I'm not talking about a pack of gum or a soda. Something more significant than those. Mine was a small black & white TV (yes, I'm that old) that I had saved for with money I made babysitting. I was probably about 14 years old and I had that thing for years.
shareRecord - yes , back in the vinyl record days - too long ago to remember the artist or even if it was a 45 or a 33 RPM.
Probably a 33 by The Beach Boys , but I wouldn't swear to it.
Later , eight track tapes.
I used about a third of my savings ( farm, service station , truck stop wages and cash paid working at Grandpa's Go-Kart track) in on a car -two thirds paid by Dad and Mom and Grandparents , for a car - 68 Buick Skylark as I recall. Own money went to car stuff.
I remember getting my first 45 for my birthday. It was Lou Christie, Lightnin' Strikes on the A side and Crying in the Streets on the B side. I'll never forget my older sister pulling me aside and telling me that Lightnin' Strikes was the "good" side. I was touched that she didn't want me to embarrass myself by playing the "wrong" side. At that point I didn't know who he was.
shareI go back aways - My first 45 was by "America " , Side A : " Horse With No Name " ; Side B: " Everyone I meet Is From California "
The second 45 was " Climax " Side A: " Precious And Few " - cannot remember Side B - one of those one-hit wonder groups