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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

13 yo - earn money around the house?

26 replies

TheOrigRights · 01/08/2022 09:49

He wants money.
I'm not paying him for stuff he should be doing anyway, or for general household jobs (keeping his room tidy, laundry, putting the bins out etc).
We don't have a lawn.
I do have a car so he can wash that.
I need it to be something that doesn't involve me at all because I am working.
So I don't think he's quite ready to sell his clothes w/o me checking.
There are LOADS of drawers and cupboards which could be sorted through, but again I don't want everything to be piled out and then him not know what to do with things and then they just sit around until I do it.

What are yours doing to to earn money?

OP posts:
NuffSaidSam · 01/08/2022 09:54

Clean the windows
Clean the bathroom
Hoover all through
Walk the dog/clean the fishtank/hamster cage if that is beyond what he would normally do.
Ironing
Cook dinner - I'd say once a week he should do that anyway, but beyond that could be paid.
Run errands

alnawire · 01/08/2022 09:58

What are yours doing to to earn money?

I just gave them pocket money.

Original poster
TheOrigRights · 01/08/2022 10:29

NuffSaidSam · 01/08/2022 09:54

Clean the windows
Clean the bathroom
Hoover all through
Walk the dog/clean the fishtank/hamster cage if that is beyond what he would normally do.
Ironing
Cook dinner - I'd say once a week he should do that anyway, but beyond that could be paid.
Run errands

We have a window cleaner.
Cleaning bathroom isn't a paid job IMO, likewise hoover, or cook dinner.
No pets. We have nothing to iron.
What sort of errands would your 13 year old do?

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOrigRights · 01/08/2022 10:30

alnawire · 01/08/2022 09:58

What are yours doing to to earn money?

I just gave them pocket money.

He gets pocket money, but wants to earn more for some high end things. It's also useful for me if he's occupied.

OP posts:
Libre2 · 01/08/2022 11:16

Mine had a paper round. Went out and signed up for it, which impressed me massively! It's only a fiver a week as it's only on Sundays but still.

NuffSaidSam · 01/08/2022 11:35

TheOrigRights · 01/08/2022 10:29

We have a window cleaner.
Cleaning bathroom isn't a paid job IMO, likewise hoover, or cook dinner.
No pets. We have nothing to iron.
What sort of errands would your 13 year old do?

Show quote history

In terms of errands:

Take stuff to the post office
Shopping (beyond the normal pick up a loaf of bread).
Take stuff to/from dry cleaners
Pick up/drop off younger siblings to things
Just general delivering things to places!

But if your 13 year old is cleaning the family bathroom, hoovering all through and cooking all the family dinners as part of normal chores I think we may be on different pages! Also, you may find it hard to find extra for him to do.

Libre2 · 01/08/2022 11:47

NuffSaidSam · 01/08/2022 11:35

In terms of errands:

Take stuff to the post office
Shopping (beyond the normal pick up a loaf of bread).
Take stuff to/from dry cleaners
Pick up/drop off younger siblings to things
Just general delivering things to places!

But if your 13 year old is cleaning the family bathroom, hoovering all through and cooking all the family dinners as part of normal chores I think we may be on different pages! Also, you may find it hard to find extra for him to do.

Show quote history

Yes, it's as much as ours do to put their own washing away and empty the dishwasher. Any tips OP?

Original poster
TheOrigRights · 01/08/2022 11:50

Libre2 · 01/08/2022 11:16

Mine had a paper round. Went out and signed up for it, which impressed me massively! It's only a fiver a week as it's only on Sundays but still.

He has a paper round - well literally one paper for a week!
Our local newsagent doesn't deliver papers, but this one guy still gets his paper delivered by some sort of personal arrangement. DS is taking over from the usual boy for one week.
It's a start and will get him up and out by 9am for 5 days!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOrigRights · 01/08/2022 11:54

*In terms of errands:

Take stuff to the post office
Shopping (beyond the normal pick up a loaf of bread).
Take stuff to/from dry cleaners
Pick up/drop off younger siblings to things
Just general delivering things to places!

But if your 13 year old is cleaning the family bathroom, hoovering all through and cooking all the family dinners as part of normal chores I think we may be on different pages! Also, you may find it hard to find extra for him to do.*

Stuff to PO might work, but I don't do that very often.
Shopping is hard as we live rurally so I'd have to take him to town. I get online groceries.
No dry cleaning.
No younger siblings.

No, he isn't going all that housework! I will have a think about doing a proper deep clean of the bathroom and maybe some kitchen cupboards and deep dusting (removing books etc).
He does cook a couple of times a week. It doesn't sit well with me to then pay him to cook more meals - unless he really wants to I suppose. I am still his Mum so don't want him to get to adult hood and remember mainly that his Mum paid him to cook dinner!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOrigRights · 01/08/2022 11:56

Yes, it's as much as ours do to put their own washing away and empty the dishwasher. Any tips OP?

Sorry, I think I didn't explain well. I think you've hit something though - it seems odd for me to pay him to do extra cleaning etc when I'm working on him putting his laundry away, not actually sleeping with dumped wet towels in his bed, and bringing his crockery down.

OP posts:
NuffSaidSam · 01/08/2022 12:02

Why don't you pay him to come up with a list of things that he could do for money? Instead of getting us to do it 😂

It seems quite a challenge and would at least keep him busy!

