This is the beginning of an article series which takes a look at what I learned from each job that I have had since I started working at the age of thirteen.
I decided to write about this after a discussion with my mother about some of the previous jobs that I had and how I got some of them. I also found some pay stubs from my previous jobs, which was helpful in determining how much money I made from each job.
I started at $1 per hour and had ten jobs before graduating from college. I grouped my jobs together in three time periods.
High School
During College
After College
The reason this story is important is because these jobs molded my financial education. I learned how to earn, save and invest my money from these jobs. Even the first job that I started working for $1 per hour was very valuable in learning how to manage money at a young age. Too many people today start their relationship with money without first learning how money is earned. Someone puts money in their hand and the relationship starts with very wrong assumptions that create dependencies on whoever is providing the money.
Your understanding about money is fundamental to how well you will be able to manage your money. Without a learned experience that teaches respect for earning money, it is very difficult to understand why and how and what to do with money once you get it in your hand.
I hope this story inspires you to persevere, find another job if you need to and press through the recession. If your goals don’t come true, create new goals and keep working and saving. There is no other way and no easy path, unless you inherit money, to pay for the expenses of living.