Selling Things
Sell old items online. You probably have some things lying around that you don’t use anymore. Selling your old items can be a great way to make money. Sites like Craigslist, eBay, and even Facebook can help you find people willing to purchase old items. Old toys, video games, video game systems, books, DVDs, collectibles, like baseball cards and stuffed animals, can be great items to resell online. Know that you won’t get as much money as you paid for the items you are selling. Once something has been used, it loses value. So expect to make about 30 to 40% of what you originally paid for an item when you resell it. Try eBay. Make sure to accurately describe the condition of the items you are selling. eBay will allow you to sell items in an auction setting or list a "sell now” price. Be prepared to ship the items you are selling. It is going to cost you some money to ship the items, so be aware of this when coming up with your prices. Never give out your address, home phone number, or agree to have someone come by the house to pick the item up. You don’t know who is agreeing to buy your items and you need to protect yourself. If you're under 18, you will need to have an adult create an eBay account that you can use. Try Craigslist. Craigslist has a section where you can post about items you're willing to sell. If you're posting in a specific city, you may have to meet a buyer in person if they make an offer on an item. Be safe. Meet the buyer in a public place and take a friend or family member with you. There may be specific sites to sell used books, video games, collectibles, and other items. A google search may provide you with a list of possible websites where you can sell your products.
Sell things to local stores. Certain stores, like bookstores and game stores, buy used items if they are in good condition. You could try taking books you have already read to the bookstore to sell them or video games you don’t play anymore into the game store to make some money. Old clothes, toys, stuffed animals, and household items can be sold at thrift stores. Again, be aware that you won’t get as much money for these items as you originally paid, but if you have a lot of stuff to sell it will add up with time.
Ask your parents to hold a garage sale. Garage sales are great means to sell old items for a small fee and get rich when you are a kid. See if your parents are willing to hold a garage sale. If you're about to move or simply have a lot of clutter, your parents may jump at the chance to get rid of old items. You can set up your booth where you can sell some of your old items.
Make and sell crafts. If you're crafty, you can try and make and sell your crafts. Knitted items, candy, jewelry, gift baskets, and other items might sell during holiday seasons when people are looking for unique gifts. You can sell items at local craft fairs. You can also sell them online on websites like Etsy. If you're under 18, you will need an adult to manage your Etsy account. As with conducting any online sales, be careful. Do not give your address and only meet someone face-to-face if it's in a public space and you're accompanied by a friend or family member.
Sell things in school. If allowed, see if you can sell things in school. Things like pencils, erasers, snacks, or other school supplies might sell well if you can offer a discounted price. Resell items you did not use in the previous school year, or ask your parents if you can purchase them in bulk at an office supply store or discount warehouse. Just make sure you check with your principal and teachers. Make sure selling supplies in school is allowed given your school's policies.
Performing Services
Try a lemonade stand. The lemonade stand is a classic idea that can earn you some extra money in the summer months. You can set up a booth at a local fair or just in a neighborhood park where people walk by frequently. If you don't want to limit your business to the summer months, consider selling warm cider or coffee during winter. Ask your parents to check regulations in your location to make sure it's okay to run a lemonade stand. You do not want to violate your area's health code. Make sure you take safety precautions if you're handling warm beverages.
Ask your parents for a set allowance and get rich from that. Make a list of the chores that need to get done around the house weekly. Then, come to an agreement with your parents about how much money you think you should get for doing those chores. Don’t be disappointed if your allowance is not as high as you would like it to be. You can always take on extra chores and ask for more money, or renegotiate your allowance with your parents later to become as rich as you want to be. Some common chores you could do are cleaning the bathroom, doing dishes, making the beds, vacuuming, dusting, sweeping, mopping, and walking the dog.
Perform chores for neighbors. If you have elderly neighbors or neighbors with demanding work schedules, they may jump at the opportunity to pay someone to perform basic chores. Try going door to door in your neighborhood to see if anyone would be willing to pay you to do work for them. During the summer months, offer to do lawn mowing. You can offer to shovel or snow blow someone's driveway in the winter. Offer to clean out people's attics or garages. Attics and garages get messy and disorganized fast. See if anyone needs their garage or attic cleaned out.
Babysit. If you have a younger sibling, and you are old enough to babysit, ask your parents if you can babysit your younger brother or sister for money. This can help you gain experience and eventually babysit other kids around the neighborhood. Keep in mind, however, that most people prefer babysitters to be in their early teens at least. If you're under 13 or 14, neighbors may hesitate to hire you.
Provide pet care services. If you know neighbors or family members are going on vacation, offer to watch the pets for a small fee. If you're an animal lover, this can be an especially fun way to earn money. Make sure to be responsible, however. Follow all instructions for care exactly, especially if you're dealing with a pet with special needs like medications or dietary restrictions.
Start a band. If you're musically inclined, consider starting a band with friends and family members. If you can play popular songs that are heard on the TV and radio, then you can book gigs for local events and get rich. Try to learn songs in a variety of genres so you can book many different gigs. Learn religious songs for church events, radio songs for school dances, and old-fashioned songs for retirement parties.
Getting A Job
Get a paper route. Newspaper companies will occasionally hire kids to manage a paper route. Go to your local newspaper office and see if they're hiring. Oftentimes, you don't need a lot of experience to manage a paper route. For many, a paper route is a great entry-level job that teaches responsibility and work ethic. A paper route is a lot of responsibility. It's your job to deliver the paper every day, except Sundays, which means working holidays. Many newspapers have a special morning paper for Saturdays, so you may have to wake up early on some weekends to deliver a Saturday paper.
Write book reviews. Ayesha Reviews is a website managed by a 10-year-old named Ayesha. She writes book reviews for children's books and pays other tweens between 40 cents and $2.50 for reviews. If you're interested in reading and looking to make extra money, consider contacting the website. You could also start your review website or blog. It will take some work to get it off the ground, but with some time and effort, you could become successful, especially if you're writing about things you care about.
Work at a car wash. Many car washes hire younger workers for basic services, like cleaning cars and pumping gas. If you live in a smaller town that still has full-service gas stations, stop by a local station and see if they're hiring.
Use your computer skills. Many kids take advantage of the fact they have more computer skills than older adults. See if any adults need tutoring help for basic computer skills. You can ask your parents to see if your grandparents would be willing to pay you to teach them about the internet, e-mail, word processors, and other computer skills.
Make YouTube videos. If you're interested in making money, try making fun or informative YouTube videos online. If you get enough views or subscribers, YouTube will pay you for ad space. Try to find topics relevant to your interest or the interests of people your age. Make funny lists about movies or TV shows. Give fashion tips. Offer advice on relationships with friends, family members, and significant others. Keep in mind that it only pays about 2 cents for 6,000 views.
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