From the instructions: "Concept: Life is a cycle of paychecks, bills and taxes that make it seem almost impossible to 'get ahead.' It has even been said that there are only two certainties in life...death and taxes. Today, of course, there is a third certainty...INFLATION!! LIFE IS RUFF is about the cycle of income vs. outgo. As in reality, the proper investments can help you beat inflation and ride the waves of a fluctuating economy. In somewhat simplified terms, LIFE IS RUFF offers the player the same investment opportunities he has in real life and gives each player the opportunity to make investment decisions. But any opportunity not taken may be lost, for inflation hits when you least expect it. There are those who will gamble, who will feel lucky, who will try to beat the odds and make a killing. For those we have included the stock exchange and futures market. There is a fortune to be made there, or lost. A player may choose to speculate in real estate, buy a home to get a tax break or keep his assets liquid by renting. All of these choices, and more, are yours and after all LIFE IS RUFF is only a game...or is it? OBJECTIVE: Each player attempts to obtain a survival package of items that have intrinsic value and are counter-cyclical to inflation. (Their value rises with inflation instead of declining.) Players, of course, must have cash to purchase these items (gold, silver, food storage, collectibles, diamonds, property) and the purchasing power of the dollar declines as the game progresses causing prices to "rise." The player who has the greatest number of survival assets (points) when RUNAWAY INFLATION strikes (making paper money worthless) is the best prepared and is the WINNER."