Money Making Schemes

Nagesh answers:

Be inventive. Find something you like to do and can make money at.

I have not had a teenager ever come by our house in 15 years to ask if they could mow our lawn. The going rate nowadays is $25 or more.

Some seniors could use lessons in computers. You have one; see if your neighbors need help.

Market your computer skills. Compile CD and DVD lists for people so they know what they have. Perhaps you have a digital camera; if you do, advertise that you will take photos of their houses and put them on disk for insurance purposes. Have a scanner? Scan their pictures into digital files and make it so they can share them with friends and family.

To do this, make a nice flyer you can print up – use a half sheet, printed twice to save paper – and leave them around your neighborhood. You may be able to post notices on a local grocery store but then you have to be careful you don’t get calls for jobs too far away.

These are just off the top of my head. Lots of other jobs exist – gardening, running errands, painting, babysitting, house cleaning. None of these may sound glamorous – you’re not posing for a layout in Teen magazine – but they are within reach for any teen.

Nagesh answers:

How to save money and spend wisely in the future….

You have to start thinking S-M-A-R-T. What kind of cutbacks can you make? For example: I drink bottled water. Paying $1 a bottle on something that covers over 65% of our planet is not smart. So I bought one of those water filters that screw into your faucet. I have bottles that I refil over and over again. This doesn’t take much time and you will reduce your carbon footprint as a bonus. Do you have a lot of small appliances around the house that are always on? Televisions, subwoofers, sterio equipment and microwaves use the most energy when they are left plugged into the outlet, even when they are turned off. Plug all your plugs from entertainment system into those 6 prong outlet plugs with the switch on them. When you are not using these items shut the switch off. I noticed a huge difference on my electric bill just by doing this. I also bought some of those florescent bulbs that look a lot like a regular bulb. These things use 80% less electricity than regular bulbs. Ave 60Watt incalescent bulb (old school) runs you 2 cents per hour. Ave 60Watt energy bulb averages 0.5 cents per hour. Wanna be creative? Find yourself leaving lights on? Buy a motion sensor switch, the lights will turn on when you enter the room and will turn off (by a set amount of time) when you leave the room. I have one, they cost $15 at HomeDepot. You would be surprised, but these small things add up. If you really need the money right away start cutting back on your food costs. Romain noodles cost a dime and they taste just as good as campbells chicken noodle that costs over $1 a can. Ok no chicken in romain noodles, but you are probably just missing about 4 tiny pieces of chicken. Adjust your toilet to use lesser water. If you don’t know how to do this then put a brick inside your toilet ‘chamber’. You will use a less water each time you flush, this adds up over time people. Before you know it you will be ahead. Need new windshield wipers for your car? Who says you have to buy 2? You only need the new one on the drivers side, leave the old wiper on the passenger side. Are you an impulsive buyer?? Listen here’s what you do……always save the receipt. Find a place to save all the boxes, packaging, etc. Try to get obsessed with folding all the packing materials, making them neat and tape the receipt onto the box/package. Make a game out of it. And get yourself into a new habit called “impulse returning” I once bought a shampoo rug cleaner to scrub my carpets. After I was done I didnt need it anymore so I returned it to the store. I like to think of it as free rental. So remember you have to start thinking S-M-A-R-T! Yours truly seahorsehawrey.

Nagesh answers:

Get a big can that only has a money slot and no opening. I did this and I saved around $400. Only open it with a can opener when it’s full.

Nagesh answers:

First, let me compliment you on your desire to get your money “organized.” What this is called is setting up a budget or “managing your money.”

Second, I’m not sure how you arrived at the percentages, but part of what you need to do is determine what is realistic. You mention that you may spend more on clothes than you realize. Establishing a budget is one way to prevent over-spending on something. However, if you only set a budget of 8% and you find you never have any money for things you want or need to buy, then you are likely to cheat on your budget. Once you cheat on the budget, then the budgeting process is meaningless.

Part of what is missing from your info is an estimate of how much money you have or earn on a monthly basis. Let’s say you get an allowance of $10 per week. That equates to $520 per year. 8% of that is less than $42 – so you would only have that much money to spend. That equates to what – maybe one pair of shoes or two pieces of clothing. Is that realistic to you.

