The Poverty Challenge - The Sims 2 - Part I

This challenge takes me completely out of my comfort zone.  I play to make my Sims monetarily successful...and happy!  This challenge takes a poor Sim in an impoverished oppressive neighborhood and the goal is simply to make them thrive.  Of course there are all kinds of rules.  I am taking the original set of rules found HERE and an updated version found HERE and putting them together for my benefit.

What I changed:

• I did not create a new neighborhood.  I am playing this in Strangetown, which is where all my short challenges are played.  Reason:  I am not familiar with the townies and NPCs here so the outcome is the same.
• I am using the basic updated rules, but instigating the scoring system from the old rules.

My Preparation:

• I removed Pescado's Community Skilling MOD.
• Installed Job Stopinator
• I downloaded all the approved improvished lots listed HERE and installed the All-In-One Community Shack.   As the challenge is played will determine if more need to be installed.
• I wanted a female Sim as the founder, so used Alexa to give me a random number between 1 and 25 and rolled the dice with her suggestion.  Changed the Sim to base game clothes, keeping my default replacements.

LET'S PLAY THE SIMS 2!!

 Joy Hickey - Family - Gemini    

 Day One

Joy used the newspaper to find a job, and took the job that paid the most on entry level.  She is in Dance! She will be making $215 a day.

Joy made several trips to the All-In-One Shack to meet other Sims and shower/toilet/eat.  She found that it was very easy to steal food from other Sims, therefore she had lobster and spaghetti for free.  Also grilled hotdogs for free.  She met townie Matthew Howe and has a two bolt attraction.  He always seemed to be at the Shack every time she went.  At the end of the day their relationship was 96/13.

Day Two

Joy made a regular habit of passing out because she did not have a bed.  Luckily after a trip to the Shack where she ate a great big plate of stolen lobster, she came home to find a stray had made a hole in her yard.  She used it once, and dug up a ROCK.  Dang.  She sold it for $25.

That combined with the cash from her first day at work, she could afford the cheapest twin bed.  Comfort doesn't go up fast, but she can sleep.  Yay for that!

Day Three

Joy had a wish to eat spaghetti.

Luckily Nervous Subject came along and ordered Spaghetti from the little cafe at the Shack.  Joy managed to steal it, getting a wish fulfilled and getting herself out of red aspiration.

Joy is partial to blonds...and met Gerald Landry.  They fell in crush!  *fingers crossed* he will be able to move in and help out.

Day Four

This day Joy was off work, certainly something she did not need.  She needed that $215.  So she spent the day fishing to get some free food that hopefully she would be able to cook at home, and gained a bronze fishing badge.  She headed over to the Shack to replenish needs and met up with Matthew, and fell in crush with HIM.  She asked him to move in, but he wasn't ready for that step.

Another stray came along and dug a hole.  She followed up and dug for treasure and got a rock.  Again.  So that was another $25 in her coffers.

Day Five

It was now Friday, Joy collected another $215 from her job. She was looking forward to a weekend off work, and that was something she really could not afford to do. So she took a look in the paper and found this.

Yesssss!  She will be able to work all weekend, and have a high daily pay besides.  She took it.

A phone was purchased so she could call her loves over.  She immediately used it to call Gerald...he was at work.  So she called Matthew.  He was available for a date. They went to The Shack.

Awwww...holy matrimony.  Meet the happy couple, Joy and Matthew Howe.  Really liked the name Hickey, but I am traditional.

Knowledge - Sagittarius

Matt is currently a CEO so he will quit his job and get a job in Politics like Joy.  That will bring them $618 each work day.  Between the cash he brought in to the relationship and all the loot in his backpack, he had 21K.  The loot was sold, and familyFunds cheat to bring the cash on hand back down to $277.

Day Six

There was only one twin bed on the lot.  Being a Knoweldge Sim Matthew had the extra added benefit of lots of wolves stopping by.  The Leader of the Pack immediately showed up and dug a hole.

Matthew dug after him and found a map, which brought in $400, and a second bed was immediately purchased.  The Leader dug again.  Matt dug right after him and found another map, so $800 brought right in.  Matt then went to bed, the Leader dug again, and Joy found....a bone.  Yes.  At least it was worth $55.  It was a very fruitful day already, and they had not even been to work yet.

Day Seven

It was a mile marker day! It was getting very cold, as it was the first day of winter.  The happy newlyweds arrived home from work with enough $$$ build a small one room dirt floor house to keep them out of the cold.

Day Eight

The gypsy dropped by a wishing lamp.  The Sims can ask the genie for riches, but to me that felt like really cheaty, so when Matt wished for a wish, he wished to be cured.  Since he wasn't sick, nothing happened.  Whew.

Otherwise it was a day off for the happy couple.  They spent their time at the Shack taking care of personal needs and having fun dancing and playing pinball.

Day Nine

It was another day of work, then coming home and shoring up friendships on the phone.  Not that it makes any difference, as there are no job promotions.

For all intense purposes, just realize the couple is going across the street to the Shack to replenish needs until those things are bought for the house.

Day Ten

Day off from work.  The only source of fun was the Shack..off they went.  When home the happy couple spent tons of time making out.  Waiting for the little pond on their property to thaw out so they can get back to fishing, and maybe put out a small garden.

Day Eleven

Returning home from work, the family had enough money to build a second room with a dirt floor, and add a little ceiling light.  The phone is now in a separate room and will no longer wake Matt and Joy up.  It is the last day of winter.  Hallelujah!

Day 12

Before Matt and Joy headed off to work, a wolf came by and dug a hole.  Matt checked it, and found a map.  Sold off for $400.  Joy no longer checks the doggo holes as all she finds is rocks and bones.

That combined with the $618 brought home from work enabled:

A shower, a toilet, a grill and a table.  They will be getting a fridge soon so the grill is usable.

Day 13

A fridge was purchased and right away Joy tried to make hotdogs.  Yep.  The grill was moved outside after this mishap.

Now everything is in place....roof over the head, tools to take care of personal needs.....yepppeeerssss....

***CHIMES***

The Howes headed over to the Shack and tried for baby!  Woot!

Day 14

Alrightie!  And this is where we end Part I of the Poverty Challenge.  Joy is 15 days to elder, Matt is 19 days to elder.  There is $169 in the bank.  How many kids will they have?  How will they handle child care?  How?  How?  How?

Thanks for dropping by, leave comments below and let me know what you think!

See you next time in Part II!

~ASimWen