That was sorta the situation. We all had chores to do on the weekends (5 of us). We were working class, so money was often tight, but if we were too young to have outside sources of income, money would be provided for the occasional movie or snack. I started 'earning' money young. Living in Philadelphia one of the ways was to stand outside grocery stores & ask if we could help carry groceries. Most folks didn't have cars, especially many of the elderly. & you got what you got, a nickel, a dime, in some cases a quarter. (Of course, at this time there was actual penny candy & I'm pretty sure comic books were a nickel!) We also shoveled snow (not many yards to mow with row houses, but lots of sidewalks!) Paperboy was limited & tended to get passed down. My first real job, after being old enough at 16, was a dishwasher in a family restaurant, with a bonus of a free meal!
As we got older & made more money, if we lived at home, room & board was expected, never onerous. But, if we were going to school (after high school) as the folks couldn't help with many of those expenses, room & board was waived. No matter the age of the kid. If one just worked full-time without school, you were expected to chip in, & chores (helping out) was still a part of it.