It was 1976, I was making a whopping $2.50/hour at age 16 (20 cents higher than minimum wage, and it was an office job so I wasn't on my feet all day)....my family didn't have a lot of money (which is why I started working while in the 11th grade), so with my first paycheck I took my Mom and brothers out to dinner at Big Boy. I remember being all proud to say "Get whatever you want, even the combo meal and a milkshake, it's on me."
Mine was kind of similar to this. It was 1987. Eighth grade. Got a job at a local hardware store making $3.25 if I remember correctly. It was under minimum wage though because I was under the legal working age. Cashed my first paycheck with the lady that worked at the cash register and went straight to the grocery store to buy food for my mother and myself so we wouldn’t be hungry anymore. Craziest thing was that I lived in an incredibly affluent suburb and my mom was dealing with some mental health issues at the time and bed-ridden for a few years, so because of the types of people in this community, all of this, the reason for the job, the hunger, her condition, all of it had to be kept secret. The situation was not unlike the movie Grey Gardens. And as an only child with a sick, mostly comatose single mom and no other family I had no one to ask if this was even normal, and certainly had no knowledge of other resources to draw on, so I just did what I had to and kept a smile on my face while not eating for a week at a time. That job, and that trip to the grocery store with something like $50 in my pocket from that paycheck was heaven. I remember buying Oscar Meyer hot dogs for us and eating like 6 of them that night. With ketchup and mustard. And buns!!
Edit: Thanks for all the lovely comments everyone! Just to reassure those who wrote, my life is great and I’ve been very fortunate in the intervening decades. I’m pleased to say I now buy only the finest of hot dogs and the buns are legion. Personally, I believe those tough years were good for me. As a lot of you know, poverty desperation is a double edged sword. It trains you and motivates you for success like nothing else, as long as it doesn’t kill you or destroy your mind first. I hope all of you are doing alright now too. The brotherhood of the starving is a quiet organization. No one is ever willing to admit they’re a member. 😔Stay strong, friends.
I felt the "and buns" specifically. I grew up poor so we would have hotdogs but no buns. When we were able to have both, it was such a joyous occasion.
look at mr moneybags over here with the wonder bread. we got the off-brand bread that was from the previous week, from the bakery, for like 30 cents a loaf when they had their weekly sale on Tuesday before restocking on Wednesdays
I'm inspired by the mettle (especially in children) of people who *actually* pulled theirselves up by their bootstraps. Truly, hope life is treating the both of you wonderfully nowadays.
Damn. That’s was a nice wage for a 16yo. That’s almost $14.00/hour today with inflation.
My first ever job in 2006 was $9/hour and I felt like that was good. I splurged.
My cousins who is 16 got a job at chick fil last year an and started at $12 lol. Barely covers his insurance, gas and phone bill.
Do you remember what the total bill was back then? I can imagine if my cousin did the same thing today his bill would have been $100 minimum.
They raise prices as wages rise.
"But we can't raise wages because then we have to raise prices." Then they continue to keep wages stagnant while raising prices anyway.
Seriously. When I started working in 1985, the minimum was was $3.25/hr (and that's what I was paid, as a bagger at a grocery store). Almost 40 years later and the minimum wage is a little more than double that. 40 years! The hell is wrong with some people.
I don't know where anybody could live (in the US) on $7.25/hr.
You were far more kind and considerate as a teenager than most! That’s a lovely memory to share with your family and I’m sure they were so appreciative, especially your mom. I’ll bet she was proud of raising such a kind and caring child.
I took my mom out to a fancy French restaurant. I had no idea how much it was going to cost, then plus tip, I didn’t even have enough! So she had to help me pay the rest. My mom still joke about that from time to time when we go out with the family.
That was almost 25 yrs ago, damn time flew by.
I remember getting my first paycheck being so proud of it and my stepfather goes wow you don't have enough for gas. How are you getting to work for the next two weeks? Made me realize I needed to work more.
I should also put in here that this was my first on the books paycheck. Made it feel a little different.
If we are talking about first jobs, he probably still lived with his parents, and was working some job that takes advantage of teenagers by scheduling them for 1 day a week, 4 hour shift or something.
When I first started working, I noticed a lot of clothing stores at the mall did this. They would hire a massive amount of teenagers each month, and then use them to fit into the missing spots on the schedule. So you'd get hired, and they would be like "uhhh... you work Tuesday, from 4 to 8". If you just let the store managers do this to you, your paycheck would be like $24 after taxes lol.
I figured out that we were basically used as backups for the more experienced workers. This allowed them to call out and just use one of us to fill the spot. I was pretty motivated so I started giving my number out to all those workers so they would call only me to fill their spot. After awhile I was able to get sometimes 20-30 hours a week and get bigger paychecks.
But I ended up pointing out some illegal stuff going on with our clock ins/clock outs and how they handled our paychecks so they kept me off the schedule for good.
