There are so many rules and catches and "if this then that" little gotcha's in personal finance - no wonder so few people can accrue any real interest in managing money. How much do you invest? How do you invest? How much should you keep liquid?

Well, the only good way to find out is to try it out. But, not everyone has an endless stream of cash to blow on the financial learning curve. Unless, of course, you play with fake money...

My personal favorite is "Game For Money." Basically, you spend some starting cash on a few investments and work your way around the board until you're a millionaire. Sounds simple, but I still haven't won.

A very close second is WeSeed.com, which really brings back some memories from grade school. In case you never got to play the stock market game - in short, you test your stock market skills by "buying" and "selling" stocks and tracking how well they perform. Although, I always feel bad when I do well for some strange reason...

If you're looking for financial fun for someone a bit younger, the US Mint has 18 kid-friendly games teaching about money, but not necessarily money management. You will need to turn off your pop-up blocker to play them, and I suggest you try a few to find something your kids might like, but it is definitely well worth the visit.

For the football fanatic, there is Financial Football. No pads required, unless you react poorly to missing a question. This one is definitely not for the "weak of financial fitness" - even I miss a few questions.

And if you like the idea of a fantasy lifestyle, have a go at Countdown to Retirement. Pick your job and lifestyle, then see if your choices lead to a life of luxury, or endless labor.

You can find out more about Patricia Mayo and her other projects at Mayobrains.com or ComHacker.org.