How old were you when you got your first job?

[liznboys]

How old were you when you got your first job? first REAL job-16 (I started baby-sitting at 11)

What did you do? worked in retail- shoe store

Did you work during the school year? How much? yes, 3 nights a week, and weekends.

What did your parents expect you to do with your money (buy own clothes, pay for gas, put money away for college, donate to the household expenses, etc)? yes, all of them lol.

What did YOU choose to do with your money? all of the above and of course have fun with whatever was left-not much lol!

Did you maintain your grades? yes

Did you stay active in extra-curricular activities? no

 

[dcg0317]

I was 13 when I got my first job, I was a paper boy, 7 days aweek. Then when I turned 16 I got a job at the A&P and work there all through high school. Graduated HS and then joined the Marines in 77. I know I work alot of long hours durning school and I don't think I would let my son do that now.

 

[Saffron]

Originally posted by Dopey Sharon
OMG, I remember Grants! There used to be one here, in Turnersville! That was quite some time ago!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[gallaj0]

First job- 5 years old.

What do you do- I used to go with my father to his auto parts store and sweep, put stuff away, stock shelves, stuff like that. That was only on Saturdays, and not all the time. That went on into elementary and high school, with full time during the summers. By the time I got into high school, it was in his machine shop, rebuilding engine parts.

Did you work during the school year- yes, off and on

What did yo udo with the money- saved most of it, spent a little here and there, gas mostly, movies, typical stuff.

I maintained my grades, fro the most part. Any that suffered, weren't because of me working; I just didn't focus well in school.

Extracurriculaar activites- wasn't really interested in them, so I only tried a couple, adn lost interest pretty quickly anyways.

 

[EltonJohn]

I held my first job at 16. I workded for Food Lion, then they closed all the stores in TX, and I didn't get my next job until I was in college. Now I'm currently looking for my fourth job.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by MaryAnnDVC
How old were you when you got your first job?

What did you do?

Did you work during the school year? How much?

What did your parents expect you to do with your money (buy own clothes, pay for gas, put money away for college, donate to the household expenses, etc)?

What did YOU choose to do with your money?

Did you maintain your grades?

Did you stay active in extra-curricular activities?

I had three paper routes, cut lawns and babysat by the time I was 13....all the money was mine to do with what I wanted. My parents never made me pay rent, car insurance etc....grades stayed as they alwasy were...I just had to get up at 5am to deliver the morning route and then in the afternoon after school I did my afternoon routes and babysat for one family every day from 4-8pm. On Saturdays I cut 3 neighbors lawns for 10 bucks each (this was back in the 70's)....I was never involved in anything after school anyway

 

[Cindy B]

11! Yes, at 11 years old I picked blueberries on a local farm.

I hated it!

At 14, (after freshman year of high school), I worked at a local real estate office. I answered phones, made copies, stuffed envelopes, etc.

From 14 on, it was "survival money". I paid for all my own clothes, phone line, and car insurance. I also paid for car repairs, other expenses, like prom and senior trip out of working money as well.

I worked up to 30 hours a week in high shcool. Did it affect my grades? Not really, I was in the honor roll all four years, and never missed a day of school all four years of high school.

Extra curricular? Well, I was never a sports girl, so that didn't affect me that much.

 

[kylara]

How old were you when you got your first job? I was 15 when I got my first real job (I too babysat before that).

What did you do? I worked in a book bindary. My mom was the treasurer of the company so she got me and my sister jobs in the plant. The minute I turned 16, I hit the mall and started to apply and got a job at York Steak House

Did you work during the school year? How much? While at the bindary, no. It was summer and breaks only. That is why I wanted to get the job at the mall...my own money year round not just in the summer and on breaks.

What did your parents expect you to do with your money (buy own clothes, pay for gas, put money away for college, donate to the household expenses, etc)? My money was my money, mom didn't really have any expectations for it except to learn how to handle a bank account! As soon as I started working year round though, I started buying all my own clothes and paid my entertainment expenses.

