Parents often say, “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” This saying is much more than an excuse not to buy the latest toys. The value of money comes from labor. Adults have to earn it to live. We get our paychecks from the goods and services that we offer our employers, and in the same way, we give money for the goods and services that we receive from others.
Therefore, a child must learn that money is received when they have earned it. I recommended this idea to someone who was having trouble getting their teenager to do their chores, and his response was, “I don’t want to bribe her.” But if our employers did not bribe us, we would not work for them. We would find a better employer.
In earning money, children learn to balance wants with income. They can decide for themselves if the toy they want is really worth the effort of saving up to buy or if they want something else instead. No longer is it up to us to provide everything, and they learn how to make choices for themselves.
For us, I have a morning and evening routine. In the morning, they get themselves dressed and ready for the day, make their beds, and put away their pajamas. In the evening, they put on their pajamas, put away their dirty clothes, and clean up their toys. For each morning and for each evening routine they complete, they get a quarter, which could be fifty cents a day. Each week, their routines are posted on their doors.
Here are some ideas on teaching children the value of money:
1. Set up a lemonade or ice cream stand. Have them buy what they need out of their own allowance or have them pay you back from their earnings.
2. Set up an art gallery for them to sell their best artwork or arts and crafts, or have an art show and charge a small admission fee.
3. Help them offer their services to neighbors and friends for a small fee. Older children can start babysitting or lawn mowing businesses. Younger children can pick up sticks or plant flowers.
4. Plant a garden together and sell or trade your produce to your neighbors.
5. Write an illustrated children’s book together. Have it bound at a local shop, and sell it to family and friends.
6. Have a bake sale. The children can help plan, bake, and collect the money.
7. Have a garage sale, and let them select some of their old toys to sell.
8. Have a car wash.
By: Rita Webb
Posts Tagged ‘Excuse’
Money Matters – 8 Easy Activities to Teach the Value of Money
March 26th, 2010Recycle And Make Money
February 3rd, 2010
These days we are all being encouraged to recycle more and to find alternative uses for as much of our household waste as we possibly can. What better way to get rid of your rubbish than to find a more ecologically friendly use for it and make some money at the same time.
The truth of the matter is that there is very little that is thrown away on a daily basis by most of us that cannot be put to good use by someone else; it’s just a question of knowing how to go about disposing of it. So let’s examine just a few of the ways you can make and save money by recycling and adopting a greener approach to life.
Old computers and computer parts
Computers are an integral part of life in the 21st Century and these days it is not uncommon for households to have more than one, however, there are still many people who find it too expensive to buy new. If you have an old computer that is no longer any use to you, you could sell it on as a complete unit to someone else or strip it down and sell on each of the individual parts. Try placing an ad in your local supermarket or newspaper or advertising it online on sites like eBay. Just make sure that if you are selling it on as a whole, that you remove all your personal data and clean up your hard drive first.
Mobile phones
There are still thousands upon thousands of mobile phones thrown away each day when they could be sold on to someone else. Some people upgrade their phones each year and all too often their old one just gets dumped in the bin. There are many organisations that will pay for your old mobile, as long as it is in working order and has a battery and charger to go with it. This means that there is no excuse for any working mobile to end up in landfill whatsoever. A quick internet search will bring up a number of organisations that will purchase your mobile for cash. Many will even pay the postage for you to send it on to them.
Metal
Anything made from metal can be collected and sold on to a scrap dealer for cash.
Aluminum cans are also highly sought after because they are so easy to recycle and can be back on the shelves in as little as six weeks. There are a number of organisations that will pay you straight cash for cans and there are charities that will welcome cans so that they can claim the cash. Never be tempted to throw your old cans in the bin, it’s like throwing money away.
Car boot sales
Anything that you no longer require could be worth something to someone else so holding a car boot sale is a highly effective way of getting rid of your unwanted items. Yes it takes a little bit of effort to organise it but the rewards are worth it. Not only do you benefit by getting some cash, you help reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfill and you provide someone else with something that they want.
Other ways to save money and help protect the planet
- Invest in energy saving light bulbs, they last ten times as long, use up less electricity and although they cost a bit more to begin with, you still come out with more in your pocket after a matter of months.
- You could also try switching your energy provider to one that is more ‘green’ and you can get a list of these greener providers from the Green Electricity website.
- When the time comes for you to buy new household appliances, make sure they are energy efficient as these appliances cost less to run and will therefore save you money in the long term.
- Buy recycled Ink cartridges and make sure you recycle your old ones too. Ink cartridges can be refilled several times and cost less than the original cartridge to buy.
- When buying goods that require batteries, try to use rechargeable ones and not the ones that are discarded after a single use. Rechargeable batteries are more cost effective and are less damaging to the environment.
Once you get into the true spirit of recycling, which means reducing the amount of waste you produce in the first place, finding other uses for as much as you possibly can and then disposing of the rest in an environmentally friendly way, recycling can be a lot of fun. There is a huge amount of satisfaction to be gained from finding new and creative ways to give an old item a new lease of life or by selling on your waste for a little bit of cash. Always remember that one person’s trash really is another person’s treasure.
By: David Mcevoy
Odd Jobs to Earn Money – Something No One Ever Has Tried Before!
January 21st, 2010
When would you define something as “odd”? I guess the answer is – When anything goes out of the routine, or happens against the run of play, you would call the event odd. A similar analogy can be applied to jobs as well, though the discussion can get subjective here. The only reason for that is – What may seem as odd to someone else may be perfectly okay by you! Thus, odd jobs to earn money opportunities can be aplenty because each of our tastes differs with us.
Let us take this example for odd jobs. Assume your entire locality is a very health conscious one and they normally do not go out binge-eating. What if you open up a small donut stall in your locality that would tempt them into binge-eating? Yes, you may be able to break the habit of people by forcing them to do something they did not want to do, but at the end of the day, you will still be able to earn good money.
Now, the question is – Will people fall for your odd jobs? Going with the previous example, you would find that if your donuts are tasty and inviting enough, people can no ways stay off them. And they can also give the excuse, “I just did it for one day”. In essence thus, you would find that your odd job should cater and appeal enough to people.
Odd jobs to earn money – This is indeed an interesting aspect for people, especially considering that these opportunities, if done well, can give you some money alright.
By: Jamie Hunter
