Turning time into money

Bored kids can ruin the summer holidays, but keeping them busy while earning good cash can bring back peace of mind, notes FARZANA SHAKIR.

With the kids’ whoop of joy for the summer holidays comes the woe of parents who have to keep them constructively occupied, out of harm’s way and happy for six long weeks. And as any parent would vouch, it’s never easy! Safe physical or mental exertion and happiness of kids rarely go hand in hand, unless there are rewards involved.  So this summer, why not encourage your older children to seek paid work? It can be a perfect antidote to boredom, they can spend their time wisely while learning something and earn some cash (which can be very rewarding) to spend on little luxuries.

Getting kids to earn a little money during the holidays can boost their confidence enormously and give them a taste of things to come as they step out into the practical world.  It also gives them a chance to be introduced to, as well as hone essential skills like customer service, punctuality and honesty. Yes, this could be a perfect solution to the summer vacation angst for parents, but before you get over-enthusiastic remember we live in peculiar times where the world is becoming an increasingly dangerous place, especially for kids. Their safety is your responsibility, so check out any job offers or money-making schemes vigilantly. Keep track of your child by requesting the employer’s contact details and checking out all credentials. 

And now all scaremongering aside, kids, here are some easy ways to get you excited about working hard and earning well:

Offer to babysit

If you have friends or family with small children, you can offer to babysit them during the holidays. Parents who work are usually on the lookout for responsible supervision for their children during the summer holidays. Make your services stand out by offering to charge less than a vacation care or a child care provider. Demonstrate caring and responsible behaviour and get family and friends to provide testimonials. You don’t have to do the job every day, even a couple of days a week can earn you enough for a decent weekend splurge while saving your employers some dough too.

Mow lawns, rake leaves, wash windows

All of these are easy chores for youngsters, but elderly neighbours or working families who don’t have time to do these maintenance jobs themselves often hire professionals to do them instead. Ask around if you could tackle such chores for them or even  ask mum and dad if they will part with some chump change in exchange for the lawn being mown or for any other odd jobs around the house during the holidays. Again, the key is in offering your services for less because even if the job is not of professional standards, the people hiring you won’t feel cheated.

Wash cars

If you have a car dealer in the area, ask around if you could help with washing the cars. More often than not family and friends will be willing to appoint your services for washing their car for a small sum. Throw in vacuuming and detailing for a little extra.

Put your cooking or baking skills to use

The summer holidays are a perfect time to utilize your cooking or baking skills, and turn them into cash. If you cook something particularly well ask your local Indian or sub-continental grocers if they will sell your product. They are usually quite happy to try out new items as there’s a huge demand for homemade goodies like mithai, cookies, samosas etc., in the local community. Also, network with family and friends and offer to make items for their gatherings or parties. Charge a reasonable price; give the clients value for their money and you could have a business going which will keep your pockets lined even well after the holidays.

Deliver newspapers and catalogues

This is a good way of making a quick buck. Ask your local news agency, as there’re always on the lookout for delivery people and the money isn’t bad either. Register your interest for daily or weekend work. It is usually just a few hours a day in the morning, provides good exercise and leaves you with plenty of time to pursue other interests during the day.

These are just a few ideas to get you started, but remember that you are only limited by your own imagination. So if you’re good at anything, think of how you can make it work for you. After all, money never starts an idea; it’s the idea that starts the money.  Be courteous and honest in your dealings and do your best to deliver optimum results. Most importantly, be proactive in advertising and marketing your skills and learn good customer service techniques while always working relentlessly to build your network. Often it is not so much the skills, but the contacts that get you the job.  Now get cracking if you’re serious about milking the cash cow, and with a little luck you will be splashing about in it in no time.

A very happy and prosperous holiday to all those young entrepreneurs and millionaires in the making out there!