What did YOU choose to do with your money? Pay for my own clothes and entertainment. I also would put gas in mom's car when I used it.

Did you maintain your grades? Yes, the deal was that if my grades went down, I would have to quit the job. At first my mom didn't want me working year round. She thought that the breaks and summer was enough. But when I proved that I could hold the job, keep my grades up, and still do my extracurricular activities, she caved.

Did you stay active in extra-curricular activities? Yes, I was in the Drama Club and when I was hired at my job, I let them know that I would need two weeks off each spring when the show was up and that my hours would be limited in the evenings when rehersals where happening. They didn't have a problem with it and since I stayed at this job through the remainder of HS, it worked well.

 

[southernclass]

I guess I am too quick to answer.

My first job was as a paralegal at a friend's lawfirm. My parents pretty much paid for everything while I was in college and now I work as an Administrative Accountant.

I worked about 32 hours per week but was paid on salary.

 

[Patch'sD]

From 12 to 14 I delivered Newspapers at 14 I became a Caddy. No Set hours but had to give up weekends and Day's off. Any expenses that I had clothes, outside food, beer and other stuff I paid for with my earnings Parents refused to buy Levi's and tee-shirts. Use to save half for college and other half was pocket money. Maintaining a C average was not that hard. No extra activites suffered except for hanging out at the beach during the day.

 

[Kitty 34]

I babysat all thru high school. The year I graduated I became a counselor at a summer camp.......one of the best jobs I ever had!! I was 18.

 

[SC Minnie]

I worked at a movie theater when I was 16. We lived in small town and it was the only one the town had.

One of the girls that worked there went to our church and was a few years older. She called my house one Saturday afternoon, I wasn't home so she asked my Mom if I wanted a job. Of course my Mother said yes. I went up there on Monday for the interview and started the next weekend. I worked there until I went to college then on some weekend when I was home. While I was in college the people that owned the place was going to close the place. My Dad decided to buy it. I ended up working there until I was 24 when they sold it.

My Mom bought a new car shortly after that and gave me her old one. I was expected to pay all the maintenance, gas, insurance, etc. I was able to study while the movies were running during the week while it was slow so my grades didn't suffer.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Originally posted by MaryAnnDVC
How old were you when you got your first job?

What did you do?

Did you work during the school year? How much?

What did your parents expect you to do with your money (buy own clothes, pay for gas, put money away for college, donate to the household expenses, etc)?

What did YOU choose to do with your money?

Did you maintain your grades?

Did you stay active in extra-curricular activities?

it was the summer after my junior year of high school ( well my frist REAL job..i would babysit before then)

I worked as a cashier in a craft store
that job was only for the summer ,but during my senior year i worked at a day care center every day after school from 3-6...

my money went towards any "fun" things.movies, etc...also i put money away for college and split the gas bill...

i saved alot of my money and just wnet to disney

my grades stayed Aand B..

i did tennis (just didnt work during the season)

 

[Gupsmom]

I started babysitting every Sat and various random sitting jobs at 11. I got my first paper route at 12. I started working in a grocery store at 16 and then switched back to working part time (2 days a week) at in home babysitting at 18...did that through college.

I did work during the school year. At the grocery store I was limited by child labor laws. I worked an occasion 3 1/2 hr shift during the week but mostly on weekends. I babysat whenever I was needed but that usually was Fri/Sat night.

Grades weren't an issue. Had they been, Iimagine my parents would have considered the job to be extra-curriculur just like sports. I played softball on 3 teams (school, house league and travel). I also was on the bowling team..lol. I went to church youth group, made honor society etc. High school was awesome!

From 12-17, I had no financial responsibility other than some of my own entertainment expenses. I bought my own hockey tickets (big fan) when I went with friends and I bought my own TV and VCR for my room. At 17, I bought a new car (Dad kicked in a lbit for the down payment and the rest came from my savings) and I had to make my own car payments and buy my own gas. My parent's paid my insurance until I started college (which they paid for).

