Ideas for a homeschooled teen to make money?

Question

I really need to make money-fast. I am 14, which is the legal working age here, but not suprisingly no businesses will hire me. Right now I have a few house sitting jobs around the neighborhood. I have a laptop with internet so any computer sites would be great. I already do cash crate.com. I am homeschooled so I only do about 4 hours of school a day, which leaves the rest of the day open. I have tried starting up dog walking, and leaf raking businesses without any luck. My parents are slightly paranoid, and don't like the idea of me babysitting over at someones house. Baby sitting at my house is out of the question too. I really want to try E-bay but I have no idea how to list stuff. I need help! I need to bring in 400 bucks a week. Thanks!!

Answer 1

400 bucks a week? I think your goal might be a little high for right now. Have you thought about taking surverys online for cash? Also, listing stuff on ebay is another way to bring in money but you also have to have the products to sell.  Make money reading emails.  If you surf the web and read your email every day then why not start getting paid for it? Several online companies are reinventing the way that teens read email. Now, teens are getting paid for visiting websites and reading email advertisements. This is one of the easiest ways to make money online. Basically, when you sign up for one of these sites, you begin by filling out a registration form. Some sites even start you off with a five dollar instant bonus. Once signed up you will start getting paid for reading emails and visiting websites. Receive a big check each month just for surfing the Web.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Answer 2

Your goals of full time pay for part time work truly are not realistic.  Use the work you do get with the goal of learning how to serve others with your very best talents.  You will succeed as a busines woman if you work with a greater desire to serve others with your best than to get the best price from them.  The people that get hired and stay hired are those who can work.  People who hire a 14 yo are looking to give that person some experience in how to work and also may want to get a less expensive worker.  The reason your work will be less expensive is because you have less experience working.  This is nothing to be ashamed of.  Most 14 yos really do not have great work ethics yet.  I mean nothing unkind by this.  I hope to be truthful and yet helpful.  If you go into this job hunt with the mindset of learning how to be a better worker and a better servant to your boss, you will gain far more than you could ever be paid monitarily.  As for college, study hard! Perhaps you can ask for more than 4 hours worth of schoolwork per day or ask your parents for a more academic program, if possible.  Study with the goal of a National Merrit Scholarship.  Even if you do not make it, you will have benefitted from the extra study and be a far more well-rounded cat, whateverr you choose to do after high school.  With that level of study, you could even hire yourself out to other busy home schooling moms (your parents might be far more confortable with this prospect) as a tutor or a mother's helper for a few hours per week.  Wait until you are a junior or senior and you will be even more hireable! Seriouly, consider redefining your goals.  If you want to get into college, study to get better scholarships.  If you want to get better jobs, regardless of the college you attend, learn to be a servant.  Learn how to work hard at whatever you do.  Start with your academics.  Practice with your parents.  Do chores around the house without looking for what they will pay you.  Try to stop thinking of a job as a means of making money and to start seeing it as a way to bless others.  If you learn this, you will have to turn down the job offers in droves because your little planner book will be so full that you will have to schedule sleep!  Businesses want passionate workers who have servants' hearts.  Let that be your goal alongside that of attaining the very best education you can give yourself right now at home!

Best to you,

A home schooling mom of teens who work to serve and have jobs to prove it!

Answer 3

One thing that my son does (he's a bit younger than you, but homeschooled as well) is to work freelance for a local businessperson.  He'll be 10 in a couple months, so his work is less than yours would be, but there may be business owners in your area that would be willing to hire you.

He does things like passing out newsletters and flyers in neighborhoods, and he gets paid piecework for it.  He's not at a legal age to take a formal "job" yet, but this gives him the money that he needs.  Do your parents know any business owners or shop owners that need some extra help - maybe a real estate agent that can use the services of a teenager, or something like that?

At 14, you're not likely to pull in $400 a week...there are college kids who don't make that.  In order to make that amount, you need to have experience in a marketable skill.  At $8 per hour (which is pretty darn good in most areas for a teenager) you'd make $320 a week before taxes working 40 hours, which is probably not legal.  However, you can gain job experience and make more money than you're making now, which would still be a plus.

Hope that helps :-)

Answer 4

Selling things on ebay is not difficult.  The site is friendly and has lots of helps.  You will need a checking or credit card to open seller account.  I would also suggest a paypal account.  Spend some time searching and browsing ebay auctions and the community pages.  Research is very important.  You will also need a digital camera and computer.  Start by selling things you and your family already have, therefore you have no investment to recover by sales.  Deal in things you have some knowledge or interest in.  Homeschool materials sell well.  Give it a try, be willing to spend time learning, and have fun.

Answer 5

$400 a week, you must have some kind of habit to support  :)  Try selling stuff on eBay, go to yard sales, look thru garage. You get the idea

Answer 6

Babysitting is only good to get an idea of how MUCH you want to delay having kids! No lie. I did and did not have a kid 'til age 37!

Other ways: one of my kids is in a "School-to-work" program, so I hired him to come over a couple hrs. a week and clear brush, trim trees, and so forth, to add to our "curb appeal"!

E-bay is doable, but requires SOME way to get paid, like Paypal (many scams surrounding it) and a fee for listing stuff.

I'd stick to local stuff you KNOW you can do. One kid I know served meals to Seniors. in a nursing home. Another, who's good w/computers, actually worked at his own school over the summer, updating software & stuff.

As for MY kid? He's in a punk band and is "too busy" going on gigs to check out the real world. If he makes it, he'll be loaded, if not...well. there's some kind of lesson, right?

Answer 7

Uh, $400 a week is a little much, don't you think? For a 14yo? Why do you *need* that money? If it's for future college stuff, you may have to just deal with less and get a student loan like many people do. And do you know how much of that will get taxed by the government??? That's more than many ADULTS get working full-time! That's at least $10/hour, which is above minimum wage where I live. Which means that an adult can work 40 hours a week on minimum wage and still not make the kind of money you want to make. Heck, somebody looking after a single after-school care kid will make $400 a MONTH for that child where I live.

If you really want to make that type of money, learn about investing. While it can be risky, it's probably *THE* way of building up wealth. That, or starting up some sort of business based on a product you can make or a specialized service (something a little more 'adult' than dog walking, like computer programming, software design, making jewelry, etc.).

Answer 8

You've got an advantage because you can work when most other teens can't. I think the reason you aren't getting hired is because you're still really young. 14 is pretty young to have a job.

I actually did Ebay for awhile...and I made money! It was really fun. It's very easy to do..it's all step by step and if I could learn it I'm sure you could ;-)

Answer 9

well e-bay i am thinking about getting account their I thought  about selling my i-cat but anyway

If its hot where you live at you should sell ice shave or if its cold sell hot cocoa but e-bay sounds better

Answer 10

I think eBay is a great idea for you.  Although I think you are supposed to be 18 to get an account, so you will have to get an account with one of your parents.   Start by selling some of your old things.  If you get really good you could offer to sell things for other people and keep a little commission.   I doubt you will be able to make $400 a week though.  $400 a week is over $20,000 a year, there are a lot of adults with full time jobs that don't make that much money!