You can pay with Life Orbs (includes death)
Going with the alive sim's orb usage:
- A bronze orb won't take a sim live
each silver orb costs 1 sim life
each golden orb costs 2 sim lives
each platinum orb takes 3 sim lives
You can pay with LPs (no death)
To replace orbs with LPs:
- each bronze is 70 LPs
each silver is 80 LPs
each gold is 150 LPs
each platinum is 300 LPs
How to use completed orbs while a senior sim is alive is shown at the topic [Pic-Guide] Alive Sim's Orb usage!. After using an orb, the senior will receive a new, empty bronze orb to work on. It will be necessary to reverse their age to the beginning of their life phase, so they can complete the new one. As long as the orb isn't completed, you can change your sim's personality.
It's up to every player whether or not to build the locations, to pay with orbs, LPs or both. If you have built the Public Beach and/or the Ice Ape Arcade, they may show up in your weekly goals. (I didn't see any weekly goals for the High Top Carnival or the Barkshire Pet Park.)