How does your teenager EARN money?

[Spidermama]

DD will be 16 in September. DS is 14. They're both DESPERATE for money all the time. At 14 I had a Saturday job in a toy shop but there don't seem to be the jobs these days.

What do teenagers do to earn money. DD does a bit of babysitting but its not enough.

Thanks.

DS17 has a You tube channel that has taken off in a huge way, it started as a bit of fun just to entertain his mates and he now has 250,000 subscribers and makes a bloody good living from it. Has put off going to college etc to strike while the iron's hot and build up some savings.

Wow Petitgrain, he's living the dream!

Thanks. Some really good ideas on here which I'm already talking to her about. Bizarrely, her National Insurance number arrived in the post today, even though she's not 16 until September.

God, I wish I knew.

I share a house with my best friend and we both work full time. Her daughter (aka House teen (HT) ) is back from uni for hols. She was supposed to be working, but has sore leg (?) this hasn't stopped her going on city break to Rome, various trips to see pals, doing a nail course that involves travelling 30 miles on public transport etc.

HT lounges around watching crap TV and Disney DVDs. Expects me to cook her tea after an 11 hour working day.

Honestly, I could cry at times. I thought things were going to be different this summer, but they are worse than ever. She's using a bit of discomfort to get out of doing anything she doesn't want to do, like working, and expects to be waited on.

Haha tell me about it Spider and yet he still manages to be a miserable sod most of the time. Except when he's talking to his mates and fans, then he's the life and bloody soul. Bloody teenagers.

I have posted on a similar thread. Nowadays there are restrictions on how many hours (and when) school children can work which puts off companies. Are they into football because they can become a ref at 14. You will have to pay for the course and kit but the fees earned aren't bad. Obviously restricted to the footy season and matches can be cancelled at last minute because of the weather. My son does does it. We live in large town and have always had matches withing the town. Quite a few have been near enough for him to cycle.

DS1 (15) has had a paper round for a couple of years. He has also just done work exp in a café and they often call people in for part time bits.

Another good thing is to do lifeguard training and then work antisocial shifts at the local pool. You'd need to be 16 for that. Oooh yes footy ref too, well paid (£8/match here and you could do 4-5 matches on a Sunday morning).

Saturday job in a hairdresser's or similar? Can they ask around at local salons etc?

At 14, paper round and waitressing in the local tea shop.

At 16, the local supermarket.

At 16/17, a well-known department store.

Clary - my DS earns more than that! Don't know if each county FA dictates what is paid. He earns £26 for a 11 aside match, £21 for 9 aside and £16 for a 7 aside. Cash at the end of the match as well.

It's worth noting that having a NI number or being 16 isn't any particular advantage in most cases.

Sometimes insurance is easier firc16 year olds & in my line (children's drama classes) I can DbS check a 16 year old but the restrictions on the hours etc you can work apply until the last Friday in June of Year 11, not the 16th birthday.

These rules put a lot of companies off.

DD(18) waitresses in a cafe.
DS, before he went to Uni, washed dishes in a local restaurant.

Oh yeah £8 is from each team so £16. That's for 9-a-side, actually maybe 7-a-side. So pretty similar, may well be set by national FA.

DS1(19) started work in a Garden centre at 16, but it went bankrupt. He worked weekends in a clothes shop until the end of 6th form and then until last weekend he did about 30hours a week. He has just joined the Army.

DS2(17) works in a bakery at the weekend. He's been there a year. In the school holidays he works nearly every day.

I pay the refs for my dd's team. U12s, they play 9 a side, 30mins each way and the ref walks away with £23 here (£11.50 from each club)......£5.25 if they come out to call it off .

A friend's ds has been reffing since he was 16, he earns £57 for one match on a Sat and one on a Sunday, and of course only works a couple of hours each day - so if it's something your dc is in to, it's a good earner for them.

Should add that you do need a bit of backbone to be the ref tho - it's appalling but sadly true that refs at kids' footy matches will often get a lot of grief from the parents (I've seen it ) even though they are often clearly not much older than the kids who are playing.

DS1 (14) has been helping out at a restaurant owned by his friend's mum. It's pretty untaxing work (clearing tables and loading the dishwasher) for the equivalent of £5.50 an hour. It's pretty odd hours (evenings and early mornings) but only on avarage 3 or 4 x 6hr shifts a week. The real bonus is all the food he's given to bring home

From 14 mine delivered the free paper once a week (towing "the trolley of shame" behind them!) From 16 YD had job in local cafe and other two worked at McDonalds. Have to say, whatever you feel about McDs they were good employers, better than the cafe YD works at who have her most Sundays...unless they change their minds!!

DD isn't a teenager, but last year grew flowers & sold bunches from our driveway & then a local cafe asked to buy them so she had a regular customer. Obviously seasonal only and requires a garden, but for her it was a pretty easy way to earn some cash for a particular purpose.

A lot of the teens I know lifeguard which pays £8 per hour even for 16 year olds!

Clary - my son has been lucky in his first season that there has been a few comments but nothing like some of things I have heard. Parents threatening 14/15 yr old refs - shocking but they are told on their course how to deal with. We as parents were told not to get involved unless it really got serious. My daughter played football for years but she said herself she could not be a ref as she would probably cry if parents shouted at her.

My DD has had no problems with McDonalds. Along with other chains it is quite often possible to transfer if you go to uni and come home and work at home in the holidays. And as much as people slag off McDonalds there is always a hugh number of students working there so it is not a too thick to get a job anywhere else job.

This is an excellent thread, and I shall be waving it under the nose of my somewhat lazy 14yo DS. Reffing is one I hadn't thought of!

Babysitting, pot washer in local pub.

dd2 is 14 and works at a local bar as a waitress. Its awful pay (3.50ph) but she is happy and likes it so all well

I give mine his child benefit.. he's slightly early for it by 3 month but it was worth it. He has to do the whole school and whatnot thing out of it. Extra is chores and a 20 quid a month pocket money.

He's hunting for a paper round bless him, it's a struggle.