|
Raking in the Cash
"The hard fact was it was my
money and it was my time spent grueling in the hot sun for eight
hours."
By Helen Adeosun
 I, like most teens, find money relatively easy to spend
— when we're not footing the bill. Shortly after turning 16, I
found myself saying the inevitable, "I need money!" After
deciding that the average minimum wage job was no fast track to money, I
came up with the idea to cut grass for the summer. The appeal of
entrepreneurism was irresistible and the idea was simple: after I make a
few hundred dollars I could get those really trendy shoes, that cute top
at Macy's, or even better yet all the pizza I could ever want.
My venture began auspiciously, with my dad's brand new Torro and a
gallon of gas. I knocked on doors and offered my services for $20-$25.
But after slaving in two or three overgrown backyards, barking dogs, and
the humid lull of an Atlanta summer day, that auspiciousness wearied
itself away fast.
A full day's hard work had earned me $75. Not bad. Then came the part
that I'd been used to. Earlier I'd written a list of things to get after
I'd made my first few bucks. I whipped out the list after I collapsed on
the bed from exhaustion.
The List
1. Those
really nice shoes - $68.00
After much deliberation with my love
for shoes and my backache, I reasoned that these were a totally
unnecessary addition to my already full wardrobe.
2. That top
I absolutely would die for - $53.00
$53?! For what? I can always
wait for the sale.
3. Pizza tonight - $20.00
Too many
calories for $20.00.
After that it seemed that my penchant for
spending had been greatly reduced in the course of a couple hours. I had
an epiphany! As hard as I worked I would have been left with nothing if
I had spent the money. Then I thought about my new found wealth. The
fact that I had made $75 wasn't necessarily the most important thing,
but the hard fact was it was my money and it was my time spent grueling
in the hot sun for eight hours. Consequently, this money — my money
— had to be handled to reflect the fact that I had worked so hard
for it.
It isn't that teens like me don't know the power of
money, but we're slow to realize it's potential. We spend the money we
have at our discretion frivolously at the mall or burger joint because
most often it's our parents' money; we have no attachment to it and we
know a cheeseburger only costs three dollars. On the other hand, when
you cut grass for $20.00 or work for double the cost of a cheeseburger
an hour, three dollars instantly means something new and very scary. If
you spend the little you make like your parent's money you won't have
any left! It is that realization that made me rethink my goals for the
$75.
Trashing the idea of an expensive wardrobe and a calorie
laden food fest, I simply settled with the idea of just saving it. It
was the sensible thing to do. Saving my money means that I could have
cash on hand for a bad day during the school year, and wouldn't have to
beg dad to give me money when I really needed it. I've even toyed with
the idea of investing it and making more money than the $75 I started
with. By saving or investing my money, I know that it could go towards
something better than what it was originally intended for.
More
importantly, the money I made has taught me the actual value of a dollar
is much more than its superficial worth. Last year teenagers spent $141
billion dollars on everything from cars to food. That would be a lot
different if we all spent a few hours cutting grass.
—
Helen Adeosun is currently a junior at Marietta High School in Marietta,
Georgia.
|
|
