If you do not have any money currently in an IRA, keep that value at zero. Without revealing your personal finances to me, discuss if this exercise has changed your views about Social Security and retirement. The national debt is also an issue. The data does not have to be 1999 data, but try to find a report published in the last 10 years. They are in debt.
Consumer debt is a major problem especially with college students.
Using a search engine, find out the average amount college students are in debt from credit cards. Report the percent. Report the amount, date and time. Your assignment will be to devise a monthly budget using only the income allocated to you in your class . You will be using the Excel spreadsheet program to make your budget.