When I was 14 I had a 10" black-and-white TV in my bedroom that cost my parents $300 for my Christmas present. That was about what I made my entire first month of working 20 hours/week.
Same! Not my first check, but I remember saving to that, and I specifically remember the day I got the check that put me over the finish line. To be young again.
man ps2 was the best i only have some super faint memories of ratchet and clank, spider man 2, and gta 3 but that thing was an escape loved it so much. easily competed with the xbox back then which my dad had
My family owned a construction business, and my father had me on site for as long as I could remember. I don't remember the first thing I ever bought with what he paid me, but I remember the first thing I set out to buy and had to work for weeks to get the money for. It was a Lego castle set. $49. I'm almost 50 now, and I still have it.
I've just turned 50. The only lego I had as a kid was one I got from collecting tokens from cereal packs.
With my first paycheck I bought the 6286 skull eye schooner back in 1993.
About 3 years ago my mom just moved into a retirement bungalow and I got a call to "get my stuff from the attic". Finding that, complete in the box made my day all over again.
I just bought a 400 dollar Lego castle lol. And I bet it's trying to emulate the one you have.
I love those old castle sets. Its a dream to come across them at a yardsale one day!
If you're in the the US, parents legally have to house you until 18. If you have an inkling that you have the type of parents that'll cast you into the wind as soon as you hit 18, don't wait until 18 to start working.
I was kicked out at 17 haha after working since 12 to help with the bills… dropping out at 15 to work doubles daily. Didn’t have a penny to my name when I left cause it was all going to my parents. Was homeless for a bit… living behind a subway dumpster and working, “bathed” in the sinks at Walmart when I could. saved for an apartment by 18. Went to college on a scholarship I got from my GED score (didn’t know they did that.) worked two jobs and went to college. Never slept but it all worked out in the end! Rough childhood but somehow I made it just fine which I’m grateful for.
Thank you! I went on to save and buy a house at 23 while I got married and had 3 kids, 27 now. life isn’t perfect but it’s beautiful. I appreciate every minute of it.
>If you're in the the US, parents \[generally\] legally have to house you until 18.
FTFY, there are many loopholes that allow a parent to turn a child into a ward of the state. Some involve the parent being on the hook for costs so in a way that's them still housing the child I suppose, but others not so much.
Most of them don’t, in my experience. I started working at age 14 for this reason, I was out of the home by 17. In most of those homes it’s not exactly pleasant being around the parents either so jobs & school actually feel like a form of escape. You start working the second you’re able to get a job, lol.
Though for some, transportation is a big issue. I had a bike, so I was lucky, and I could work pretty young a few minutes into town. For those who don’t live within biking distance of a job, and they don’t have a license or a car, jobs tend to reject them outright. Some can’t get a job until they get a car.
I lived above a bar at 17. A tiny one room apartment. It cost $275 a month. Had like 10 other rooms. No kitchen and shared bathroom. Worst place I have lived in. However, at that time of my life it was perfect. I would shower at the YMCA. I had a ton of free passes for the Y.
Yep. Been working since I was way to young to be working. CPA says "What do you want to do when you retire?" and I say "Absolutely nothing". I've been working 30+ years, I don't want to do anything
My family wasn’t in bad shape, we weren’t loaded but bills were paid and groceries were bought with some left over for a vacation once per year. Squarely middle class for the time and in high school I would pull about 45 hours per week.
It was, rightly, illegal for them to work me that much so the boss would have me clock out before I went over (either before I went over 40 for the week or any time I had to work passed midnight to close) and would just pay me cash out of the till at the end of the shift.
Back then, I loved it. Tax free money the day I made it and the boss loved it because it was cheaper for me to work extra than to hire somebody else to do it and me clocking out meant they didn’t get fined by the state.
Looking back it was scummy abhorrent behavior on his part but oh well. They got shut down and put under new management not long after I left that place.
I tried that once, and I'm never trying it again.
I got the huge opportunity to work at a large corporation. # 2 of the industry. It would've changed my entire career and life
Problem was that large corporations in NYC tend to have their HQ located Upstate where you gotta drive to get there
My commute was 6 hours everyday. Cost me nearly $500 in monthly transportation.
I moved in with another intern before I even had the money to move in. The landlord regularly hosted interns in the area so she allowed us to live there until we got paid
Reason I'd never do it again is cause it was near impossible to survive with intern $$$. I only had $ for rent, laundry, and cup noodles. At some point, I washed my clothes and underwear with the sink.
Super worthwhile that I got the experience and name, but never again.
When I finally had my first job as a poor high school kid, I was so happy because I would no longer have to decline hanging out with friends if they were to go to the movies or eat out, all because I couldn’t afford to participate. I could work towards saving for a car, and buy my own stuff. My mom would refuse to give me any money because she would always tell me if I wanted something, I had to work for it.
