First job - Pizza Hut. Got hired when I was 16 for $5.15/hr and worked my way up to $5.90 before I quit. Drove mom's Jeep untill I could get enough saved up to make the payments on one of my own. Spent all day going around to every where I could think of putting in applications....they were last on my list (not intentionally, it happened to be that I got to that side of town last). The place was about a 20 minute drive from my house, or 10 miles or so....not too bad.
Started off as mainly a cut person, which is a tuff damn job let me tell you. I'm all about getting the job done in the best way possible, and i'm not one to complain about my job, but dayum this part sucked. We were in an old building (has been there since before I was born, and i'm almost 19 now).
Then moved to being a waitor. BEST part of working there. I could walk out of there with $50 a night EASILY, and I worked about 3-4 hours or so after school each day. Made for less in the pay check, but couldn't beat the cash on hand.
I then made the biggest mistake of my time there, agreeing to be a delievery boy. Not only was it illegal for a 16 year old, but I didn't have the proper insurance on my Jeep (refused to use mom's Jeep to deliver) incase something happened. I did it as a one time thing (or so I thought) for my boss, as up untill then, he was a real cool guy and really worked hard to get me the time off when I needed it, and he was in a tight spot (had to fire a driver). I got $1.25 a run + any tips, in addition to my normal pay. This became a regular thing, and I had no other job to go to at the time so I just had to suck it up untill I could find something better. The funny thing about the delievery world is it all depends on the clientel as to what your tips are going to be. I had a few good customers who knew the situation I was in and I always made a point to grab their orders and run them when I could. Then there are the bad ones....the ones who you KNOW have the money and can afford a $2-3 tip (you'd be surprised how far you can stretch that). Finally put my foot down and said enough is enough, when gas hit $3+ a gallon and I was averaging 100-120 miles a night in my XJ...all city.
Eventually moved to a company called Backyard Burgers, which was right down the street from my house (about 2 miles) and making more an hour (6.25). Actually got the hook up through a guy I worked with and became good friends with at Pizza Hut....Shift manager of BYB moved nextdoor to him and I got him to pass my name along. Went in, talked to the guy, had a job in 3 minutes flat. Put in my two weeks notice to Pizza Hell (I mean hut) the next day.
Loved working at BYB untill I went back this December to work 3 weeks over my xmas break and realized everything has changed....upper management is forcing my bosses to do crap that I know, and they know they don't want to do, but don't have a choice, and I didn't like it. I'll not be going back there.
I did like the atmosphere at BYB better. Hell, the manager who hired me is big into Jeeps and I ended up doing some side work on his XJ for him to help him out (recently became a father). The people I worked with there had a much better outlook on life, and I had many a good laugh and joke there.
Bottom line, where ever you end up, for the first couple of months your there, keep your trap shut and learn all you can. The ones who come in runnin their mouth from the start aint gonna make it long at all...trust me. I've learned so much about working in general (even though it was just HS jobs), but I have learned alot that I can take with me everywhere I go. I also made alot of friends in the process. I also learned how to make the money I earned stretch the furthest. It wasn't easy making the payment on my Jeep based on $5.90 an hour...especially when I was a driver. But I got by, and without the help from my mom (although she did buy me a tank of gas every now and then cause she's just that cool).
Plus like someone already said....make good friends and they'll get you the free food when you go back to visit. And it's always fun to talk with your old friends after not seeing them for a couple of months.
Also, if you really wanna show your mom that your a responsible kid (which it sounds like you are), once you get some money saved up, pay your mom back for some it. She'll probably refuse, but if you insist, it'll prove to her that you got your head on right.
It's gonna be hard for you to get a job as many places don't want to hire kids with out any work experience. But at the same time, you can't get any experience to put down on paper, unless somebody hires you. It's not fair I know, but thats just how it works. Once you get your first job, it's alot easier.
profile location, you spelt connecticut wrong. 
