If you’ve got tweens who are looking for ways to earn money this summer, you’ll love these easy ways for tweens to make money.

“Mom, I need money for…” is a phrase many parents of young teens hear. Whether it’s for new clothes, catching a movie with friends, or supplies for a new hobby, young teens are too young for a “real” job that would generate an income for them.

So, if you’re like me, you’re always seeking or encouraging your tweens to seek out ways for tweens to make money. Jobs they can do close to home without it being a huge burden on the parents.

Jobs for Young Teens

From the time my kids are big enough to pitch in and do chores, they start receiving an allowance. It’s not a large amount of money, but it does give them a sense of responsibility when it’s pay day.

As soon as they begin to make money of their own, we start cutting back on the “extras” that we pay for.

Right now, my daughter is 13. I no longer buy all of the supplies for her craft projects or the gizmos and gadgets that teenagers crave. She has to use her own allowance to buy the bulk of her supplies and miscellaneous teenage goodies.

If she wants something expensive {like her Instax camera}, we might offer to pay half, but she has to save her half first. This teaches her to save for what she wants.

Sometimes, however, she wants more money than she gets for her allowance. So, she has found a few ways to make money even though she can’t get a ‘real’ job yet.

Extra Chores Around the House

The easiest place for young teens to start earning extra money is at home. By doing extra chores around the house, she wins and I win. Our rule is that no “chores for pay” can be done until the regular chores – make the bed, feed the pets, do dishes, etc. – are done.

From there, we have a list on the refrigerator of chores that can be done for pay. The price of each chore is listed so she can pick and choose what she wants to do. Usually, she does them all in the same day, because she wants something sooner than later.

Helping the Neighbors

My daughter has done a great job of offering her services around the neighborhood. Last winter – when we had over 50 inches of snow – she and her friend made almost $50 in one day shoveling driveways and sidewalks.

They’ve made money walking dogs and selling homemade dog treats. She has also made money pet-sitting for our next door neighbor.

Start a Small Business

We have kicked around the idea of starting a small business. There are some expensive summer programs that she would like to attend for dance, and our budget doesn’t allow for all of them.

So, in order to chip in, we’ve explored several different small business jobs for young teenagers. Many of these can be done right in your own neighborhood. Some of them do have some startup costs, but all of them are great ways for young teens to earn money – especially as we head into summer!

• Babysitting – This is how I made all my extra money growing up! My middle son used to babysit our neighbor’s young son. The mom always paid him in homemade fried chicken and cash.

• Crafting – Emma is very crafty. Several years ago, she was really into making ruffle scarves. She sold several to her friends and our family. If your teen likes to crochet, knit, sew, or work with wood this might be something they’ll want to look into.

• Homemade goodies – For the past two years, Em has sold gourmet dog treats in our neighborhood. She has a handful of regulars that buy from her, and she has considered taking them to our local animal shelter to see if they’d want to sell them. Teens can also make homemade soaps, slimes, lotions, etc.

• Craft shows, flea markets, and yard sales – Once she has a good stock of homemade items, we plan to start attending local craft shows. We’ve also talked about renting a booth at our local flea market. For the past two summers, she has sold handmade goodies (and her old clothes, toys, and books) at our neighborhood yard sale. I let her keep the money for the things she clears out of her room and all of the crafts that she makes.

• Mowing lawns – Much like Emma shovels driveways, my boys mowed lawns. My younger brother did the same when he was a young teenager. It’s up to you to determine who pays for gas. Maybe your teen will have to do it as part of their business expenses, or maybe you’ll split it with them. That’s up to you.

Allowing tweens to earn their own money has many benefits.

First, they learn to work for the things they want. I don’t want my kids to think that everything in life is just handed to them.

Secondly, they learn to wait. Because I don’t always have cash on hand, Emma has learned that sometimes she has to wait to get paid. She can’t just decide to do $10 worth of chores and then come get cash from me. In the real world, she has to wait until payday to get her money no matter how hard she works. With us, she has to do the same.

Lastly, they learn to weigh want they really want the most. Is what they want today more important than whatever it is they are saving up for?

We’ve had many a debate in the store as Emma weighs her impulse buy item against her long-term want. Many times she has stuck to her original plan. Other times, she has given in to her impulses. Sometimes she’s regretted it, and sometimes she hasn’t. But, every time she has to make that decision, it’s a learning process. And, that’s the biggest takeaway!

How do your tweens make money? Leave a comment below, and let me know.

We’re always looking for new ideas for jobs for young teenagers.

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