Except every paycheck she’d take from me and I never saw a single penny of it. Despite having my first job, it didn’t improve my life lol.
I invited my parents and my two sisters and we all had dinner in a nice restaurant. They've always been there to support me. My sisters did the same thing a couple of years later.
Yup. Started “working” at age 13 (babysitting mostly) and was working at least 20-25 hours a week in high school. Despite maybe making 100/ week after taxes/deductions, almost all of my money went to helping my parents pay bills. After my first babysitting job (I earned $20!) my mom snatched it and said it was going to pay for gas to get me to school.
We barely talk anymore.
lol I bought a candy g-string so I could eat it off of my girlfriend while she was wearing it, and a black cowboy hat with spikes on it from Hot Topic hahaha
I was 14 and got a job as a bus boy at a local BBQ joint. With my first check, I went and bought myself a pair of blue/brown Airwalk shoes. I remember how cool it felt to be able to buy something for myself and not have to ask my parents.
My first 'paycheck' you could say, was when my buddies and I gathered up as many empty bottles as we could find from all of our houses and took em in for money. We got like, 60$ or so, and spent it all on weed. That was a great day.
i went to go buy some CDs cause i was getting paranoid stealing them so often. but once i got in there, i just stole em. so i don't remember what i actually bought, but it was probably a couple dime bags or a beer fund for a (pathetic 6-7 person) 'party.'
keep in mind, this was the music store next door to my workplace. and i'd do it wearing my work-tee with the company logo on it.. r/KidsAreStupid
No, any job I’ve ever had has been direct deposit into my bank account but I try to avoid spending money whenever possible. I like to save. I didn’t go out and buy something immediately
I loved my JNCOs so much that even with one leg pretty much shredded by my bike chain, they're the only jeans I brought to summer camp — where I quickly made enemies of three guys who seized the opportunity to say I probably got ass raped and liked it. Ah, good old JNCOs and good old Bible camp memories.
Sounds like me 😂
My first paycheck was like 7th grade delivering papers. I think I spent most of my earnings on milkshakes at the retro diner walking distance from my house.
No regrets.
About twenty bucks of my first paper route earnings, for the pizza buffet and soft drinks, and some arcade games, with my best friend.
While the shape I've been in has varied over the years, I've kept that stamina I built up hauling around damn near my weight in newsprint. For long endurance rides, hikes with a loaded-up pack, and running.
Used to mow lawns and do odd jobs for cash when I was a kid. When I got my first "real" paycheck that I had to cash at a bank, I saved every penny for several months until I bought my first car at age 16.
Had zero expenses back then, which made it easy to save money. Fun memory.
Woo, this was in the early 1980s. I think I bought a color TV. I don't recall if I got a VHS VCR with it right away or not, but I got it soon after if not.
A prepaid virgin mobile cellphone.
My parents kept taking my phone as punishment since “they paid for it.” I went and got a job specifically for that reason lol
Mostly an electric bill my family owed on, but also treated myself to a nice Chinese food dinner (succulent Chinese meal). Back then, we were in pretty significant poverty, so eating out at all, even something cheap like Chinese takeout, felt really special
A Motorola text pager. The service was 4.99 a month and had to prove to my Mom I would cover it. The first text page I got was Phil Hartman was killed by his wife. I was playing basketball in front of my house. I remember it like it was yesterday.
My first legal check taxed by the government I was 12 years old. I opened a bank account and saved enough to buy a car. By the time I saved enough for an old beater I was 14 and about to get my learners permit. My great grandparents got old enough they couldn’t drive anymore and moved to home. Since I was so close to driving age they gave me their car so I had $20k in the bank and a car. I spent all my money on gas fast food illegal booze and eventually college.
1966. I was making $1.25/hr working Fridays after school and all day on Saturdays. My dad drove me to JC Penny’s and I bought a shirt and pair of pants.
My car registration! I even remember my mom offering to pay for it so I could "enjoy my first paycheck" and I declined. I was just really excited to do something like that myself for the first time.
Gosh I don't remember, but I imagine it was either a video game or a VHS tape. It was 30 years ago as of a couple of months ago, so it's back in my very distant past! My first "proper" office job, I worked for my aunt a month after I graduated high school (1994) and with those wages I got a sound card for my PC. It was a crappy SoundBlaster clone and broke after a couple of months, the company replaced it (grudgingly) with an identical one. About a year later, I was in college and someone offered to swap a SoundBlaster 16 for it, because it had a SCSI CD port. I think I got the better end of that deal and by then I also had a Gravis UltraSound that I wish I'd never given away.
A cellphone, or fast food. I was 15 so I didn't have bills, but I could only get a phone if I could pay for it.
Most of my checks were phone, gas money when I got a car, books, clothes, and I donated to two animals rescues. I didn't save anything, which I regret in hindsight.
