How to Earn Pocket Money

Co-authored by Jessie Davidson

Last Updated: December 16, 2024 Approved

Though it may not be possible to get a proper job just yet, there are still ways for you to earn some spending money while helping your family and community. With a little creative thinking, you can find the perfect money making opportunity for you. Here's how to look to parents, neighbors, and friends not for handouts, but for opportunity.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Earning Money From Your Parents

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Request an allowance. Do you routinely prepare for trash day, sweep up when necessary, and pitch in toward a functional house? Many of these tasks may be considered part of your chores or expectations, but extra effort may be rewarded. Most parents like to see their kids attempting to be responsible with money, so ask them for a weekly or monthly allowance.
- Negotiate a fair amount of money for the work that you do. Don't expect them to pay you $/£20 for nothing. They may expect you to complete a few more household chores since they are paying you regularly.
- Think about how you will justify this allowance. Why do you need it? Why do you deserve it? Be prepared to give your parents good reasons if asked.
- Common tasks that parents pay their children allowance to complete include: cleaning your room, emptying and loading the dishwasher, vacuuming, washing and folding laundry, and dusting.^{[1]
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Look for opportunities for some extra cash in less common tasks. Think of any "someday" projects your parents have been talking about. Does Mom keep saying she needs to organize her tools in the garage? Does she always talk about reorganizing the pantry? Does Dad want his shop organized? Great! Come up with a plan to complete those tasks and present it to your parents along with your asking price. Present a reasonable plan with a realistic price and, after a little follow-through, you've got a payday.

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If you are trying to make money from your parents, don't hurt your chances by acting up. Arguing with your siblings, talking back to your parents, and breaking the rules may result in them taking away your allowance or punishing you by requiring you to do the work for no money.
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Use the money your parents give you smartly. If your parents give you money for drinks, snacks, or sweets when you go to school or out with your friends, spend that money smartly. Instead of using all of it, maybe limit yourself to a can of coke or lemonade and put your other money away for later. That way you can still enjoy yourself, but save a little for later.
- If your parents send you into a store to pick up a few items, ask them if you can have the change. If they expect the money back, ask them can you keep the coins. Pennies, pounds and other coins quickly add up.
If you've already got a savings account, talk to your parents about moving your money into an account which gains interest - that is, one that grows your money. They might not know much about these accounts, and that's okay. Ask if they would go with you to a bank or credit union so you can all ask questions about ways to save and grow your money.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Earning Money from Your Community

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Start a neighborhood business. There are many things people in your neighborhood would pay you to do. Think about things you are interested in, things you are good at, and what you can physically do. Some good business ideas are:
- Taking care of lawns. You can mow them, rake leaves, clean up debris, and shovel snow. Charge different prices based on the size of the yard and the size of the job. Remember, always be fair and reasonable.^{[2]
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- Pet walking and pet sitting. Offer to walk dogs for your neighbors, or feed their cats or dogs when they go out of town. If you pet sit, you can charge by the day. Just make sure you like animals because pet sitting can get a little dirty.
- Dog washing. Wash dogs for your neighbors, and even brush them afterwards.
- Washing cars. Wash the outsides of cars, and even clean the insides, too. If you get a few friends together, you can hold a community car wash.
- Spray painting numbers on curbs. This could help emergency vehicles find homes if the numbers are not obvious on the house or mailbox. All you'd need is a couple of cans of spray paint and a number stencil.
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Babysit. One popular way that young people make money is by babysitting. Approach families with young children and let them know you would be willing to babysit for them.
- Think of reasons why you are qualified for babysitting. Most parents will want to know that you are responsible and have worked with children before. If possible, put together references of people you have babysat for before, or family members who have watched you babysit younger cousins during family events.
- Make sure you are prepared for babysitting. It is not an easy job, but a huge responsibility. You are responsible for the safety and well-being of the child while they are under your care. If you're not comfortable with that, find an alternate job.
Instead of limiting yourself to one job, be willing to do lots of odd jobs for the community. Adults have all sorts of things to do that they don't want to do but haven't even considered paying someone else to do it for them. So you've got to suggest it to them. Window cleaning, garage cleaning, gardening, or cleaning gutters are only a few of the things you can offer. Ask around the community to see what the neighbors would be willing to pay you to do. Make sure people know you will do most odd jobs.
Elderly people sometimes have jobs around their house they can't do, or errands that need running. Offer to help them around their house and yard. Run errands, like going to the store or post office, if they need it.
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Market your availability. A sign advertising your skills and experience can bring in business from community members. Many locations such as libraries, churches, and post offices provide space for these public notices. Check with your parents for suggestions on safe places to advertise your work and what type of contact information to provide.
- You might want to use your computer to print up fliers or business cards to distribute around the community. On the flier or business card, describe who you are, what you are offering to do, and how to contact you.
- Go door to door to introduce yourself. When you first start a business, you need to promote it. In addition to fliers, try going around to the houses in your neighborhood to introduce yourself. People might be more willing to hire you if they see your face and meet.^{[3]
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- Don't be discouraged if people say no.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Money Other Ways

