The strange decline of the paperboy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7431224.stm

A Halifax survey of pocket money certainly seems to indicate that it has risen much faster than inflation. Between 1998 and 2004, pocket money rose more than fourfold, from £1.76 to a whopping £7.82 a week, although it has now stabilised at about the £8 mark.

I think it is a shame..It's one way children can learn about earning money the hard way and be prepared for the harsh realities of working life.

I also wonder if parents don't want their children doing the job for fear of the big bad world out there..

[greencreeper]

Rough days - out there in all weathers, snow too, delivering the papers. It was tricky balancing the bike with the heavy papers slung to one side of me. Saturday was the worst - all those supplements. And the house with the vicious Collie. The farm with the wall-eyed Collie - would creep up behind you. Harmless but scary. Once came off the bike in bad rain - skidded on my side for a good few yards. Battered my hip and burnt holes in my coat - still had to carry on. Kids these days - dad just gets out the credit card. We have one at work - overly-nurtured kid with no concept of reality.

[Xaccers]

I used to get chased by a kid with an axe on my paper round.

Originally Posted by Xaccers

I used to get chased by a kid with an axe on my paper round.

Really? Sounds quite funny when you say it like that

I was reading that article, To be honest I would not et up at 6:30 every day to deliver papers for £10 a week.

[greencreeper]

I got £8 for Monday-Saturday

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by greencreeper

I got £8 for Monday-Saturday

Back in the "dark ages" of 1978, I used to get £1.20 a week for 35 papers, mine was an evening round, but if I'd done the same round in the morning it would have been an extra 50p a week. The best part of the paperboys/girls life was Christmas time, the newsagent used to give all the paperboys/girls a pile of Christmas cards, then instead of just delivering the paper, we knocked on the door, gave them the card and wished them a merry Christmas then stood there smiling like an idiot. I never forget, one year I got nearly £9 in tips, add to that my wages, and for the first time in my life I had a £10 note, happy days.

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Damien

Really? Sounds quite funny when you say it like that

I was reading that article, To be honest I would not et up at 6:30 every day to deliver papers for £10 a week.

He was the school bully, none too bright.
Did manage to hit my rear tyre with it once, but no damage was done.
Now and again we'd have a fight which normally resulted in me sitting on him until he calmed down and ran off with his tail between his legs.
Once he tried to run me over with his mum's car. Course being thick as two short planks he didn't realise you had to put it in gear so sat on the drive revving.
So now when people comment about me looking older than I am, I just tell them I had a harsh paper round

Think I used to get £4.60 a week, evening round.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Damien

I was reading that article, To be honest I would not et up at 6:30 every day to deliver papers for £10 a week.

They still only get £10 a week I used to get that years ago, I did the free one's as well but sub contracted that out, bloody things were so heavy

[greencreeper]

Our newsagent for Christmas told us to choose a chocolate bar each. That was it. Makes Scrooge look generous.

[slowcoach]

I see the paper boys on their rounds these days and wonder how they ever finish, they are so slow.

I delivered papers morning and evening from the age of thirteen until I started work, I had to go like the clappers on my bike to get each round finished in an hour, and all for 10 shillings a week.
After the morning round it was time to go to my allotment, my other source of pocket money, to let the chickens out for the day and make sure that they were fed and watered, leaving just enough time to run to school and get there before the bell went.

The last time I went into my local newsagents the owner was trying to bribe one of the paper boys to do an extra round after someone hadn't turned up, he was offering a fiver just to do that one round, I guess I was just born too soon.

Our newsagent apparently now uses adult paper delivery people - at least that is what they said was one reason for an increase in the delivery charge, recently..

I have to say the deliveries are a lot more reliable.

Shame in a way, I did 'rite of passage' as a paper boy, as did master Gaz - I wonder whether him owning his own home (or at least paying a mortgage) & having a decent full time job at age 24 is now anything to do with that ???

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

They still only get £10 a week I used to get that years ago, I did the free one's as well but sub contracted that out, bloody things were so heavy

My local newsagents can't get enough people to fill their rounds, and they are paying £25 a week!, he says his happy to pay that as long as they are reliable.

---------- Post added at 03:51 ---------- Previous post was at 03:40 ----------

Originally Posted by homealone

Our newsagent apparently now uses adult paper delivery people - at least that is what they said was one reason for an increase in the delivery charge, recently..

I have to say the deliveries are a lot more reliable.

Shame in a way, I did 'rite of passage' as a paper boy, as did master Gaz - I wonder whether him owning his own home (or at least paying a mortgage) & having a decent full time job at age 24 is now anything to do with that ???

Doing any sort of job at that age can only be beneficial, it certainly gives you a respect for the money youve earned, instead of just putting out your hand and waiting for the bank of mum and dad. Both my two had jobs when they younger, and I'm sure it was this that helped put them on the right road in life. It certainly sounds as if master Gaz is doing well homealone, 24, a good job and his own home, you must be very proud of him.

Originally Posted by frogstamper

Back in the "dark ages" of 1978, I used to get £1.20 a week for 35 papers, mine was an evening round, but if I'd done the same round in the morning it would have been an extra 50p a week. The best part of the paperboys/girls life was Christmas time, the newsagent used to give all the paperboys/girls a pile of Christmas cards, then instead of just delivering the paper, we knocked on the door, gave them the card and wished them a merry Christmas then stood there smiling like an idiot. I never forget, one year I got nearly £9 in tips, add to that my wages, and for the first time in my life I had a £10 note, happy days.

Same here to Froggy, I used to love my paper round, I did a 7 day a week one, I used to get £4.00 for the whole lot, I did mine for 4 years till I left school. When I got paid on a Saturday I used to go straight to the fishing tackle shop and get a pint of maggots, go home get my fishing tackle then spend the day fishing on Sutton Lawn. The bad weather never used to bother me, my dad got me some National Coal Board waterproofs and thermal socks. Early in a morning on my bike I was well spotted because the water proofs were yellow

Originally Posted by Xaccers

I used to get chased by a kid with an axe on my paper round.

I remember it well... You used to sit on me!!

[SydneyHopper]

The old perv on Family Guy will be crying his heart out