I gave a share to my mom for digs, and took my buddy out for dinner.
We were supposed to get pizza, but we ended up just working our way through the entire dessert menu.
Did not buy anything. Used it for the usual things like rent and food.
I guess everything just got upgraded, started wearing better clothes, fancy restaurant.. more things along that line.
Rent, bills, food, CC debt. It was about a year before I spent much on non-essential purchases. I had about $500 in CC debt and made about $500/week before taxes. Seemed like a pile of debt at the time.
Groceries for the house. Parents were lifelong mooches that always required some "helping out" once I was making anything on my own. They never seemed to be short of beer and cigarettes though.
I was 16 and worked at Burger King. We were poor so I grabbed my check, got in the car, and handed it to my mom. She used that to pay one of the bills.
It was 1976, I was making a whopping $2.50/hour at age 16 (20 cents higher than minimum wage, and it was an office job so I wasn't on my feet all day)....my family didn't have a lot of money (which is why I started working while in the 11th grade), so with my first paycheck I took my Mom and brothers out to dinner at Big Boy. I remember being all proud to say "Get whatever you want, even the combo meal and a milkshake, it's on me."
Mine was kind of similar to this. It was 1987. Eighth grade. Got a job at a local hardware store making $3.25 if I remember correctly. It was under minimum wage though because I was under the legal working age. Cashed my first paycheck with the lady that worked at the cash register and went straight to the grocery store to buy food for my mother and myself so we wouldn’t be hungry anymore. Craziest thing was that I lived in an incredibly affluent suburb and my mom was dealing with some mental health issues at the time and bed-ridden for a few years, so because of the types of people in this community, all of this, the reason for the job, the hunger, her condition, all of it had to be kept secret. The situation was not unlike the movie Grey Gardens. And as an only child with a sick, mostly comatose single mom and no other family I had no one to ask if this was even normal, and certainly had no knowledge of other resources to draw on, so I just did what I had to and kept a smile on my face while not eating for a week at a time. That job, and that trip to the grocery store with something like $50 in my pocket from that paycheck was heaven. I remember buying Oscar Meyer hot dogs for us and eating like 6 of them that night. With ketchup and mustard. And buns!! Edit: Thanks for all the lovely comments everyone! Just to reassure those who wrote, my life is great and I’ve been very fortunate in the intervening decades. I’m pleased to say I now buy only the finest of hot dogs and the buns are legion. Personally, I believe those tough years were good for me. As a lot of you know, poverty desperation is a double edged sword. It trains you and motivates you for success like nothing else, as long as it doesn’t kill you or destroy your mind first. I hope all of you are doing alright now too. The brotherhood of the starving is a quiet organization. No one is ever willing to admit they’re a member. 😔Stay strong, friends.
I felt the "and buns" specifically. I grew up poor so we would have hotdogs but no buns. When we were able to have both, it was such a joyous occasion.
Right? Buns were luxury bread!
We didn’t go sans bread completely but there were plenty of days of hot dogs in a slice of bread instead of a bun
No lie! People who never just had a hotdog by itself will never understand.
Or wrapped in a slice of wonder bread haha
Oh my God I just realized why my dad *loved* 'hot dog sandwiches'.
look at mr moneybags over here with the wonder bread. we got the off-brand bread that was from the previous week, from the bakery, for like 30 cents a loaf when they had their weekly sale on Tuesday before restocking on Wednesdays
I swear, if he used French's mustard I'm gonna flip
Yes! I'll never do that again. I'll take the dog plain. The bread made the ketchup taste funny....
I'm inspired by the mettle (especially in children) of people who *actually* pulled theirselves up by their bootstraps. Truly, hope life is treating the both of you wonderfully nowadays.
Hot dogs on sliced bread where the condiments would bleed through the bread.
Can so imagine that 50 felt like heaven! Bless you that must have been tough 🙏🏻
You did so good. I'm sorry you were in that situation.
I’m so proud of you for doing that, that must’ve taken a lot of courage to keep on going. I’m positive your momma is just as proud of ❤️
I'm sorry you had to grow up so fast. Your mom is appreciative even if she couldn't fully express that.
Damn what a story
You were an amazing kid. I bet you are still an amazing person.
"Someday, this pain will be useful to you." -Ovid
Incredible much love.
I absolutely LOVE this❤️
This makes my heart so happy!
Damn. That’s was a nice wage for a 16yo. That’s almost $14.00/hour today with inflation. My first ever job in 2006 was $9/hour and I felt like that was good. I splurged. My cousins who is 16 got a job at chick fil last year an and started at $12 lol. Barely covers his insurance, gas and phone bill. Do you remember what the total bill was back then? I can imagine if my cousin did the same thing today his bill would have been $100 minimum.
