So I have searched the board for a challenge closely related to this and since nothing popped up in the search I'm going to assume that this has not been done before and thus will continue. I created and did this challenge myself and found it to be quite interesting as I am sure you all will (hopefully) once I'm finished fully posting everything about it including rules. This challenge works best if you have Apartment Life because it is centered around Belladonna Cove (I think that's the name. The newest town) If you do not have Apartment life then this challenge will prove to be tricky but I am sure it can be tweaked to fit almost any town but for now Apartment Life is the base for this challenge.
Goal: Move your Sims into their own home
If it seems a little confusing now let me continue to explain.
To begin: Create two Sims in CAS. They have to be male and female. That is one of three rules here. If you want to use your CC's for this then you can. You can use whatever it is you want to make your sims unique. They both must have two different aspirations. It isn't much fun to have both be knowledge or both family. You can pick any two but they have to be different. The other rule in this beginning stage is to dress your sims in nothing too lavish. They are starting at the bottom so that means something simple. Maybe some jeans and a top but nothing like a fur coat (If you have Glamour Life). Keep it simple. You can set them married if you'd like or you can leave them as is and work on their relationship as they grow along. Say cheese for the camera once you are done and let's enter Belladonna.
When you are in the neighborhood screen, go to the right and you should see the cheepest apartment area. I think the lowest is just under 800 dollars. That is where your sims will start. Now, once you enter there, you can pick which ever home you'd like. It does not have to be the under 800 dollar one. You have enough to pick which ever you'd like and fix it up as you see fit.
Note: You have to make sure you have enough money to pay your rent every Monday and your bills every Tuesday and Thursday. Nothing can be sold to make up for what you can't afford so do not leave yourself with absolutely nothing just to live the life in the mobile park. Keep it simple but the choice of what you want in it is yours.
Sidenote: No uses of kaching, family funds or motherlode. You can only spend what you earn. Also, no boolprop to cheat your way into owning a furnished apartment so you can save money. You'll see why as you read on.
Once you are moved in find your Sims jobs. You can use the newspaper or if you have FreeTime, use the free computer that is given to you. If you don't have free time then you can buy yourself a computer. When it comes to jobs, pick the job that your sim needs to fufill in order to reach Lifetime Platinum. If your sims goal towards Lifetime Platinum has nothing to do with a job (Golden Anniversary, Send 3 kids to college, Max out all 7 skills etc...) then you have to work on those goals for them and they can have any job they desire.
If you have the ability to pick a second aspiration for your Sim then that is fine, you pick whatever you want for that option.
Your two sims must try for a baby and eventually become pregnant at the beginning of the challenge. If they end up with twins then that is fine. You will have to make sure you can fit all their needs into your small apartment, again, paid for with money the parents earned themselves. You can have as many kids as you like so long you can afford bills and to take care of everyone.
Eventually you will continue to live in this same apartment and raise your family until you have earned $25,000 or more. Once you have you are free to move out and into a better apartment of your choosing.
Note: You have to earn up to $25,000 to move into a bigger apartment so that does not include what you are left with after furnishing your house. For example: If you started off with $25,000 before moving your Sim into their new house, paid rent on the $700 apartment and then decide to just use around 2,000 to furnish it, you would be left with $22,300. Now I'm sure you'd say, "Great, now I just have to earn $2700 and I can move out" Sorry, to disappoint but, no, you cannot do that. The 20-25 grand you start with was given to you, you did not earn that and thus cannot add it to the money earned when it's time to move out. If you want to buy cheap to save money that's fine, but you will still need to earn 25,000 to move out on top of what you already have.
When you finally do earn enough money to move out then you can do so if you like so long you can still afford the weekly rent and the twice weekly bills.
As stated above, your ultimate goal is to move your Sims into a house which is every apartment living person's dream of accomplishing one day but as it isn't easy in real life it will not be easy here.
To move your Sim out of the apartment life and into a house you must complete two lifetime aspirations for only one of the two adult sims you created. Completing one lifetime aspiration for both sims does not count. You can pick whether you want to complete the male or female aspiration twice but it has to be one of them in order to move into a house. For example, if your male Sim's first lifetime aspiration is to max out all 7 skills then you work on that. If you complete that and they go platinum for the rest of their lives a new goal will appear for them. You have to completely finish that second goal just as you did the first in order to win this challenge and move your family into a house of their very own.
I've done it this way because just one is too easy but two takes longer and in the time it takes to grow elder you still have goals to meet in order to win the challenge. You have until the 4th day of your sims's elder years to complete two lifetime aspirations. If you cannot do it by then the Sims must retire and the family will have to live in an apartment until someone in the family can complete two aspiration goals.
Note: If the parents die you can have the heir try to move his siblings out, (if you have more then one child) It will be up to him or he/she can just try with their own family but the same rules apply as his parents had.
I have not created a point system for this challenge. It's just to played for fun to keep everyone enterained and create new adventures for their sims.
Here are some other things about this challenge.
If you have University: Your Sims can go to college but must stay in the dorm for the entire time they are there. The parents cannot afford to help them get their own house because they are saving up for their dream house. The teen can work on his skills to get awards and thus get more money but he cannot spend it on a house. When he/she graduates they have to move back in with their parents (Heirs or if you just want them with their parents) or if you do not want them with their parents, must move into an apartment complex. Their parents have to either succeed in getting a house or pass on before they can try to get their own house. Basic rule is: If we can't get a house, no one gets a house.
If you have Nightlife: You obviously cannot have cars on already made apartment lots and since you are saving up for a house anyway, you will not mind getting the carpool to take you to and from work. If you miss your ride you are free to walk to work if that option is present for you.
If you have Pets: This applies to dogs, if the family can't have a house neither can the dog so no outdoor homes. I doubt you can set them up on the apartment property anyway but in case anyone decides to get around that it isn't allowed. They sleep in the apartment like everyone else.
If you have Bon Voyage: No staying at 4 star and up hotels. You are saving for your new place and thus must find a way to have a great vacation for cheap, like going camping at that free camp site. It isn't lavish but you have certain goals for your family you have to obtain.
Other Notes:
Living in an apartment gives you round the clock maintence so you do not have to worry about hiring someone to fix the toliet and so forth.
No maids or butlers. Set chorus for the family and have them carry it out. It will help you earn cleaning aside from the book.
You can hire a nanny if you have both parents working. That is fine so long you have her leave as soon as you get home. You can't keep paying her to stick around just to stand still, that's money out of your pocket that could go to your new house.
If you want to get an early jump on your teen's aspiration that is fine. Do what you have to do in order to get your family into a nice home and out of the apartment they've lived in for so long. Just don't cheat to do it.
I believe I've listed all that needs to be said about this challenge but please if you have any questions or if something is not clear please do not hesitate to respond with your question and I will respond as soon as possible. I had a great time playing this challenge and I hope those who are looking for something new to do will enjoy it as well.
Good Luck and Happy Simming.
-Star