an essay on how you earned money for the first time and how you spent it
Answers
When I was 6 six years old, we were living in the wilds of Mississippi. There are a lot of pecan trees in Mississippi and our neighbors happened to have a few in their back yard.
One day, the neighbor’s wife asked me if I would pick her up a back of pecans so she could make pies. I said sure and did so. This was like in 1972 but I still remember picking them up off the ground, making sure none were old or had bugs in them.
She gave me one dollar - my very first earned dollar. I wasn’t actually expecting anything so I was mega-excited! Back then that was actually a significant amount of money but for a 6 yr old! I knew I could make 20 public phone calls or help Mom buy 3 gallons of gas or better yet - buy 4 candy bars! I think I actually did spend it on candy but I don’t remember any more. The picking up the pecans and getting paid parts were the most memorable of it all for me.
(I remember looking for nickels in public phone change slots when I went by a phone - even found a few. It was also my job when we were in the car to watch for the lowest gas prices and I clearly remember 32 cents a few times. This was before the Oil Embargo.)
That was the start of my earning career. After that I got a job with my Mom folding cloth diapers. I was fast and got raises on occasion. Later I moved up to Chief Babysitter status sitting for my family and many others. I had a paper route at from age 12 to 18 which got me a small college tuition scholarship besides the money I earned which went to buying a moped and the clothes I wanted. In high school, I also worked at a boutique which helped me spend a year in Germany as an exchange student.