How to Earn Money at Home (Kids and Teens)

Step 1

1

Do extra chores around the house. In addition to your weekly or monthly allowance, ask your parents if you can do extra work for even more money. Make sure to discuss the specifics!

Negotiate an acceptable price for the both of you. But keep in mind your limits — if mowing the lawn is $10 a time, that doesn’t mean you can mow it 3 times a day.

Get paid for cleaning the yard. This can mean raking leaves, picking up trash, or getting rid of useless stuff in the yard.

Wash your parents’ cars. They’ll be happy to pay you to do this instead of springing for a car wash. However, you will have to invest some money for cleaning supplies, such as a sponge and a bucket.

Clean the entire house. You can offer to clean the house in preparation for a party, or just do it on the spur of the moment. However, if you don’t discuss it with your parents in advance, you risk not getting paid for it. On the other hand, you could get paid extra for doing such a nice thing for your folks!

Step 2

2

Write a book. Sure, this one seems a bit far-fetched, but it’s doable and, in fact, it’s been done before. You don’t have to write a Greek classic — you just have to write a book.

Yes, your parents will have to help you get it printed and published, but that’s just red tape and paperwork. Once your book is published, your friends, families, and neighbors will surely want to get their hands on a copy. And who knows? Maybe it’ll be a hit!

Step 3

3

Re-sell your stuff online. If you have a keen eye for prices and things that are “hot,” this may be a decent option for you. If you have anything right now that you don’t use but someone else might, that’s money. If you don’t, get on the look out.

Start getting shopper-savvy. If you see a deal, go for it! That NetBook is on sale for $85? You can sell it online for twice that after Black Friday. It does take a certain amount of money from the get-go, but it will get you a profit in the long run.

Again, you’ll need the help of a parent. To have an eBay account, you need to be 18 years or older. Ask your parents if they’ll assist you with this. They’ll probably be in awe of your business acumen!