I still remember the day my first salary was credited into my bank account. I remember the joy with which I went to withdraw the money. I had just passed out of University and this was my first job.
That one credit to my account, opened a magical door of dreams, where I spent hours dreaming about the things I would buy with my money.
I remember saving up for a scooter, a hair-dryer and a Kodak camera that used film rolls (no digital ones were available then).
I saved up for months, and bought my first scooter, a shiny red Sunny Bajaj (as the brand was called). The scooter gave me mobility and freedom. It gave me wonderful hours zooming around the city. It meant movies with friends on Saturday afternoons, it took me everywhere, to client meetings, to pick up my mom from the railway station, to take my niece for an ice-cream treat.

It had a nice carrier below the seat, where I could store a lot of stuff, from the books that I borrowed from a library that was close to my place of work, to my lunch-box, to my water bottle and other papers that I had to work on.
It gave me good mileage and never, ever broke down. Weekend mornings, saw me with a pail, brush, soap and cloth, washing my Sunny till it shone and gleamed. It was my pride and joy.
I felt so proud, when I saw it standing bright and clean in the parking lot, and often mentally compared it to the other bikes there.
It was one of the first things that I bought in the early days of my career, and one of the things that I loved the most in my life.
Years have flown by, many jobs, role changes, and graduating from a scooter to cars, but those first moments of joy and exhilaration that I felt on my Sunny can never be equalled, that feeling of independence, that feeling of having reached a point in life after years of hard work; and that bubbling happiness, when I rode my Sunny and the wind whipped across my face and made me smile.
I did not ever want to sell it, but life had to go on. After many, many years, I passed it on to my sister, extracting all kinds of promises from her on caring for my dear Sunny. True to form, my Sunny served her for many years too. My daughter, who was two then, also got to go on a ride with her aunt on my Sunny. Many memories, lots of love there!
So tell me, what things did you buy with your first salary? Would love to know.
You brought back memories of my first salary (just Rs 9,500/month) and i was so happy even with that in 2003. I gave a few bucks to my mother from my first one and remember buying a few shirts as i left that job in a couple of months to join Wipro in Bangalore.
With changes in jobs, roles and locations, i have bought many new things and the list is long 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Alok, but the ‘first salary memories’ are truly special
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow..loved reading this post..brought back memories of my own scooter..such freedom it gives!! I remember giving some money to my parents from my 1st salary! Such a happy day! 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for sharing your memories. Truly wonderful aren’t they☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes indeed!! 😊👍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my goodness. I had my first job when I was 15 so I can only guess that it was a bunch of junk, although I’ve always been pretty good at saving. Your Sunny was so cute, as well as ecologically friendly…but yes, life goes on.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lovely…thank you dear Marissa for sharing your memories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My first job at age 12 was mowing my elderly neighbor’s lawn for about $4.00 per week. My first ‘major’ purchase was a digital clock with a radio and cassette player. Had that for about 30 years before it died. A few years later I got a job washing dishes at a hospital and bought a bicycle so I wouldn’t have to walk to work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
30 years…that must have been so wonderful…Thank you Andrew. Have a great weekend
LikeLike
Aahh, a scooter. While it wasn’t my first purchase (that was far too long ago to remember 😉 ), butI still to this day absolutely love them and miss my own creamy white Scarabeo every Spring when the air is crisp but sunny. Life moved slower and more peaceably on a scooter and you got to really ‘see’ and appreciate things when you rode it. Just thinking about it, makes me smile. Thanks for that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
How lovely. I can imagine it, riding on a white scooter on a lovely Spring day, under blue skies. Your comment has evoked more memories of my Sunny. Thank you. Do you still.have one?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Alas I got rid of it after a guy ( a motorcyclist, no less) rear ended me 2 years ago. So sad, I still miss it; it was a great scooter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s sad. I know how you much miss your scooter😯😯
LikeLiked by 1 person
first salary is always memorable and unforgettable… 🙂 this post reminded me of my first salary too… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes Ashish. Thank you☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
How fun to have a scooter! I know they are more common in India.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, they are great fun. Thank you Katelon
LikeLiked by 1 person
With my first paycheck I bought a watch. To this day, many years later, I still love watches. I know many people who do not even own one because if they want to know the time of day they just look at their mobile phones!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely…yes it is easier now with mobile phones, but I love watches too. I still have the very first one that my parents gifted me when I was in school. Thank you so much for sharing your memories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brought back memories of my first salary. We had a tradition of offering a part of our first salary to the divine, that meant visiting a temple and making a monetary offering. We are also expected to use the first salary to buy something for our parents/elders. This is usually in the form of clothes or a small piece of jewellery. It’s a very small form of thanksgiving.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Sash☺
LikeLike
A very expensive pair of jeans and I got in big trouble from Mum 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
So sweet ☺☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
You bring back nice memories. My first summer job, when I was ten years old, was strawberries picking at a big farm in my grandma village. It was a small amount so I decided to buy a Romanian history book. At that time I was fascinated by history. Thank you for a nice jump in time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely Adrian. Thanks for sharing these precious memories
LikeLike
I started to work early, but the first real salary for real work, I bought my mother a pair of shoes, as she was so much in love with. Short time later I gave my Granny money to help to buy her a new watch. They were expensive then. Great memories you have about your scooter 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
How sweet Irene. I bet your granny would have trasured that watch, as also your mom for the shoes☺☺ Thank you for sharing your precious memories
LikeLiked by 1 person
They did, thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A great story! I really enjoyed reading about Sunny 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much
LikeLike
I bought an electronic chess set to use to play chess even when I didn’t have someone to play against. Over the next couple of years I beat every single level at least once! Now I struggle to beat it even on the lowest level – but I’m still using it nearly 30 years later so I guess it was the first adn BEST thing I ever bought with any paycheck!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow…that’s wonderful. You must have such wonderful memories with the Set. And it’s kind of grown with you….lovely. Thank you for sharing this precious memory Ken
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it is a simple but treasured possession worth much more than its component parts and has gone with me all over the world 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person