What did you save money for first?

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskOldPeople/comments/1h2lgfu/what_did_you_save_money_for_first/

created by hors3withnoname on 29/11/2024 at 13:10 UTC

69 upvotes, 263 top-level comments (showing 25)

A house? A car? A dream trip?

Comments

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1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

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Comment by father-joel1952 at 29/11/2024 at 13:22 UTC

124 upvotes, 7 direct replies

I saved everything from the time I was 13. When I was 20, I purchased an old house. Paid $10,000 cash for it. 55 Years later we are still living there. I've never had a mortgage.

Comment by SpaceMonkey3301967 at 29/11/2024 at 13:13 UTC

17 upvotes, 0 direct replies

An Atari game system. Age 11. With my paper route money.

Comment by ThomasMaynardSr at 29/11/2024 at 13:21 UTC

16 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Fixing my teeth

Comment by mollydgr at 29/11/2024 at 13:12 UTC

13 upvotes, 0 direct replies

A house. We lived in a house trailer and drove older cars.

Comment by Leethal_Biker at 29/11/2024 at 13:13 UTC

12 upvotes, 1 direct replies

My first motorcycle when I was 12

Comment by Gibbons74 at 29/11/2024 at 13:20 UTC

13 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Retirement. I got my first after college paycheck and put 10% aside, per tax, for my IRA.

Comment by Typical-Amoeba-6726 at 29/11/2024 at 13:19 UTC

11 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Nicer clothes. Transitioning from college to a bank job in the early 90s required heels, suits, pantyhose. We didn't have casual days back then.

Comment by CreativeMusic5121 at 29/11/2024 at 13:15 UTC

9 upvotes, 1 direct replies

I was married before I started really saving for a goal.

First, house.

Second, retirement.

Third, baby.

Fourth, college for babies.

Comment by No_Individual_672 at 29/11/2024 at 13:17 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

A trip to Europe.

Comment by Fine_Cryptographer20 at 29/11/2024 at 13:20 UTC

8 upvotes, 1 direct replies

A pair of Birkenstocks my senior year of high school 1991. Cost me $150.

Comment by Longjumping-Many4082 at 29/11/2024 at 13:35 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Graduated college with student loan debt. Started working a month later.

Pay first went to putting a roof over my head, gas in my car. Stayed on the 'Ramen noodle, PB&J economic grocery list' lifestyle.

Next was saving up a down payment for a newer truck. My current car was going thru oil (one quart each time I got gas). Got the newer truck by 5-6months. Started hauling stuff for people in my apartment complex to help pay for the truck.

The truck, being higher interest than my student debt, got paid off first. Then the student loans. Then set up my 401k and paid myself first. Maximum my employer would allow (they matched the first 5%). Anything left went to saving for a house.

Comment by PotentialFrame271 at 29/11/2024 at 13:44 UTC

9 upvotes, 0 direct replies

A sewing machine. $100. I still have and use that machine. She's my workhorse.

Comment by Racer187 at 29/11/2024 at 15:17 UTC

7 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Bought my first brand new car at 18.

Bought a Corvette at 20.

Bought my first house at 22.

And on my 60th b-day I paid off my current house, car and all the kids' student loans.

Comment by FrankCobretti at 29/11/2024 at 13:22 UTC

4 upvotes, 0 direct replies

A pet snake. My allowance always $0.25/wk. The snake cost two dollars. Seeing me save for two months, my parents covered the aquarium and supplies. I paid for the food out of my allowance. Crickets were cheap.

Comment by nilocrram at 29/11/2024 at 13:34 UTC

4 upvotes, 1 direct replies

VIC 20, 1982. Across the border into Buffalo NY from Ontario...

Comment by BunBun_75 at 29/11/2024 at 13:45 UTC

4 upvotes, 2 direct replies

House for sure. Bought first real estate at 26. Always drove good reliable used cars. I’m 50 and still don’t buy new cars. Didn’t start regularly travelling until I was late 30s. My issue with today’s generation is the belief that they deserve a new car, the best house and luxury vacations all right now. Nobody had all that 25 years ago. Real estate allowed me to truly start building wealth, it’s an investment. Trips and cars are an expense.

Comment by pickleboo at 29/11/2024 at 13:26 UTC

4 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I saved my allowance to get my ears pierced at the salon. This was in the 70s in Oklahoma, so Walmart and Claire's and such were not an option yet. I was 13.

I chickened out, saved up again, and chickened out again, but 3rd time was the charm.

I think it cost 18 or 20 dollars, including the studs.

Comment by nickalit at 29/11/2024 at 14:05 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Paper dolls. Allowance was 25 cents every Sunday. A nickel went into the collection plate at church. On Saturday we'd walk to the Five and Dime store for 10 pieces of penny candy. That left a dime for your 'nest egg' in your top drawer and when you accumulated 10 dimes, you could buy a folder of paper dolls!

Comment by neveraskmeagainok at 29/11/2024 at 15:57 UTC

5 upvotes, 2 direct replies

A small hand-held transistor radio with a leather cover and strap. I put it on lay-a-way at the shop and paid a little each week. On the day I walked out with it I remember the first song I heard was "Can't Buy Me Love" by the Beatles.

Comment by Blahpunk at 29/11/2024 at 16:36 UTC

4 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I saved $400 and wanted a Tascam 4 track mixer for Christmas. My parents put in another $200 and bought it for me. I spent entire days recording and rerecording tracks.

Comment by Royal_Toad at 29/11/2024 at 13:19 UTC

3 upvotes, 1 direct replies

A handmade steel katana. (I'm not old, thats the max luxury item I can hope to afford in my lifetime)