How much would you pay your kid to sweep up spilled Cheerios from the kitchen floor?
With summer just around the corner, many kids are looking for ways to make money to fund summer fun. In most cases, younger children look to their parents for spare change or cash in exchange for hard labor.
Okay, maybe that’s just my house.
Older children may look for outside work to pad their wallets; though securing a summer job is not always easy. It pays to start the search for summer employment early. Many businesses start posting seasonal positions as early as March. If you have a budding entrepreneur on your hands, he might consider advertising his services himself via flyers, local newspapers, or in a homeowner’s association newsletter.
Possible money-making opportunities for self-sufficient tweens or teens include:
Tutoring: If your child excels at a certain subject, he could assist younger kids in need of help with math, reading or history. Tutoring has an added bonus of great hours. In addition, while your child is tutoring other children he is also keeping his mind from turning into mush while school is out for the summer. Depending on your child’s skill level and personality, it might be best to offer tutoring on a one-on-one basis before running classes for larger groups.
Pet Care: Kids who enjoy being around animals could turn their passion into profit by running their own pet care business. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate operation; in most cases dog walking, grooming, or taking care of pets while their owners are on vacation is enough to generate a decent income for kids.
For these types of services, it’s best to start with people you and your child already know. Start with neighbors and expand the service area accordingly once your child has gained a few satisfied customers. With summer jobs, word of mouth is a huge factor.