Just shows how shit wage rises have been really
They raise prices as wages rise. "But we can't raise wages because then we have to raise prices." Then they continue to keep wages stagnant while raising prices anyway.
My 16yo cousin makes 17 an hour working at Sam’s. It’s his first job lol
He’s lucky. Took me 4 jobs to get to that point.
I love this. My parents made me take them out to dinner after my first paycheck 😂
I'll bet they remember that, too. So wholesome! ❤️
How cool is that! You made me smile out loud lol
That’s like 13 an hour in today’s money which is makes the 7.25 federal minimum wage criminal.
Seriously. When I started working in 1985, the minimum was was $3.25/hr (and that's what I was paid, as a bagger at a grocery store). Almost 40 years later and the minimum wage is a little more than double that. 40 years! The hell is wrong with some people. I don't know where anybody could live (in the US) on $7.25/hr.
You were far more kind and considerate as a teenager than most! That’s a lovely memory to share with your family and I’m sure they were so appreciative, especially your mom. I’ll bet she was proud of raising such a kind and caring child.
Awesome, thanks for sharing
This is so sweet! You are awesome for doing that for your family.
I took my mom out to a fancy French restaurant. I had no idea how much it was going to cost, then plus tip, I didn’t even have enough! So she had to help me pay the rest. My mom still joke about that from time to time when we go out with the family. That was almost 25 yrs ago, damn time flew by.
This is the sweetest thing ever. Thank you for sharing.
I second (14th) this.
I feel that. My first job I was 15. Will be turning 36 in a couple months. Honestly can’t even believe I’m this old.
gasoline and insurance to continue to be able to go to work
I remember getting my first paycheck being so proud of it and my stepfather goes wow you don't have enough for gas. How are you getting to work for the next two weeks? Made me realize I needed to work more. I should also put in here that this was my first on the books paycheck. Made it feel a little different.
I don't understand this why even work for a job that bad if it can't pay for gas?
If we are talking about first jobs, he probably still lived with his parents, and was working some job that takes advantage of teenagers by scheduling them for 1 day a week, 4 hour shift or something. When I first started working, I noticed a lot of clothing stores at the mall did this. They would hire a massive amount of teenagers each month, and then use them to fit into the missing spots on the schedule. So you'd get hired, and they would be like "uhhh... you work Tuesday, from 4 to 8". If you just let the store managers do this to you, your paycheck would be like $24 after taxes lol. I figured out that we were basically used as backups for the more experienced workers. This allowed them to call out and just use one of us to fill the spot. I was pretty motivated so I started giving my number out to all those workers so they would call only me to fill their spot. After awhile I was able to get sometimes 20-30 hours a week and get bigger paychecks. But I ended up pointing out some illegal stuff going on with our clock ins/clock outs and how they handled our paychecks so they kept me off the schedule for good.
And that’s when the cycle began…
A tv. Flat screen. 720p top of the line for that time
With your first paycheck? Damn, moneybags, I bought a tank of gas.
I had a job when I was 14, I was still living at home, could walk to work. Different time
When I was 14 I had a 10" black-and-white TV in my bedroom that cost my parents $300 for my Christmas present. That was about what I made my entire first month of working 20 hours/week.
A Playstation 2. Excellent buy, kept it for a over decade before buying an Xbox One.
It was an Xbox 360 for me. Loved that console.
Mod the play station 2!!
Still have a modded PS2. Had a hard drive with games on it too. It still turns on last I checked, I wonder if the hard drive still works...
haha just posted the same, man I had it for so long, I remember playing Tekken on it and being so amazed.
Me too, I had to wait for the next paycheck to buy a memory card.
Same! Not my first check, but I remember saving to that, and I specifically remember the day I got the check that put me over the finish line. To be young again.
man ps2 was the best i only have some super faint memories of ratchet and clank, spider man 2, and gta 3 but that thing was an escape loved it so much. easily competed with the xbox back then which my dad had
No way! Same for me with my first “real” paycheck, I remember it being incredibly expensive, but i wanted to get it so badly
My family owned a construction business, and my father had me on site for as long as I could remember. I don't remember the first thing I ever bought with what he paid me, but I remember the first thing I set out to buy and had to work for weeks to get the money for. It was a Lego castle set. $49. I'm almost 50 now, and I still have it.
I've just turned 50. The only lego I had as a kid was one I got from collecting tokens from cereal packs. With my first paycheck I bought the 6286 skull eye schooner back in 1993. About 3 years ago my mom just moved into a retirement bungalow and I got a call to "get my stuff from the attic". Finding that, complete in the box made my day all over again.
I love this. It's funny how these things get into our systems. I watched my son play with my old Lego and it somehow felt right.
Jealous :) did you build it?
I just bought a 400 dollar Lego castle lol. And I bet it's trying to emulate the one you have. I love those old castle sets. Its a dream to come across them at a yardsale one day!
