Lemonade stand 101: Make money like a kid again

Lemonade Stand RecessionNow that we all are working professionals, we rarely reflect on the question adults used to pose time and time again, what do you want to be when you grow up? Even if we aren’t spending our nine-to-five days being ballerinas or space cowboys, Generation Y can benefit from looking at our dreams of the past. Remember the days of lemonade stands, and learn to make money like a kid again.

Mowing grass to let your green grow

With the summer months approaching, many Americans seek assistance with lawn and garden maintenance. Print out a few flyers to distribute among neighbors and friends, letting them know of your services, available time slots, and payment information. Matt Owens, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado started up a lawn mowing business with a couple of his buddies while they were home for the summer from college. Within months, the business grew to a fully sustainable corporation, and now runs under the name Mowens Property Service, Incorporated.

Bakes sales to avoid burning out your checking account

Is cooking your specialty? Try to set aside a few times per month to bring sweets, trail mix, or breakfast burritos to your workplace for quick cash. Tell your co-workers about your emerging business to gain credibility and a consistent customer base. Make sure to start out small; leftover unsold food produces waste, and thus, loss of profit. After time, you should be able to gauge the amount of food to bring for Munchies Mondays, Taco Tuesday, or YOUR NAME HERE’S Snack Hour.

Paper routes: routing paper to your bank weekly

You don’t need a bike or a set of lime green retainers to make money with a paper route. Check with your local newsagent to see what routes are available in your area, and once employed, your wallet will be shouting, “Extra, extra!” before breakfast-time.

Car wash your money woes away

Organize a car wash on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Make sure you have enough friends and/or family to help with the event, and be ready to split the profits! Ask businesses with empty parking lots to let you hold your cash wash in their area, or close off your cul-de-sac for a block-party sort of feel. Make sure to advertise your car wash by placing flyers in local supermarkets, restaurants and Laundromats. You might want to consider attaching a cause to your car wash to generate involvement; “Help fund Tami’s college education,” or “Broadway Street’s Annual Car Wash,” are taglines that seem to work wonders.

Care for neighbors’ loved ones and cash will love you back

Babysitting, pet-sitting and dog-walking are all childhood jobs that shouldn’t end with letter jackets and bad acne. A lot of money can be made by spreading the word that you are available to be your community’s best sitter, and these jobs usually can be completed around your schedule. Not only is this job easy on the pocketbook, but it also is very easy on the soul.

Twenty-five doesn’t mean that you have to stop being on the tweener job market. Flash back to the days of skinned knees and teddy bears, and you will soon be coming up with extra money ideas galore! Consult your inner child for financial ideas, and you’ll be faced with the question, “Am I smarter than a fifth-grader?”

Have any other blast-from-the-past money ideas? Please comment below to share your childhood cash stories, all grown-up!