I’m not talking about the birthday money your grandfather gave you, or the allowance you got for taking out the trash or washing the dishes. I’m talking about money you earned from your own work and effort.
The first thing I remember buying with my own money was a metal detector when I was about 11 years old. It was a cheap little model that excelled at finding nails and other little metal objects in our yard, though it didn’t find the treasures I hoped. I can remember seeing an “incredible opportunity” in the back of one of my Superman comic books for people who were willing to sell Christmas cards and other greeting cards door to door. I was the little entrepreneur who sent off for the BIG catalogue and followed all the sales instructions. And yes, I got paid. Sometimes in cash, other times in prizes, but the company allowed you to determine which. MY first paycheck was that metal detector and it motivated me!
I can still remember the intense excitement when the UPS man drove up to our house. I knew what was in that log box and the only thing I needed at that point was 4 D-cell batteries.
The amount of commissions paid per sale wasn’t significant (as I recall it was about one dollar per box) but what it taught me was that labor meant profit and it put me in control of getting the things I wanted. I learned to ask questions of the little old ladies in the neighborhood such as, “Have you ever wished you didn’t have to go to the drugstore for a greeting card?” or “How much did you spend on Christmas cards last year? I can save you some money!”
I was a regular little salesman and I insisted on getting referrals. Looking back on it, my own social ignorance of how much of a pest I was had to have partially contributed to my success. Of course, those little old ladies were just happy that someone was visiting …
What’s the first thing you remember buying with YOUR own money? How did you earn it?
Leave your replies in the comments and yes, a jaded recollection of ancient history is allowed! 
Photo by Hippycritical – thanks for the memories!
About the author
If you enjoyed what you just read and would like to get FREE email updates with the freshest articles from The Wisdom Journal delivered right to your inbox, subscribe today! It's ridiculously easy and you can unsubscribe at any time. Since your email address is never sold or abused, you can subscribe with confidence, PLUS you'll get free reports/guides/eBooks, subscriber only benefits, and other perks.
{ 12 comments }
A CD-player (stationery), that I bought from my paper-delivering salary
I must be old. Eight tracks were still in vogue when I was able to make my first purchase!
Tootsie rolls, a whole box full of them! It was less than a dollar, but I was about 5 & it took me a while to save up. Couple weeks. I was so excited.
I remember finding 40 cents in the vent of a new home we rented when I was in third grade. My brother and I went to the store and blew it all on candy!
The first thing I recall working and saving for was a GI Joe Hovercraft. Hovercrafts, awesome. GI Joe, awesome. GI Joe on a Hovercraft with guns, unbelievable. I had been working a paper route when I was 11 saving up my precious pennies for that beauty calling to me out of the Sears Wish Book. When that day finally came and it had arrived I was beyond excited. Honestly it was a big piece of crap and it taught me a valuable lesson about buying high quality items. Especially when I worked that hard for something. Those are good life lessons for any kid.
Ahh, the Sears wishbook … memories …
I bought a pink wooden yo-yo. It was a stunner.
Cool!
Hmm, was probably a matchbox car. First real expensive thing I bought was the disk drive for my Commodore 64! That thing was as expensive as the computer.
The first thing I remember buying with my money is a scooter…Not even one of those cool electric scooters that they have nowadays just a normal manual scooter. That was money that I had earned from doing chores and saving up.
Now and Laters from the gas station down the road. I’d buy them for a nickel each, then come back and sell them to my younger sister and her friends for a dime
I picked cucumbers for a buck an hour when I was 12. I took my money down to the auction to buy a new banana seat bike which he was asking 40 for. I offered him 20 and the guy laughed. I upped it to 25. I got the bike for 30. I would have paid him full price but my dad told me how to deal.