Let’s be honest. Kids can use a little extra money. Whether a grade school or high school student, it is universally acknowledged that children always need pocket money for one thing or another. But, have you ever wondered how to make money as a kid? Believe it or not, there are ways that kids can earn money and learn new skills.
In the old days, it was lemonade stands down the street, lined up and competing who would be the one to make more money. Although it’s become somewhat of a tradition, there are many ways to make money as a kid in the modern world. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t necessarily include lemonade.
Although the U.S. Department of Labora) allows teens to work different jobs, agricultural and non-agricultural employment laws are limited to kids over 13. In some states, it is 16. But, as the real world revolves around the Internet and technology, there are other ways kids can make money, learn, or improve their skills.
The Benefits of Making Money as a Kid
Making money as a kid is not just about money. It’s more than that. Behind the scenes, while your kids believe they are making pocket money, they are learning about how the real world works. It is the same as kindergarten practice drawing and writing lines and shapes. It is a way of giving kids a way to create healthy working habits. When they move to school, their classes are in some way work-related. They begin to understand they must be someplace and do something to reach a goal.
When you think about it, making money just additionally pushes them in the right direction. Although some kids are born with entrepreneurial skills, others have yet to discover what they are good at. While they search for that knowledge along the way, they learn new things and get new skills that can only benefit them in the future.
It can guide their career paths, get them to study a specific topic, and above all, let them understand that money does not grow in the trees. It will give them a basic notion of what it means to budget their income.
Children who earn their own money are more likely to spend it wisely and better understand how money works. These skills can help them in college, work, and personal life. In addition, working as a kid can teach your kids valuable lessons about life and money. So, if you’re thinking about letting your kids start working, here are some reasons it’s worth it:
Your kids will understand the value of money.
Have you ever met a kid who drives a hard bargain at the lemonade stand? Well, that kid understands that the more they earn, the more they will have. So naturally, some things are more important than money, but teaching the right balance to a child can be challenging.
Regardless, if a kid understands the value of money through hard work, they will quickly understand how to manage their finances and save up for what they want. Most kids are motivated to earn money for something they want.
If you think about it, we make decisions most of our lives, and that lesson is worth it if it will give them tools to manage their finances in the future. Saving up for something they want is an essential lesson in budgeting but also an excellent takeaway for the end.
Children need to learn financial literacy from a young age. It will give them a sense of value for their work. Money is just a reward for something they have done. They need to understand that there is no bottomless well that keeps giving and that money comes with hard work.
There is more to it than material things. They will develop self-esteem. When children are paid for their work, it gives them a sense of accomplishment and pride. They will understand what it takes to take money out of their pockets to pay for something they want.
They will learn how to budget and save.
Kids who work will learn that they can’t spend their entire paychecks on candy and video games, which is a valuable future lesson. As a result, they will think before buying anything, even if they spend it naively the first time.
Experience comes with doing things, and unless it happens to you, there is little chance you will adopt it. It’s the same with kids. When they realize their pocket is empty, they will think things through before letting hard-earned dollars slip through their fingers next time.
That means they need to understand the concept of saving. It is one of the essential skills. So naturally, you can help them figure that out by using apps such as BusyKid, designed to teach kids financial literacy in a fun way. It teaches them to save the percentage of their earnings each time they receive funds.
You might think there is no way your child can handle that responsibility, but you would be surprised by their budgeting skills. You might not realize it, but your kids learn much about money management every time you give them an allowance. By giving them money and saying, “you’re in charge of this,” you’re teaching them about budgeting and saving.
Budgeting is another great skill that is needed throughout life. Making money as a kid might be their first experience, but if you guide them properly, they will understand what it means to budget funds. With BusyKid, they can see how much they spend versus how much they earn and save.
Once learned, budgeting will become a habit that will continue into adulthood and lay the foundation for sound financial management later in life.
Your children will be more resourceful.
Kids are different, and their interests of money. But giving them funds means nothing if you fail to teach the essential lessons of budgeting and saving. Kids can create unhealthy relationships with money that only continues.
