The best skill you can teach your kid is how to find inventive ways to earn money legally. It’s never to early to start learning about money skills, work skills and proper time management.

I am constantly been asked by kids, how they can earn extra money. I have listed some of the best job ideas for kids that I have come across over the years.

Some came from my experience, and some came from kids talking during my tutoring program.

After the money making ideas for kids jobs, I have included timely tips about how to get started, and some warning signs to watch out for.

For the best how to make money as a kid at home ideas, here are some of the best ones that can get you started quickly.

Best Money Making Jobs For Kids

1 – Baby-Sitting

With all the newborns lately, the need for reliable baby-sitters is ever growing. Mothers of newborns have high stress levels, sometimes a few hours of escape might just be the ideal tonic to get rejuvenated.

Positive Pointers:

Make sure you love kids, before starting your babysitting service.

Be comfortable with changing soiled diapers.

Know exactly how to follow instructions, as planned by the person paying you.

If you’re there to do babysitting, find out exactly what that entails.

If the couple wants you to baby sit a two year old, but they also left a nine year old at home, you should ask for additional money.

Some Warning Signs:

If the kid is sick, or have some ailment, it might be wise to reject the baby-sitting assignment.

Please do not even think about smoking, drinking, or getting high, while doing your baby sitting duties.

Do not block your ears with headphones while enjoying your favorite songs. You might not hear the baby’s cry for help, and that is not the way to build referrals.

You should be aware, that most parents now have hidden video cams, so your activities might just be recorded, so act properly and accordingly.

Do not let in any stranger, unless authorized by the parents of the kid you’re watching. That includes the mail man, meter reader, UPS delivery, Fed-ex etc.

When you hear a knock at the door, do not open it to ask who is it. Anyone knocking does not live in that house, so answer the knock through the closed door.

Even if you see cops, do not open that door without getting approval from the parents of the kid you’re watching.

Creeps have been known to use all kinds of tricks to gain trust of teenagers. You can never be too careful!

2 – Pet-Sitting Can Be Easy Money

If you like domesticated animals, this service might be for you. Mostly, you’ll be asked to take care of cats or dogs for a few hours, while the owner is out.

You need to be clear as to what you’ll be doing with the pets.

If you’ll be responsible for changing the litter box, explain that clearly, and charge accordingly.

If they want you to feed the pet, ask for detailed instructions.

If you’ll be looking after multiple pets, have the owners color code food needs and medicine, for each pet.

Some Issues to Watch Out For:

If the pet babysitting is at the owners house, make sure you know who else will be staying with you, while the owners are out.

If they also leave kids for you to look after, be sure to charge more, as this would be additional duties.

If you’re required to walk the pet around the neighborhood, be sure to charge accordingly.

3 – Try Dog Walking

This is probably one of the easiest way for teenagers to make money, provided you love dogs.

Find out exactly what the working the dog duty entails.

You should have your own poop collection method, and be sure to let the owners know that.

Find out the dog’s name, and try to play with the pet in the presence of the owner. Pets would trust you more quickly, if the owner is close by and watching.

Come with your own dog small play toys, which is a good sign of competence.

4 – Flyer or Newspaper Delivery

Despite the digital revolution, flyers and newspapers are still around, and needs to be distributed. Contact you local daily paper, and see how you can get started.

Newspaper delivery might involve early wake-up time, so it might be wise to schedule them for the weekends, when school is out.

Depending on your state and town, flyers are still an effective advertising medium. Distributing them might involve putting the flyers on cars, home, or mail boxes.

When I did this as a teenager, I soon discovered this was a good way to get in shape, while also getting paid. Truly a win-win kid friendly job.

5 – Start A Lawn Mowing Gig

While the summer is beautiful with sunny weather, it also brings plush lawns that needs to be cut and trimmed to perfection.

You’ll make a lot more, if you have your own lawn mower to use, otherwise only accept jobs from homeowners with their own mower.

Make sure you look at the yard that needs mowing, before giving out your proposal. You might also consider creating an ongoing proposal with lower rates.

You can offer lower rates upfront, if they sign-up for multiple lawn care gigs. You can also offer discounts, if they send you referrals from friends and neighbors,

As you get some money, you should try to invest in a portable, durable, and reliable lawn grass mower.

Your pricing should be based on the size of the lawn, and what tools you bring to the table. If you can work unsupervised, you’ll be commanding good hourly or job rate.

6 – Learn to do Yard Work or Basement Work

You can use this as an added service, if you already provide lawn mowing service. You’ll be surprised the amount of debris during the coming winter months, with all the tree shedding their leaves.

Most people have some type of junk that needs clearing out. Most home owners have basements that always needs cleaning and re-organizing.

Be sure to look at the amount of work that needs to be done, before giving out your rates. Assuming you know the scope of work involved, will leave you feeling short changed with your rates.

7 – Car Washing Duties

Automobiles are nice to have, but they do get dirty pretty quickly. Offering to wash cars or Trucks is a good way to make extra money as a teenager.

