SherryTX Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Hey there - we have been kicking around some ideas on how our girls can make some extra cash for quite a while. Our oldest two daughters earn money because they have more chores than the other girls. For example, my 13 year old has the job of scrubbing out the ferret cage/litter box and cat litter box once a week, and is responsible to make sure in between cleanings that the boxes are kept up with through out the week as needed. She also does a good bit of babysitting here and there (not a great deal), and has more basic chores than her sisters. My 11 year old has total responsibility for keeping the kids' bathroom clean, and shares dish days with her 13 year old sister. They each have a cook night as well during the week. The younger girls also have chores, but they are not very consistent just yet, so they have do what is referred to in our house as "paid extra chores". These would be things like cleaning out my van, working on some projects here and there that are not just part of normal housekeeping, etc. Paid chores are usually not mandatory - if they don't want to do it, they can decline. However, they are not allowed to do paid chores if they are not at least trying to keep up with their basic chores. Now, for a while there were no allowances, because I think everyone should pitch in. However, because my 13 and 11 year old have taken on more responsibility, we had no issue paying them something. But they know that if they start slacking, they could lose out on getting most of their allowance. (I do make an exception for the ferret cage/cat boxes. If my 13 year old has a rare week where she gives me a hard time and doesn't get most of her other chores done, I still will throw a few bucks her way if she completed those tasks, because I think it is just a gross chore haha.) Anway - now to the point, after my long tangent haha. Do any of your children earn money outside the house? When I was 11 I started by delivering newspapers. No luck nowadays - all the paper carriers are adults with miles long routes and have to work early mornings. My kids are not that great with a lawn mower, and are not interested in earning money by doing yard work - which, is a hard gig to get in our area since there is fierce competition from adults and kids. The 13 year old should be old enough to baby sit for other families - but she doesn't seem that interested in it. :glare: My 9 year old and I have been talking about selling cold beverages at the park . Depending on what the city ordinances are, and start up costs, I think that could be a fun way for her and her 7 year old sister to earn some money and learn about money and business. I am curious as to what your kids do, and any suggestions you have. The goal is for them to be able to earn enough money every year (but not from mom or dad!) so they have a little to save towards college and other things, such as a new bike, or computer, etc...or have their own money available so that when they would like to buy something they can do it on their own. Also, if they want to give money to a cause they like, it would mean more if it was their money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jananc Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 I don't know if this counts, since you said the money wasn't to come from mom & dad, buy my kids earn extra money by reading good books after school (usually summer months only). I have a shelf of books (the "money shelf" ) that has books I've bought over the years that I want the kids to read but don't require for school -- classics that are a little above their reading level but not impossible. The kids know if they need $5 for something, they can pick up one of those and read it. I don't pay for grades or other schooling, but I'm doing this to provide an incentive for them to pick up a challenging book instead of just picking up something quick & easy. one other thing -- I had a friend with an entreprenurial son, who designed and made greeting cards and sold them in packets to neighbors and family. She would bring them to our homeschool meetings to try to sell them to us, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 OOO I like the making cards idea. Not sure if we know enough people should could sell them to right now, but worth considering. Maybe we could find a craft fair or something where the fees are not too prohibited to try this. If I offered my kids money for books, they would spend 24/7 reading haha. My kids are all big readers anyway. We don't give money for grades either, and I wouldn't for reading books. I think the reward is the experience itself. (However, I don't have an issue with parents that choose to reward them in this manner.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 The service I periodically need and pay for is pet sitting. If you live in a suburban neighborhood, make up a flier and advertise your services. We hire a neighbor boy who is too young for other jobs. I know his mom and grandparents oversee him and I think they appreciate the opportunity for him to practice responsibility. He loves animals and will spoil ours with love and walks when we are away. Very much a win-win scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 The service I periodically need and pay for is pet sitting. If you live in a suburban neighborhood, make up a flier and advertise your services. We hire a neighbor boy who is too young for other jobs. I know his mom and grandparents oversee him and I think they appreciate the opportunity for him to practice responsibility. He loves animals and will spoil ours with love and walks when we are away. Very much a win-win scenario. Thanks - that is a great suggestion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in Toronto Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Again, this falls in the category of "from mom and dad" but I am going to pay my 14 yo DS to scan my books (using the ISBN) into Readerware this summer so that I have a database of what I have and where they are in the house. I will probably pay by the