SUMMER BUCKS!
by Martha Wait (age 10)
Looking for ways to earn some money this summer? Trying to find a way to
get rid of boredom? Well, here are some ways to take care of both of
these problems at one time!
There are lots of ways for kids of all ages to earn money in their own
neighborhoods. I am going to give you some ideas of where to go to earn
that money for a new bike, a trip to Great America, or whatever else you
might be saving for.
Some ways to earn money include yard work, housework, babysitting and dog
washing. You could also check with preschools and older people to see if
they need help with children and yard work. Maybe it's time to clean out
your closet...how about a garage sale?
If you want to do yard work, you can start by trimming bushes. If you're
big enough you can cut the grass and maybe rake the trimmings up. You can
clean the old leaves and stuff out from under the plants. Use a hoe to
hoe the garden or trim small branches from the trees. These are just some
ideas for yard work.
Some of the things that you can help out around the house are washing
the dishes, vacuum the living room, clean up the play room, and help with
dinner, lunch or breakfast. Maybe clean out the garage or the basement.
Some parents think that kids should just help in the house and not get
paid, but I have found that if I help in the house it usually means a
raise in my allowance! This is cool because instead of just getting paid
one time I have a paycheck every week!
Dog baths and walking dogs are pretty easy, just make sure that you don't
take on a dog that is too much for you to handle. And don't think that
just because a dog is small it will be easy to control. Sometimes little
dogs are wicked!
For baby sitting, you have to be pretty responsible. If you have already
done some baby sitting and are looking for new jobs, ask your old jobs for
a letter saying that you did a good job. It helps a lot to have these
when you go to that new neighbor! If you are not old enough to baby sit
yet, then how about being a mother's helper? This means that you play
with the kids and get them juice and stuff while the mother is home doing
other stuff like working in her garden and doing house stuff. It doesn't
usually pay as much as regular baby sitting does, but it is good on the
job training.
If you are thinking about a garage sale you should be ready for some hard
work! First, make sure you do it on a day when a grown up is home. You
will have lots of strangers coming to your house and it's not a good idea
for only kids to be around. Make sure your garage is clean and organized
so that people aren't trying to buy stuff that you would get in trouble
for selling! Price everything cheap so that you sell it all and don't
have to put it back in your room when you are done. Ask mom if she has
anything that she was probably going to throw away anyway.
Some ways to make sure that you not only get a job, but also
keep the job:
- Always show up on time
- Don't bring friends along unless it was agreed on when you took the
job
- Do the job right the first time!
- Work quickly and quietly
- Once you start the job, keep working until it's finished
- Don't accept a job that is too big for you to handle
- Always check with your mom or dad before you take a job
Another thing that you need to pay attention to when you are working is
not getting too hot. It really looks bad to the people you are working
for if you pass out from the heat! You should only work for a few hours
at a time on really hot days. Try to work in the shade as much as
possible. I keep plastic pop bottles filled with water in the freezer for
homemade ice packs. Don't over work yourself and drink plenty of water.
Oh yeah, a splash of water from the hose can always cool you down quickly
when you need it!
I hope this info helps you, and you earn lots of MONEY!