With the rise of inflation in recent years young adults are having to find ways to save money. Instead of moving out after high school or going straight to college, some students plan to take a year off or continue to live with their parents well into their twenties. 

Although the current inflation rate is at an all-time low since the pandemic, prices are still going up. Students who choose to work during high school usually put the majority of their money aside for secondary education or a car. Because not all students are fortunate enough to get their car and education paid for by outside sources, students have to work hard while also balancing their school work. Numerous students at Olathe North have to work and manage their academic lives as well to save for those large expenses. 

“That’s why I have two jobs, one paycheck goes to my car and the other is money I can spend,” Adri McConnaughy (11) said.

The percentage of high school students working is higher now than it has been in the past decade. Although there isn’t a correlation between this set of data and the rise of inflation rates, inflation could be at fault for the amount of students working. 

When inflation goes down it doesn’t necessarily mean that prices go down. Due to this, some students have to work to help support their families or to pay for large expenses in their lives, like college or a car.

The cars that teenagers usually have are second-hand. The main reason one might decide that a used car would be the best fit for a beginner driver is because of the price. Overall cars are expensive, but second-hand cars that are around 8-13 years old are the cheaper option. Currently, a car in Kansas goes for $35,000, more than a minimum wage worker makes in a calendar year. 

It’s all due to inflation. Minimum-wage workers around the country have asked for raises but haven’t received any. How can one survive off a minimum wage when they can’t afford necessities such as a form of transportation? 

When looking at the prices of food, housing, and transportation from 30 years ago one would automatically think that they’re cheap, but they’re not. The working class got paid less then, so things were cheaper. The majority of the working class could afford necessities because the minimum wage matched the prices of the things they needed. U.S. history teacher Paul Williams got his first job nearly 30 years ago.

“I got paid $3.00 an hour, that was the minimum wage,” Mr. Williams said.