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'Spent my first salary on Rocky -- my dog'
We invited readers to share how much their first salary was and how they burst it up. Here we feature some of the fun, thoughtful, touching responses we received:
My first salary was Rs 13,000 which I got in the year 2001. I passed out from engineering and joined a software company.
I bought a golden retriever for Rs 7,000 which I always wished for. When I was a kid my parents told me: "When you start earning you can buy that dog. we can't afford it."
His name was Rocky.
With the rest I bought a good saree for my mom and gave the remaining money to my dad. But dad gave it back to me with his blessings.
Now I am a manager in the same company.
-- Rudra Ghosh (30), Los Angeles,US
It was October 30, 1984 and I had got my first salary of Rs 300.
I shared the money between my parents and grandmothers. It was my friend's idea and I still think it was a great idea.
-- Dileep
My first job was a lab assistant in Chennai for a software training institute. My first salary was around Rs 1300 in 1998. I told my parents, I want to gift my sister a ring in gold. I am till date not sure if they put some extra cash to buy the ring.
It is still one of my sister's favourite gifts. She keeps telling my kids about it too.
-- Bhuvana (35), project lead, Bangalore
Share your story by mailing us at getahead@rediff.co.in with the subject line 'My first salary' and tell us what your first job was, how much you got paid and what you did with your first salary. And we'll publish the responses right here on rediff.com! Don't forget to include your name, age, city and current job/ profession/ designation.
'I bought myself a Kodak camera with the money'
My first job as teaching assistant in 1997 paid Rs 2000 per month. As I liked photography, the first thing I bought from my salary was a Rs 900 Kodak camera. I clicked several memorable moments through its lens. Since then, I have owned other camera but I still treasure the first one.
-- Ravi Vijayvargia (35), research fellow, Boston, USA
I joined Wipro BPO after I passed out from college. My first month's salary was Rs 7000. It was January 2004. After I got the salary I bought some sweets for my family and bought a new DVD player (Videocon). I had spent around Rs 2,400. I kept the rest of the money in my bank account.
-- Subhobrata Basu (29), freelance writer, Kolkata
My first salary was way back in 1995, I was in class XII and needed more pocket money. I decided to give tuitions, and taught a couple of kids and earned Rs 250 a month.
I gave Rs 150 to my mother and kept Rs 100 for my expenses. It was a great feeling to earn my own money! That remained my monthly income for close to a year.
-- Ravi
My first job was of a crew member in McDonald's when I did a part-time job during my school summer holidays.
I was paid Rs 2000 for my first salary which I gave to my mother. Later I completed my BE in 2006. Now, I am settled in Singapore with my wife. My mother's blessing has made me what i am today.
-- Navneet Sharma (25), consultant, Singapore
Share your story by mailing us at getahead@rediff.co.in with the subject line 'My first salary' and tell us what your first job was, how much you got paid and what you did with your first salary. And we'll publish the responses right here on rediff.com! Don't forget to include your name, age, city and current job/ profession/ designation.
'I bought my brother a walkman'
Despite many financial challenges I continued my studies by taking up a part-time job. My first salary was Rs 27.
When I was in class X, to support my studies I had to earn something as my parents were not in a position to bear even the household expenses.
I joined the non-banking financial company in 1995 as an agent and they used to pay commissions based on performance. So I got Rs 27 in the first month, and that money was used to buy medicines for my mother who was ill.
My thanks to God for giving me courage and strength to deal with all the difficulties in life.
-- Dr Navneet Ranjan (30), dental surgeon and public health specialist, Pune
I started working after my class X exams. I used to start my day at 4.30 pm. I was working at a milk centre from 4.45
to 7.30 for Rs 200. After 7.30, I would work for a newspaper distributor, distributing newspapers to 15-20 buildings. And I was earning Rs 150/- from that job.
I gave my first salary to my sister and then started using that salary on night college.
Now I am working as a software engineer in an Indian MNC.
-- Sachin Narkar, UK
My first job was as a 'management trainee' with GATI (TCI group) at Pune, and my first salary was Rs 3400 in the year 1993 and I bought a Phillips walkman for my younger brother who had just joined IRMA, and the rest went for my hostel expenses.
It was a proud moment for me.
-- Swapna Sinha, TNL International Auckland Ltd
My first pay was Rs 600 when I joined a plastic blow moulding company as a production supervisor immediately after completing my diploma in mechanical engineering in Dharwad in 1998.
Out of the Rs 600, I paid Rs 400 to the hotel where I would eat at (I was sharing a company room at the time).
The other Rs 200 I kept for my monthly expenses. I never took any advance or borrowed money from anyone.
After one year, I joined another company for Rs 1800 month and then I started givng Rs 1000 to my mother every month.
Today I am working as an SAP consultant for a petroleum company in Kuwait.
-- Praveen Shetty (33)
Share your story by mailing us at getahead@rediff.co.in with the subject line 'My first salary' and tell us what your first job was, how much you got paid and what you did with your first salary. And we'll publish the responses right here on rediff.com! Don't forget to include your name, age, city and current job/ profession/ designation.