There are so many proven and tested easy ways to make money as a kid out there. It’s actually nice knowing that there are a lot of opportunities for children to learn how to make and handle money as young as they are.
The idea of letting kids work and earn is not new. Perhaps some of us have actually done it when we were little, right? You know, pet sitting, selling lemonade on the neighborhood, garage sale during school breaks, babysitting, etc.
Now, does that bring you down memory lane?
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Anyway, what makes the difference between kids before and this generation’s children is that they have more options on how to make easy money as a kid. In fact, some of these choices can be made right in our very own homes.
As parents, especially as moms, we should encourage our children to get involved in activities or simple tasks that let them earn money. It’s actually the best way to teach them the importance of not just of hard-earned money, but hard work, determination, and patience too.
As early as now, teach your little ones how to make money as a kid fast at home or even outside (as long as you permit them to). This will surely help develop their character and attitude not just towards money but life in general.
But apart from these, we cannot deny the fact that it would be a great experience for our children. For sure, they will meet and make friends along the way, which is great. Apart from earning money, they get to earn new friends and acquaintances as well.
HOW TO TEACH YOUR KIDS ABOUT MONEY?
In an article published by Forbes, it quoted Beth Kobliner, author of the New York Times bestseller Get a Financial Life, and a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability when she said that we, adults need to help the next generation avoid the financial mistakes of their elders by teaching them essentials about money.
With that, there is indeed no other time to start teaching our kids about the value of being financially literate but now.
But how do you teach your kids about money then? Here are a few tips we share:
– Be a good example.
There is a study conducted by the University of Cambridge wherein they found out that the children’s money habits are formed by the time they reach the age of 7. It’s like the crucial times for our parents. It’s the time when our kids will keep an eye on our every action.
We, as parents, have to set a good example for our kids. So, if we want our kids to grow up knowing the value of money, we got to show them that. So, when going to the groceries or when shopping, be a good example by only following your grocery list or only shopping for cheap but great finds. Avoid splurging on unnecessary things.
– Teach them how to save.
If you will let your kids earn their own money, you got to teach them how to save first, and the value of saving. We thought piggy banks will always be one of the best ways to teach kids how to save. However, we thought clear jars are more effective. Of course, you have to seal it properly so your kid will not be able to touch his or her money. When using clear jars, they get to see how much they have likely earned, and it also helps encourage them to save more because of course, they would love to see the jar in full, right?
– Instead of allowances, give them commissions.
Be very firm not to give your kids money just for the sake of giving them one. Instead, encourage them to do household chores like putting the trash out, cleaning the windows, mopping the floor, babysitting little brother or sister, helping mom in the kitchen, etc., and then in return, you pay them for their hard work. By doing so, you get to instill in your kids that money is not something you just get or ask from anyone, it’s something that is earned. You have to work hard to earn it.
– Teach them how to weigh decisions.
It’s basically finding opportunities to teach your kid what is more valuable. For instance, your kid wants to buy a toy, but at the same time, he or she also wants a new pair for shoes. Given the situation, you take that as an opportunity to teach your kid how to weigh things. Which one is more important? You also explain the possible outcomes. Like if you are going to buy the toy, you will not have enough money to buy a new pair of shoes.
– Help them find ways to make money.
Kids today especially teenagers have plenty of free time. They have summer break, fall break, as well as spring break! Needless to say, they have also weekends, and that’s two days in a week! That said, you can take that, as a parent, to teach your kids how to make use of their time for something valuable. Instead of playing around during breaks, why not use the time to make money instead. If you find your kid interested in making money, then, help them find a job! It’s also a good bonding opportunity for both the child and the parents.
There are actually a lot more opportunities for parents to teach their kids about the value of money. These are just some of them.
After all, that’s been said, it’s time to proceed to the real deal. Read on and know more about our suggested easy ways to make money as a kid.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT EASY WAYS TO MAKE MONEY AS A KID?
There are actually a lot of opportunities for our kids to earn money. Some are through online jobs, while others include physical interaction. At the end of the day, it all depends on your kid which one best fits his or her interest. After all, our job as parents is to just guide and support them.
Before we start, you may be interested to check this video by Jack Chapple wherein he talks some amazing ideas on how to make money as a kid.
Put Up a Lemonade Stand.
It’s a very classic way to make money, do you agree? Most of us have – in one way or another – experienced putting up a lemonade stand outside our homes and making money out of it.
What is nice about a lemonade stand is it teaches our kids a lot of things especially about business. It teaches our kids how to do inventory, how properly price their product, where to source the packets of lemonade, how to ensure it tastes good (or ensuring that the quality of the product is excellent), etc.
If you see your kid having an interest in the food business, this one’s great opportunity to teach him or her the basics of having a business.
Putting up a lemonade stand can also teach your kid to be inventive. If for instance, he or she loves baking cookies or cupcakes, your kid may also sell them alongside the lemonade. That’s actually a total package! For sure, it’s going to be a hit in the neighborhood.
Oh! And do not forget to put up signage! Create a cute and catchy lemonade stand name.
Be a Mommy’s Little Helper.
If your kid is too young to babysit, you may want to offer to encourage him or her to be a mommy’s helper instead. In fact, as a dry-run, he or she can start at your home!
Offer your kid to be mommy’s little helper, and in exchange, you pay him or her with some cash, which your kid can save up on his or her piggy bank or clear jar.
Being a mommy’s helper is a good opportunity for your kid to learn basic household chores. It will also make them appreciate how to keep the home tidy, and how important it is to always help their own mom with the chores.
Help your kid find a job through the asking the neighborhood or through Facebook. You can post in there asking friends who need some hands to help them out over the weekend or during school breaks.
