#79 HOUSE OF CARDS

People have different amounts of money available to spend on their weekly shopping trip. People certainly also think differently about how much money they can spend in the department store today. Statistically speaking, they probably also have different amounts of money available for shopping, for example, depending on whether they say "department store" or "supermarket". Talking about money is not easy, as I'm sure many people can confirm. However, if we become isolated when talking about money, it becomes just as difficult to talk about injustices and the unfair distribution of economic capital and to think about solutions together. So what could a format look like that encourages such an exchange?

Our idea? There is a small, colorful container in the entrance area of the large local department store. It has a window through which you can only look in from the inside. Two people (whether they know each other or not is irrelevant) can only open the container together. Because when they press the door handle, the door is locked. Only when each person inserts a debit or credit card into a small slot on the door does the container open. Inside are two comfortable armchairs. Between them is a small cash machine with a display. It says: "Welcome. Ready to talk about money?" Questions light up:

• Do you talk about money with others (parents, friends...)?
• What is your relationship with money?
• What determines how much money you have?
• You only have to be hardworking and make an effort to stop being poor, don't you?
• Do you think it's fair that some people have/inherit/earn much more money than others?
• Do you have a bad feeling when you look at your bank account?
• Have you ever heard of the gender pay gap?
• Do you think you know whether the people you see through the window have more than you? How can you tell?

A nice set of cards called "Money Therapy" for talking about finances has been developed, for example(https://www.instagram.com/joinvitamin/).