Do you remember how you spent your first paycheck?

Because I do, I was working as an English teacher at a school, and when I got paid for the first time ever in my life, the first thing I did was go shopping for clothes. I remember I was at the mall with my family and bought myself a T-shirt and a pair of jeans, and I also bought a T-shirt for my brother, since his birthday was coming up. I don’t know what else I did with my money; perhaps I spent it on food (most probably that’s what I did), but I remember how exciting those ordinary purchases felt.

I liked knowing that I had earned the money myself. I’d gone to work, taught my classes, so I could walk into a store and choose something I liked because I wanted it and could afford it. It was satisfying. That was my first taste of financial independence: a T-shirt and jeans.

The T-shirt for my brother was also a sweet part of my first paycheck. I remember feeling like a real grown-up. Yeah, I can give my brother a present! I can do whatever I want! I’m such an independent woman! I’m thriving! Anyway, being able to include him made the shopping trip feel nicer. I had enough to come home with something for both of us, and that felt good.