My First Paycheck

How did you spend your first paycheck? Did you use it to splurge on something fun? Go on a trip? Invest? Pay rent? Here’s what I did with my first paycheck, and 17 others share their stories as well…

Before I started working and earning a paycheck, my uncle offered some frank financial advice. He said, “Invest it and forget about it — don’t even think about touching it until you’re retired.”

“Do people really do that?” I asked with doubt in my voice.

“The smart ones do!” he replied.

I used my first paycheck after college to buy a new laptop, which was exciting at the time, and I remember feeling empowered going through the online checkout using my debit card.

While my laptop wasn’t the investment my uncle suggested, but it was still an important one.

Here’s how others spent their first paychecks…

“After having an unpaid internship after college the experience of getting a paycheck was rather surreal, so I didn’t spend it wisely! I spent part of my first adult paycheck on a nice pair of designer jeans I had been eyeing for a while.” Sarah

“I didn’t start getting paychecks until more than a month after graduating college. So I paid my parents back with half of my check and used the other half for food and rent…boring.” Leah

“My first paycheck was when I was a junior in college and joined the Navy. I bought two things with my first paycheck  —  a TV and clothes. But more importantly, I had proof of a paycheck that allowed me to buy a car!” Kara

“Comics and cheap beer via a friend’s older sibling.” Jamie

“I made $7,600 teaching in Maine that year! I budgeted tightly so I could save to go on a nice vacation to Bermuda  —  ate cheese, dreams, and hot dogs, and drove a Pinto. But I can’t remember what I did specifically with my first paycheck. Probably went over to a bar in Canada and had a beer.” Deborah

“I used my first adult paycheck to satisfy creditors from the oh-so-fun spring break I treated myself to in college!” Sara

“After leaving college and receiving my first real paycheck, I bought at new 55″ DLP HD Television, without thinking about the transportation aspect, of course.” James

“I worked at NAB Bank in Sydney, Australia, and my first several paychecks went towards saving for a trip to New York City. It’s been four years since I moved to NYC — the trip turned into me permanently living here!” Kathleen

“Most of my first adult paycheck went toward rent for my first apartment. I also remember buying my first cell phone right away. It was in the early 2000s and the first camera cell phone had just come out, but I’m pretty sure my sweet flip phone only served one purpose: to call people.” Megan

“My first real paycheck was for around $225. I was living in Lido Beach, Florida and it mostly went towards rent.” Jim

“I made a very small paycheck at my first real job, working at a Children’s Photography Studio. It all went towards expenses like food and rent, not something exciting.” Nancy

“I bought a Breitling Avenger Skyland SS. Needed it!” Ryan

“Most of my first ‘adult’ paycheck actually went into a savings account — never know when you need a rainy day fund  —  but I thought it was worth a little splurge on a new backpack for adventures around the city” Hannah

“I received my first ‘real’ paycheck in Balmain, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. After work, I took a bunch of friends to the “Rose, Shamrock & Thistle,” my favorite pub, for libations and then we had dinner at a tiny Chinese cafe, I think it was too small to be called a restaurant. It was a great night and because I paid only $25 a week for a room, I was able to save a good portion of my check every two weeks. These were the days before student loans.” Dave

“I bought Cha Cha, my English Bulldog.” Morgan

“I was living with my parents for a few months after college with no real bills, so I bought myself Bud Light and pizza.” Dan

“My first paycheck was a direct deposit that cleared my bank account on a Thursday. And I remember texting a few people to see if anyone was around to go out the next day. We all met at a bar on the Lower East Side and went dancing. It was a very fun night.” Sharon

How did you spend your first paycheck? We’d love to hear…

PS. Career stories.

(Top photo from Flickr. Bottom photo by Gleb Makarov.)