When I became a teenager, I could not wait to get a job to earn some money. Earning money is a lot of fun when you don't have bills to pay. I got my first official job the summer after I turned 15. I babysat my sister's four kids. Count 'em: one, two, three and four. I was young and naive. I didn't understand all that would be involved with taking care of four kids at once, from the ages of 3-10. It was a nightmare. I mean, I love my nieces and nephews, but they made me question whether I'd ever want kids. In fact, I was put off children so much that summer that I didn't even think about having children until about 10 years later. It was that bad. I actually feel the anxiety from those days as I type this. Excuse me while I calm down.
Alright, I've simmered down a little. Summer jobs have come a long way from babysitting four buckwild kids for $20 a day, so here are a few ideas your teen could try to earn some money this summer:
- Mowing lawns. I know; this is an oldie. But do you realize how much people will pay to avoid cutting their grass? Do you realize how much I would pay to avoid cutting the grass if I had to? The least desireable jobs pay the most money. Put up flyers in your local stores, knock on your neighbor's doors and offer lawn care services. I almost guarantee that you'll find some takers.
- Lifeguard. What teen wouldn't want to get paid to sit and lounge around at a pool all day. After you go through the first aid training, how much work could it possibly be? Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like it would be an easy job where you can socialize quite a bit as long as you're watchful.
- Pet sitting. Four-legged babies are much easier to deal with than the other kind. For someone who loves animals, pet sitting is a great summer opportunity. Lots of folks will be going on vacation, and rather than putting their animals in a kennel, they can have someone come by their home several times a day to feed, water and walk the pets.
For more ideas, check out this article from Investopedia.
What was your first summer job? Did you love it or loathe it?
Image courtesy Scott Ableman via Flickr.
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