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Back in My Day: What We Spent It On, Whether Working Was Mandatory, and Making Money as a Kid Today | Yay for Adulting
🕰️ Back in My Day Series
Episode 12

What We Spent It On, Whether Working Was Mandatory, and Making Money as a Kid Today

Part 2 of 2 – Summer & Part-Time Jobs, Back in My Day style.

Yay for Adulting Podcast Hosted by Lisa With Mom (Boomer), Albert (Boomer), John (Gen X), Shannon (Gen X), Joe (Millennial), Justin (Gen Z)
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Back in My Day: Summer & Part-Time Jobs – Part 2
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TL;DR – Quick Tips
  1. What you spend your first paycheck on says a lot about where you are financially – and that’s okay. You learn.
  2. Save at least 5-10% of everything that comes in. Even small amounts add up over time.
  3. Invest early. A stock bought at 15 could look very different by the time you hit 25 or 30.
  4. Spend with intention – especially in your own community.
  5. Work ethic matters even in the digital age. The kids making millions gaming also have engineering and marketing degrees.
  6. Find work that connects to something you actually like. You’ll stick with it longer.
  7. Getting your first paycheck checklist is at yayforadulting.com – go grab it.

Having money is one thing. What you do with it says a lot more about who you were at that age. Some people saved every penny. Some spent it the second it hit their hands. Some learned a hard lesson because nobody was managing the money for them.

In part two of our Summer and Part-Time Jobs episode, the crew shares their first big purchases, whether working was expected at home, and what they’d tell the next generation about earning money today.

The Most Random Money Anyone Ever Made

Before getting into first purchases, Lisa asked the group: what’s the most money you ever made doing something completely random as a kid? The answers did not disappoint.

Boomer
Mom
Entered a drawing at the state fair around age seven or eight. Got honorable mention, $5, and her artwork – Care Bears and rainbows – displayed in the showcase. Felt like a very big deal.
Boomer
Albert
Designed and printed a poster board for a church as a teenager. Got paid $50. Different times – and honestly, not a bad rate.
Gen X
John
Stocked groceries at his dad’s store – Woody’s Market on Jefferson – and the liquor store next door. Wasn’t technically old enough. Got paid anyway.
Millennial
Joe
Made $500 in one week as a golf caddy. Took his brother and sister to the skating rink, bought himself an ugly Converse gym suit he’d been wanting, and went to see Spider-Man. Money was gone within days. Zero regrets.
Gen X
Shannon
Ran lemonade stands through her church youth program – three times, at summer picnics, in the heat. Made good money every time. All of it went to church programs, tutoring, and museum trips.
Gen Z
Justin
Community college Pell Grant return checks. After books, classes, and fees – a check came back. $1,700 a semester. Until Wayne State. Then: nothing left over.

The First Big Purchase

Shoes. Cars. A chain that got destroyed by chlorine. First purchases are a rite of passage – and a window into who you were at that age.

Boomer
Albert
First paycheck from Chrysler after moving to Detroit from Columbus, Georgia at 17. Got himself an apartment after one month of work. Chrysler paid well. That was that.
Boomer
Mom
A pair of white shoes for 8th grade graduation. She went to the store alone, tried them on, and came up just short on the money. The salesperson told her they’d just gone on sale – and accepted exactly what she had. A small kindness in a complicated time.
Gen X
John
A 1980 green Honda for $1,000, bought in 1988. Saved at least half of everything he earned. The car lasted four years – only replaced the clutch. Became known as “the source” in his family because he always had $100-$300 saved up. That reputation continues today.
Gen X
Shannon
Black field boots with orange trim. Did not have her size. Bought them anyway. Wore them all day at school with her feet crying by the afternoon. No regrets. They were sweet looking.
Millennial
Joe
First Burger King check at 16: $300. Took his friends to the mall, bought his friend a “If I Ruled the World” chain for $100. Friend then cleaned it with pool chlorine on the advice of the pool attendant. Turned it to rust. Joe’s first 99 Monte Carlo came later – and was totaled within three months after falling asleep at the wheel on the way to work.
Gen Z
Justin
His car – bought through an actual dealership, with paperwork, a down payment, and car payments. First real financial process. His very first car before that? Craigslist. Which, surprisingly, went just fine.

“Shoes, cars, maybe some chains.” – Lisa summarizing everyone’s first purchases

Was Working Expected at Home?

For some people in the group, working wasn’t a choice – it was survival. For others, it was more self-driven. Either way, it shaped how they think about money today.

Boomer – Albert
Always busy, by design
Not expected to work for money, but expected to stay busy. Girl Scouts, Junior Achievement, candy striper at the hospital. Paid or not, idle wasn’t an option.
Gen X – John
Work or go without
In a big household, if you wanted anything beyond the basics – food, lights, running water – you had to earn it. No family money for shoes that didn’t slide or jeans that weren’t hand-me-downs.
Gen X – Shannon
Chores first, then choice
Chore chart, chore schedule, allowance tied to getting it done. Working outside the home was more self-driven – wanting to feel grown, have independence, take herself places.
Millennial – Joe
Self-awareness over expectation
Nobody handed him anything, but nobody formally told him to work either. He just developed an early understanding: if you want it, go get it. That became his whole work ethic.
Gen Z – Justin
Independent from the start
His parents never asked him to get a job. He just did it at 14 because he didn’t want to ask anyone for money. His younger brother at 18 still doesn’t have a job – which tells you everything about how differently kids in the same house can turn out.

Making Money as a Kid Today – and the Advice They’d Pass Down

The paper route and lemonade stand haven’t disappeared – but they have competition. TikTok shops, gaming streams, fan pages, content creation. The tools are different. The work ethic required isn’t.

“The kids making millions playing Mortal Kombat tournaments also have engineering degrees. The kids making a million dollars playing 2K also have marketing master’s degrees. It goes hand in hand.” – Joe

  • 01Spend in your community. Albert’s advice: if you can, let money flow through Black-owned businesses for a few days before it leaves. Keep it local before it goes out into the world.
  • 02Save a little of everything. Mom’s rule: whatever comes in, save a small amount. When you need it, it’s there. John adds: 5-10% minimum, into savings or an IRA, every time.
  • 03The digital tools are real – but so is the work. John points out you can edit videos, do marketing, create content without leaving the house. But you have to actually learn the craft, not just show up and press record.
  • 04Don’t skip the outside work. Shannon: snow still needs shoveling. Chores still need doing. Human connection still matters. Not everyone is buying online – there’s still room for the kid who shows up.
  • 05Invest early. Shannon and John both said it: learn the stock market young. What you put in at 15 could look very different by 25 or 30.
  • 06Find work that connects to something you like. Justin’s take: his brother is applying at AT&T because he loves tech. His friend works at Yogurt Land because he likes ice cream. You’ll stick with it longer if it doesn’t feel like a punishment.

“Don’t be afraid to work hard. There’s a lot of opportunities out there.” – Joe

Getting your first paycheck soon? Grab the free First Paycheck Checklist so you don’t accidentally spend the whole thing.

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That’s a wrap on Summer and Part-Time Jobs. Progress over perfection – see you next time.

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