I am only 15 years old & i want to save up $300 before august?

Question

I am only 15 years old and i want to save up $300 before august because that's when my grandparents are taking me traveling up island.

How can i make that much money in that much time and how many ways can i make the money? I wanted to babysit or pet sit neighbor's animals or like mow lawns or something.

Do you have any ideas thanks if you do! :)

Answer 1

Ashley: Frankly, you should check with your parents before you participate in ANY online "job" that claims to pay money. You're 15, so you know that strangers on the internet don't always have your best interests at heart.

The advice to save every penny that you make is a very smart one -- at least until you make your savings goal. If you HAVE to have some money to spend (once you start making some), make sure you pay yourself first. That means putting the first 20, 50, or 80 percent (or whatever portion) in your savings account, and only THEN spending the "fun" money.

In many states, kids 14 and older can apply for special work permits during the summer. Depending on where you live (and whether there are jobs that you can reach without a driver's license), you could get a "real" job for the summer. Fast food, swimming pools/rec centers, etc. are all time-honored ways of making and saving cash, and it's a lot faster and easier than self-employment.

That said, babysitting is a fast way to make some cash, especially if you're reliable and make work a priority over other activities. The Red Cross has a babysitting certification (plus CPR and first aid classes) that will make you a very appealing candidate for local families. Being prepared with those certifications will make you seem very professional, and being willing to occasionally drop everything and help out in a crisis will make you the neighborhood's go-to babysitter.

The other thing that I've noticed in my area is kids who offer to be dog walkers during the summer while people are at work. It's kind of a cool service and, if you have a reputation for being trustworthy, it can be a good gig for a lot of summers to come.

No matter what you do, if you're self-employed as a sitter or a lawn mower, do a little research. Find out what the going rate is for the services in your area, and then have a conversation with your customers. This was the hardest thing when I was a babysitter, but it doesn't need to be. When I was a babysitter, the going rate was between $3 and $5 an hour (this was in the early 1990s); many of my friends pay between $6 and $10 (in a small town in North Carolina; probably more in more urban areas).

The conversation should go like this (if you call around to tell people that you're available as a sitter -- your parents' friends, other people in the neighborhood, teachers):

"Hi, this is Ashley, how are you?"

(They answer)

"This might seem out of the blue, but I was calling to let you know that I'm available for babysitting. I don't know if you have a regular sitter, but I'd like to go on your list in case you ever need someone."

(They answer. If it sounds positive, then:)

"Great. Here's my number. I charge $X per hour. (This is where I would mention qualifications like CPR, first aid, babysitting certification.)"

(If their answer is kind of tentative or negative, then:)

"Well, I appreciate your time. If you know of anyone who's looking for a sitter, would you mind sending them my way? My number is (whatever) and I charge $X per hour."

The same conversation works for lawn mowing (which you should price per lawn, not per hour), house sitting (same), dog walking or whatever.



Good luck! And avoid those internet scams.

Answer 2

you wont believe this but get your self a piggy bank and everytime you have spare change put it in there, you'll save money real quick

Answer 3

so my neighbors gave me 50$ to watch their cats for a weekend. so make fliers or call the newpaper to advertise your services. volunteer to babysit, mow lawns, garden, pet sit, or even clean pools. people will be willing to help you out , esp. if they already know you ,so ask neighbors and family friends. your parents may even sponsor you or something. ask if you can clean the house, do the dishes, etc. for some money.

good luck and have fun!

Answer 4

get a job (a real one - not some online scam).

you'll probably be able to make that in a week or two working part time.

at $7.50/hr, you would only have to work 40 hours to make that - that's generally 1 week working full time, or less than 2 weeks working part time.

Answer 5

I would definitely recommend basbysitting, I did it las summer for about 10 hours a week last summer and by the end of august  I made about $900. So if you charge about $10 an hour it's definitely possible. And pet sitting is a really smart idea, if the pets good. Also if neighbors are going away for a while just taking in their mail and getting their newspaper is such a simple task and the money really ads up. Good Luck!