As a child or a pre-teen, you have a lot of time on your hands. Between school and extracurricular activities, free time can be dedicated to playing with friends and enjoying toys and video games. However, you may wish to be more productive and take on responsibilities. One responsibility that could mean more toys, clothes, and treats is earning money. With some effort and dedication, you can make money in various ways.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:
Finding a Job
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Search for jobs at a family-owned business. Being too young for an hourly job limits the companies and locations you can work for; however, many family-ran businesses offer small jobs for young and eager workers. If your family doesn't have a business of its own, see if your parents have relatives or friends who need extra help in their offices or stores. [1] X Research source
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Talk to parents about allowance-based work. House work is never complete, and offering help to your parents is a great way to open discussions on allowances. Start off by taking on your responsibilities and duties, regardless of getting paid. As you progress and find more time, ask for more responsibilities that your parents pay out-side help for such as cooking meals, yard work, cleaning the garage, washing the car, or taking care of siblings. [2] X Research sourceAdvertisement
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Tutor or coach. As you get older, you develop a stronger awareness of your skill levels. Using these talents can come in handy for making money. Make sure to choose subjects and talents that you understand very well, and always ask for tutoring and coaching tips from teachers and coaches.
- Offer tutoring in your spare time in subject areas you enjoy; you can help younger students if you feel your peers might be at a similar level as you.
- Coach during summer programs and camps.
- Instruct the elderly how to use unfamiliar computers and technology.
- Give music lessons.
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Work in entertainment. Child actors are always needed for several occasions such as movies, television, commercials, modeling, radio, and theater. If you and your parent decide this a good route, research and solicit to reputable agencies. [3] X Research source
- Picking this option can be tough and competitive, so be prepared to face set-backs.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:
Selling Items and Goods
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Set up a beverage and snack stand. If you live in a fast-paced town or city, take advantage of this by setting up a small stand or shop. Offer convenient goods that are easy to take on the go. [4] X Research source
- Consider the climate. Spring and summer would be best to offer iced tea, lemonade, or cold water bottles paired with fruit, ice-pops, or granola. Where as fall and winter would be better for hot cocoa or coffee with donuts and bagels.
- Use the time of day to your advantage; a lot of people forget to eat breakfast or need an after-work snack during traffic.
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Put together a garage sale. Make some extra cash by selling stuff that accumulates around the house. Start with your own belongings such as books, video games, toys, and clothing. Ask your parents or siblings if they have anything they wish to get rid of, too. Then, advertise the garage sale with flyers around the neighborhood or an ad in the newspaper. [5] X Research source
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Use the internet to sell items. Times have a changed, and you have many online websites that do a lot of the work for you when it comes to selling your things. Some websites specialize in specific items. A site such as Etsy would be best for antiques, jewelry, clothing, and hand-crafted items; where as Ebay or Craigslist would be better for collectibles, DVDs, video games, cell phones, and computers. [6] X Research source
- Be sure to consult with a parent or older sibling when considering uncommon websites; some sites have ill-intentions with peoples' goods and money.
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Sell home-made crafts and jewelry. If you have an artistic or crafty side, put it to use to earn some extra cash. Church gatherings, fairs, and other city events can serve as a great spot to set up a booth to sell home-made bracelets, bags, clothing, and art work. You can also get some help from a parent or older sibling to set up a website to sell your handmade works. [7] X Research source
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Purchase and re-sell snacks and supplies at school. Students forget lunches and supplies all the time, and you can help them out by selling the items they need. Use a little of your own money and visit a dollar store. Buy snacks and school supplies (pencils, pens, erasers, paper, highlighters, markers, etc.); sell the items at a reasonable price such as twenty-five cents a pencil. Over time, you'll balance out and make profit.Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:
Serving Your Neighborhood and Community
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Start a lawn service. Maintaining a yard is important for people, but finding the time to do so can be difficult. If you are old enough to do the maintenance around your own yard, offer to do work for neighbors at a reasonable price (either hourly rates or a flat-rate for duties). Fortunately, the different times of the year will leave various jobs and tasks for you to do. [8] X Research source
- Rake the leaves and clean gutters during fall.
- Shovel snow in the early mornings during winter.
- Water and mow the yard during the hot seasons.
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Sit. Sitting services for your family and neighbors often means watching after people, pets, and things. Each form of sitting takes a lot of responsibility and experience that usually starts at home. Pick the sitting that you have the most comfort and experience with. [9] X Research source
- If you have all the responsibilities of the family pet, offer pet sitting to neighbors, especially during holidays; you can also help with taking dogs for walks.
- House sitting is common during holidays as well. You can take out trash, check mail, turn on/off house lights, and other house-care jobs for a neighbor or relative who is out of town.
- Baby sit younger siblings for your parents or sit for your neighbors and family. This type of sitting takes a lot of responsibility and trust. Be sure to pick this option with proper guidance and experience.
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Offer to do chores for your neighbors. Assisting others with house work can earn you some cash. Check with neighbors who are very busy to see if they'd be willing to pay you for services; anything from house cleaning to taking out the trash can be a good help to others. Also, check to see if any elderly individuals live in your neighborhood. Many elderly need extra help for very common tasks such as checking the mail, cleaning dishes, or tiding up around the house. [10] X Research source
- Try to be creative with the types of services to offer (buying groceries, repainting rooms, hanging up pictures, preparing meals, decorating for holidays).
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Recycle different materials. Trying to earn cash can also mean helping out the environment. Even though some cities have a regular recycling pickup for aluminum cans, several other metals and items can be sold to recycling yards. First, figure out what you wish to recycle. You can collect different metals such as copper, brass, and steel. Some companies buy used batteries and computer parts, too. Once you figure out which good or goods to recycle, get your services out to people. Go door to door, put up signs, hand out flyers, set up bins at school, or create a website.Advertisement
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow old do I have to be to babysit?Community AnswerIt depends on your maturity, the age of the child you'd be watching, etc. Most parents are comfortable hiring sitters who are at least 14 years old, but if you have a family member or a friend with a child, they might be comfortable hiring you when you're younger.
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QuestionHow can I make money without selling anything?Community AnswerThe best way to make money without selling anything is probably investing. You can also try to find money around the house, on the side of the road, etc.
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QuestionHow do I make a lot of money?Community AnswerStart investing at an early age, stay disciplined and focus towards goals and careers. Stay focused on saving money, don't live beyond your means. Take risks while you're young, be conservative when you get beyond age 50. Don't try to get rich, it rarely works out trying do so. stay committed to investments, There's millions of salespeople, only few are worth their weight in gold. Do what you love or have passion for.
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Tips
- Discuss with parents/guardians before venturing off in a money-making direction.Thanks
- Remember to always be polite with your customers.Thanks
- When you are making money online, be aware of fishy sites and scammers!Thanks
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References
- ↑ http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2014/06/09/smart-summer-jobs-for-kids
- ↑ http://money.cnn.com/pf/money-essentials-kids-allowances/
- ↑ http://www.heidihope.com/blog/tips-tuesday-kids-modeling-and-talent-agencies/
- ↑ http://content.moneyinstructor.com/656/ways-kids-make-money.html
- ↑ http://familymint.com/blog/21-simple-ways-for-kids-to-earn-money#.VeM89yVVhBc
- ↑ http://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/5-ways-child-can-make-money-online.html
- ↑ http://familymint.com/blog/21-simple-ways-for-kids-to-earn-money#.VeM89yVVhBc
- ↑ http://content.moneyinstructor.com/656/ways-kids-make-money.html
- ↑ http://familymint.com/blog/21-simple-ways-for-kids-to-earn-money#.VeM89yVVhBc
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