In a Much Simpler Time...

After reading Jessica's post about her job at a coffee shop, it took me back to a much simpler time in my life. When I was a junior in high school, I started my first part-time job at Sonic Drive-In. Yep that's right...I was one of those car hops, and no I didn't wear roller skates. Apparently, grabbing customers' cars to help you stop rolling is frowned upon. Anyhow, my compensation was only minimum wage, but I made up for this small amount with tips. During the summer I would work 6 days a week, and I could make up to $90 in tips just in one day! Back then that was huge! I really look back at this time very fondly because it really taught me how to save and manage my money and to develop a strong work ethic that I carried into every job (which I always worked from this first job until I was a SAHM). I would deposit all of my wages and part of my tips into my savings and use the remaining amount of my tips to buy clothes or going out with my friends. With my savings, I paid for my first car with cash, a $2k trip to Europe, clubs I joined in college, and even moved out into an apartment my sophomore year of college. I decided to end my glamorous career at Sonic during my sophomore year of college to find a closer job to my school. My apartment that I shared with a roommate only cost me $200 a month which included cable (even HBO mind you), high-speed internet, and water. The only utility we had to pay additionally was electric which was usually a very small amount. Back then you could survive on $275 of income a month...can you believe that?! Awww the simpler times...when you had no mortgage or large expenses and the only worry that crossed your mind was what boy you were going to go on a date with and where you were going to hang out with your friends that night. Those were definitely the days!