But, if they earn it and know they have to save to achieve a goal, they become more mindful. That includes sometimes saying no to your kids. Why? Because it sparks creativity and resourcefulness.
You might have noticed that kids tend to bend the rules to get what they want. When you say no to something they want, they will become resourceful and search for the best way to achieve the goal. It often means searching for a job to make money as a kid. Also, they grow more independent and develop skills needed for a specific job.
Your kids will learn to be charitable.
If you look around, many people are so consumed by their lives that we often forget the concept of humanity and what it means to give. However, giving kids an opportunity to provide a percentage of their earnings to charity can have many benefits.
Not only does it teach them compassion, but it also builds self-esteem. They observe and see that helping others makes a difference. The more they interact with the world, the more they will be inclined to find their interests and charities to which they want to give money. In the end, who knows, maybe they will be helping a fundraising event in the future.
They’ll learn from experience.
There is an old saying that people would sit down if they knew they would fall. But we never do; however, we can learn from our mistakes. Mistakes are made for a reason, and overcoming those challenges will help children develop solid mindsets and character traits that will benefit them throughout their lives.
For instance, children often spend money on impulse. They earn money and spend it on candies or whatever caught their attention. There is no need to scold them but use the opportunity to teach them that these mistakes can have a far worse outcome in the future. Teach them through examples. They will eventually learn how important it is to spend wisely.
They can learn new skills.
People often say they remember starting to work over the summer but learning a skill. Although, as grownups, we forget that we were not born with specific skills and knew them along the way. Your kid might be mowing lawns around the neighborhood, but that’s a skill they don’t have to pay for in the future.
It can be any skill, depending on the job type. Besides the obvious, most teens work in retail or fast food. Many of these consist of teams. Your kid will understand early on what it means to be a part of the team. In addition, a healthy relationship with coworkers will set them on the right path in their future careers.
They can also develop task management, time management, funds budgeting, and other essential life skills we take for granted. It’s also important to note that working kids are more likely to have successful careers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that people who started working early in life earn more money than those who didn’t.
Making money as a kid can give them a sense of what it will be like in the future
The modern world has positive and negative sides. The kids are getting more tech-savvy, which they should be, as technology takes over the average workspace. However, they also rely on working less for more money. That’s not often the case in real life. Kids learn through interacting with other people that real life can be different than what they expect and that every decision in their lives has some consequence.
They learn not only about how jobs work but also about managing their finances and developing a sense of responsibility. They’ll know the value of hard work. When your child has to work for their money, they’ll understand that earning is not easy. They may even think twice before asking for something just because they want it.
They’ll become more responsible for their spending habits and not just rely on you to pay for the things they want.
If you’re a parent, you have had a close encounter with your kids asking for this or that. At that point, you are reluctant to give it to them for various reasons. Chances are you might have faced their disappointment too, but there is always a positive side to things.
When your child is responsible for their own money, they’ll become more accountable for how they spend it. If they make money as a kid, they will realize that new pairs of shoes or video game consoles require savings instead of asking Mom or Dad every time they think about it.
They’ll see the value in saving their earnings and putting them toward something they want, rather than just asking their parents to pay for whatever they want. They’ll also likely feel more confident in their ability to make decisions about spending, which will help them develop into more independent adults.
It doesn’t matter if your child is earning money to save up for a new bike or buy a new pair of shoes—they’re making and saving money will help them learn valuable skills that will serve them well in life.
How to Make Money as a Kid in the Digital and Offline World
How many ways are there these days for a kid to make money? Two thousand and one, of course. Kids today are bombarded with opportunities to earn money. And it’s not just the Internet, where they can sell everything from their toys to their time. There’s also the offline world, where they can sell lemonade on the street or babysit for a neighbor.
The question is: how do you know which option is right for your child? And how do you help them navigate the real world? That’s why we’re here today! We’ll take you through some of the most popular ways kids make money today and give tips for helping them succeed.
