BY ALINA XU, Read This! writer

As a teenager, your relationship with money is in flux: You’re too old to mindlessly depend on your parents to handle your budget decisions and too young to strike out on your own.

Many of us are already earning our own cash and learning the ropes of budget management. As college and financial independence loom ever closer, it’s worth re-examining our own skills at spending wisely — or lack thereof.

Meet four South Bay teens and read about how they spend and save.

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Amanda Baker, junior, Branham High, San Jose

Weekly budget: I have about $1,000 saved up from birthday checks, but I don’t earn money on a regular basis. I always deposit my checks into my parents’ bank accounts, and then I can always ask them for cash when I need it, since it’s my money.   

Money source: I babysit, pet-sit, plant-sit and house-sit. But mostly, I depend on gifts of money on birthdays and holidays.

Paper or plastic: Cash. I don't have a checking account.

Regular buys: School supplies and cell phone minutes.

Last purchase: Binder paper at Walgreens.

If you earn some/all of your own money, to what extent does the fact that you have to work for it influence your spending decisions? I’m way more careful with what I buy, and try to make sure I’m getting the best quality.   

Is there anything you would change about the way you obtain or spend money? I wish my parents would give me an allowance!

What are your motivations for your spending decisions? What influences the way you spend money? (How much do your parents factor into the equation, for example?) My parents pay for my extracurricular activities, but I’m on my own when it comes to personal supplies and gadgets.

I had to buy my MP3 player and my cell phone, and I also have to pay for my cell phone plan. A lot more research goes into my purchase decisions, because I want to get the best possible deal at the lowest possible price.

Money philosophy: Save, save, save, and then splurge on something that makes you happy!

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Michael Nguyen, senior, Saratoga High

Weekly budget: About $50-$70.

Money source: I get $3 to $4 daily for lunch. I also have an allowance of $15 a week after I do chores. To get more money, I coach tennis to my sister for $15 an hour.

Paper or plastic? I use cash and have a debit card. I normally use cash for everything. I only use my debit card if I go to a restaurant with my friends, because it’s easier to pay and calculate a tip, or other situations when a debit card is easier to use.

Regular buys? Food and gas.

Last purchase? Three hot dogs from Top Dog in San Jose.

If you earn some/all of your own money, to what extent does the fact that you have to work for it influence your spending decisions?
I don't know if coaching my sister counts as earning money (it sure feels like it though, because she's a competitive player and it’s a pretty hard workout), but whenever I need to buy something that is out of the ordinary like presents or extra gas, I always coach extra hours with my sister.

Is there anything you would change about the way you obtain or spend money?
I’m currently searching for a job to get more money so I can spend more.

What are your motivations for your spending decisions? What influences the way you spend money? (How much do your parents factor into the equation, for example?) I'm really reserved when it comes to spending money because I don’t have that much money to spend, especially since both my parents don’t work anymore. I basically only spend money on the necessities, like food and gas. If I ever get extra money, like on Vietnamese New Year’s, I’ll spend that money on personal items like clothes and items of the sort.

I get in trouble when I start carpe diem-ing, and I spend too much money on food or other stuff like that. That’s when I start training with my sister a lot to make up for the money I spent.

Another factor that affects how I spend money is the prices of the stuff I’m buying. For example, if gas is cheap one day, I might spend money that I shouldn’t necessarily spend because I know I’m saving money when the price of gas increases.

Money philosophy: Stop spending when your wallet starts feeling light.

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Alex Cole, junior, Mission San Jose High, Fremont

Weekly budget: About $20.

Money source: My parents give me money each week.
 
Paper or plastic: I use only cash. I’ve never gone through the trouble of setting up a credit card, and the amount of money in a account wouldn’t be enough to make it worth my time.
 
Regular buys: Other than buying lunch a few days a week, I buy music online often. All it takes is turning on the computer, so I am more inclined to buy music than something you would have to go to a store for.
 
Last purchase: My last major purchase was an XBOX 360. I was able to combine the money I had saved with gift cards to afford it.
 
If you earn some/all of your own money, to what extent does the fact that you have to work for it influence your spending decisions? Since I usually don’t spend much money, whether it’s earned or not doesn’t affect what I do with it.

Is there anything you would change about the way you obtain or spend money? Now that I’m old enough, I want to get a job so I can make money faster. I will probably wait until summer so I can focus on school without being distracted.

What are your motivations for your spending decisions? What influences the way you spend money? (How much do your parents factor into the equation, for example?) Usually I just consider how much I would really use whatever I’m thinking of buying, and if it’s not worth the price, I don't buy it.

Money philosophy: Unless I really need or want something, I don’t buy things just to have them. I've found that I’m able to get things that I really want by saving my money.

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Philisia Ta, junior, Milpitas High

Weekly budget: About $30-$40.

Money source: I work at Juice City in Milpitas, 18 hours a week, give or take. (I've been working since I was 13 and a half, but not at the same place.)

Paper or plastic: Depends what I have. Mostly cash, because of school and all.

Regular buys: Food at school and work.

Last purchase: A pair of navy shorts for P.E.

If you earn some/all of your own money, to what extent does the fact that you have to work for it influence your spending decisions? If I need something, I’ll buy it, but I usually think about what I’m getting and see if it is worth it

Is there anything you would change about the way you obtain or spend money? I wish I could save more than I do for the future. I deposit my paycheck. But I wish I could put more in my savings account, because I take out $40 every week for lunch, because lunch is about $3 a day, not including the extra stuff, like a drink.

What are your motivations for your spending decisions? What influences the way you spend money? (How much do your parents factor into the equation, for example?) My parents wanted me to work, to know what a dollar costs and how much work you need to do in order to make a dollar. They always support me in working. They may not always agree on my spending habits, but that’s why I make my own money. I control my own budget, but they do have a say in it once in a while.

If I tell them I’m going to buy something I don’t really need, they advise me to just save that money. Or when I buy clothing, they think it is expensive -- but really, it isn’t that much. Like jeans, they range from $30-$60 for a good pair, and I pay like $30, which isn’t too bad.

Do you pay for everything yourself? I pay for my phone, school food and clothing, but my parents pay for some things too. It isn’t all me.

Money philosophy: Save what you can and spend what you must.

Alina Xu is a senior at Mission San Jose High in Fremont.