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Original poster

When did you start working and when did you start full-time work?

154 replies

areyousittingontheremote · 30/03/2023 14:48

Also when did you start paying for yourself completely?

I started work at 15 and carried on from there

I was working full-time at 18 and never stopped for long until I went self-employed and now switch between full and part-time.

It seems natural that my child would begin working around the same age, but is this normal for people now?

At 18 I was considered an adult and expected to buy everything for myself. I moved out then and have been independent ever since.

I never got any funding from parents at uni, I thought this was normal then, or is it a new thing to fund grown up children until early twenties?

OP posts:
Lcb123 · 30/03/2023 16:00

I babysat for cash from About age 13/14. Started waitressing age 14 at a hotel, and always worked PT since then in various jobs including all through university. Ft once I graduated

AliceMay55 · 30/03/2023 16:01

I started my first job at 21. I feel incredibly privileged and very grateful to my parents !

GordonShakespearedoesChristmas · 30/03/2023 16:02

Many places will not take on youngsters.
All of you that advocate no financial support for 18+, do try to recognise that the World is very different now. There are no grants for Uni, and if parents earn above the limits, they will not get maintenance loans. If they are on an intensive course do you really want them having to do 20/30 hrs a week work too?

Aria2015 · 30/03/2023 16:05

Weekend job from 14/15 and also in holidays. Full time work after finishing uni (age 21). Worked full time (with one gap year to travel) until having dc 12 years later and been part time since then.

I'd like my dc to have weekend jobs from maybe 15/16, I do think that was a good introduction into work and earning money. I'd expect them to do full time work from when they finish education, although if they wanted to travel (self funded) i'd encourage that too.

R669 · 30/03/2023 16:07

Started working (paper deliveries) about 12 and fulltime at 18. I've worked full time my whole life since. I got my degree working evenings and weekends via the OU. I left college as I didn't think my parents could afford it.

Bluebellwood129 · 30/03/2023 16:09

First started working at 25, worked full time until 29 then went part time and have been ever since. No children.

forgotname · 30/03/2023 16:09

Weekend job started at 15 in a local clothes shop. That was my pocket money. Anything needed was still be bought by my parents.

Moved out at 24 when pregnant with my first.

Hes 16 this year and will expect him to get a summer job. Don't think there is any harm in it. After all the trainers he likes are £100+ and we've just bought our first house so a lot of my disposable cash is going in fixing our home.

Would prefer him to work 2-3 days per week rather than sleeping the summer away and playing PS until 2am

CaveMum · 30/03/2023 16:10

First "job" was a paper round at 13. Then when I went to college I got a job on the tills at Sainsbury's at the weekends (aged 17), this was when I started having to give my parents some money towards housekeeping (I think I gave them about £50 a month).

I moved out at 18 as I got a job with a tied flat (stable hand) and apart from moving back home for 5 months when I finished a residential course at 19 and was looking for another job, I've been independent ever since.

weebarra · 30/03/2023 16:12

I started working p/t at 15, and f/t during school and uni holidays.
Worked f/t until DS1 was born and have been p/t ever since.
DS1&2 both have medical issues which would make working f/t hard and I'm very lucky that I don't 'have' to.
DD is 9 and I would like to increase my hours but I work in a public sector area where there are currently voluntary redundancies so I don't imagine that will happen soon.

sandyhappypeople · 30/03/2023 16:15

Started work at 13, working after school and Saturdays, left school at 16 and went straight into full time employment, been full time ever since, working my way up through different companies. my partner took parental leave when we had baby as it made more sense that way, mand i still work full time hours now but around our toddler, I own my business now, so while it is long hours, it’s 100% flexible.

I never had pocket money as a child as my mum couldn’t afford it so the only option if I wanted money was to work for it, I think it has set me up with a strong work ethic, plus my mum was a grafter, it definitely rubbed off as I’m always looking at ways to make money!

I see it so often though that the school/college/uni leavers have a bit too much of what I call the ‘why should I’ attitude when it comes to working, they’re lovely but they never want to go the extra mile or see the bigger picture, a lot of the time it seems to be drilled into them that they should only do the bare minimum, it’s worrying I think.

HydrangeaHo · 30/03/2023 16:16

Worked part time from 12 and full time from 16 (1974).
Went part time at 37 when I had first child.
I paid one third of all household bills from age 16 and moved out at 23.

At 18 I was considered an adult and expected to buy everything for myself. I moved out then and have been independent ever since.
I never got any funding from parents at uni, I thought this was normal then, or is it a new thing to fund grown up children until early twenties?

It was largely because I had to fend for myself so young that I wanted to do the opposite for my children. They were funded through uni, came home and lived for a while while working. They saved a big chunk of their income, I refused to take any money from them and helped with house deposits. They are very savvy financially and have been very appreciative of our help.

illiterato · 30/03/2023 16:17

Was 14 when I started part time work ( shop). Did between 8-12 hours a week until I was 18 ( more in school holidays). When I was at 6th form it was usual to work either Saturday or Sunday or both. Worked FT all holidays in University ( not allowed to work in term time). Often did shop all day, home, quick change, down to the pub for 4 hours there. Wasn’t mad about the shop stuff but enjoyed the pub. Left uni at 21 and went into FT work then.

SquigglePigs · 30/03/2023 16:17

I started a proper job (supermarket) part time at 16 (just before 17) although I had done some babysitting since about 15.

I then had holiday jobs whilst I was at university and was financially assisted by my parents. The intention had been to work part time whilst I was at university but my course was so intense my parents and I made a joint decision for me to stop and for them to help. I earnt enough to cover my socialising and they paid rent/food etc.