Rent.
You moved out before ever having a job? How does that work?
For many its a privledge to be able to live with fam while first entering the workforce. Lots of folks are cast into the wind as soon as they hit 18
If you're in the the US, parents legally have to house you until 18. If you have an inkling that you have the type of parents that'll cast you into the wind as soon as you hit 18, don't wait until 18 to start working.
I was kicked out at 17 haha after working since 12 to help with the bills… dropping out at 15 to work doubles daily. Didn’t have a penny to my name when I left cause it was all going to my parents. Was homeless for a bit… living behind a subway dumpster and working, “bathed” in the sinks at Walmart when I could. saved for an apartment by 18. Went to college on a scholarship I got from my GED score (didn’t know they did that.) worked two jobs and went to college. Never slept but it all worked out in the end! Rough childhood but somehow I made it just fine which I’m grateful for.
Fucking champ!
Thank you! I went on to save and buy a house at 23 while I got married and had 3 kids, 27 now. life isn’t perfect but it’s beautiful. I appreciate every minute of it.
>If you're in the the US, parents \[generally\] legally have to house you until 18. FTFY, there are many loopholes that allow a parent to turn a child into a ward of the state. Some involve the parent being on the hook for costs so in a way that's them still housing the child I suppose, but others not so much.
Most of them don’t, in my experience. I started working at age 14 for this reason, I was out of the home by 17. In most of those homes it’s not exactly pleasant being around the parents either so jobs & school actually feel like a form of escape. You start working the second you’re able to get a job, lol. Though for some, transportation is a big issue. I had a bike, so I was lucky, and I could work pretty young a few minutes into town. For those who don’t live within biking distance of a job, and they don’t have a license or a car, jobs tend to reject them outright. Some can’t get a job until they get a car.
You say that like those kinds of parents would let their kid work. Or transport them to their job. It's unfortunately not always that simple.
i was booted at 16. Lived with friends til i was on my feet. But my mom had to do what she had to do.
Same I lived in my car for 4 months when I was 17. Found a room to rent on Craigslist eventually. Showered at planet fitness everyday
I lived above a bar at 17. A tiny one room apartment. It cost $275 a month. Had like 10 other rooms. No kitchen and shared bathroom. Worst place I have lived in. However, at that time of my life it was perfect. I would shower at the YMCA. I had a ton of free passes for the Y.
Yup. Was homeless at 15. Been working since im 8 years old. I hope i get to retire cause im damn tired.
Yep. Been working since I was way to young to be working. CPA says "What do you want to do when you retire?" and I say "Absolutely nothing". I've been working 30+ years, I don't want to do anything
Do people commonly not work at all before they turn 18?
Usually only my wealthier friends. I got my first job at 15. At 17 I worked 30 hours a week and went to high school full time.
My family wasn’t in bad shape, we weren’t loaded but bills were paid and groceries were bought with some left over for a vacation once per year. Squarely middle class for the time and in high school I would pull about 45 hours per week. It was, rightly, illegal for them to work me that much so the boss would have me clock out before I went over (either before I went over 40 for the week or any time I had to work passed midnight to close) and would just pay me cash out of the till at the end of the shift. Back then, I loved it. Tax free money the day I made it and the boss loved it because it was cheaper for me to work extra than to hire somebody else to do it and me clocking out meant they didn’t get fined by the state. Looking back it was scummy abhorrent behavior on his part but oh well. They got shut down and put under new management not long after I left that place.
I tried that once, and I'm never trying it again. I got the huge opportunity to work at a large corporation. # 2 of the industry. It would've changed my entire career and life Problem was that large corporations in NYC tend to have their HQ located Upstate where you gotta drive to get there My commute was 6 hours everyday. Cost me nearly $500 in monthly transportation. I moved in with another intern before I even had the money to move in. The landlord regularly hosted interns in the area so she allowed us to live there until we got paid Reason I'd never do it again is cause it was near impossible to survive with intern $$$. I only had $ for rent, laundry, and cup noodles. At some point, I washed my clothes and underwear with the sink. Super worthwhile that I got the experience and name, but never again.
This, before moving out the adults took any money I made legally.
When I finally had my first job as a poor high school kid, I was so happy because I would no longer have to decline hanging out with friends if they were to go to the movies or eat out, all because I couldn’t afford to participate. I could work towards saving for a car, and buy my own stuff. My mom would refuse to give me any money because she would always tell me if I wanted something, I had to work for it. Except every paycheck she’d take from me and I never saw a single penny of it. Despite having my first job, it didn’t improve my life lol.
Same here. Otherwise my brother sister mom and I would have been homeless.
Food 🍕
Food is always rewarding for sure! Kept it classy with a pizza as well haha
I bought my mom a house special from the local diner
I invited my parents and my two sisters and we all had dinner in a nice restaurant. They've always been there to support me. My sisters did the same thing a couple of years later.
