June 2, 2003

Summer jobs cover more than frills

Hourly jobs during the summer are more than just a way for young people to earn cash for fun. Many of the respondents in a recent survey said they need the income for basic necessities.

Among those ages 22-24, the top reason for needing a summer job - cited by 43 percent - was to pay for living expenses.

Among respondents in the 16-18 age group, 26 percent said their summer jobs would help with college savings, 23 percent said they wanted to buy a car, and 15 percent said they needed the money for living expenses.

Only those 15 and younger said their jobs are mainly for recreational pursuits - music, movies and eating out.

The nonscientific polling was done in May by SnagAJob.com Inc., a job-search site for hourly jobs, based in Richmond, Va.

FINANCE FOR KIDS: Are your kids' continual demands for video games and new clothes taking a toll on your nerves and finances?

They've not yet grasped the value of money, and you can help them do so by including them in your family's vacation planning, according to Susan Hirshman, a financial planner with JP Morgan Fleming Asset Management. She offers a number of suggestions:

· Ask them to research ticket prices before the trip. See if they can track down any bargains online, or with advance-purchase rules in mind.

· Give them a budget for vacation clothes.

· Review your itinerary with the kids, and the associated costs, so they can help develop the spending budget.

· If your children have cameras and take their own photos, remind them to include film and processing costs in the budget - chances are they forget those costs.

· On the trip each evening, tally up the costs so far. (The kids may be surprised.)

FUEL ECONOMY: For years, careful drivers have avoided accelerating too fast, mindful that they could strain their cars' transmission and get poor gas mileage. But such worries may be starting to fade into irrelevance as automakers build more efficient engines and transmissions.

Consumer Reports magazine recently ranked new models based on their balance of acceleration and fuel economy.

The Honda Accord and Nissan Altima fared at the top, followed by the Toyota Echo, Volkswagen Golf GLS TDI and Chevrolet Cavalier.

The gains are attributed to technology such as variable valve timing, variable intake tracks, lightweight aluminum components, and five-speed automatic transmissions. Those help minimize wasted energy, and optimize engine performance.

"Contrary to what some people may think, you don't need to sacrifice engine performance - particularly acceleration - to get good fuel economy," said Rik Paul, the magazine's automotive editor.

- The Associated Press