Be a babysitter.
We have already mentioned this a while ago. One way for your kid to earn money easily is to babysit some other kids or the kids in the neighborhood or your friend’s kids!
You know, there are a lot of parents out there who have children that need a babysitter. Your friends or neighbors will absolutely appreciate your kid helping them babysit their own kids while they are away.
But of course, this job is for older kids. The ones who can handle tantrums, or can act as older brother or sister to the little ones.
What’s even nicer about babysitting is that it helps your kid to be more sociable. They get to earn themselves not just cash, but new friends as well! Who knows, their friendships may be the kind of a long-lasting one.
Be a pet caretaker.
If your kid loves pets, then he or she will surely love being a pet caretaker.
Some people around the neighborhood go out of town sometimes or need to leave home early for appointments. Take advantage of those times. Your kid can offer help by looking after their pets, ensuring they are fed and they have walked around for their daily exercise.
We bet you, your neighbors will be more than willing to pay your kid for his or her services. And your kid? He or she would surely enjoy being around the pets.
Help clean up leaves at your neighbor’s place.
Every fall, there are too many leaves to clean up, right? So, why not encourage your kid to offer some help to your neighbors, and in return, they pay him or her a certain amount of money. It doesn’t have to be huge, but it still is money, right?
As part of the services your child can offer is that they will collect all the leaves and put them in one area at your neighbor’s lawn. If they are already able, they can rake and put them into bags. Otherwise, it’s the parents’ task to help their kids out to deliver the expected result.
It’s another fun money-making activity for your kid, we swear.
Offer to do extra house chores.
Well, this is with your parents. If you are willing to pay for your kid’s extra “services” then why not? It’s also a good way to train them, anyway.
This one’s probably one of the easy ways to make money as a kid because it does not involve anyone else but just the parents and the kid. It’s actually just like being a mommy’s helper but this time around, it’s like being responsible for doing a certain household chore and not just helping out mommy do some chores.
As parents, you can work out a deal with your kid. You may include additional chores on his or her usual assigned household chores, and in return, you are going to pay for it.
Some of us, for sure, have experienced this in our childhood. It’s a very common thing that parents do to first, encourage their kids to do household chores, and second, to teach their kids that money has to be earned. You have to work hard for it.
Some of the tasks you can ask your kids to do in exchange for some cash are to wash your car, clean the lawn, clean the windows, mop the floor, etc.
It’s going to be fun and exciting. In fact, you can encourage your kids to make money out of it too if you think they are really good at their assigned tasks.
Recycling aluminum cans.
A lot of people love drinking sodas in a can. Sometimes, it’s just piling up the garbage cans.
So, why not encourage your kid to make money from the cans instead? We are sure you are very familiar with this because this is also one’s of the ways how we made money when we were kids, right?
Teach your kid how to properly store the cans. Basically, it’s rinsing them up, and crushing them, and putting them all together in one bag. Once the bag is full, you can help your kid bring the cans to the scrapyard to sell them.
Back in the days, kids make $0.50 per pound. Time has definitely changed, so for sure it’s a lot higher these days. Needless to say, with the emerging demand to keep our environment clean, the price is for sure higher now.
What we love about this money-making activity is that as parents, we get to teach our kids about recycling and that there is money I recycling things. We also get to teach them how to take care of our nature. Of course, it is also a good way to teach them how to make money from used things.
Hold a garage sale.
In connection to the last one, holding a garage sale is another classic way of earning money as a kid.
Your home has, for sure, a lot of used and unwanted items. Instead of taking so much space at your home, why not make those stuff profitable instead?
Ask your kids to go around their own rooms and look for things or clothes or toys that they no longer use or have no plans of using at all. Ask them to put them together in a bag. Once done, you may ask them to sort the things out according to categories like clothes, shoes, bags, etc. Once sorted out, you may teach your kids how to put a price on each item.
When you are done, you may now set up a garage sale and ask family and friends and the neighborhood to come over your place to check for items they may find useable. Let your children handle everything. That way, they get to learn how to sell and take charge of their garage sale business.
If in case you do not have a space to do your garage sale, you can also consider selling your preloved items online. Teach your kids how to do it. Let them handle online selling as well, but with your guidance, of course.
Make YouTube videos.
If your kid has the personality of a star-in-the-making, then we highly suggest encouraging him or her to build his or her very own YouTube channel.
Let’s admit it, vlogging is the new thing. It’s very common these days. It’s very in and we are sure your child will love the idea.
Depending on your child’s interest, he or she can share his or her favorite things, your family travels, his or her fashion style, etc. It’s really up to our kids what they want to talk about. Although earning followers will take some time, but once you are at it, your kid and even you, parents, will enjoy the fruits of having a YouTube channel.
Of course, as parents, your task is to edit the videos, make sure it’s good for uploading and sharing. Well, unless of course, your kid has already the capacity to edit videos. However, we certainly encourage parents to be involved since as they say, whatever you put online today, it’s going to be there forever.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON EASY WAYS TO MAKE MONEY AS A KID
There are certainly a lot of easy ways to make money as a kid out there. There is the classic, tried and tested ones, and there are also more updated ways to make money using technology or the internet.
With so many options out there, it’s really up to your kid to choose what he or she wants to do the most. At the end of the day, it going to be him or her who’s doing the job, so, he or she better decide.
However, as parents, it is our task to keep an eye on our children. To ensure that they fully understand what they are doing, and the purpose of why we are allowing them to do it. Overall, it’s really going to be a fun and exciting process and there’s going to be a lot of learning along the way and opportunities to bond between us and our children.
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