Making Money as a Kid in an Offline World
Host a lemonade stand
It’s a breeze of ancient times. The lemonade stand is a classic, and yet it has been neglected. It was a simple but effective way to make money as a kid. And the positive side is that you can still have an eye on your child in front of the house and help them succeed at it while earning money.
Think about it. Many people buy healthy juices to avoid sugary stuff. Imagine how you would feel if your kid sold lemonade in bottles. The first step to making money is getting people to notice your kid’s services, which is why lemonade stands are a great way for children to start earning money.
- Decide what type of lemonade your kid wants to sell.
- Figure out the best lemon and water ratio. Think about the sugar, perhaps selling one with sugar, one without, and some with honey.
- Gather supplies like cups, spoons, bottles, and napkins. You can also decorate them with stickers or markers to catch people’s attention.
- Set up a table outside where kids can sit and enjoy their drinks.
- If your kids like animals, they can also sell homemade dog treats. There are plenty of recipes online that contain dog-friendly types of food.
Have a garage sale
Did your kid ever want to make some extra money for her family? Congratulations! You can even make it a family activity. There is always one thing you want to get rid of. You can donate it to your child to sell it in front of your house. Also, you are teaching your kid how to manage money. Garage sales are great ways to do both!
If you’re planning on holding a garage sale, here are some things you should think about:
- Set a time and date for a garage sale.
- Find out what people are buying. The most common things are toys, jewelry, vintage pieces of furniture, records, magazines, and books.
- Decide how much to charge for each item and make sure the prices make sense given their condition (e.g., if it’s broken or damaged).
- If possible, get rid of any unwanted items before the sale starts, so you don’t get too much stuff!
Run errands for an elderly neighbor
When you’re a kid, plenty of things can happen in your neighborhood, especially if you know the people in the vicinity. For example, people today are busy, or their health doesn’t permit them to leave the house. So your kid can run an errand for a neighbor or help out with something outside. If they do it right, this is one of the most beneficial ways to make money as a kid!
Errands can be anything from picking up groceries for someone who needs them delivered to cleaning up someone’s yard. If your kids are curious about what things older people need to be done around their homes, let them know if you have any ideas or contact who could use some help around their house.
Sell arts and crafts.
This is the classic kid’s money-making idea. If you have a creative kid, they can make all sorts of arts and crafts, then sell them! But there are a few things to consider before jumping into this market:
- Have to have a good product
- Need to know what the market is
- Price and marketing strategy need to be good too.
- Choose whether to sell online (Etsy, Instagram, Facebook) or offline (kids craft’s fair, farmers market, or lemonade stand)
If your child can do all that, you might have a kid able to make a pretty penny!
Grow Plants and Open Farmers Market
If your kid is interested in all things garden, there is a way to use their interest to make money. A little garden patch will suffice at the corner of your backyard. There are many possibilities for plants, but they need constant care. Then, your kids can sell them at the farmer’s market or neighborhood.
There are several ways of doing this:
- Pick flowers and make bouquets.
- Let them grow herbs and spices like basil, mint, or cilantro; these are very popular and often sold by themselves to people who like cooking.
- Plant fruit trees like apples or oranges with your kids. Grown in your backyard and untreated, they can become trendy.
Keeping up with Digital World and Making Money as a Kid
Teenagers today have many skills. They get them through curiosity and interest. So why not improve them? Since everything is moving online, letting your older kids make their way into it is an excellent idea. You must warn them about possible dangers such as hacking and identity theft issues. They need to know that the Internet is never private.
Making Websites for Other People
There are many talented kids out there, and even if you don’t know it, maybe they know how to build a website, even if it is out of ready-made templates. They can use it in their favor if that is something they are interested in.
The first thing is to create one for themselves, to represent what they can do, and then move on from there. On the other hand, perhaps your friends need a website, and your kid can do it for them. So if kids are interested in web design and development, it’s the best of both worlds to start them on that path.
