You don't have to wait until you're an adult to make your own money. If you're too young to get a "real job," try to think creatively to create your own job opportunities and get paid. Hone your skills, then get babysitting jobs, yard work, and other ways to make your own money.
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Method 1 of 4: Getting Started
Step 1. Think about what you are good at
Think about what makes other people want to pay you. Can you take care of someone's yard? Taking your pet dog for a walk? Making and selling stuff? Recycling paper and metal goods? Anything to do with computers? There are many services that you can offer if you really think about it. Try to write down ALL the possibilities in the list.
- There are some services that bring in more money, and some that are impossible to do. Forget all ideas involving materials that you don't have or can't do where you live.
- Below, you'll find special sections on babysitting jobs, yard and housework, car washing, and other creative ways to make money that works for kids.
Step 2. Decide how many hours you can work
You should still leave enough time for school and play, as well as other fun things that kids your age usually do. And if you have extracurricular activities, such as being a member of a sports team or other activities, making money will be very difficult. The kids are actually quite busy so it's hard to find more time other than weekends.
- Determine how much time you have to work and set a tight schedule. Can you work five hours on a Saturday? Or more?
- Make sure you explain this plan with your parents. You may have other tasks from them to think about as well.
- Try to calculate if you want to save to buy something. If you can get paid IDR 7,000.00 per hour, you have to work 40 hours in a month to earn about IDR 300,000.00. That means working 10 hours/week.
Step 3. Set your rates
What is the rate for your services? You can set different prices depending on what you do and who hires you. Please negotiate, but have specific figures.
- You can set a flat rate ("I'll mow the grass and rake the dry leaves for $25,000"), or an hourly rate ("I'll mow the grass and rake the dry leaves for $60.00 per hour."). If your work is taking a long time to complete, consider an hourly rate. If you can do it quickly, choose a fixed rate.
- Find out what the minimum wage is in your city, and lower your rates a little below it. Usually people still remember the old wages so you have to have the latest numbers.
- Try to impress as if you are willing to make a bargain. Find out how much the fees for professional services in the field you want to enter. Lower rates will bring in more customers. If you're looking to raise money, you'll want to be quick, but chances are you can't charge IDR 100,000 per hour to take care of people's yards.
Step 4. Find people who are willing to hire you
Distribute pamphlets, offer services to families, and ask for recommendations from people who once trusted you to raise their children. Let everyone know you offer babysitting services. Make sure potential customers know who you are, what you offer, and how to contact you.
- If you live in a residential neighborhood, try knocking on neighbors' doors. Introduce yourself and offer your services. People usually like to give the neighbor's children a chance to work.
- Find a meeting place for potential customers. If you want to mow the grass, post a flyer at your local community center.
- Don't tell me why you need money. Instead, say that you can make their life easier. For example, don't say that you are looking for a job mowing the lawn. Tell them that you can reduce their work and provide a neat page.
Step 5. Make a work schedule
Plan your working hours and work as long as you are offered. If you want to babysit, try finding customers every Friday night if that's your day of choice. Do it as often as possible if you want to make money.
- Keep working. If one day your work finishes early, use the remaining time to advertise your services or post flyers. It's like, don't close the shop because no one is shopping.
- Work fast. If your rate is hourly, you might think it would be smarter to spend more time mowing the lawn and charging more, but the customer won't be happy.
Step 6. Maintain quality of work
Give the best service at the first opportunity, and try to keep the job. Ask if you can come back next week at the same time and at the same rate. Working with satisfied customers will be much easier than finding new customers.
If the customer is satisfied, ask them to recommend you to others. Also, ask if they can put you in touch with other potential customers
Step 7. Try doing extra work so you can make more money
If you see other work that can be done, ask them if they'd like to pay you for it. For example, take out the trash and clean the house while you are babysitting, then offer to clean the house separately or ask for extra pay. Also clear out the bushes when you mow the grass, or offer yourself up for extra pay. Ask if there is any other work in their house that you can do.
If you can get a lot of work done in one house, even better. So, you don't need to carry around the complex all day. Just go to one place
Method 2 of 4: Parenting Young Children
Step 1. Look for people who have small children in your neighborhood
Parenting is fun, easy enough, and many people are looking for a nanny so they can have some free time. Ask your parents to talk to their friends or neighbors who may need a babysitter. Think of your neighbors who have small children and talk to them yourself.
