Without bills or a mortgage, working teens should be able to afford to make small purchases on their own. Coffee on the way to school or gas in their cars were things High Schoolers were able to enjoy without an issue. However, due to inflation, this is no longer feasible for most.

As of 2022, the inflation rate for the United States is 9.1%. For comparison, the inflation rate was 7.0% in 2021 and 1.3% in 2020.  In a post-covid world, major supply chain issues have led to higher food and oil costs due to transportation fees. In 2019, gas prices averaged around $2.50 a gallon. At the Wawa gas station on Gandy, a gallon of gas is currently $3.49.

“I have to use it [gas] so much just to get to work and school constantly, so it is definitely a big heavy hitter there,” Anthony Aguilar (’23) said.

Full-time students often feel swamped by their extracurriculars and core schoolwork.  Any spare moment they have, they may just want to relax and spend time away from their desks and with their friends. This small chance to get away from their stresses has also been taken away by the state of the U.S. economy.

“It’s more expensive to go out with friends, and it’s harder to find things to do when you are still working a minimum wage job, or barely working at all if you are a full-time student. It’s even harder for IB upperclassmen, trying to have a job and be in IB,”  Sarah Blackshear (’23) said.

The teenage population is entering the world with a gloomy cloud of student debt over their heads. Teens are giving up dream colleges and constantly applying for scholarships so that they may have a chance at being able to afford a higher education. Tuition costs have been on a gradual incline since the 90s but have seen a rapid incline over the past 5 years. Once students are through the doors of universities, they still have to worry about the costs of living while being full-time students and working a minimum wage job.

“I’m working to save up money for college and while inflation is going up, I’m having to pay more [for] my gas when going between school, work, the gym, my hobbies, seeing my friends, just maintaining a social life. It leaves me with less money to save for rooming and board,” Isabella Cuevas (’23) said.

High schoolers should be able to enjoy being young and seeing their friends outside of school. This small piece of independence is what shortens the gap between being fully supported by your parents and being on your own in college. Part-time jobs used to be a way to save money for after high school, but now they barely cover a full tank of gas.

“I get paid minimum wage, but I also get some tips, however people don’t want to tip because of inflation which decreases my net profit in addition to inflation,” Trattoria Pasquale Hostess Ella Garruto (’24) said.