Sell Photography
Photography is an art and a business nowadays. If your child is interested in photography, they can sell their photos online. Many stock platforms accept pictures of people around the world. It can be anything from people, nature, and architecture.
However, each platform has its terms and services section where they explain what kind of images they expect from the content creators. In addition, don’t let your kid skip these lines because each platform explains in detail the photos, author’s rights, and instructions for people’s faces. There are penalties, and the Terms and conditions are an essential part.
However, many platforms do not accept contributors younger than 18 years of age. But, some of them, such as Pexels, take youngsters with their parent’s consent. This information is also described in the Terms section. So, let your kid do some research and what each platform offers.
T-Shirt Design
One thing is for sure, people like t-shirts. If your kid has humor and ideas to share on the piece of clothing, then perhaps they can even make money as a kid out of it. They can make their social media page just for designs or sell the design on platforms such as Redbubble. However, they do not accept contributions from kids under 16.
Do they need tools or knowledge?
Design knowledge is desirable, but it is not a determining factor. However, the idea of the T-shirt design can certainly make a difference. If they are worried about the tools, there is always Canva. It’s easy to use and can solve the issue.
Making Social Media Accounts
Getting into the social media marketing industry can be an excellent way to start making money as a kid. Social media marketers are always sought after, and even if they do not have too much success now, the knowledge can be helpful in their future careers. There are plenty of resources to teach them about social media marketing. But for the time being, they can just open and maintain accounts with content for other people.
Start Blogging
Suppose you have a kid that has a knack for writing exciting text, then you might have a future blogger in the house. People want to read a text that solves their problems, entertains, and has a fresh perspective.
There is generally no age restriction to blogging, and your kid can have a website that follows a particular topic. They can make money through affiliate marketing and ads if they grow an audience. However, it is not easy and creates a passive income if everything goes well.
Teach skills to others
Teaching others is a great way to earn money, but it’s also a great way to learn new skills. Your kids can teach people things you know about and make some money in the process.
Many children need lessons in various subjects, and among the most requested are mathematics and foreign languages. Offer instructions if your child is good at it and not alien to explaining to someone slowly and understanding how to learn better. They can hold the instructions at your home when you are in the house or online via platforms such as Skype.
Check with the U.S. Department of Labor for Young Workers’ jobs.
The U.S. Department of Labor for Young Workers’ jobs is a great place to start looking for work as a kid. The department’s website has many resources, including job listings and information on finding work.
If your kid is under 16, you’ll need to be present as a parent or guardian when they apply for a job outside of kids’ school hours. If your kid is over 16 and has a Social Security card or number, they can apply for jobs without parental consent.
Federal law establishes safety standards and restrictions for farm laborers under 18. If your child is under 16, they cannot work in hazardous vocations. However, there are plenty of other opportunities, and the U.S. Department of Labor offers plenty of resources to educate young workers about their rights.
How Can You Help Your Child When Trying to Make Money as a Kid?
The most important thing to remember is that your child can make money, and you’re not going to be able to stop it. You may think they’re too young, inexperienced, or too optimistic. But they are going to try sooner or later! Of course, they are going to fail. And maybe they’ll succeed. But either way, they will learn valuable lessons about the value of money and how to use it wisely.
So instead of trying to keep them from making money as a kid, why not help them? Here are some tips on how you can help your child with selection when trying to make money as a kid:
- The first thing to consider when your child is trying to make money is how old they are. If they are under 12, it’s best to help them find a way to make money that doesn’t involve anything that can jeopardize them—perhaps giving them an allowance for tasks around the house. They can sell lemonade or cookies, but you should always be present and supervising. If your child is over 12, there are some restrictions regarding the law. Children at that age are not allowed to operate some machines and use specific tools. If you’re unsure what kind of work would be appropriate for them, check the U.S. Department of Labor page for young workers.
- Listen and ask questions. Ask questions about what they want, how they’re trying to achieve it, and why they want to do it in the first place. This will give you insight into what your child is passionate about so that you can better support their endeavors! If your child is working on a website or selling something online, show interest in what they’re doing! Ask them questions about what inspired them to start making money this way (or any other way), and try to understand why this particular method appealed to them over others out there already available.
