Paper delivery thoughts

[kornkob]

So I saw this article and that got me thinking about my early days as a paperboy--- getting up early, taking care of the various customers in their various ways, being frugal with materials, knowing the value of my money.


I really learned a lot as a paperboy and those lessons served me well over the years.

 

[Arneba28]

Now I grew up in an area that didnt have a paper boy because the houses were to far apart. Anything that kids learn as a paper boy can be learned by putting them to work as soon as possible. My family was pretty well off but I was still made to get a job a week after I turned 15, and I started working full time nights by the time I was 16 or so. That teaches you alot when your young. Now I am 24, with 9 years of experience in my field. My parents could not have done anything better then started me working at 15.

 

[JustDave]

Ahh, the good old days.

7 days a week, rain or shine, 364 days a year (we got Christmas off). And this was a morning paper, so I had to do it before school -- none of that afternoon paper garbage!

The paperboy in my neighborhood gets driven around by his mom in a van.

 

[kornkob]

Around here as near as I can tell all the paper delivery is being done by adults in cars. I wonder how long that will last now that gas is so expensive.

 

[Liquidicem]

Around here as near as I can tell all the paper delivery is being done by adults in cars. I wonder how long that will last now that gas is so expensive.

Same here. They actually pull into and back out of every driveway. I can't imagine that is good for the car.

 

[JustDave]

I don't remember exactly when I started, but I want to say I was 12 or 13. I delivered papers until I left for college at 18 (our paper gave a $1000 scholarship if you worked during high school). Wow, that was so long ago!

One thing I missed out on was collecting payments, since the paper billed the customers directly.

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

I used to deliver the paper until i was old enough for football in HS. Every afternoon except Sunday. I remember the first tape palyer I bought was from money I got in Christmas tips. A kind of funny aside, the one house I hated to collect from because they had this big ass dog in the yard is now the house I live in almost 30 years later.

 

[Judd]

When I briefly delivered papers in Toronto 8 years ago, I got driven around in a ups-style van with no door, and played target practice with all the houses as we drove by.

 

[EdWort]

Around here as near as I can tell all the paper delivery is being done by adults in cars. I wonder how long that will last now that gas is so expensive.

I bet a resurgence of paperboys again!

 

[malkore]

I agree. my first 'real' job was a paper carrier. Started the week of Thanksgiving, so I dealt with snow adn cold temps, but at least got the christmas tips.

I took that job way too seriously for $87 a month...but its served me well in life, to have that kind of work ethic.

 

[Professor Frink]

Paperboy payed for my first car - I banked 50% of everything I made. I don't know how many parked cars I ran into while reading the paper and riding my bike.