Eric: I was living at home, and I wanted to help my parents out financially.

Many youths work so as to provide their parents needed financial help. High-school teacher David L. Manning notes, however, that “the primary motive for part-time work appears to be indulgent self-interest.” Indeed, much of what teenagers earn is devoted, not to savings or family expenses, but to luxury items, running the gamut from stereo systems and concert tickets to expensive sneakers.