Overview

Easy Money is a Monopoly-style property trading game where players move around a board buying properties, collecting rent, and building houses. Players roll dice to move their token around the board, landing on properties they can buy or must pay rent on. The game features properties, utilities, commercial buildings, a stock exchange element with “Give and Take” cards, and an auction mechanic for unsold commercial/utility properties. The player with the most cash and property value when all others are bankrupt wins.

Components

• 1 game board (properties arranged around the perimeter in a loop)
• Money bills in various denominations
• Houses (colored pieces, in 4 colors)
• Property deeds / Title cards
• 2 dice
• 4 player tokens (colored MAN movers)
• Give or Take cards (deck of 24)
• Banker’s tray with partitions

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center. Assemble the partition into the uprights to create the wide tray. Detach the Houses from the stems and keep them separated by color in four pockets of the tray. The other two pockets remain empty for use during game play.
2. Remove the “WASTE” strips from the two narrow brown trays and put the Money Bills in the decks.
3. One Player acts as Agent, and handles all the money and Houses for the Bank. They also play in the game as another Player.
4. At the start of the game, the Agent gives each Player a different colored MAN and $10.00 in Easy Money (as follows: five $1’s, seven 50c, six $1.00s, four $0.05, seven $0.01, and two $0.005). The balance of the money remains in the Bank, each denomination in its own slot.

Turn Structure

Each turn:

1. Roll dice and advance your MAN the number of spaces equal to the throw of the dice. The Player to the left plays first.
2. Land on a space and take the appropriate action:
   • Property (Yellow spaces): Buy it or auction it.
   • Utilities (also Blue spaces): Buy or auction.
   • Commercial Buildings (Blue spaces): Buy or auction.
   • Give or Take cards: Draw and follow instructions.
   • Red Traffic Light: Do NOT pay a traffic fine.
   • Bonus Corner: Collect $2.00 from the Bank.
   • City Hospital (Orange space): Pay rent or just visit.

Passing the Bonus Corner: Each time a Player moves completely around the board, crossing or landing on this space, they collect $2.00 from the Bank.

Doubles

When a Player throws DOUBLES on the dice (2 showing the same number), they draw the top card from the pile and follow the instructions on it. If the card orders the player to advance their MAN, they do so, pay the RENT and take their turn as needed. If the card orders them to “Take or Pay,” they do this; then reverse their MAN the number of spaces thrown on the dice (moving backward).

Actions

Buying Property

When a MAN lands on an unowned Property space, that Player can buy it at the printed price ($1100). If they do not wish to buy or cannot, the property is auctioned. Players can buy properties, build houses, and rent schedule. The property is not auctioned but sold to the Player, if they wish, for the “B” price. The Player pays the Bank. The Agent gives them a House of their color to place on that PROPERTY. The OVER the lowest figure in the RENT column. Now every Opponent landing there pays the Owner the designated RENT.

Buying Utilities or Commercial Buildings

When a MAN lands on one of these Unowned spaces, the Agent offers it at Auction to ALL Players. The highest bidder is declared the Owner and pays the Bank the price bid. The Agent gives them a House of their color to place on that space to mark ownership. Now every Opponent landing there pays the Owner the designated RENT.

Elm Country Club

A MAN sent to the club by a “Give and Take” card before it is Auctioned does not pay RENT, but the Club is put for Auction at once as above.

Legends/ACES

When a Player lands on Bingo Game, United Trust Company, Real Estate Tax, and so forth, the Player Pays to or Receives from the Bank the amount printed on that space. The Agent removes this play at the Auto Accident space, making sure it is paid when Players land on it.

Owning Property

When a Player has purchased one Property, they must buy their next Property on another side of the Board. The rule is “A Player cannot buy more than one Property on the same side of the Board, nor can they have more than one House on a Property.” UNTIL they first own 4 Properties, one on each of the FOUR SIDES of the Board.

Players owning four Properties, one on each side of the Board, may buy more Property on any side of the Board and/or build additional Houses on Property already owned. Utilities and Commercial Buildings may be owned on ANY SIDE of the Board as they have no relation to the above rule.

Building Houses and Subdivisions

To collect more RENT, a Player in turn may buy additional Houses for Properties. They buy them from the Bank at the “B” price (as $1100 placing their next on the next higher space in the RENT schedule). A Player owning 4th House on a Property completes a Subdivision. The Player places all Houses on the picture at the top of the column, replacing the others.

Paying Rents

When a Player’s MAN is moving around the board and lands on an Opponent’s Property, Utility or Commercial Building, they pay the RENT to the Owner at the Player’s MAN landing on their own possession, paying nothing.

Mortgages

A Player may borrow money from the Bank on HIS RETURN by mortgaging any of their Properties or Commercial Buildings. Utilities cannot be mortgaged. The mortgage value is MAJOR in the amount the Bank lists, regardless of the number of Houses they have on the Property. All houses on MORTGAGED property are STORED ON END. NO new Houses may be built there (they are paid by Opponents as MORTGAGED properties at the regular rate of the Mortgage amount).

Special Exemption Card

The Player drawing this card keeps it and is free from paying Taxes and Traffic fines. It may be sold to any Opponent at any time. When all the cards are drawn, they are reshuffled and re-used with the exception of the SPECIAL EXEMPTION CARD.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Winning the Game

When ONE Player does not have enough money to pay RENT or make other payments and has sold or mortgaged all their Property, they are declared bankrupt and the Agent takes over their remaining Properties. The Player with the largest total WINS THE GAME.

Property values are scored by multiplying the building costs of a Property by the number of Houses on it. Utilities and Commercial Buildings are valued at 3 times their rental value. The Milk Route is valued at $1,100. MORTGAGED PROPERTIES are NOT scored as the owner received money when the Property was mortgaged.

Breaking the Bank

Should the Bank run out of money, the game also ends. The Player with the largest total at that time WINS THE GAME.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Houses are built and Property mortgaged ONLY in a Player’s turn, either before or after the throw of the dice.
• There are no denominations of $1 or $5 bills; you might have to round off your payments to a zero figure ending. For example, if the figure your must pay is $1.15, round it off to pay $1.15.
• NOTE: If all Players agree, the rule of owning four properties (one on each side of the board) may be dropped. This allows the Players to buy Property anywhere on the Board and build more Houses on them at any time in their turn.
• A player must own properties on all four sides of the board before buying a second property on any one side.
• The Special Exemption Card can be traded or sold between players.

Player Reference

Turn: Roll dice > Move > Buy/Pay Rent/Draw card > Build houses (optional)

Bonus Corner: Collect $2.00 each time you pass or land on it

Doubles: Draw a Give or Take card in addition to landing

Property rule: Must own 1 property on each of 4 sides before buying 2nd on any side

Mortgage: Borrow from Bank; houses stored on end; still collect reduced rent

Win condition: Last player remaining (others bankrupt) or most total value if Bank runs out