What is the first thing you remember buying with your own hard-earned money? Can you remember what it was?

Every kid has had some longed-for, worked-for, saved-for dream. For me as a kid it was a scratch-built Indie race car made out of plywood. I can still see it in my mind’s eye today. I went to sleep at night deciding what colors I would paint it — when I wasn’t striking out every batter in the New York Yankees lineup. I knew that such a car would make me happy forever.

I never got it.

But the things we did save up for and get as a kid? How’d that work for you? Did life’s earliest purchases always work out well?

The ninja warrior “action figure” doesn’t actually DO anything. Bummer.

The BB gun jams and never fires again after the first six shots. Bummer.

The sea monkeys float in…