| More and more kids and parents are asking how kids | | | | 7. Vacation Helper – Make up a flyer listing all the |
| can make money. With the economy in trouble many | | | | different types of services you could provide as a |
| parents are cutting back on the money they spend | | | | “vacation helper”. Then pass this flyer out to |
| on extras for their kids. For the ambitious and | | | | your neighbors so that when they go away they |
| determined child, there are ways they can work for | | | | know who to call to water their garden, walk the |
| what they want. As a child, under 16 years old, I | | | | dog, bring in the mail, and just otherwise take care |
| babysat and gave piano lessons to pay for makeup, | | | | of their house. |
| books, jewelry and other things I wanted. My | | | | 8. Snow Shoveling – Either with a shovel or a |
| younger brother had a paper route and mowed | | | | snow blower a kid who lives in snow-prone areas can |
| lawns to earn the money for a new bike. | | | | make some good money clearing driveways and |
| Today there are many different ways to make | | | | sidewalks. |
| money for the child who is willing to work. Besides | | | | 9. Garden Helper – In the spring, offer to help |
| the obvious babysitting, paper route and lawn | | | | your neighbors who plant gardens by raking, working |
| mowing, there are a lot of ways a determined kid | | | | the soil, planting, pulling weeds, mulching, watering etc. |
| can make money. Any child with ambition, honesty, | | | | 10. Yard Sale – Go through your things and |
| dependability and the ability to see a job through to | | | | decide if you have stuff that you no longer use or |
| the end will soon find himself or herself in demand. | | | | want that could be sold. |
| With a little thought and knowledge of your | | | | 11. Yard Sale Helper – Offer to help arrange, set |
| neighborhood you can come up with some of your | | | | up and monitor your neighbor’s yard and garage |
| own ideas for how kids can make money. Here are | | | | sales. |
| just a few suggestions for jobs for kids: | | | | 12. Garage Organizer – Offer to help clean up and |
| 1. Parents’ Helper – Too young to really | | | | arrange garages. Not only will your neighbors be |
| babysit? How about approaching a busy mother with | | | | thrilled with their neat garages, but you’ll earn a |
| several young children about keeping the children | | | | bit of money. Additionally, there are almost always |
| entertained while she’s busy doing other things? | | | | things that get thrown away that you might be able |
| 2. House cleaning – Many people are just too | | | | to take home and sell in your own garage sale. |
| busy to keep their house as clean as they would like, | | | | Parents make sure that your kids follow a few simple |
| but cannot really afford a professional housekeeping | | | | safety guidelines: |
| service. A child who can vacuum, dust, and mop a | | | | 1. Always let you know where they are |
| floor and clean the toilets could earn some very good | | | | 2. Never go door to door alone (you must be willing |
| money. | | | | to go with them if there’s not a sibling or friend |
| 3. Lemonade Stand – Selling lemonade, cold sodas | | | | to go with them) |
| in the summer and hot cocoa and cider in the winter | | | | 3. Provide a card with your name and phone number |
| can be one way to make money. However, be | | | | for them to hand out to prospective clients. |
| aware that some cities have regulations about such | | | | 4. Make sure they understand about reliability and |
| enterprises; check first. | | | | responsibility and are committed to finishing the work |
| 4. Car Washing – Kids ask your parents to teach | | | | they agree to do. Also advise them about displaying |
| you how to wash a car, then go around your | | | | a good attitude. Remind them that their clients are |
| neighborhood and offer to wash your busy | | | | doing them a favor by hiring them, thus they should |
| neighbors’ vehicles. This is something that a | | | | have an attitude that says “I’m happy to be |
| couple of children can do together as a way to earn | | | | here, doing this work”. |
| money. | | | | 5. Make sure they understand that these jobs can |
| 5. Dog Walking – If you live in an apartment | | | | only be done after their schoolwork and chores are |
| building and have neighbors who own dogs, offer to | | | | done. |
| walk their dogs for a fee. For many people this will | | | | 6. Advise them to keep the prices affordable. |
| be a real blessing that they will happily pay for. | | | | 7. Make sure they know they can ask you for advice |
| Don’t forget to take “poo bags” and | | | | anytime. |
| clean up after the dog. | | | | These are just a few suggestions for how kids can |
| 6. Poo Patrol – If you live in a neighborhood | | | | make money. Look over your neighborhood. Think |
| where people have fenced yards where their dogs | | | | about the types of things that people have to do |
| are allowed to roam and do their business, offer to | | | | just to maintain their house that take up time and |
| clean up the “poo”. Take a bucket, lined with | | | | could easily be done by someone else. Those are the |
| a bag and a garden trowel. Walk the yard thoroughly, | | | | types of things that many people will gladly pay your |
| picking up every bit of poo. | | | | child to do. |