Microeconomics in the Palm of your Hand - Part 3

This part discusses some of the monetary instruments implemented in the game.

Mortgage - Shopkeeper Tom Nook greets you when you first arrive on the scene with the news that your home has been constructed and you have a "mortgage." Rather than being burdened with monthly payments, you can take as long as you want to pay it off. The reward for doing so is an expanded house with a new, larger mortgage. Live the American Dream!

Insurance - Insurance salesman Kyle appears periodically to coerce an insurance payment from you. Once insured, you seem to stumble occasionally, and eventually receive some "benefit" payments in the mail. Not enough to make up for the premium, however.

Futures - Joan shows up on Sundays to pitch her turnip wares. You can buy quantities at Joan's price, which varies from week to week, and then check with Tom Nook (see above) each day to find out what he's willing to pay. At some point in the week you hope he will pay you more than you paid Joan. If you don't sell by Saturday, the turnips go bad (i.e. the contract expires).

I guess the next step from all this is to provide an in-game investment counselor who sets up a fund to use turnip profits to make regular payments to your mortgage and bank the rest - after taking their fee. There could be different counselors in the game depending on how much risk you want to take and/or how much you weigh savings versus profits. That would give you more time to do important things like fishing...