The main Novel I am writing is called 15 money making ideas and is for kids ages 8-18. It has a number of great ideas all year round. I might include some holiday themed ones too. If you have any ideas please post them. So far I have: Babysitting, Snow shoveling, raking leaves, assorted sales (ex: bake sale, et cetera) Toy Auction, Lemonade/food/drink stand as well as House sitter and Pet sitter. Any ideas?
Here is one of the ideas, all edited and fixed up:
A Guide to Snow Shoveling
A lot of people think that snow shoveling is simple, easy. Well, it's not always as easy as people tend to think, but it can be if you know how to do it properly.
First off, you need to decide: do you want a team of kids, or are you just going to do it on your own? If you do it on your own, you will have to put in much more effort, the work will be difficult, you will not be able to take on as many jobs,. Then again, you won't have to split the money you earn. If you have a team of kids you will put in less effort, take on more jobs, but you will have to share your earnings. You should decide what's best for you.
Appearence
You want to appear experienced to the costumer. One time, a teenager came to my door and simply pointed to his shovel. You won't get too many costumers by doing that.
If you want to look proffesional you are going to have to know what to say. If you stutter or talk very quietly it will appear to the costumer that you have no or little experience. You should have something simple and quick prepared beforehand. For instance: "Would you like us to shovel your driveway?" and then, when they ask you how much the service would cost, be prepared to give your price for everything: For instance:"The driveway is $5.00 d but the front and back porches as well as the walkway are another $3.00 $ each"
Equipment
You do not need a very expensive shovel. A simple but sturdy plastic one will do. Large ones are much stronger and better for driveways, while smaller ones are better for edges and smaller areas such as porches, walkways, et cetera.
Money and Prices
It is much easier to have one price for everything than to have a long speech listing a different price for each section. One of the most difficult challenges is deciding your price. More costumers will, of course, take a lower price, which allows you, in turn, to take on more jobs. However, if you have a higher price, you will be able to make a lot more money in one spot.
I've seen prices anywhere from $1.50 to $20.00, although most prices are between $5.00 and $10.00 or below. My price is $5$ for everything: driveway, front and back porches, and walkway. If the customer has something to be shoveled besides the sections listed - tops of cars, small sheds, et cetera -, it is an extra dollar. . But that's just me. Depending on your area and the sizes of driveways, prices can vary.
Snow shoveling can be a lot of hard work. But you can also earn a fair bit of cash. Just a little while ago, a friend of mine went out shoveling for a couple hours and made $125.00! (She had to split in with her teammate though) So there you go. Another money making idea and my chosen favourite.
