Giving your kids an allowance for doing household chores is a great way to help them learn the importance of hard work and the reward of earning a payday from it. There are many creative ways your child can take on new responsibilities to earn a few extra bucks. We’ve put together five suggestions below.
When the snow starts falling, it’s the perfect time for your child to bundle up, grab a shovel, and go for a walk down the street. Whether you live in a busy town or city or in a suburban neighborhood, there are bound to be neighbors who will appreciate someone else keeping their sidewalks clear during a snowstorm.
Going rates for shoveling an ordinary-sized sidewalk are anywhere from $10-$20. It’ll keep them busy on a day that school’s been cancelled and give them some extra money for their piggy bank.
Before we get to the snow, we have to get through the piles of leaves that inevitably cover yards in autumn. Raking leaves is another great activity for young people to do – it’s good exercise, saves the property owner time, and helps the child earn a few dollars in the process!
Potential earnings depend primarily on the size of the yard they’re raking.
Finding car wash clients could be as simple as going from garage to garage in the neighborhood to offer car washing services. Washing cars is a fun and easy way for kids to earn extra money.
To get started, make sure they have the right equipment: a water source, a bucket, some suds appropriate for use on a car, a sponge, and some towels to dry things off. This activity might have some upfront costs but they’re sure to pay off with a bit of good old elbow grease.
In terms of what they can expect to make, work with your child to determine a fair price for washing a car, a truck, or a van.
If you’ve got close friends or neighbors with pets, they’ll likely appreciate some help with caring for those pets from time to time. Whether it’s taking Fido for a walk every afternoon or checking in to feed and clean up after cats or other pets while on vacation, pet care is a very valuable service that people will happily pay for. Plus, it’s a bonus for pet owners if they can hire someone they know and trust to do the job.
Figure out a per animal or per hour cost for the service, and make sure your child is comfortable around the animals they’ll be caring for before they commit.
In Pennsylvania, there is no legal minimum age for babysitting, though the Red Cross’s popular babysitting certification classes are offered for children 11 and older. While not a requirement, a babysitting certification or course is helpful to build skills for the young person doing the babysitting and to provide the parents with a sense of confidence in who’ll be watching their child.
Your child can begin by babysitting for an hour or two for close friends and family and, once they become comfortable, can expand their services.
Going rates for babysitters vary but are usually in the $10-$15 an hour range for young people.
This one isn’t only fun for the kids to organize and take charge of but it’s beneficial for parents, too!
Begin by asking your child to go through your old things or items you have in storage, then have them gather the items, separately. Put them in charge of pricing the items, ensuring they have the equipment needed (tables, calculator, the ability to make change) and making the signage to advertise the sale. Invite them to include their friends – they can bring things from their own homes, and the kids can all split the profits in the end.
An activity like this might require a permit from your local municipality but generally requires almost no overhead cost. The income possibilities are endless, depending on the value of the treasures you’ve got stored in your attic or garage!
PSECU is here to encourage our members to achieve more – even our youngest ones! Once your child has earned some extra cash, it’s a great time to introduce them to the importance of saving and managing their money. We have custodial and traditional savings accounts for youth that enable them to safely store and access their money. The best part is, PSECU membership grows with them, with products and services for every stage of life.