- Choose an area near the house. When you're just starting out, make sure you choose a house that's close to yours, so your parents can help out if needed. If there is an emergency, you are also close to home.
- If you live in an apartment complex, your chances of making money are even greater. Offer to supervise young children and ask to have them brought to your home so that your parents can help if necessary.
Step 2. Follow CPR exercises
Babysitters need to be trustworthy, especially if you really know who hired you. One way to gain the skills needed to care for young children is to take short CPR exercises and earn a certificate. Usually, this exercise only takes a day or a few hours, and you can do it on weekends.
In general, you must be at least 12-13 years old to accompany other people's children. You must be older than the child you are accompanying so that he will respect you, and so that you can take care of him alone
Step 3. Think of creative ideas to entertain your child
One of the best parts of parenting work is that you get to play with young children for a few hours. And for that, you get paid! To become a babysitter, think of lots of fun ideas for spending time with young children, and you'll be in high demand. Bring:
- Game
- Book
- art project
- Old toys
- Outdoor toys or sports equipment
- Make-up equipment
Step 4. Listen to the child's parent's instructions
This job is not all play and fun. Depending on your child's age and how long you have to supervise them, you may need to feed, bathe, dress, put them to bed, and even change their diaper. Listen carefully and write down everything you have to do for later viewing after the child's parents leave.
If you don't know how to do something, be honest and ask the child's parents to show you how before they leave. Asking lots of questions will also show that you are a good listener and a serious worker
Step 5. Be patient
Small children are sometimes troublesome. Maybe you'll enjoy playing with him for 30 minutes, but 3 hours for the same game? You must be bored. Caregivers need to be very patient and calm with the children they accompany to keep things under control.
Remember: your goal is not to have fun. If they pay you to have fun, everyone else will too. His name is also a job, there must be some effort required. Don't be upset that the child you're accompanying wants to watch Finding Nemo twice in a row
Step 6. Be assertive
The nanny must have authority and responsibility for the situation. When it's time to sleep, don't let yourself be seduced. Be as assertive as possible and be prepared for persuasion. Speak calmly and firmly, and show that you are in charge. Focus on whatever you are doing.
- Many children disrespect their caregivers and say, "You're not my mother" when you tell them to do something they don't want to do. This will be a challenge and prepare yourself beforehand.
- If the child wants to argue or start acting up, don't be provoked. You need to stay calm and still, and distract him with activity.
- Sometimes, when kids are too excited, a little snack will help calm them down. Most kids won't admit that they're hungry, but provide an apple slice to shut them up immediately.
Step 7. Call for help if necessary
This job is quite tedious. If you're overwhelmed, make sure you can count on help if you need to. Ask a friend who lives in the same neighborhood to come over and help keep an eye on the child, or call your parents if there's something you can't handle.
In an emergency, always call the child's parents and call 112 if something serious happens. Don't be afraid to act in an emergency. That is the mark of a good caregiver
Method 3 of 4: Taking Care of the Yard
Step 1. Look for the connected yard of the house
If you can mow the grass in your own house and the grass in the surrounding houses, your job will be easier. You can mow the lawn, rake the fallen leaves, and take care of the yard at the same time. It's like a long day's work, and you'll get paid multiple times.
- If you don't live in a multi-paged environment, you can still do this. Go to an area that has multiple yards in the same neighborhood. If the location of the yard there is close together, your job will be easier.
- Older neighbors are usually the ones who prefer to hire children to take care of their yard.
Step 2. Cut the grass
One way to make money in the dry season is to ask as many neighbors as you can if you can mow their grass. Mowing the grass is tough enough, and you can make a decent amount of money in your spare time.
- Ask your parents for capital if they don't have a lawn mower that you can borrow. Ask for a used lawn mower as a birthday present.
- People who have their own lawn mowers usually want you to use only their tools. If you can use it, even better.
- Save a little money on materials. You will have to spend money on fuel if you work to mow the grass. Or, see if your parents are willing to help buy fuel.
Step 3. Sweep dry leaves
At the end of the dry season, there is less work to mow the lawn, but the client needs other things to get done in the yard. Be prepared to sweep up dry leaves, put them in a bag, and clean the yard of anything that interferes with the view, such as twigs, seeds, and fallen fruit.
