A pair of Oakley sunglasses. My pop was so pissed I dropped $120 on a pair of sunglasses.

I bagged groceries for months for a stereo and speakers for my car.

8th grade, I was a parts gopher for a one man mechanic shop.

Ride my bike, cleaned tools swept up.

I bought a baseball glove.

With cash I earned for odd jobs in my early teens I bought a 10-speed bicycle. I'd saved just enough to cover the listed price... and my (much) elder brother spotted me the sales tax, which I'd never heard of. Thanks, Butch!

With 1040-reported earnings, I'm sure the first thing I bought was gas for the car I was using to get to work.

A GE dual cassette non boom looking boom box. For you Chicago people spent over an hour with the sales guy at Polk Bros working the deal between them for the best value deal. I was a high school freshman at the time.

Sneakers and a jacket.

quote:

Originally posted by sigalert:

Well, this simply raises more questions. You must have a copy of the commercial (or we can find it).

I have looked for it, but I've never been able to find it. It was originally for Grossmont Hospital, filmed in '88 or '89. It was reworked a few times for different hospitals after that, and I got another check every time it was sold.

quote:

Originally posted by dave7378:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
I spent one summer mowing grass, painted a chainlink fence around an acre lot for my grandparents neighbor.
I wanted a BMX bike.
I ended up with a 1994 Mongoose Villian. I believe I paid $585 on sale when the 95s came out.


But for a job with a real paycheck my first job was as a Caddy at the local Country Club when I was 14.
I bought a futon.
Used it all through college. It still resides in my Mom’s basement 15 year after graduating college.

So funny, I bought a GT pro performer. Loved that bike.

I wanted a Haro Master, but instead had a Huffy!

My first job at 15ish was running lights and sound in the high school auditorium for events like PTA meetings and awards ceremonies. One of the perks of being one of only a handful of Tech Theater students in the school.

I don't remember what I bought with my first paycheck. I do remember saving up to buy a tiny TV/VCR combo for my bedroom, but I don't recall whether that was specifically bought with my first paycheck(s), or later.

I had mowed a few lawns for pocket cash when I was even younger, but that wasn't a formal "paycheck", and I definitely don't remember what I spent that cash on.

A new fishing pole and one of those fancy digital watches.

Union #5 skates.

quote:

Originally posted by AKSuperDually:
22LR ammo & pepperoni sticks (14 years old, first W-2 Income)

Same age, same stuff. Well, not the pepperoni sticks, but the .22 ammo.

Cable TV.

Everyone I knew had cable TV except my house as my parents were very frugal and rightfully so. I am now that way today.

As a side note, back then the cable TV “remote” was connected to the TV via a cable and the “remote” had a slider to switch channels....LOL.

I was 13 years old and wanted cable TV. My dad told me that if I really wanted it, then to get a job and pay for it. So I got a paper delivery route on my bicycle and paid for the cable.

After that at 15 I graduated to cleaning up a flea market including the toilets until I could get a legit job at 16 at a grocery store.

Man I miss my dad. He taught me so much.

Probably clothes or a Nintendo game?

Like the OP, I peddled (pedaled) papers. My first purchase with my money, with assistance from my old man, was a Case Cheetah folding knife.
My mother acted as if I had bought a nuke.

My very first paycheck, I don't recall, but one of the first things I bought was a CB radio. This was circa 1977 during the craze.

First actual "check" (not counting odd jobs and cash for kid-sized "hired hand" farm jobs) was after I graduated high school and before I joined the Navy. It went right to Dad for rent.

Same rule applied to all six of us boys (tho maybe not to my baby brother, never asked): If you were out of school, had a job and lived at home, you paid rent.

Taught you two things in short order: Bills come first and figure out how to budget your money. Also encouraged us to get out on our own.

quote:

Originally posted by Outnumbered:

quote:

Originally posted by dave7378:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
I spent one summer mowing grass, painted a chainlink fence around an acre lot for my grandparents neighbor.
I wanted a BMX bike.
I ended up with a 1994 Mongoose Villian. I believe I paid $585 on sale when the 95s came out.

So funny, I bought a GT pro performer. Loved that bike.

I wanted a Haro Master, but instead had a Huffy!

Haro, GT, Redline, and a Specialized Fatboy we’re close to being purchased.

I really really wanted an ELF but no where close sold them and shipping stuff like a bike was not as cost effective as it is now.

Actually I may have given $485 now that I recall as there was a scratch on the frame of the Mongoose so I got it even cheaper which is why I did not go with the others as I think with the money saved over the others I was able to get Lizard Skin bar pads and Bear Claw pedals.

In 1971 I bought a wristwatch. I think it was a Mickey Mouse by Bradley.

I never really got a first paycheck. Like many others here, I started out as a paperboy. My first profit was reinvested in a set of baskets for my 26" Sears bike, the Washington Star provided me with a canvas bag that I slung over my shoulder, and those baskets were a big improvement. Then I bought a banana seat for my outgrown 20" bicycle and some apehanger handlebars. I could ride wheelies for a mile with that thing. Soon after (1966), I saved up and bought a 3 horsepower Johnson outboard motor, with the angled "weedless" propeller, put it on the 12' johnboat that my parents had bought me, and presto, I was in the soft crab business.