DS16 is working!

**mommy4ever** · 07-14-2010, 12:26 PM

DS16 started a 3 week internship. At the end of the internship he will begin his first year apprenticeship as electrician. He will be earning some money. We don't really know how much, but at least minimum wage. Which is $8.80, but we think it is about $10/hour. We aren't concerned with the amount, it's a bonus to him either way.

We opened him his first accounts. He has a checking and a savings. His check will be direct deposit to savings. He can deposit through the bank machine to both accounts, but can only do interac withdrawals or payments from the checking account. He needs to do telephone banking to transfer from savings to checking. And it is a next business day. This will hopefully have him seeing a savings growth, and less impulse purchase. I had hoped to set a lower cash withdrawal that it is, but they couldn't it was weird. I didn't do joint. At some point he needs to learn. There is no overdraft....

We have set some goals. We'd like to see 40% of each check in savings, so he might have enough to insure a vehicle in a year. I'd like to see a higher savings so that he will have his trade school tuition and books saved as well. He doesn't really have much to spend on. Since he doesn't have a vehicle etc. So hopefully, he'll be more like dd13 and not be so willing to part with his money. BUT, he is a brand name guy. We don't buy it for him, so I can see him doing that. But working, he is in coveralls the whole time.... so he doesn't NEED it. He is seeing it. He is getting better. He was going to buy $90 shoes.... and when he went to actually do it... he bought $30 ones instead. So maybe, just maybe he is getting it.

Note: this is a program through school. He will be graduating and all that, it might take an extra semester, but he is graduating, and so far with honors. He is using trades as a stepping stone to engineering... or so far that is the plan.

**pinetree** · 07-14-2010, 02:02 PM

Congratulations!! He must be so excited, and you so proud.

My son saved and paid cash for his first car at 15. When it came to paying out of his own pocket, he didnt like spending his hard earned money.

**ansley** · 07-14-2010, 03:27 PM

Way to go for your son.

**mommy4ever** · 07-14-2010, 03:33 PM

Thanks!
He is the youngest in the program and was recommended for the position by the program coordinator. He didn't get it initially, as they wanted older more responsible. Well the older more responsible dropped out! So they are taking a chance with him.

We have given him motivation to be smart. We bought his steel toe boots. He has a really wide foot and we couldn't get really cheap ones as we hoped, so we told him, that if he can hold the job and not get fired(he can be a meat head sometimes), that we won't make him pay for the boots, that we'll have bought them for him. But if he loses the job, he's going to be finding a way to pay us back. That will be an awful lot of lawns to mow. He is being directly supervised, so he should be fine. he's a hard worker, and follows direction well. But it's if left unsupervised that the bone head moves start happening. Being electrical he is closely supervised and if he is running cable unsupervised, there is a deadline to be met, so he still has to be accountable.

I hope he does well. In this day, if you are a good worker, you can go so far, as there are so many workers here who have entitlement issues and don't want to DO the work!

**Michelle68** · 07-18-2010, 09:32 PM

16 year old boy=meathead,lol! Your son sounds like he has a great head on his shoulders. Good for him and good for you for teaching him so well.

**Luckybustert** · 07-18-2010, 09:44 PM

Great to hear your son is doing so well - very happy for both of you!

**mommy4ever** · 07-18-2010, 11:02 PM

Thanks

He made it through week 1. No issues! YAY!!!

yes 16yo boy=meathead (no, his name isn't Mike). There are days I'd like to strangle him..lol

**Palooka** · 07-19-2010, 01:44 AM

Congrats to your son. Sounds great.

My DD paid cash for her car at 17, putting almost every penny in the bank. I made sure.

**frugalfranny** · 07-19-2010, 01:50 AM

Congrats to you and your son.

Hope the job works out for him.......steel toed boots are expensive!

**mauimagic** · 07-19-2010, 02:00 AM

Congratulations - what a great program and how wonderful he got chosen - and made it through the first week!! Please keep us informed as to how it is all going!! In these days it is wonderful to hear that great opportunites still exist!!