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Sophia M.

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Mar 16, 2025
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General Discussion 05.26.2025​

Hey GrayViners!

Let’s take a fun walk down memory lane again with this today’s question:

What was your first “grown-up” purchase?

Was it a car that gave you your first real taste of freedom? Maybe a shiny new appliance that marked the start of independent living? Or perhaps it was the less glamorous (but totally adulting) leap into insurance?

Tell us:

What was the purchase?

What made it feel like a grown-up milestone?

Do you remember how it felt swiping that card or signing that check?

Drop your stories in the thread below! Whether it was a proud splurge or a practical necessity, we want to hear about that moment you thought: “Wow, I’m adulting now.”

Looking forward to all the throwbacks and milestones!

Cheers,
Blue 💙
 
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I guess my first grown up purchase was my wedding dress in 1960. Bought it from Alden’s catalog for $39,99. Got a money order to pay for it. Another first would be shopping for groceries after I got married. I never did that before. I had a checkbook and when I checked out to write the check, I forgot how to spell my new name. Embarrassing. One more grown up first was cooking a meal for my inlaws. Made meatloaf. Meal looked great. My mother in law went to slice the meatloaf and it fell apart. She asked how many eggs I put in it. I said, you had to put eggs in it? Embarrassing again. So many things I did for the first time. Was hard growing up. Now they are memories.
 
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My first grown up purchase that I felt was truly mine was when I rented my first apartment. I was so proud and happy to know I could do this that after that was the first of many proud moments from credit cards to 401k, bank accounts (checking and savings) to the purchase of my first car through a dealership.
 
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My first grownup purchase was a clothes dryer for my Mom. There were my Mom, Dad and the 3 kids. My sister and I hung the clothes on the clothes line. When it rained we hung them up on the wooden racks. First pay check at 18 I went to the Sears store and opened a charge account for the dryer. I was so happy that my sister, Mom and I know longer had to use the clothes line in the back yard! I sure font miss cloth diapers either 😄
 
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I’d have to say it was buying a stereo system. This was in 1971. My first album I bought for the start of my collection was the Tapestry album by Carole King! I was serving in the Air Forc.e with no real bills to pay as I was living in the dorms.Oops, I am mistaken. My first adult purchase was a Seiko watch several months earlier. It was self-winding by movements of my wrist. I truly felt so adult for the first time since I took the oath to enter the service. All of my own decisions.
Please have a sincere appreciation of this Memorial Day. At 3:00pm, pause for a moment to honor our veterans who served and for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service of our great nation!
Thank you for your time today! 🫡🇺🇸
 
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My car
I had a 65 Chevy ss. It was a convertible. Candy apple red with white interior and an automatic on the floor. Man I wish I still had that car.
 
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angib55 said:
Bought my first car at 16. 1963 Chevy Belair. Cost me $500. Wish l still had it. This was in 1971
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing @angib55 — what a classic first car! A 1963 Chevy Belair for $500 sounds like a great deal now. No wonder you wish you still had it!
 
Montey said:
I guess my first grown up purchase was my wedding dress in 1960. Bought it from Alden’s catalog for $39,99. Got a money order to pay for it. Another first would be shopping for groceries after I got married. I never did that before. I had a checkbook and when I checked out to write the check, I forgot how to spell my new name. Embarrassing. One more grown up first was cooking a meal for my inlaws. Made meatloaf. Meal looked great. My mother in law went to slice the meatloaf and it fell apart. She asked how many eggs I put in it. I said, you had to put eggs in it? Embarrassing again. So many things I did for the first time. Was hard growing up. Now they are memories.
Click to expand...
What a charming and honest glimpse into those early grown-up moments! Buying your wedding dress from a catalogue, learning to shop with a checkbook, and those cooking adventures — they really capture how growing up is full of funny, sometimes tricky firsts. Thanks for sharing these with us @Montey !
 
NenaCuri said:
My first grown up purchase that I felt was truly mine was when I rented my first apartment. I was so proud and happy to know I could do this that after that was the first of many proud moments from credit cards to 401k, bank accounts (checking and savings) to the purchase of my first car through a dealership.
Click to expand...
Renting your first apartment is such a huge milestone — no wonder it felt so special! It sounds like that moment really set the stage for many proud achievements to come! Thank you for sharing @NenaCuri !
 
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goodbs01 said:
My first grownup purchase was a clothes dryer for my Mom. There were my Mom, Dad and the 3 kids. My sister and I hung the clothes on the clothes line. When it rained we hung them up on the wooden racks. First pay check at 18 I went to the Sears store and opened a charge account for the dryer. I was so happy that my sister, Mom and I know longer had to use the clothes line in the back yard! I sure font miss cloth diapers either 😄
Click to expand...
What a thoughtful and practical first grown-up purchase! It must have felt amazing to make life easier for your family—and no more cloth diapers or clotheslines in the rain! Thanks for sharing such a lovely memory @goodbs01 !
 
Gayle B. said:
I’d have to say it was buying a stereo system. This was in 1971. My first album I bought for the start of my collection was the Tapestry album by Carole King! I was serving in the Air Forc.e with no real bills to pay as I was living in the dorms.Oops, I am mistaken. My first adult purchase was a Seiko watch several months earlier. It was self-winding by movements of my wrist. I truly felt so adult for the first time since I took the oath to enter the service. All of my own decisions.
Please have a sincere appreciation of this Memorial Day. At 3:00pm, pause for a moment to honor our veterans who served and for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service of our great nation!
Thank you for your time today! 🫡🇺🇸
Click to expand...
What a fantastic story—both the stereo system and the Seiko watch sound like memorable milestones that really made you feel grown-up. And thank you for the heartfelt reminder to honor our veterans @Gayle B. I hope you had a meaningful Memorial Day.
 
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