Helping Your Kids Earn Money Through the Winter

Your kids  want to earn money to help them buy treats, toys, and presents for themselves, their friends, and siblings, yet gone are the days of lemonade stands, yard sales and mowing the lawn.    What can you do to help them earn money despite being trapped inside by the dreadful winter weather?

Shoveling Snow

During and after a snowstorm, allow your kids to go around the neighborhood asking if the neighbors will allow them to shovel their driveways for a small fee.  The going rate for snow shoveling is about $10-$20, depending of the complexity of the job.   You can teach them how to bargain with neighbors on a good price.  Have them design and print out fliers to take around right before it snows with a number to call if the neighbors would like them to shovel their driveway.  However, make sure to check local laws about unlicensed solicitors and peddlers to make sure that your children are not breaking the law by handing out the fliers or going door to door.

Household Chores

Some people pay their children an allowance to do their household chores.  If you do not, you can pay them for going above and beyond the call of duty.  If you have something to do around the house that you haven’t gotten to yet because you are too busy, hire one of your children to do it for you.  They can organize rooms, do the laundry, deep clean bathrooms or the kitchen, etc.  You can pay your children less than you would pay a maid to do many of the same tasks.  Make sure that you set high expectations for the finished product, and pay based per completed task, not per hour.

Pet Sitting or Baby Sitting

If your children are old enough, help them find babysitting jobs with neighbors.  Many mothers need someone to tend their kids while they do their Christmas shopping.  Your neighbors might be going out of town for the holidays and they may need someone to watch their dog while they are away.  Most animals are fine to stay at the neighbor’s house and they simply need someone to feed them twice a day and let them out to use the bathroom.  However, some pets need special attention and will need to be brought to your house.  Make sure you understand the risks before you bring someone else’s animal into your home.

Sell Things Around the House

There are many things around your house that you probably don’t use any more: old electronics, books, decorations, games, etc.  Help your children learn how to post things on local selling sites like Craigslist or KSL.  Give them a percentage of the sale if they do the footwork like taking pictures and posting the item.