- There are many ways that you can help your child broaden their interests. You can allow them to explore new hobbies, visit new places and even try new activities! By allowing your child to explore and learn about different things, you’ll be helping them grow as individuals while also developing their skills in various areas.
- You can assist them in coming up with ideas for how they might make money. Using their interests and skills could be helpful worldwide and help get them started on this process. Then you can help them brainstorm ways to turn those interests and abilities into income-producing opportunities. Please encourage them to look for jobs that match those skills and interests. For example, if they like art and drawing, look for opportunities where they can apply their skills in a way that will help them earn money (like selling drawings or prints online).
- Once they have some ideas, it’s time to research and figure out what is reasonable for them to charge for their services or products and whether any regulations or laws may apply to their plan. If so, let them know about these rules so they can understand what requirements exist before getting started.
- If your child is looking for a part-time job, ensure they have enough energy left over after school or after their part-time job to do their homework and participate in other activities.
- Offer encouragement. Encourage your child by telling them how proud you are of them and their efforts. This will give them the confidence to keep going when things get tricky!
- Look for ways to get paid for what they already do at home or around the neighborhood. For example, if they love gardening and watching their plants grow, see if any neighbors would be willing to pay them each week for fresh products!
As a parent, you may have tried to help your child by thinking about what’s best for them. But when they’re young, they might not know what they’re capable of yet. For example, if you have a minor who wants to make money as a kid, you can talk to them, perhaps even suggest they do chores around the house and get paid for them. Starting small and easing into something else can prepare them later in life.
It’s never easy for a parent to stop worrying but think about your childhood and how much you changed in just a few years. You used to be able to run around all day without worrying about anything other than getting enough food and rest each night! Now that you are an adult, managing time efficiently is essential because life moves faster than it did when we were growing up!
Help them understand that there is time for everything in life. However, they can learn valuable lessons from mistakes instead of having everything handed over on a silver platter. Children who grow up thinking that everything should come quickly will be unprepared when things don’t go their way later in life. Meanwhile, children who have experienced some setbacks will know how much hard work goes into success without being told directly by their parents or teachers.
There are different ways kids can earn money. They just have to find what works best for them and go for it.
If you ever took your child to judo lessons only to find out they changed their mind and now want piano lessons, you probably got frustrated. The truth is kids are in the process of finding their interests. Each change of heart is a path to seeing what they like to do. Kids that know from the start are rare. So you need to arm yourself with patience and let them figure out what always draws their attention.
For instance, kids can be great artists and never actually think about it as something they should dedicate to. Maybe they have strong computer skills, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take them to computer lessons and expand their knowledge. Perhaps your kid has interests in matters they cannot make money from at the moment, but it is possible in their future.
Whatever they enjoy doing probably has one career or another to make money from as a kid. So while they think they are reaching their goal of buying a new bike, they are expanding their knowledge and experience in that specific job. The important thing isn’t just finding ways of making money as kids; it’s also learning how these opportunities fit into our lives and figuring out what works best for us as individuals so we can find success in whatever path we choose!
Conclusion
The truth is, no matter the age if your children want to make money doing something, it’s all on them. In general, by the time kids reach the teenage years, they have to be more self-reliant than they ever were in their short life.
That is a good thing since teens are becoming more independent and accepting responsibility for their actions. The good news is that this developing independence should lead them down a career path where they can make a living and even enjoy it.
There are many ways to make money as a kid, and many jobs will still be available when they reach adulthood, but building early starts continued from childhood is always a plus! In addition, working for money as a kid is a great way to teach them about finances and that working hard pays off.
It is also an excellent way to allow them to find the path they want to take in life. So please do whatever you can to put their interests into the mix and watch how excited they are about the opportunities that will begin to open up for them!
a)The US Department of Labor. Young Workers: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/YouthRules/young-workers