You need to know what you’re doing, by learning car wash tricks and best methods.

You’ll make more money if you bring your own soap and wax, including washing materials. The car owner should supply the hose and water to use.

If your parents would approve, you can also conduct your car washing business in your parents driveway, thus increasing how much you can charge.

If you find more people needing your services, employ reliable classmates, and treat them like employees with payments based on profit sharing system.

8 – Why Not Use Your Smartness to Tutor

If you’re good at mastering school work, why not create a tutoring schedule that you can sell to concerned parents.

Most kids have short attention span, and your tutoring skills might just be what they need to make the grades.

Begin by offering your service on subjects you’re good at, and watch the dollars roll in! Your initial rate is up to you, so try different methods based on how much work will go into the tutoring sessions.

If you’re good with computers, that’s a good way to start. Even some adults might need your services.

9 – Sell Candy Door-to-Door

Recently an enterprising young boy, made $10,000 selling candy door to door within his neighborhood.

If you visit those buying club stores like Costco, Sam Club, you find candy packaged in bundles of twenty four or more.

Each of the candy bar will end up costing you just 35 to 50 cents, and you can easily sell them for $1 each.

If you don’t mind knocking on doors, this is one of the fastest ways to generate good money as a kid.

Some Warning Signs:

Nowadays, it’s getting pretty hard to tell which adult you can trust or not.

If possible, try selling with another buddy or friend. It’s usually harder to commit creepy acts with two kids present.

Never go inside a customers house. Use any excuse you need to remain outside the door, even if they invited you inside. Child molesters cannot be easily ascertained, regardless of looks and income status.

You’re on a schedule, so reject any offers of drinks, just collect your money and thank them, while walking briskly to the next neighbors house.

10 – Shovel Snow

Most people like when the snow is falling, but they hate when it’s time to shovel it. My soon made about $5000 just within two months, but he worked like crazy to earn that money. One day, he made $500 in just a few hours.

You need a good shovel, in fact you might need several. Get an breaker axe also.

You’ll also be needing a very good pair of winter gloves, and winter work boots.

If you live in a snow covered state, you can make good money helping people out. Let your rate be just as good as your work.

In big cities, where people park on the streets, helping to shovel cars out of the snow, should be your main calling card.

Other potential Money Making Jobs for a Kid

You can open a small lemonade stand, especially in the hot summer months.

You can sell cold water drinks to motorist stuck in traffic, if you live in one of those big cities.

Why You Should Treat It As a Business:

In most of the gigs you can start as a teenager, time is your greatest resource, so you’ll need to use it wisely. Here are some tips you need to implement to keep money coming your way always.

Try Advertising – People will not know about your service if you don’t get the word out into the neighborhoods. Create some funny cheap flyers and distribute it around the neighborhood.

Most of your new customers would come from referrals, so make sure you leave your customers highly satisfied. People will gladly recommend you, if you treat them fairly, and do what you said you’ll do.

Hiring Friends – I am sure you’ve heard the adage, money and friendship does not mix well. It’s true! Depending on what job you offer, you might need extra help every now and then.

Hire competent people, not lazy friends. I am sure you know those that I am referring to. Hire hard workers like you, and you should be fine. One other thing, arrange the division of money earned, before actually earning it.

You might want to put it in writing, what percentage you’ll give your co-workers way ahead of time. If not, greed will set in, if the funds add up to become a lot.

Know What You’ll Not Do – While money is good, it’s not worth losing your freedom. Be firm as to what you’ll not do before starting your gig.

You’ll be surprised at what some adults would try to have you do for them for money. Stay within your job scope, and readily reject additional funds if it involves any illegal activity.

Be Honest and Trustworthy – In life, you probably can only fool or cheat people once, and then your good name might be ruined forever.

Your good reputation is your best calling card, so don’t ruin it by doing something stupid. If you’re baby-sitting, and you find a pile of cash within the home, do not pocket it. Been honest pays a great deal more, than been dishonest.

Safety Concerns For Worried Parents

It’s okay, to be worried your little one is now growing up quickly by earning money. You should monitor their activities just to make sure everything is up and up.

Only a lousy parent would not ask questions if your kid comes home with more money than you give him or her as an allowance.

If they’re doing extra stuff to earn more money, listen carefully and encourage the behavior if the activity is legal and safe.

If fact, encouraging your teenager to look into starting some of the jobs listed above, is a sure way to increase the bond between parent and growing teenager, looking for validation in a world that can be both cruel and good, at the same time.

If your kids have the drive to make extra money doing some of the jobs listed above, encourage that behavior.

On the other hand, if they lack the drive and imagination to come up with money making ideas that are suitable for kids, push them to create one or just send them a link to this article.

The worst thing you can do as a parent, is let your teenager waste time on mindless activities, that contributes nothing to their development.

Learning about money making jobs for kids, time management, and proper work ethics, is better when one is very young.

Please feel free to leave us your thoughts in the comments section, about any kids friendly jobs we might have missed!