High Life / A WEEKLY FOURM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : Making Allowances: What Do You Get and for What?

Being a teen-ager isn’t a cheap proposition these days. It takes money for such staples as tennis shoes, fast food, movie tickets and gas.

And where there’s money, there are either bosses who want you to work weekends or parents, whose expectations--and wages--vary from teen to teen.

Hot Topics asks, “How much money do you get for a weekly allowance and what do you have to do for that money?”

“Seven dollars to feed the dog, brush his teeth, put Bullfrog on his nose and give him his medicine.”

Chara Haywood, 15,

sophomore, Brea-Olinda

“I get $75 a month for taking out the trash, emptying the dishwasher and feeding the cats, but $25 or more has to go into my savings account.”

Julie Murphy, 16,

junior, Los Alamitos

“Nada. Well, my mom gives me money for gas, but I have a job. I just have to be a good responsible kid.”

Kaveh Soltani, 18,

senior, Laguna Hills

“I get $10 in lunch money. I have to clean the kitchen every night.”

Rebecca Peterson, 17,

senior, Santiago

“I get $15 for keeping up my grade-point average, cleaning the house and taking care of the family bird.”

Cindy Park, 17,

junior, Villa Park

“I get $20 and I have to feed the dogs daily and take care of them. I also have to clean the house.”

Heatherlee Alberson, 15,

sophomore, Mater Dei

“I get $8 for cleaning my room and putting the dishes away.”

Renee Karalian, 15,

sophomore, Santa Margarita

“For $5 I have to feed my pets, clean the yard, mow the lawn, dump the trash and get rid of the dog droppings. But I have to do all of it or I don’t get a thing.”

Jeremy Bradley, 13,

freshman, Esperanza

“I get $25. Me and my sisters switch off, so I either clean the kitchen or the living room.”

Erin Knight, 16,

senior, El Toro

“I get $6.25 for undoing the dishwasher and making my bed, $5 for gas and money for lunch when I ask.”

Penelope Littlejohns, 17,

senior, Dana Hills

“I get $5 for being a respectable member of my family.”

Lindsay Ansberry, 16,

junior, Fullerton

“I get $10 and I earn it by mowing the lawn and cleaning the bathroom.”

Hason Vu, 16,

junior, Saddleback

“Ever since I started working I stopped accepting allowance from my parents.”

Jolene Paulino, 17,

senior, Rancho Alamitos

“Five dollars and I don’t do much of anything for it except stay out of trouble.”

Tania Konishi, 14,

freshman, Pacifica

“I get food and a bed, and I have to do lots of chores to get it.”

Joey Newell, 15,

junior, St. Margaret’s

“I get $15. I have to clean the kitchen, mow the lawn and do anything else that needs to be done around the house.”

Ryan Ramos, 17,

senior, El Dorado

“I get paid $10 for doing laundry.”

Brooke Calhoon, 17,

senior, Calvary Chapel

“I really don’t get an allowance but receive $500 a year from my parents. Instead of doing chores, my parents have high expectations from me.”

Abe Chuang, 16,

junior, Irvine

“I get $10 for vacuuming, doing the dishes and cleaning my room.”

Ronnie Lippa, 14,

freshman, Sunny Hills

“I get $5 and my chores change every month.”

Summer Harris, 15,

freshman, Troy

“I get $30 a month allowance but usually I need more. Then I ask for it and I get how much more I need.”

Angela Kwon, 18,

senior, Valencia

“Six dollars partly to teach me the value of money and partly so I don’t starve.”

Ian Fagan, 17,

senior, University

“I get $10 plus all that I ask for if I eat, sleep, be merry and go to school.”

Javier Lavagnino, 16,

junior, Brea-Olinda

“I don’t get a regular allowance, only some sympathy money or an occasional loan.”

Annette Meyer, 17,

senior, Woodbridge

Next Week’s Hot Topic:

How could you make life easier for yourself?

Responses gathered by Brian Lee (Brea-Olinda), Noah McMahon (Calvary Chapel), Sara Schibanoff (Dana Hills), Jason Singer (El Dorado), Tiffani Chin (El Toro), Jennifer Leuer (Esperanza), Kelly St. John (Fullerton), Ken Lee (Irvine), Nikki Thompson (Laguna Hills), Tricia Ginsburg (Los Alamitos), Jenny Sewell (Mater Dei), Diana Mueller (Pacifica), Beth Mueller (Rancho Alamitos), Regina Hoang (Saddleback), Brooke Lyons (St. Margaret’s), Kate Elftmann (Santa Margarita), Hieu Phan (Santiago), Jedidiah Yeuh (Sunny Hills), Amanda Freeman (Troy), Claudine Ko (University), Laura Kim (Valencia), Juanita Chang (Villa Park) and Carolyn Bates (Woodbridge).