Best Summer Jobs for Students

As soon as I turned 15, I couldn't wait to get my work permit.

Knowing what I know now, I would've spent more time behaving irresponsibly.

For some reason, I craved the self-sufficiency of a summer job.

Whether it was counting pills at a pharmacy (fired), peddling mood stones at a nature store (quit after I fell for the manager), or ushering concert patrons at Philly's Mann Center (would still be doing this if it paid the bills), working exposed me to fun, older people and cut the summer boredom.

Not all summer jobs are created equal, of course. Ice cream scoopers develop joint pain. Camp counselors supervise cranky kids. Fast food workers reek of fried food.

Want plenty of discounts and freebies? UltimateCoupons.com recommends these summer workplaces:

Retail: Ah, the fun of spending your entire paycheck on clothes from your favorite store! Dick's Sporting Goods offers up to 25% off select merchandise for associates and an opportunity to enroll in a tax-free college savings plan. A position at Macy's gets you up to 20% off items at all Macy's and Bloomingdale's stores, and an extra 10% discount at select times (plus, you can use coupons on top of your employee discount). American Apparel employees get 50% off everything in the store, and new hires receive a $200 stipend to buy clothing to meet the company's dress code -- all American Apparel all the time.

Movie Theaters: Sure, the hours stink and you're not off on holidays, but think about saving an average of $500 a year by watching one free movie a week.Movie-theater employees are often allowed to see new releases for free.

Coffee Shops: Starting pay for a barista is a paltry $8.50/hr., but that's not counting tips. If you're working for Starbucks, expect a 30% discount at company stores, a free pound of coffee each week and free grub and drinks during shifts.