For this job, you only need a strong broom and a garbage bag. In fact, sometimes you don't need a bag at all. Easy, cheap and light
Step 4. Clear the snow in winter if you live in a four seasons country.
Entering winter, the job as a lawn mower no longer exists. However, snow also needs to be cleaned. Don't stop working just because it's cold. Find a good snow shovel and offer to shovel snow from a neighbor's driveway.
Step 5. Clean the gutters
During the rainy season, gutters tend to get clogged and need to be cleaned. Usually, you just need to take the leaves and twigs from the gutters and throw them in the trash bag.
- Even if it's not the rainy season, gutters should still be cleaned regularly so they don't collect twigs, leaves, and other debris.
- Since you have to climb stairs or climb to the roof, this job is probably the most dangerous of all recommended here. You need to ask your parents for permission again.
Step 6. Help harvest in your area
In rural areas, many farmers and fruit growers will employ children to help harvest ripe fruit. If you live in a farming area, pay attention to whether there are advertisements in stores indicating that there are farmers who need help. The work is tough, but it's also short (a few weeks max) and the pay is decent. The following jobs can be done by children in different areas:
- Picking fruit, such as peaches, apples, mangoes and strawberries
- Pruning vines
- Help process wheat or rice
- Digging potatoes
- Removing corn hair
- Collecting chicken eggs
Method 4 of 4: Making Money in Other Ways
Step 1. Take people's dogs for a walk
Offer to walk the neighbor's dog for a fee. If you love dogs and have lots of neighbors who have dogs, this is a great way to earn some extra cash.
Think about your neighbors who work during the day while you are off. If your school is closed and you can take their dog for a walk when there's no activity, you can earn money easily
Step 2. Do the work in your own home
Talk to your parents about the possibility of earning more money by doing housework. If you get paid to do "housework" and don't have to leave the house, you can raise money easily. Your parents will probably recommend you with neighbors. One day, do the following work, then tell your parents that you will continue to do it if they pay you regularly:
- Cleaning the kitchen and washing dishes.
- Take the trash out.
- Tidy up the living room.
- Cleaning the bathroom.
- Cleaning the garage and attic.
- Keep your own room clean.
Step 3. Help other people who have trouble with computers and such
If you're computer savvy, you can market those skills to people who don't understand technology as well as you do.
- You can help people create email accounts, Facebook pages, and other social networks. Help people post pictures and edit them. Also offer assistance with printing and copying documents.
- Look for older people who need help understanding technology. Start with your grandparents, and ask if they can recommend you to their friends or other acquaintances who would hire you to help with computer-related matters.
Step 4. Ask parents for allowance
If you want to have money, but are still a child, your parents are usually willing to give. Tell them that you can get some work done at home or that there's something you can do at school to earn some money. If you can earn money as a reward for good grades, study harder. If you can get paid taking care of the family pet or taking care of the yard, or some other chore, do it.
If you can't get an allowance from your parents, try another tactic. If it's your birthday, don't ask for a gift, ask for money
Step 5. Sell what can be sold
You don't have to be an adult to sell at the booth. If you want to earn extra money, you can sell and make a profit if you pay the right price. Consider the following ideas:
- Selling cake
- Opening a lemonade stand
- Play music or sing.
- Sell food.
- Selling homemade jewelry.
- Selling art.
Tips
- Give a reasonable price because no one will want to use your services if your price is too high.
- Bring a communication device if you work away from home just in case.
- Be careful with the people who hire you because they can be considered foreigners.
- Offer to read to young children or help with homework, many people will pay you for that.
- Make sure you like what you do. Work with dedication.
- Fill out surveys on the internet.
- If you're good at art or baking or something like that, ask your friends or family if your work is good enough to sell.
- You can sell items on eBay, just make sure your parents agree.
- Honest and kind to everyone. No one likes a rude merchant.
- If you have a passion for art, consider selling your artwork in card form.
Warning
- Make sure you always tell your parents before selling things and help someone you can trust for safety.
- There are some jobs that require you to knock door after door of people you don't know. It's not a good idea if you're not accompanied by an adult for safety reasons.
