In this economy, executives and teenagers alike are duking it out for a cashier job at Aldi’s. Jobs are hard to find. GOOD jobs are even HARDER to find. 

Often adults and teenagers alike are stuck in jobs or even careers that they dislike, only because the alternative may be unemployment. Right now, employers definitely have the upper hand. They can afford to be picky…we can’t. 

If your teenager is one of those who is having a rough time finding a job, and yet still would like to have some spending money, here’s the perfect opportunity to sit down with your teen and let them know there are things around the house they can do to earn cash.

1) Clean the kitchen. Or bathroom. Or living room. Just clean something (without whining) and do a good job.

2) Wash and wax the car (weather permitting). Don’t forget the windows. Last time there were so many streaks it was like looking at a Picasso painting.

3) Dust the furniture. Don’t just move things around and blow. Try not to break anything that looks expensive. 

4) Rake and bag up last year’s yard waste. Make sure you have lawn bags BEFORE you start leaving around piles of leaves the size of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

5) Along those same lines, perform dog doody detail after a long, hard winter. Be sure they have the correct protective hazmat gear and, for crying out loud, double bag it this time.

6) Paint a room. Or two. Or three. Just the walls, not the floor, not each other.

7) Clean out the garage (nuff said).

8) Laundry…although be careful with this one, you still want the whitest whites.

9) Baby sit younger siblings without complaint. Or torture.

10) Do the grocery shopping. Armed with a list and instructions, of course. And parents, request a receipt from your little darling to make sure you didn’t “accidentally” get charged for a case of Monsters. 

There are chores on this list more suited to boys than girls; however, there are girls who can detail a car better and boys who have no problem with laundry. Your mileage may vary. 

Make sure that your little MacGruber understands there is a difference between regular household chores where everyone pitches in versus those that they are going to get paid for. Present it that way: “If you’d like to earn some extra money, here’s something I need done and here’s what I’ll give you to do it.” Be sure it’s spelled out beforehand. 

Pay doesn’t always have to be currency. Be creative. You can “pay” your child with a new pair of jeans or a CD. For those parents who work long hours, it may be a treat to be able to give your child the spending money they need in exchange for household tasks you desperately need accomplished. 

Just make sure they read the directions on the back of the bleach bottle. Better yet, HIDE the bleach bottle.