Full time job once I graduated and then I went part time when I went back to work after I had DD.

I think it's harder for young people to get temp/pt jobs now than it was when I was young so I'll see what the environment is like when DD is that age (a long way off for now). A bit of part time work is good experience and being responsible for paying for some things herself would be good but we fully expect to financially support her through university (which is already much more expensive than it was when DH and I were there!). I care more when she's a late teen that she contributes to the running of the house (some cooking, cleaning, tidying etc.).

purplemama1990 · 30/03/2023 16:18

I was a full time student until the age of 26 - school, undergrad degree, masters, and then straight on to a PhD. My parents funded me up until I finished my masters at age 22, then I got a fully funded PhD with a stipend, so I was technically "earning" money then and fully supported myself. I didn't get my first "real" job until I finished my PhD at 26. I'm super grateful to my parents for supporting me through my education up until age 22, and I would happily do the same for my children. I do understand that a lot of parents can't afford this though. And if my child isn't doing anything useful with their time such as going to uni etc, then yes I would expect them to get a job definitely and to contribute to the household and support themselves. Starting work at age 15 or 16 should be up to the child I think, and definitely shouldn't be forced by the parents. Your child is your responsibility and you will still be getting child benefit up until they are age 16 actually!

Talipesmum · 30/03/2023 16:18

Summer job from age 18, full time uni / study with summer jobs / internships up to age 23, when I started full time work in my career. Went part time (80%) about 13 years later to help work life balance. Still part time the same 8 years ish later.

My parents funded me through a-levels and through university, aided by some money from summer jobs and internships. I had fieldwork in holidays but really they were able to / wanted to support me so I could study - which I did.
That wasn’t unusual for my friends - some had bar work or summer work, but I don’t think most had jobs until later. Definitely not lavish lifestyles.

HighInfidelity · 30/03/2023 16:19

I did some ad hoc babysitting from 13, I was then in part time employment from 15 and full time from 19. I dropped back to part time in my late 20s to go back to uni and have been full time again since graduating. I’m mid-30s now. I think it was a lot easier to get work when I was younger than it is for young people now from what I’ve seen with the younger members of my family.

andymary · 30/03/2023 16:28

My first real job was shortly after I turned 16, part time after school and weekends. Then I changed to full time work (at the same place as they were looking for more staff which was lucky) at aged 18 - 19 when I left school, as I couldn't cope with doing A levels anymore.
Then at aged 20, I moved out into my own (rented) place, so that was when I left home and went fully independent.

I think it's quite common now for people to stay at home for a lot longer. Obviously the price of buying a house or even renting limits people getting their own place.

WhatTheHeckyPeck · 30/03/2023 16:51

Started full-time work at 17 and, apart from a year part-time when DD was 6 months old, been working full-time ever since., so around 40 years.

mogtheforg3tfulcat · 30/03/2023 16:53

I started work at 15 in the newsagents and weekends at my local pub (I wasn't supposed to serve booze but I always did and no one cared). I worked part time throughout uni (bars and in the uni shop) although my parents paid for my accommodation and gave me a bit towards groceries as well. I worked full time for two years after I graduated,.went back to uni to do my pgde and then did two years full time teaching before I had the DC.I've always been glad that my mum and dad encouraged me to work as soon as I could - in my teens it gave me so much independence and boosted my confidence, as well as teaching me how to be self reliant. I really hope my dds will work in their teens as well (although I fully expect to be paying the bulk of their expenses at uni)

billyt · 30/03/2023 16:56

Started working part-time (evenings after school) and weekend at 13.

Started full-time on my 16th Birthday. I'm 66 this year.

And had fuck all help from my parents, ever.

TreesandFish · 30/03/2023 16:56

I had little jobs, part time, until I finished university. My parents supported me until one year after uni, when I got my first mortgage

StEtienne93 · 30/03/2023 16:57

I started working at 15 in a pharmacy, after school and Saturdays. Then started full time work at 16 in a building society. I still lived with my parents, but I did pay them a reduced rent. I suppose I fully started paying for myself when I was 22 and moved into my own flat. I moved back home after a relationship breakdown when I was 25 (again paying rent) and then moved out for good when I was 29.

Ginmonkeyagain · 30/03/2023 17:04

Grew up on a farms so I was expected to help out with farming jobs as soon as I was able - about 10 or so (round up sheep, helping stack bales, feeding lambs etc..) - it is just the norm in farming families. My dad also ran a fruit and veg stall and veg box delivery business, we were allowed to keep some of the money if we sold veg on his stall.

Got a paid Saturday job at 16 and continued that full time in the holidays through A levels and university.

Funded university with a grant and loans (no money from parents) and an overdraft which I reduced to zero every holiday through my job. I also picked up part time and one off work at university.

Moved back home for the summer when I graduated at 21 and worked a final summer full time in my long standing part time job. Moved to London in the October that year and worked temp jobs. Got a full time graduate job at 22 and have worked full time ever since.

Always funded myself. Parents could not afford to help me much beyond offering a place to stay for free if I needed it.

Pinksmyfavoritecolour · 30/03/2023 17:05

Saturday job at 13 in hairdressers. Lots of babysitting from around that age too. The school holidays were some days hairdressers some days making yogurt on a farm (freezing). Then full time work at 16 in hairdressers. Worked full time til I was 50 then now part time.

soberfabulous · 30/03/2023 17:17

I also started work at 12...it was a while ago. Saturday job in spec savers. Worked all the way through Uni too (had no choice, we were skint) and then full time from 21 onwards.

I'm 46 now and I'll be honest, exhausted! I have a high pressure demanding job and it comes at a price. Having said that I could never give up my financial independence so I'm happy to keep working.