Jess

 

[LindaG4458]

quote:Originally posted by MaryAnnDVC

How old were you when you got your first job?
15 with working papers

What did you do?
Counter person at an ice cream stand (minimum age was $.90 per hour) then clerk at JJ Newbury and WT Grant (minimum wage went up to $1.00 - I was thrilled)

Did you work during the school year? How much?
Yes, of necessity, 3 nights per week 4:30 - 9:30

What did your parents expect you to do with your money (buy own clothes, pay for gas, put money away for college, donate to the household expenses, etc)?
Cover school expenses (lunch, activities) buy some clothes, pay for any other activities such as ski club and trips, give some to household

What did YOU choose to do with your money?
The same, plus buy some books and things

Did you maintain your grades?
Yes, I still made honors, but I could have done better with more study time.

Did you stay active in extra-curricular activities?
Yes - band was second period during the day, plus I was in the senior play

 

[poohtown]

How old were you when you got your first job?

14

What did you do?

worked afterschool in the office, then later in the year at at bank

Did you work during the school year? How much?

yes/ got out of school at 1:00. worked at school till 3:00, took bus to bank to start at 3:30, worked till 7:00, took bus home

What did your parents expect you to do with your money (buy own clothes, pay for gas, put money away for college, donate to the household expenses, etc)?

just me and my mother, she didn't expect me to do anything but I offered to help her pay for bills

What did YOU choose to do with your money?

see above, although I had to save out enough money for bus fare and I kept $20. a week for personal stuff

Did you maintain your grades?

yes and no - wasn't the best student to begin with

Did you stay active in extra-curricular activities?

no - couldn't afford them - actually had a teacher refuse to help me because I wasn't in any after school clubs. When I explained I had to work, he told me if I didn't have time to help my school, then the school didn't have time to help me. Flunked his class and was too stupid at the time to report him.

 

[Crankyshank]

I started babysitting at 10. I would get paid $10/hr to watch the kids in the neighborhood.

My first real job with a paycheck was when I was 13. I worked at Freshens Yogurt in the mall. I had to walk a little over a mile to the bus and then take the bus across town to the mall.


Did you work during the school year? How much?
Yes, every weekend and some evenings until closing (9:30)

What did your parents expect you to do with your money (buy own clothes, pay for gas, put money away for college, donate to the household expenses, etc)?
buy clothes (not school uniforms- they paid for that), and any extras like movies, books, treats.

What did YOU choose to do with your money?
see above

Did you maintain your grades?
Yes. honor roll

Did you stay active in extra-curricular activities?
Yes. very active. plus I was still required to do a lot of nightly chores and watch my siblings.

 

[HollyJoy]

I was 16 when I got my first job. I was a shampoo girl in a local salon. It was during the school year, and I think my salary was something like $5.50 an hour. My father didn't want me to work, and I ended up hating it and quit after two months. LOL

 

[Desnik]

I was 14yo when I got my first job. I was a cashier at a grocery store. I did work during the school year, after school 3 times and on weekends. I was expected to pay my phone bill. I had my own phone line at 13yo and let's just say I liked to talk, alot!! Once I had to pay the bill, I made all my friends call me!!!LOL
I made $5 an hour off the books. My grades stayed the same, and I wasn't involved in extra curicular activities.

 

[CindyKansas]

I started working when I was 14 at the movie theatre and I made $1.75 an hour. I did get to go to the movie for free and could bring a guest. I went to work at 7pm and was usually out of there by 9pm. I worked the concession stand. That job was a lot of fun. I didn't work during the school year, just the summer.

I got my first "Real" job at 16. I was a delivery driver for a local flower shop. Went to work when I got out of school at 3:30 and worked until 5. On Saturdays I worked all day. But, really it had great hours, no nights or Sundays. Did that all through High School and eventually went to a floral school in Denver, CO after high school graduation. When I left that job I was making $8.75 an hour.

DD is 15 and she's now babysitting and makes very good money doing that. We don't let her babysit past 10pm on school nights.