Earn Money at Home
Do extra chores around the house. Parents always love a clean 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, because if you don't, you might end up loosing your side of the bargain! 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!
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!
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!
Recycle. All right, so maybe this one isn't the most lucrative, but it's certainly super easy. All those cans of soda you, your friends, and your family (and your neighbors!) drink are worth 5 cents a pop. 100 is an automatic 5 bucks. And all you had to do was drink soda! Ask your family or close neighbors to save their cans for you -- they'll probably be happy to recycle and not have to make the trip to the store themselves.
Earn Money in Your Neighborhood
Start baby or pet sitting. If you're of a decent, trustworthy age, you may be able to start taking care of others' children and/or pets. Babies can be hard work -- so if you don't have experience, you might want to stick to puppies. If getting a pet sitting gig is hard to come by, consider dog walking. Your elderly neighbors won't want to deny Fluffy a nice afternoon walk. Some adults are either too busy or physically unable to walk their dogs -- ask if you could do it for them for a small fee.
Put the seasons to your advantage. If you live in an area where there are 4 seasons, you're in luck. Every season has something for you to make money off of -- you just have to be willing to work outside! Ask your parents, neighbors, and family friends if you can mow their lawn during spring and summer, rake leaves during fall, or shovel snow during winter. You'll need a lawnmower, rake, or shovel, but the houses you go to may have one for you to use instead.
Join a neighborhood garage sale. You have plenty of toys sitting in the back of your closet that haven't been played with in months underneath plenty of clothes you grew out of last year. So why take up all your space? Go sell them! Find a local newsletter, newspaper, or ask around about local garage sales. Sometimes they are blocks wide. You can either reserve a space or ask an adult if you could borrow a patch of theirs -- but you'll come to the sale to help! You can also ask if there's anything you could do to help advertise for the garage sale. Your odds of selling stuff will increase if there are more people browsing through it.
Do errands and odd jobs for your neighbors. This is where making your presence known becomes very important. If Mr. & Mrs. Wheeler from down the street know an able-bodied youngster will happily (and for a reasonable price) take care of their lawn, wash their car, help paint their garage, or run to the pharmacy for them, they might not go calling on family members or professionals for help. Let the neighbors you know (avoid strangers!) that you're looking for a few odd jobs here and there. Most people have something they want to get done but keep making excuses about. Ask them what you could do and tell them you would be more than happy to help.
Earn Money in Your City
Utilize your surroundings. If you're in an area that naturally produces something people might want, take advantage of it. Not everybody has the resources you do, if you look close enough. If mistletoe grows in the hills around your home, start bagging it up! You can start the holiday spirit going from house to house. If the beach is near you, think of what you could do with sand, shells, or other beach-y goods.
Get a paper route. You'll have to get up very early, but it's good money and good exercise. You probably know someone who has done this before -- if you don't, you haven't asked! You may be able to get a route that's all around your neighborhood. Ask your parents about this and seek out your local newspaper for options.
Tutor. If you're stellar in a school subject, you may be able to tutor students who are younger than you -- at any school in the area, if you have a ride. Go online and talk to your teachers -- they may even be able to point you to a few kids who need help. Keep your grades up! If you don't, you may not be able to tutor anymore. Who knew studying could get you money?
Sell crafts. If you are artistically inclined, put it to good use. You'll have to either work the kid angle or be very, very good, but it is a reasonable way to make money. Pick your craft and go around your neighborhood flashing your dimples and pearly whites. Who could resist what you're selling with that face and that smile? Think about the holidays. What can you make that people might like for Easter, July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's? Could people buy your crafts as gifts for others?
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