Allowances for Teen-Agers Range from Zero to $50

Attending high school can be as demanding as working a full-time job, but the monetary rewards don’t come until much later--when the acquired knowledge can be put to use in the job market.

Teen-agers need money just like everybody else, but often their work is limited to household chores. Hot Topics asks: “How much money do you get for a weekly allowance and what do you have to do for that money?”

“I don’t get a set allowance. I earn money through my efforts at school and helping my parents when they need it.”

Julie Coontz, 17,

senior, Dana Hills

“I don’t get any allowance because I don’t have time to work. Any money I get comes from occasional baby-sitting jobs.”

Helen Crowe, 17,

senior, Dana Hills

“Twenty-five dollars to pay for gas, gifts, lunch, meals out, hygiene needs and whatever else. To get this I dust, do dishes, empty trash, do grocery shopping and all other chores around the house.”

Suzy Sullivan, 17,

senior, Dana Hills

“Eight dollars, but $4 of it automatically goes in the bank. I don’t exactly have to do anything, but I feel compelled to take out the trash, bring my dishes to the sink after meals, take care of the dog and keep my room tidy.”

Renee Brunelle, 15,

junior, El Toro

“Twenty dollars for not doing anything. They won’t let me get a job because of school, so they give me money.”

Eddie Kim, 17,

senior, El Toro

“Five dollars for taking out the garbage and baby-sitting (for) my 11-year-old brother.”

Matt Brigham, 16,

junior, El Toro

“Fifty dollars. I must do laundry, wash dishes, clean floors and a lot of other household chores.”

Debbie Ludwig, 17,

senior, Fullerton

“Ten dollars for making my bed, feeding the dog, cleaning the dishes and taking out the trash.”

Brenna Gregory, 14,

freshman, Fullerton

“Twenty-five dollars to take out the trash.”

Arturo Andrews, 16,

junior, Heritage

“Ten dollars to mow the lawns.”

David Berryman, 15,

sophomore, Heritage

“Ten dollars for whatever my parents need me to do.”

R.J. Drabek, 16,

junior, Heritage

“Ten dollars--unless I don’t clean my room, then I get a couple dollars taken off.”

Bay Jeske, 17,

senior, Lutheran

“Ten dollars to set the table and help around the house.”

Michele Hanson, 16,

senior, Lutheran

“Five dollars to do dishes, pick up after my dog and cats and also pick up after myself, which includes making the bed and washing my clothes.”

Tony Sheets, 17,

senior, Lutheran

“Eleven dollars for just being me, I suppose. I really do not have any prescribed chores to do, but I do my best to try to help out around the house.”

Keith Toda, 18,

senior, Marina

“I am given a weekly amount of $5 by my parents who let me spend it at my leisure to satisfy my whims. Separate from this is a monthly clothing allowance. What a life!”

Sharon McCaffery, 17,

senior, Marina

“Seven dollars for mowing the lawn, pruning the trees and hacking away at vines in my back yard.”

David Mauceli, 15,

sophomore, Marina

“Five dollars for cleaning my room and bathroom, unloading the dishwasher and washing dishes.”

Heather Simon, 14,

freshman, Marina

“I don’t get an allowance, but I still have jobs to do. I have a job, but not during football season.”

Vince Hlabaty, 16,

junior, Mater Dei

“I don’t get an allowance because my parents gave me the responsibility of having a job, and they feel that an allowance would make me too dependent on them.”

Frank Setera, 16,

junior, Mater Dei

“Four dollars for taking out the trash.”

Robert Balcarcel, 17,

senior, Mater Dei

“Ten dollars if I’m perfect . . . so I never get my allowance.”

Lisa Steele, 15,

sophomore, Orange

“Fifteen dollars for lunch. If I don’t want to eat, I can do whatever I want with it.”

Chris Thompson, 15,

sophomore, Orange

“I don’t get an allowance; my parents just give me money.”

Tom Kovac, 17,

senior, Orange

“I just keep the change when my mom gives me money to buy something.”

Clay Kaytis, 15,

sophomore, Orange

“I don’t get an allowance, just do odd jobs around the house, and the money depends upon the job.”

Alissa Polnaszek, 15,

junior, Rosary

“I don’t get an allowance, but do jobs like cutting the grass. . . . My parents say it’s my rent.”

Stephanie Snell, 16,

junior, Rosary

“Back home in Germany I get $7.50 a month for all my expenses.”

Katja Weinbrenner, 16,

senior, Rosary

“Because my parents won’t let me hold a job during the school year, I get $20 a week for cleaning my room and bathroom daily, ironing anywhere from 20 to 75 pieces of clothing a week, and doing any miscellaneous jobs my mom can dream up in the meantime.”

Tara Monnig, 17,

senior, Rosary

“Ten dollars to keep my room clean and empty the litter box.”

Sabine Gritton, 15,

sophomore, Santa Ana

“Five dollars and (extra) money if I need it for helping around the house.”

Jeff Pratt, 17,

senior, Santa Ana

“Twenty-five dollars for doing the lawn and cleaning up my room.”

Roger Espinoza, 14,

freshman, Santa Ana

“Five dollars for doing the dishes, errands and ironing my own clothes.”

Carrie Thomsen, 17,

senior, Santa Ana

“Three dollars and twenty-five cents per hour for my culinary talents. My best dish is my orange chicken, mashed potatoes and broccoli.”

Elise Shapiro, 15,

sophomore, Troy

“I get to take care of two children over the weekend when their parents go on trips. I get $2 an hour.”

Mary Huss, 17,

senior, Troy

“I get paid on a very arbitrary basis. Generally, if I have been sweet during the week, my mother finds it in her heart to bestow money upon me. On occasion, the sum can go as high as $8 to $10. If I have not been sweet, usually I get nothing, except, perhaps, a small lump of coal.”

Clare Sarris, 16,

junior, Troy

“I don’t get an allowance, but I don’t have to do work around the house.”

Kim Stumpf, 15,

junior, Valencia

“I get nothing for doing everything.”

Troy Allred, 17,

senior, Valencia

“Twenty dollars for doing chores.”

James Schacel, 16,

sophomore, Valencia

“Ten dollars for mowing lawns, washing cars, doing yard work and cleaning house.”

Scott Larson, 14,

freshman, Valencia

“I don’t get an allowance, but I don’t have to do work around the house.”

Kim Stumpf, 15,

junior, Valencia

“It depends every week. Sometimes I do certain stuff like vacuuming the pool and mowing the lawn . . . for that I get about $5 a week. Or for $3, I’ll do something like vacuuming. My parents buy everything for me.”

Steve Min, 14,

freshman, Woodbridge

“Twelve dollars for being in the 12th grade. I’m spoiled and that’s it.”

Jennie Hou, 17,

senior, Woodbridge

“Twenty dollars to do nothing; my parents love me.”

Tonya Patterson, 15,

sophomore, Woodbridge

“Ten dollars for spending money, and I get $10 for clothes. I’m supposed to do chores and help out, like clean the floors. . . .”

Mercedes Branden, 14,

sophomore, Woodbridge