Easy Ways for Kids to Make Extra Money This Summer

Let's face it, everyone could stand to use a little extra cash, but getting a job is not always an option, especially if you are not old enough for steady employment. Here are some easy ways to make some extra money at little or no cost to you.

Start a lemonade stand -- This old classic is a great first venture into making some money. It works especially well for young children. Most of the supplies you need are already around the house, and chances are mom will chip in with the initial purchase of lemonade/drink mix too. A lemonade stand works best on hot days when a lot of people are outside (weekends, etc), and when it's in a place everyone can find it, like near the sidewalk. The best part is you can take the money from your first day of sales and buy even more supplies. When I was a kid some years back, we'd set up for a few hours and make at least $10, which was a lot of money to us back then. It's not difficult.

Mow lawns -- Lawn mowing is one of those great recession-proof services. This means that even when times are tough, lawns still need to be mowed, so there is always a chance that someone nearby would pay to have their lawn mowed. To get started, ask around the neighborhood, or post a flyer on a few telephone poles on your street. (Do not leave flyers inside a mailbox as those are US property and you are not supposed to do that.) Good potential customers would be: people who are very busy, those with small children, people going on vacation but still needing the lawn kept up, and senior citizens. In the winter, all the above info also applies to shoveling snow.

Many young adults have started successful landscaping businesses by starting out mowing lawns, then using the profits to buy more yard tools, get larger accounts, etc. This is great work and you can set your own hours!

Do yard work -- This goes hand in hand with lawn mowing. You could offer to pull weeds, plant flowers, use a weed whacker, plant seeds, trim hedges, etc. Chances are the homeowner (if it's someone you know) will let you use their tools, or perhaps your parents or neighbors have tools you can borrow until you buy your own.

Take trash out -- The elderly, families with new babies, or even just plain old busy people could benefit from help taking the trash and recyclables to the curb.

Walk dogs -- this is a great job that usually will net you repeat business, because dogs need to go out more than once a day. This is a great service for people working long hours or who go out of town often and don't want to put the dog in a kennel. Chances are someone you know, or who lives near you, could benefit from having their dogs walked.

Be a pet sitter -- This is an extension of dog walking. Anyone on vacation will either have to hire someone to take care of their pets, take the pets with them, or put the pets in a kennel. Most people would prefer to let the animals stay home, so this can easily net you some cash every day. If you love animals, this is a great job -- you get to play with them a bit, take them out, and just make sure they are fed and have water. The pets keep you company too!

Pick items up from the store -- Senior citizens and friendly neighbors often need a thing or two from the store. Perhaps your own parents do, too. You could offer to pick things up for them and at very least, they usually will let you keep the change. For older kids, this could expand into full-out grocery shopping/purchases of more expensive items for a fee.

Wash cars -- Every car gets dirty and needs washed at some point. You could wash cars in your driveway or in the car owner's driveway. On a larger scale, you could raise money for your local team, youth group, etc. washing cars with your friends in a parking lot, church parking lot, and so on.

Babysit -- This is another great odd job that is recession proof. This job is especially fun if you don't mind hanging out and playing with younger children. Babysitters can make pretty good money, too. The more kids to watch, the more you can charge per hour/per session.

Sell earthworms -- This may sound like a strange idea but is very lucrative and it's easy money. One of the best fishing baits is good ol' earthworms, and worms can be found for free after dusk out on the grass. This is especially true when the grass is wet with dew. To keep worms short-term, store them in any kind of container such as a clean paint can, full of dirt and wet newspaper. There are loads of instruction online on how to raise worms, too. Many people into organic farming love worms as worms help recycle compost and are great for soil. This is one business that is really easy to get into for virtually no money at all.

Do odd jobs -- Anything that you see that needs done is a potential source of money: painting a fence, picking up fallen branches, cleaning out the inside of a car or a garage, etc. The possibilities are limitless. Think of some of the senior citizens or others in the neighborhood who may need help with something and chances are you can find yourself a way to make some quick cash. The best part is, there will always be something to do if you look around enough! Those eager to earn some extra cash should have no trouble at all finding ways to do so. Happy job hunting!