1980 $4 Dishwasher. At least then, i got paid, now i do it for free.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: PeteF,

2005 - $5.15/hr

Working as a 'waiter' at a poolside bar/grill at a Lake Conroe (N Houston) yacht club.
Full minimum wage, plus tips, not the $2.35/hr most waitstaff was getting at the time elsewhere.

In 1992 at age 15 I was plucked out of my high school auto mechanics class and asked if I was interested in a part time job. The teacher was friends with the owner of one of the local gas station/auto repair shops.

I started at 4.25 an hour plus commission.

I pumped gas, repaired tires, changed oil, and did other light mechanical work all through high school. It was a fantastic first job.

1986 age 15 sacking groceries for $3.35/hr. Sure a lot easier than working the fields for my dad during the summers growing up. But the pay was worse.

First job was flipping burgers at Wendy's for about $4.35/hour either in 1995 or 1996.

1974, about $8/hr as it was a union shop. It was a good sized wholesale bakery. I came in as a general gopher and after-work cleanup guy. I was in High School at the time, I worked there for 4 years until I finished 2 years of college and got my first "career" job. By then I had been a full fledged machine operator for a couple of years. It taught me a lot about responsibility and reliability. It also let me sock away a good chunk of savings that I later used to get out of apartments and into a house.

My first income producing job was mowing lawns at age 13. At age 15 I worked for a cannery during the summer, pitching pea vines into the viners. Base pay was $1/hr but another guy and I negotiated a $2/hr rate because we were doing the job of 2 people, and convinced the foreman that since we were doing the job, and they couldn't find more people dumb enough to do those jobs (12 hours on the job, plus at least 3 hours travel time). At age 17, my mom informed me that if I wanted to join the army she would sign the papers. This following a rather spirited discussion about a sister who mom considered above working around the place.

I was gone from town that day, on my way to Ft. Knox and subsequently Germany. Why Germany? Because that is where I met and dated the only woman I had ever dated, She has been my wife since 1958.

1972. I think I was paid $1.05 per hour.

1993 - $4.25 bagging groceries at Publix.

Worked for the family cleaning the offices after school, $200 a month, two nights a week, every week 2 to 3 hours a night in the mid 70's during high school. So depending on how quickly I worked it was somewhere between $6 and $10 an hour flat pay though. Made about the same on the family farm in the summer mucking stalls, running a weed-eater or bush hog, bailing hay....

Did have a good tan and was in a lot better physical shape... So I did save the cost of a gym....

1982 as a marine biologist, with a 4 year degree, at Sea World of Orlando: $4.60/hr

1963 at a Dairy Queen for $0.75 an hour. I took a pay cut to go in the Navy in 1964.

A & P Armonk NY. 1983, $3.35/hr tax free!

My first tax paying job was piece work weaving the seats and backs in antique chairs with cane. I got paid depending on how many holes were in the wood to run the cane through. I was paid $0.50 per hole and could make up to $150.00 per chair (I could do three chairs a day if they were there to do). I was 12. I had to take 25% for my spending money, and the rest went to school supplies and clothes. 1982

At 17 I went to work for my Grandpa at 4.00 per (1987) delivering furniture for his retail store.

Summer of '67, between my Junior and Senior years of HS, I worked for a Fuller Brush salesman, doing his deliveries for him at the princely sum of $5/hr. Of course, I had to use my own car, and pay for gas, etc. out of that. I didn't make $5/hr. again until the mid-70's.

I learned alot that summer, most notably that bored lonely housewives who were looking forward to getting a delivery from a tall handsome 30-something salesman were loath to redirect their interest to the pimply, scrawny high schooler who was knocking on their door.

$1.35/hr. as a stockboy at a Be-Lo's Jr. Market in 1964.

Summer of 1976 scooping Ice Cream at Baskin Robins for $2.10/hour.

In the 60's part time in a gas station and somewhere under $2.00 an hour before taxes. Grew up on a farm and baled hay with my share $.04 per bale. On a good day we could bring in 1000 or so bales, it was the best paying job around and paid in cash. Joined the Air Force in 1969, I think it was $74 a month paid monthly, and I was thrilled to get a regular paycheck and benefits.

1986
Schlotzky's Deli in Charlotte, NC.
$3.35 per hour

I was rich...

Around 1973. As I recall I made $1.65/hr as a clerk in a Safeway grocery store in Midland Tx. A shitty job.