Original poster
TheOrigRights · 01/08/2022 12:06

NuffSaidSam · 01/08/2022 12:02

Why don't you pay him to come up with a list of things that he could do for money? Instead of getting us to do it 😂

It seems quite a challenge and would at least keep him busy!

OMG - imagine!
It would be akin to asking a toddler to dress themselves appropriately for the day!

I'll ask him and see what he comes up with.

OP posts:
TollgateDebs · 01/08/2022 12:18

I think this is a great idea and reinforces that money is not a wave of the plastic!!

13 yo - earn money around the house?
Libre2 · 01/08/2022 12:22

Ohhhh I am loving the job board!!! I might up the prices a bit - I can’t see mine doing anything for 20p though!

Original poster
TheOrigRights · 01/08/2022 16:21

I like the job board, too. I'd consider adding normal household jobs on it just to get him to shift his arse!

I have found a job for him!
He is doing an inventory of over 200 of his Grandad's vinyl. Sadly his Grandad is in a care home so won't have use for these (he has a pile of his favourite and a turntable). I want to sell them (on his behalf) to someone who will make good use out of them, so an inventory is the first step.
He's got his Excel spreadsheet up and running and is learning about music as he goes.

OP posts:
monsterastuckiosa · 01/08/2022 20:46

He sounds fab. Good for him.

I don't know how you'd feel about this, but at 14 DSS popped a note through all our neighbours' doors saying something along the lines of "I'm too young to get a proper job, but I'm looking to earn some extra money. If there's something you need doing that you don't feel like doing, come and knock on our door!"

He ended up taking care of one family's plants and cat for a week while they were away on holiday, washing someone's motorbike, sorting out someone else's garage, and actually got 2 weeks' 'work experience' assisting one neighbour who was a carpenter and needed an extra pair of hands on a job... Over one summer he made around 500 euros.

Depends on your neighbours, of course, but might be worth a pop?

Original poster
TheOrigRights · 01/08/2022 23:04

monsterastuckiosa · 01/08/2022 20:46

He sounds fab. Good for him.

I don't know how you'd feel about this, but at 14 DSS popped a note through all our neighbours' doors saying something along the lines of "I'm too young to get a proper job, but I'm looking to earn some extra money. If there's something you need doing that you don't feel like doing, come and knock on our door!"

He ended up taking care of one family's plants and cat for a week while they were away on holiday, washing someone's motorbike, sorting out someone else's garage, and actually got 2 weeks' 'work experience' assisting one neighbour who was a carpenter and needed an extra pair of hands on a job... Over one summer he made around 500 euros.

Depends on your neighbours, of course, but might be worth a pop?

He is fab, thank you.

I will broach your idea with him, but I'm not sure he's confident enough. Also, we live in a small village and the 16 yo daughter of close friends of mine has her own "business" looking after plants/gardens and pets. I guess he could ask her to consider him if she gets too much work, or is going away herself.
I'm smiling thinking about his response to me suggesting he talk to a 16 yo girl!

OP posts:
Goodskin46 · 02/08/2022 06:17

Dd(15) cleaned the bathrooms for me this week, she also regularly does the ironing for cash. Most of the others have been mentioned cleaning the car ( inside and out), hanging the washing out is a good one.

Original poster
TheOrigRights · 02/08/2022 09:47

I don't iron and I don't think pegging the washing out should be a paid task.

Today he's doing his records task, so it's all good for the moment.

OP posts:
user1487194234 · 03/08/2022 20:04

We just paid them an allowance

Original poster
TheOrigRights · 03/08/2022 20:09

user1487194234 · 03/08/2022 20:04

We just paid them an allowance

Have you read the thread?

OP posts:
changingroom · 03/08/2022 20:21

If he is sorting records get him to look on ebay the sold price of the same record and add it to the spreadsheet. Takes a bit of time and worth it in the long run, may turn up a few hidden gems. Maybe offer 10% of anything worth over £5 and get him to add that to the spreadsheet too, summer holiday maths by stealth!

Original poster
TheOrigRights · 03/08/2022 22:35

@changingroom that's a great idea, thank you.

OP posts:
stealthninjamum · 03/08/2022 22:42

You said you don’t have a lawn but do you have a patio or driveway he could clean? Dd swept the patio a few weeks ago and removed the weeds that had grown through the cracks. If there wasn’t about to be a hosepipe ban I’d pay her to jetwash the drive. In the autumn I sometimes pay her to sweep up leaves.

Original poster
TheOrigRights · 04/08/2022 00:09

stealthninjamum · 03/08/2022 22:42

You said you don’t have a lawn but do you have a patio or driveway he could clean? Dd swept the patio a few weeks ago and removed the weeds that had grown through the cracks. If there wasn’t about to be a hosepipe ban I’d pay her to jetwash the drive. In the autumn I sometimes pay her to sweep up leaves.

Yes, we do have a patio and indeed he could clean it! It would be a big job (good!) because I don't have a pressure washer, so he'd have to use a scrubbing brush and elbow grease!
The patio people did a great job because even after 15 years or so there are no weeds growing through the gaps.
We don't have a front garden, just a shared path and each homeowner looks after their own bit. That does get weedy so that's something else he could do.

OP posts: