Building Credit, Earning Credit

All seniors in my high school are required to take a marketing class that’s supposed to teach us things like budgeting and taxes. It’s a bit of a joke. It’s taught by one of the football coaches, and every lesson is the same: we read one chapter of the (very outdated) book, answer the five questions at the end of the chapter, and then we can do whatever for the rest of the day. The teacher/coach is usually out of the class doing other things with the other coaches, so it’s basically a study hall for us.

I have a part-time job as a waitress, so I use the time to work out a budget for the week after counting my tips. The teacher apparently takes offence to this.

Teacher: “[My Name], what are you doing with that money?”

Me: “Making my budget for the week.”

Teacher: “And where did you get that money?”

Me: “From work.”

Teacher: “Work? Where do you work?”

Me: “I’m a waitress at [Restaurant] four days a week. Most of the money I make is from tips, so I try and count it out and then budget for the next week since it’s never the same amount.”

Teacher: “You’re supposed to be doing the work I assigned you.”

Me: “I did. I’m done with the questions.”

Teacher: “Then you need to do something related to the subject, not goofing off!”

Me: “Uh… I am? I’m making a budget. I’m counting how much money I made and then splitting it between bills and savings. How is that not related to Marketing?”

Teacher: “Oh, really? What kind of bills does a seventeen-year-old have anyway?”

Me: *Pulls out my list* “Well, this week, I need to pay my phone bill and my car insurance is due. Then, I also need gas money so I can drive to work and school. I wanted to put some into savings since I’m going to college next year, and I’m also putting money aside for a shopping trip this weekend. I figure about 20% of what’s left after bills is my fun money. Oh, and since I have a job, my parents don’t pay for school meals anymore, so I need to factor that in, too.”

Teacher: “Oh. You’re actually budgeting. Your parents make you pay for your school meals?”

Me: “Yep.”

Teacher: “Well, then. Carry on.”

And I went back to budgeting. When the end of the year grades came in, I saw that the teacher had given me extra credit for “practical application of material”!