Earning and saving money is an important lesson for everyone. Whether you receive an allowance or do not, there are always opportunities for you to find other ways to earn money as well. Summer is a great way to kick-start those money-making ideas, and have fun with it!
Do you walk your neighbor’s dog every week? Do you have a lot of aluminum cans in the recycling bin? There are probably already small things in your day to day life that you can turn into a way to make some extra money!
“This is my brothers and I selling lemonade for NMG.We made fourty-five dollars!” Guinevere, 15, Arizona
Here are a few ideas on how some New Moon Girls have learned to earn money:
- Avani, 13, Colorado gives her tips on dog walking and how to use publicity.
- Depending on your city, Jessi, 12, California says you can collect your bottles and cans and turn them into a recycling dump.
- Lizzie, 12, Colorado likes the idea of a garage sale, and even thought to sell your old issues of New Moon Girls in order to get other girls interested!
- Shania, 12, Pennsylvania thought up hosting a lemonade stand, or substituting lemonade for another drink. It’s a great way to make a little money and would be very appreciated by the neighbors on a hot sunny day!
Once you have brainstormed your choice of work, tried it for a couple weeks or the whole summer, and have earned some money, it is now time to think of what to do with it! Did you have a reward in mind? Or were you planning on saving it?
It is important to think of your options before you spend the money you have earned.
- Save it for a rainy day! You could place some in a piggy bank, or ask your parents about opening a savings account at a bank! Then, you can continue adding extra change you make here and there throughout the school year.
- Donate it! Is there a charity or organization that you feel passionate about? Every little bit helps, and your donation could go a long way to helping others.
- Reward yourself. Is there something that you’ve had your eye on that you can finally afford now? Think about it and decide if this is something worth spending the money you worked so hard to earn on. If you buy something without really thinking about it (sometimes called “impulse shopping”) sometimes you’ll end up regretting it, and wondering why you spent the money you worked nearly 3 months for on something that broke the day you bought it. If you decide on something you really need or want, ask your parents if they’ll take you to buy it – after all, you earned it!
- A little bit of everything! You don’t always have to choose one thing or the other when it comes to deciding what to do with your money. A responsible choice could be to spend a little and save the rest. That way, you get to see the fruits of your labor by treating yourself to an ice cream cone, and also feel good knowing you saved some of your money, too!
“I found an old dress at a garage sale. I took it home and using the sewing machine from my childhood I made it fit perfectly and casually. I hope you like my work i may just like auction it off or put it in a raffle!” Pantalamion, 13, Virginia
Earning money on your own and deciding how to spend it and save it responsibly is an important thing to learn early on. Learning good habits and strategies with your money will help you all the way into adulthood! It can also be a real challenge. So if you plan on earning money this summer, give yourself a pat on the back for all your hard work!
Will you try earning money this summer? What will you do? Let us know in the comments below!
Whitney
New Moon Intern