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Sell unwanted items. Take the unwanted clothes, games, toys, and other stuff lying around your room and sell it. This is a good way of not only earning money, but getting rid of clutter.
- Get your parents to help you sell it on eBay or Craigslist. You can sell everything from clothes to toys on there.
- Sell it at school if its allowed. Your peers will be into similar things and just because you are finished with something does not mean that someone else wont want it. ^{[4]
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- Take your clothes and shoes to a consignment shop. Consignment shops pay money for quality, second-hand items. Some consignment shops will even take toys. Make sure the items are in good quality so you get the best price.
- Sell your old video games and video game systems back to gaming stores. Or try selling them on eBay or Amazon.
- Have a yard sale. This might not be easy since your parents will have to do a lot of work, but maybe you can convince them to share some of the profits from their sales if you do a lot of the organizing work.^{[5]
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Are you good at math, language arts, or science? Did you ace your standardized tests? If so, you can tutor kids younger than you in your community. Tutoring sessions usually last 30 minutes to an hour, once or twice a week.
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Offer music lessons. If you are an experienced musician, think about giving music lessons to people in your community - both young and old. Teach people how to play the piano, the guitar, the flute, or the violin. Use your years of hard work and practice to your advantage now.
- Offer your musical services for a fee at local events. Play the piano at a reception, play the guitar at a wedding, or play the violin at a local festival.
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Sell individual skills. Do you know sign language? Then you can sell your time as an interpreter. If you Learn HTML or a programming language, people or companies can hire you to build websites and applications.
- If you're good at drawing and painting, think about painting faces at birthday parties and other events for a small fee.
The holidays are an extremely busy time for families. Offer to help them in various ways. Help them decorate their house, bake, wrap presents, and address greeting card envelopes. People always need a little extra help during such busy times.^{[6]
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Baking, knitting, crocheting, sewing, and making crafts can be extremely lucrative. Bake cookies, cupcakes, cakes, pies, and cinnamon rolls and sell them. Crotchet and knit scarves, hats, and gloves. If you're extremely good at crocheting, consider crocheting small animals. If you're good at sewing, sew dresses and clothes for people, or offer to darn their clothes by sewing up tears and sewing buttons back on.
Some states offer money for cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles. Others pay for the aluminum. Find out the recycling incentives in your area and start collecting. Start with the cans and bottles from your own home, but also go around the community to find cans and bottles lying around. You're not only making money, but you're cleaning your community and helping the environment.

Join the Discussion...

Best way to make some extra money?

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WikiTapirGlider952

I work full time and am looking for a flexible side hustle that I can do to make extra money in my free time. I'm trying to save up for my first... Read More

WikiGnuTamer434

Have you looked into donating plasma at all? If there's a clinic nearby, you can usually donate twice a week and get paid around $50 each time. N... Read More

WikiTapirGlider952

ok donating plasma is for sure going on my to-do list haha. just donating plasma 2x a week would pay for my groceries. would love other ideas for... Read More

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Tips

Be patient when you're trying to find work, as it can take a while.

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Make a budget. Prioritize things you want to buy so you don't spend your money on unnecessary things.

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Warnings

These may not be the quickest ways of earning money, but if you're persistent, spend wisely and save even more than you spend, you'll be on the way to financial responsibility.

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