Hmmm, a similar thing happened to me when I was about 17/18. I was asked to work for a pub behind the bar and they told me that I didn't need any experience, they would train me. Well I learn fast and knew how to pour a beer really well by the end of the first night. But it was a fairly quiet night so I didn't mind when they said they wouldn't pay me until my training was over... however a week later (I worked every night) they said they would call but they didn't. My mum rang them because I didn't know how to handle it... I thought I had done the job really well, even during the busy periods, but my self esteem was pretty low back then. Anyhow... mum found out that this place had a reputation for "training" young adults for up to a week... then letting them go only to get another trainee... pffft! These days, if that happened to my DD I'd blow a whistle to the relevant authorities!!!

Anyhow, after that mum wouldn't let me work. I really wanted to but she said no, focus on your study. So she upped my pocket money and didn't accept board. I think I will do this too with my DD. Study is probably more important that having all the "must haves" these days. My DD is 13 and already has a mobile phone but she is really good with it, only using the $30 prepaid account every 6 months for emergency/necessary calls only. She also gets paid $20 a f/n into her bank account of which she can spend how she chooses.