allowed to consume perishable food donations.
Advanced:
You participate for 5 days and 4 nights.
Your daily income is determined randomly. It could be $0, $3, $2 or $1.
You daily income is not guaranteed to average out to $2 per day for the 5 days.
You can carry over savings from one day into the next.
Your daily income, savings, and accumulated wealth (stockpiles of food) are susceptible to Personal and Community Shocks on a daily basis. These shocks can be positive (adding to your income or wealth) or negative (subtracting from your income or wealth).
You reside in shelters constructed out of free and/or discarded materials for at least 3 nights.
No showers.
You can bathe from a public water source (for example, a common sink); however, you are not allowed to use the hot water tap. You can use other means to heat water to a desired temperature for bathing.
Your access to water is limited to one public water source (for example, one water fountain or spigot).
You can gather water from your one designated water source only during specific hours (e.g., one hour intervals in the morning and afternoon).
You must boil your water before it can be consumed (this includes water for drinking and cooking or brushing your teeth with).
You can only access public restrooms.
Your consumption of electricity should coincide with nature. For example, lights can come on when the sun rises but must go out at sunset.
You may not use your phone or laptop except for work or Two Dollar Challenge related activities.
You cannot barter for additional goods and services.
You are not allowed to consume perishable food donations.
Some Do’s and Don’ts
Do refrigerate all perishables.
Do not skip taking medication.
Do not participate if ill or become ill.