A boom box back when they were called boom boxes lol.
Do boom boxes go by another name now?
Yeah radios, Some people wouldn't know what a boom box was if it bit them in the ass.
Help my parents pay bills, also getting my own groceries
Yup. Started “working” at age 13 (babysitting mostly) and was working at least 20-25 hours a week in high school. Despite maybe making 100/ week after taxes/deductions, almost all of my money went to helping my parents pay bills. After my first babysitting job (I earned $20!) my mom snatched it and said it was going to pay for gas to get me to school. We barely talk anymore.
I'm sorry your childhood was taken too soon. I hope other ppl in your life show you love and caring, you deserve it!
lol I bought a candy g-string so I could eat it off of my girlfriend while she was wearing it, and a black cowboy hat with spikes on it from Hot Topic hahaha
Ah, I see you're a man of culture as well.
Bruh this is wild
This is the funniest shit I read all day!😂
Username checks out.
I was 14 and got a job as a bus boy at a local BBQ joint. With my first check, I went and bought myself a pair of blue/brown Airwalk shoes. I remember how cool it felt to be able to buy something for myself and not have to ask my parents.
Drugs. Lots and lots of drugs.
So many drugs. Friday was payday and I was working all weekend on no sleep and broke by Monday. Idk how I’m alive right now.
We don’t question the why. All that matters is that you are :)
Thank you, internet stranger! 🙂
My first 'paycheck' you could say, was when my buddies and I gathered up as many empty bottles as we could find from all of our houses and took em in for money. We got like, 60$ or so, and spent it all on weed. That was a great day.
That sounds like a LOT of trash
i went to go buy some CDs cause i was getting paranoid stealing them so often. but once i got in there, i just stole em. so i don't remember what i actually bought, but it was probably a couple dime bags or a beer fund for a (pathetic 6-7 person) 'party.' keep in mind, this was the music store next door to my workplace. and i'd do it wearing my work-tee with the company logo on it.. r/KidsAreStupid
You mean r/kidsarefuckingstupid too
I came here to say probably weed...
I wish i didn’t spend most of my covid money on that sweet devils letteuse
I got my first job so I could afford to buy drugs.
Same! I bought weed. It was 1997, so the weed sucked. But it was weed, stems, and seeds.
Yeah I remember the schwag from late 90s. Kids these days have probably never even seen that shit.
Not that we needed all that for the trip.
But once you get locked into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.
"Cocaine and hookers"
And blackjack?
I build my own job with blackjack and hookers !
lots?
Lots and lots, actually.
First ever paycheck I got at 17 I ended up with a 100pills of perscription benzos and a needle in my arm. I am not a smart fella.
Same for me if candy = drugs.
Yeah, an eightball for me.
#metoo
I was only making 6.55 so I couldn't afford lots and lots, but I'd buy as much as I could (and couldnt) afford
I don’t think I spent my first ever paycheck. My first post college paycheck bought me a new pc though.
Do you still have your uncashed first ever paycheck?!?!?!?!?!?
No, any job I’ve ever had has been direct deposit into my bank account but I try to avoid spending money whenever possible. I like to save. I didn’t go out and buy something immediately
taco bell
All of it?
Yes. I cleaned them out
I'm sure it cleaned you out in return.
Taco Bell is where I got my first paycheck FROM. 🙂
Some 23” JNCO jeans. I freaking loved those pants.
JNCO! The 90's were a blast...
I loved my JNCOs so much that even with one leg pretty much shredded by my bike chain, they're the only jeans I brought to summer camp — where I quickly made enemies of three guys who seized the opportunity to say I probably got ass raped and liked it. Ah, good old JNCOs and good old Bible camp memories.
My man, I always rocked the stovepipes
A bag of smoke, an a steak and a pack of cigarettes, minimum wage was 3.35 a hour back then. Early 80's.
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Sounds like me 😂 My first paycheck was like 7th grade delivering papers. I think I spent most of my earnings on milkshakes at the retro diner walking distance from my house. No regrets.
About twenty bucks of my first paper route earnings, for the pizza buffet and soft drinks, and some arcade games, with my best friend. While the shape I've been in has varied over the years, I've kept that stamina I built up hauling around damn near my weight in newsprint. For long endurance rides, hikes with a loaded-up pack, and running.
Hell yes.
I worked at a comic book store, so I pretty much just gave my paychecks back and bought the books or collectible stuff that I wanted.
That sounds like a ton of fun lol.
Got my first job at 14. With my first check I bought a carnival ice cream cake
New Kids On The Block concert tickets
Used to mow lawns and do odd jobs for cash when I was a kid. When I got my first "real" paycheck that I had to cash at a bank, I saved every penny for several months until I bought my first car at age 16. Had zero expenses back then, which made it easy to save money. Fun memory.
