As part of our ongoing mission to support young people in building essential life competencies, CEGE Association held a local youth event at the International Youth Center in Pernik, Bulgaria, dedicated to a topic that affects everyone - financial literacy. The session brought together active young people from Pernik who were eager to explore how daily financial decisions shape our future, not through lectures, but through a dynamic educational game:

Daily Choices for Functional Life

Developed under the Erasmus+ Project № 2024-1-AT01-KA210-YOU-000245743, the game was the central learning tool of the event. The game put the participants in teams in the shoes of 4 personas with different financial backgrounds, engages them with realistic, everyday financial situations,  and challenges them to make choices based on the characters' priorities and long-term thinking.

The session revealed important patterns: many participants realized how small, seemingly harmless choices (like spontaneous purchases or skipping essential expenses) could lead to significant negative or positive outcomes over time. It became clear that functional life planning starts with awareness — and that financial literacy is not about being “good with numbers,” but about making intentional decisions.

Following the game, the group discussed concepts such as budgeting, compound interest, emotional spending, investments, and financial responsibility. Several young people shared real-life examples of financial challenges they’ve encountered, sparking valuable peer-to-peer learning moments.

The event also served as an introduction to the wider work of CEGE Association and the opportunities created by Erasmus+ projects for non-formal learning,  youth empowerment, and cross-European collaboration. The positive energy in the room, the curiosity of the participants, and the deep reflections inspired us to continue working on tools that make financial education not only accessible but also practical and memorable.