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Advice on my teenage son doing odd jobs around the neighborhood
Posted on 4/15/24 at 9:50 pm
Posted on 4/15/24 at 9:50 pm
Teenage son has been doing some work for an older couple down the street, and they’ve been taking him to their land to work there as well. He does good work and he’s a hard worker. Older couple’s neighbor now wants him to do some things around his house. He spent a day at another lady’s house pulling weeds.
There are a lot of aging people in our neighborhood. What are some tips or advice on getting more of the word out that he’s looking for more to do and make money?
There’s a Nextdoor page but I’m hesitant to advertise anything on there.
There are a lot of aging people in our neighborhood. What are some tips or advice on getting more of the word out that he’s looking for more to do and make money?
There’s a Nextdoor page but I’m hesitant to advertise anything on there.
This post was edited on 4/15/24 at 9:50 pm
13
Posted on 4/15/24 at 9:55 pm to meeple
I printed my kids some business cards.
1) it obviously tells his clients that he is looking for more business.
2) it makes it easy for them to give a testimonial or referral.
If the neighborhood doesn't mind, he could canvas the subdivision with his card at the mailboxes.
1) it obviously tells his clients that he is looking for more business.
2) it makes it easy for them to give a testimonial or referral.
If the neighborhood doesn't mind, he could canvas the subdivision with his card at the mailboxes.
Posted on 4/15/24 at 9:57 pm to meeple
Congrats on the hard worker.
Not every child is cut from that cloth.
My hope for my own was that they could get addicted to the satisfaction of a job well done (along with the financial gain for the satisfactory work)
Not every child is cut from that cloth.
My hope for my own was that they could get addicted to the satisfaction of a job well done (along with the financial gain for the satisfactory work)
Posted on 4/15/24 at 10:11 pm to meansonny
quote:
I printed my kids some business cards. 1) it obviously tells his clients that he is looking for more business.
Smart.
And you can place them at in the mailboxes of ppl YOU want him to work for.
Just skip the mailboxes of the The frugal Karens that you don’t want him working for.
Posted on 4/15/24 at 10:25 pm to meeple
quote:
There are a lot of aging people in our neighborhood. What are some tips or advice on getting more of the word out that he’s looking for more to do and make money?
Dealing with olders, appointment times are a sacred oath. Even if you finish your morning job early, don't show up early to the afternoon job. Respect the appointment times.
Posted on 4/15/24 at 10:32 pm to deeprig9
Thanks, all. Would it help to include references/addresses if given permission? I’d wonder if they’d know that he’s right around the corner and others are happy with him, they’d be more inclined to give him a call.
Posted on 4/15/24 at 10:35 pm to meansonny
quote:
printed my kids some business cards.
What type of information did you include?
How are rates usually handled?
Posted on 4/15/24 at 10:53 pm to meeple
quote:
What type of information did you include?
How are rates usually handled?
No. Just contact information and that he was for hire. We listed 4 examples (pulling weeds/Lawncare, trash/recycling, changing air filters, pulling Christmas decorations).
I let my son set his own rates.
This post was edited on 4/15/24 at 10:54 pm
Posted on 4/16/24 at 5:57 am to meeple
Clearly he's good with communicating the older folks, they like him. Keep encouraging him to make first contact.
Posted on 4/16/24 at 6:47 am to meeple
Cash is great but one thing to consider is starting a small LLC for him. It’ll cost a little money but allow him to declare the money he is making and start a ROTH IRA.
My oldest is taking trash cans out on trash day and bringing them back in after school for several folks in our neighborhood. Bringing in about $250/month at 12 y/o.
My oldest is taking trash cans out on trash day and bringing them back in after school for several folks in our neighborhood. Bringing in about $250/month at 12 y/o.
Posted on 4/16/24 at 7:50 am to deeprig9
quote:
Dealing with olders, appointment times are a sacred oath. Even if you finish your morning job early, don't show up early to the afternoon job. Respect the appointment times.
This is worth repeating.
Posted on 4/16/24 at 8:05 am to hottub
quote:
starting a small LLC for him
Can this be done online by ourselves? What did you use?
quote:
My oldest is taking trash cans out on trash day and bringing them back in after school for several folks in our neighborhood. Bringing in about $250/month at 12 y/o.
How are payments set up? Monthly “membership?”
Posted on 4/16/24 at 9:51 am to meeple
quote:
Can this be done online by ourselves? What did you use?
Go to your State's Secretary of State website and their should be a link to setup a company. They are usually user friendly and will walk you through the process.
Posted on 4/16/24 at 10:30 am to meeple
quote:
What are some tips or advice on getting more of the word out that he’s looking for more to do and make money?
True story. In a different life while I was a banker I had a client that received two homes and a little over $1M in cash/investments from an elderly lady they weren't related to after she passed away. Her husband passed away and they didn't have any children or other family. My client got close to her by doing odd jobs around the house; would have her over for dinner occasionally and she became part of the family.
Tell your son to work extra hard for the older couples without kids/family
Posted on 4/16/24 at 11:59 am to hottub
quote:congrats to your kid. But have we become so lazy we can’t roll our can to the street?
oldest is taking trash cans out on trash day and bringing them back in after school for several folks in our neighborhood.
Again, way to seize an opportunity!
Posted on 4/16/24 at 2:37 pm to tigerfoot
I live in a suburb of Houston. A kid that my son played high school football with started a lawn care/honey do business as an LLC here that pretty much formed by doing the exact same stuff the OP’s kid is doing by working odd jobs for the elderly and generally people that wanted to use a local kid trying to do good and not the run of the mill Hispanic crews that are all over our hood. In fact the name of his business was White Boy’s Lawn Service. This was probably 10 years ago so a little before everything became racist. He worked his arse off and built a little empire of clients and actually employed a lot of the football team. When it came time for college, he sold the business and got enough to help him pay his way into Baylor.
Posted on 4/16/24 at 2:49 pm to meeple
I'd suggest having him ask his repeat customers to recommend him/distribute business cards (good idea) to their friends in the neighborhood.
I had 4-5 lawns on my street that I took care of every summer that supplied me with more cash than anyone I knew.
Consider paying for equipment upgrades he can use to be more efficient. (high quality zero turn mower, trailer, etc.)
I had 4-5 lawns on my street that I took care of every summer that supplied me with more cash than anyone I knew.
Consider paying for equipment upgrades he can use to be more efficient. (high quality zero turn mower, trailer, etc.)
Posted on 4/16/24 at 4:13 pm to Costanza
All great stuff, all… thank you.
What’s better for getting the word out in addition to the repeat customers… knocking on doors or just dropping the card off in the mailbox or door step?
What’s better for getting the word out in addition to the repeat customers… knocking on doors or just dropping the card off in the mailbox or door step?
Posted on 4/16/24 at 4:40 pm to meeple
A lot of neighborhoods have a facebook group. Consider having him post a message with the services he provides and a photo of him working in someone's yard. You'll probably get some of his customers that will comment and vouch for him. The photo would be for people who may recognize him as a kid in the neighborhood but not necessarily acquaintances with your family.
Posted on 4/16/24 at 4:44 pm to meeple
I'm 54 so maybe not the age of the target neighborhood but I'd prefer personal contact over just a card at the mailbox.
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