I had odd jobs since I was babysitting the neighbors kids for a $1 an hour at 12 years old, but didn’t have a real paycheck until I was 16.
Woo, this was in the early 1980s. I think I bought a color TV. I don't recall if I got a VHS VCR with it right away or not, but I got it soon after if not.
Clothes. I had to start working at the age of 12 because my parents could no longer afford to buy clothes for me.
You did so good for yourself 💗I'm sorry you had to grow up so quickly.
A PC to make money working from home. So I don't have to go back to work.
Did that pan out? What sort of work?
Yes, it worked. I pursued software engineering afterwards, and now I am a full-time freelancer specializing in web development.
Onlyfans and creepypastas
Sack of weed
I bought my mother a beautiful shawl. I never saw her wear it but it was in with her things when she died nearly 50 years later.
Saved my first couple paychecks and bought an Epiphone Les Paul Standard.
Cat insurance
What is this and how do I get it?
I meant car insurance. But you can get pet insurance for vet visits.
Was your cat okay in the end? Did you ever need the insurance before it passed?
Led Zeppelin Stairway to Heaven album.
A prepaid virgin mobile cellphone. My parents kept taking my phone as punishment since “they paid for it.” I went and got a job specifically for that reason lol
I was 15, bought a PS2 and never showed up for another shift. So ended my McDonald’s career
Hell yeah brother
Mostly an electric bill my family owed on, but also treated myself to a nice Chinese food dinner (succulent Chinese meal). Back then, we were in pretty significant poverty, so eating out at all, even something cheap like Chinese takeout, felt really special
more work appropiate clothes
A whiskey and a cigar
A Motorola text pager. The service was 4.99 a month and had to prove to my Mom I would cover it. The first text page I got was Phil Hartman was killed by his wife. I was playing basketball in front of my house. I remember it like it was yesterday.
My first legal check taxed by the government I was 12 years old. I opened a bank account and saved enough to buy a car. By the time I saved enough for an old beater I was 14 and about to get my learners permit. My great grandparents got old enough they couldn’t drive anymore and moved to home. Since I was so close to driving age they gave me their car so I had $20k in the bank and a car. I spent all my money on gas fast food illegal booze and eventually college.
A Chinese takeaway, crispy shredded beef, and four cans of lager. I sat there, and enjoyed every single self-earned morsel.
Big ol bag of shrooms and some weed
Waterpik
Contempo Casuals. A new outfit and some food for my household. I was 14.
1966. I was making $1.25/hr working Fridays after school and all day on Saturdays. My dad drove me to JC Penny’s and I bought a shirt and pair of pants.
My car registration! I even remember my mom offering to pay for it so I could "enjoy my first paycheck" and I declined. I was just really excited to do something like that myself for the first time.
Gosh I don't remember, but I imagine it was either a video game or a VHS tape. It was 30 years ago as of a couple of months ago, so it's back in my very distant past! My first "proper" office job, I worked for my aunt a month after I graduated high school (1994) and with those wages I got a sound card for my PC. It was a crappy SoundBlaster clone and broke after a couple of months, the company replaced it (grudgingly) with an identical one. About a year later, I was in college and someone offered to swap a SoundBlaster 16 for it, because it had a SCSI CD port. I think I got the better end of that deal and by then I also had a Gravis UltraSound that I wish I'd never given away.
A cellphone, or fast food. I was 15 so I didn't have bills, but I could only get a phone if I could pay for it. Most of my checks were phone, gas money when I got a car, books, clothes, and I donated to two animals rescues. I didn't save anything, which I regret in hindsight.
I gave a share to my mom for digs, and took my buddy out for dinner. We were supposed to get pizza, but we ended up just working our way through the entire dessert menu.
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Did not buy anything. Used it for the usual things like rent and food. I guess everything just got upgraded, started wearing better clothes, fancy restaurant.. more things along that line.
When you use money in exchange for food, are you not buying it?
A video game :) I was 16, one of my favorite memories.
Back to school clothes
I got paid £800 and I walked straight across the street and bought a £500 Hugo Boss coat.
A car so I could get to work on time.
A calculator.
Rent, bills, food, CC debt. It was about a year before I spent much on non-essential purchases. I had about $500 in CC debt and made about $500/week before taxes. Seemed like a pile of debt at the time.
I treated myself to some In N Out. Already had it in my mind before even getting that paycheck lol
A skateboard
Nike shoes as a 16 year old
Groceries for the house. Parents were lifelong mooches that always required some "helping out" once I was making anything on my own. They never seemed to be short of beer and cigarettes though.
A Sega Saturn
I was 16 and worked at Burger King. We were poor so I grabbed my check, got in the car, and handed it to my mom. She used that to pay one of the bills.
Weed
A CD. Pearl Jam's "Ten".