shelf and not by time as he is a daydreamer, LOL. We'll see how long a shelf takes....there is a little bit of data processing/checking to do for each book as well as scanning. Maybe $5 per shelf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 In our area in the summer there is a farm that pays the kids to pick berries. They can earn some pretty decent money doing that, but it is a short season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 Again, this falls in the category of "from mom and dad" but I am going to pay my 14 yo DS to scan my books (using the ISBN) into Readerware this summer so that I have a database of what I have and where they are in the house. I will probably pay by the shelf and not by time as he is a daydreamer, LOL. We'll see how long a shelf takes....there is a little bit of data processing/checking to do for each book as well as scanning. Maybe $5 per shelf? I would pay my kids to do something like that. A few years ago I paid my son, then about 15 to help me find names of possible candidates for jobs I was recruiting on, on the internet. I paid him 5 cents per name. He told me my job was boring after he completed the project haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 In our area in the summer there is a farm that pays the kids to pick berries. They can earn some pretty decent money doing that, but it is a short season. I had a lot of relatives that picked blueberries when they were kids up in New England. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 I didn't really want to tie $$ to chores, so I started an allowance for dd when she turned 9. She gets $10 a month, of which 1/3 must go to savings and 1/3 must go to charity. I know it seems like a paltry amount, but she really doesn't "need" to buy anything. So far she's purchased a couple of Dover sticker books and some gum! She's saving for an American Girl doll outfit. I will increase the monthly amount each year at her birthday. She is free to choose how she wants to spend the money for charity. I "put" the money into a checkbook register and when she wants to spend it, I give her the amount she needs and she keeps track of it in her checkbook register. Thought this might help w/math skills but an added benefit has been that it's not burning a hole in her pocket like having cold hard cash would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Hey there - we have been kicking around some ideas on how our girls can make some extra cash for quite a while. We opt not to pay for chores or to give an allowance because our kids have, generally, been fortunate enough to have ways to earn money for many years. Until two years ago, we lived on a farm and took produce to our farmers' market. I paid the girls 1/2 of what I paid my adult help if they worked with me in the gardens for at least an hour. Anything less than an hour, they got nothing. At the time, that rate was $4/hour for them. They also did pet sitting for a neighbor and occasional baby sitting or mother's helper work. We no longer live on the farm, but the oldest (14) has a job with one of the farmers at the market. She helps unload the truck (heavy work), keeps the tables stocked, and sells the products when the farmer takes a break from the stand. She gets great money for that ($60/day this year) and has to commit to only 4 hours every Saturday morning for six months. Sweet arrangement. I'm hoping that the younger one (12) will be able to move towards something like that in the near future, but she's not strong nor mature enough yet. Last summer was challenging for her since she had no consistent source of income. This year, she is babysitting (something she happens to enjoy) and, if she could pet sit more, she would. Both girls also make and sell items at an annual art/craft show right around the winter holidays. This usually brings them some money and/or they can trade their items for other artist's things. They done a variety of things, but for the past two years, the oldest girl has made mobiles with beach glass and driftwood, while the youngest has made cards using hand marbled paper. Take a look at some craft books and see if anything appeals to your kids. Then consider whether they could sell quality items at a street fair, farmers' market, or even through a local privately owned merchant. Other ideas include washing cars, weeding, shoveling snow (hard!), mucking horse stalls (also hard), or running errands for an elderly neighbor. HTH! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 I was thinking of giving the girls little ledgers to keep track - but I like your check book register idea much better. I think I have a few kicking around here some way. That is brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 The service I periodically need and pay for is pet sitting. If you live in a suburban neighborhood, make up a flier and advertise your services. We hire a neighbor boy who is too young for other jobs. I know his mom and grandparents oversee him and I think they appreciate the opportunity for him to practice responsibility. He loves animals and will spoil ours with love and walks when we are away. Very much a win-win scenario. Yes, a good pet sitter gets called again and again, especially with summer vacations, Fourth of July, etc. around the corner. We have had a girl pet sit for us. She started when she was 11 - Mom helped of course and had to drive her out here. In the course of the past years, she has gained experience with our horse, a 4-H pig, chickens and a large dog. She and her mother are reliable and loving with all animals. Be prepared to get lots of calls during the summer months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Ds11 has a business selling quickbreads - Pumpkin, Zucchini or Banana - with or without nuts- more nuts or chocolate chips cost extra. He started with a zucchini bread stand at the end of our driveway when he was 8. He sold out in a half hour. The next few days were crazy as friends and neighbors started phoning in orders. He now mostly bakes to order. It tends to be seasonal. He gets the most orders in the fall - people