At Coosa Valley Credit Union, you may have noticed we have a thing for kids. We blog about your kids' financial education, participate in Credit Union Youth Month in April, teach financial literacy at our local schools and help kids learn to save with our Savings Crew.
We. love. kids.
And we want our local young ones to thrive. One of the best ways to nurture the next generation is to teach the correlation between work and money.
While lemonade stands are cool, and babysitting is smart, what some jobs for kids that can be done a little more regularly?
We're glad you asked.
Here are 4 real jobs kids can do to earn dough and learn persistence needed for a healthy financial future.
Opportuntiy #1: Mowing Lawns
We'll start off with an old-fashioned one because some values simply deserve to be learned by every generation. Working outside is good for kids in more ways than one. Mowing yards can be as simple as going door-to-door in your own neighborhood or as involved as joining a landscape architect to learn a lifelong trade. One thing is sure, though: grass needs to be cut, again and again, so your child will learn the skill of staying on top of a job beyond the first payout.
Opportunity #2: Tutoring
Have your child put their strengths to work for them by signing up to tutor other kids. Young children adore their older peers, and this respect often translates into a motivation to please. When it comes to homework, this dynamic is especially beneficial for the student, and so rewarding for their tutor.
Plus, teaching is the best way to learn, so he or she will simultaneously strengthen his or her own knowledge as he works.
Opportunity #3: Contractor for Your Small Business
If you've ever started a side gig or launched your own business, you know good help can be hard to find. Maybe it's time to start looking closer to home. Kids are the perfect contractors for so many reasons. They are familiar with the pain points of your work, since they're around you all the time and hear you discuss the in's and out's of your company. Plus, what better way to groom your eventual replacement and plant seeds of ownership than to teach your kid the ropes?
If you have an LLC, you can 10-99 your kids for age-appropriate tasks, so you're not paying the taxes you would with a W2 employee. If you're really savvy, you can encourage your kid to put that into a Roth IRA for future wealth building. Having those funds grow tax-free is a lesson in both earning and delayed gratification. And as you know, consistent contributions to an IRA plus time equals huge returns. Kids might not earn a lot, but they have time on their side.
Potential age-appropriate tasks for kids in your business may include:
- Administrative work like shredding old client information (under your supervision) or answering phone calls and taking messages
- Taking pictures of your operation for social media posts or marketing material
- Cleaning the office
- Prepping coffee
- Cataloguing inventory
- Alphabetizing your files
- Researching potential philanthropic efforts and coordinating do-good outreach in the community
- Data entry
If your kids are old enough to realize the benefits of investing, this gig's for them. And if they're not, this is still the gig for them.
Opportunity #4: Car Washing
Some jobs for kids can be taken from a one-time hustle to a consistent income stream. Washing cars for neighbors is one of those opportunities. Simply teach your child to follow up after initial sales to see whether clients are ready for another wash.
Hopefully, this list has gotten your wheels turning. Have your child check out this list of potential career options for more inspiration on what he can do for pay.
Image Source: Bethany Johnson