start thinking about quick breads as comfort food around then! It is not super steady work - most months he only makes around $5 but then other months he'll get a bonanza of orders and will make around $40. We had one very picky neighbor who always racked up lots of extra costs with all her "extras" that she'd tack on the order. It took him a couple years of saving but last year he bought a computer with his earnings. I have to admit though that this is a Mom and Dad subsidized business. He pays for the main ingredient (the pumpkin, zucchini or banana), we pay for the rest. People have donated nuts and other ingredients to us on occasion because they think of him when they're doing their shopping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanna Tomlinson Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Here are some ways my kids have made $ before the age of 15: 1)Helping a new mother - sometimes a new mom needs help with her other children. A young teenager is ideal because the new mom is not intimidated by the presence of an adult. 2) Babysitting at VBS, Bible studies, or other summer programs. 3) Growing and selling seedlings (it's a little late for this season) 4) Washing cars 5) Helping a pregnant woman with housework. 6) Pressure washing decks and sidewalks. 7) Cleaning Dad's office, and Grandpa's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 We opt not to pay for chores or to give an allowance because our kids have, generally, been fortunate enough to have ways to earn money for many years. Until two years ago, we lived on a farm and took produce to our farmers' market. I paid the girls 1/2 of what I paid my adult help if they worked with me in the gardens for at least an hour. Anything less than an hour, they got nothing. At the time, that rate was $4/hour for them. They also did pet sitting for a neighbor and occasional baby sitting or mother's helper work. We no longer live on the farm, but the oldest (14) has a job with one of the farmers at the market. She helps unload the truck (heavy work), keeps the tables stocked, and sells the products when the farmer takes a break from the stand. She gets great money for that ($60/day this year) and has to commit to only 4 hours every Saturday morning for six months. Sweet arrangement. I'm hoping that the younger one (12) will be able to move towards something like that in the near future, but she's not strong nor mature enough yet. Last summer was challenging for her since she had no consistent source of income. This year, she is babysitting (something she happens to enjoy) and, if she could pet sit more, she would. Both girls also make and sell items at an annual art/craft show right around the winter holidays. This usually brings them some money and/or they can trade their items for other artist's things. They done a variety of things, but for the past two years, the oldest girl has made mobiles with beach glass and driftwood, while the youngest has made cards using hand marbled paper. Take a look at some craft books and see if anything appeals to your kids. Then consider whether they could sell quality items at a street fair, farmers' market, or even through a local privately owned merchant. Other ideas include washing cars, weeding, shoveling snow (hard!), mucking horse stalls (also hard), or running errands for an elderly neighbor. HTH! :001_smile: Thanks Doran - just saw this post. We don't have snow down here like we did up north - which is a shame because shoveling driveways and sidewalks is a great way to make money. I like your other ideas as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 My kids do not get allowance. We all live here, so helping to make our home run smoothly is just being part of the family. Occassionally they will be given some money for going above and beyond what is expected. They make most of their money playing music gigs...sometimes paid gigs and other times they get dinner and make tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 I appreciate all the suggestions and experiences you have shared here. It is very helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I just went and checked my 14 year old's not-so-secret stash. She has over $800 in cash. she never finds anything she wants to spend money on, so that is an entire year's income. She won $100 in and art contest. She earned $200 selling handmade soap. The remaining $500 is from feeding the neighbor's horses and dogs whenever they go out of town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 I just went and checked my 14 year old's not-so-secret stash. She has over $800 in cash. she never finds anything she wants to spend money on, so that is an entire year's income. She won $100 in and art contest. She earned $200 selling handmade soap. The remaining $500 is from feeding the neighbor's horses and dogs whenever they go out of town. HOLY COW! Impressive! Where does she sell her soaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 She has a website that my son made. She has a basket for sale in a local restaurant and the feed store. Quite a few people we know bought a whole bunch and gave it to teachers and coworkers for Christmas presents. I don't think she has sold very much since Valentine's Day, but I know she has an appointment with the owner of a bookstore, and The Russian General Store downtown to discuss stocking it. My son has sold some at Boy Scout functions, and my husband has sold some to coworkers. We let the 3 oldest kids split the profit, so they have each made $200 since September. The other 2 kids spent their money as soon as they earned it. They sure were regretting it when they saw her big box of cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 That is awesome! Okay - you have definitely inspired me! I am going to do research on soap making and try a few recipes with the kids and see how they like it. I am thinking we will stick with non lye ones for now - to avoid any accidental blindness and such haha. Thanks for sharing! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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