On the other hand, if you have a job or very generous parents, maybe you get $100 per week which is $5,200 per year and 8% of that is $416 or $35 per month. If that starting point is more realistic, does $35 per month sound like enough spending money for you?

If not, you need to increase your income or reallocate your budget. This means decreasing the amount budgeted for savings or charity and adding to the spending budget. Personally, I would keep the savings number where you have it and decrease the amount to charity – but that is your call.

Good luck on your budgeting effort!
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Nagesh answers:

How about a surpirise party here is a idea
Surprise Party
What’s more fun than hiding 15-20 people in a small room for 45 minutes and jumping out in false alarm about 3 times before the guest of honor arrives?
Surprise parties are fun for all ages from younger kids to middle age to grandmothers and grandfathers!

Be sure to have the party somewhere that guests can easily find hidden parking or at least a location that allows them to walk only a short distance from their car. Make or order a cake, get balloons, food and goodies and be sure to hide all traces of the party until the special guest has entered the surprise area.

An excuse like asking the guest to check on your pet while you are away on vacation (and leaving a key under the doormat, etc) or having a friend or family member escort him or her to lunch is a good distraction to help keep the party a secret!

Or this
Casino Night Party
For a big money theme, rent a hall or designate a large room in your home as the honorary casino. Plastic gold coins and paper money create the big-spenders atmosphere, scratch-off lottery tickets present the perfect party prize and black, red and white decorations, plastic cups and plates carry on the theme. Don’t forget the poker chips!

Decks of cards, dice and felt tablecloths (for blackjack, etc) provide some entertainment, but consider looking around for cheap slot machines, roulette wheels, and so forth (consider renting if buying is out of the question).
Try to follow the theme for your musical selections and consider setting up a karaoke machine in case anyone is moved to tell jokes or sing songs.
Give each guest an allotment of play money and offer additional tender if they agree to play dealer for a couple of rounds (if you can’t find people to sit in as dealers in the first place). At the end of the night, give the birthday guest his or her presents and also present the casino tycoon with the most play money a present of his or her own.

The fun and competitive nature of a casino should have your guests laughing for hours!

Or this
Cocktail Party
For an elegant reception, cook some hors d’oeuvres and appetizers and purchase some wines and liquors for your guests’ enjoyment. Define a dress code in the invitations and either obtain the services of a DJ or pay your teenager to play music man for the night.

Clear out a space for dancing and set up some chairs / sofas for lounging and conversation. This fancy soiree will be the topic of conversation for months to come.

Be sure to set aside a special place for gifts to be given to the guest of honor. Or, if you know of a particular “larger” or more expensive item the birthday celebrant desires, collect money from the guests as a down payment!

Or this
Simple Parties
By Kathryn D’Imperio

Barbeque / Cookout Party

Quite possibly one of the easiest all-purpose party themes around, this one is a classic event that friends and family love to come back for year after year. Buy plenty of hotdogs, hamburgers, buns, ketchup, mustard, pickles, relish, cheese and paper plates and napkins. Make some fresh lemonade and iced tea and grab a couple of cases of beer. If you have a pool, make sure your guests remember their swimsuits and towels… and warn the birthday boy or girl that he or she just might get dunked!

Guest Bartender Night

Everyone brings a bottle of his or her favorite or newly discovered liquor and a mixer: soda, juice, tonic water, etc. The host or hostess should set up a bar area as accurately as possible if the home does not have a bar set-up already. Be sure to have lots of ice and clean glassware on hand. Depending on your budget, you can get really cute themed glassware and plastic tumblers to liven up the party!

Allow the guests to take turns behind the bar, each creating one special “signature drink” for the other guests at the party. At the end of the night, hold a vote for everyone’s favorite drink and present the winner with a prize! (You can pre-purchase a special prize, give a bottle of unopened liquor, or collect a dollar from everyone prior to the contest).

Be sure to treat the guest of honor with a toast from the guest bartender after all guests have received the signature drink. Of course presents and cards will be accepted and stowed away for opening at a later time!

Potluck Party

Have all guests bring a different main course, side dish or dessert and enjoy! This type of party can work especially well for those on a low budget because all of the guests will be contributing to the cause. Another great quality of this party type is that picnicking and outdoor parties thrive with potluck parties due to the abundance of food already contained in separate dishes—all you need is a picnic table or two to line up the food!

If, after the arrival of all your guests, you end up with three dishes of lasagna and two baked hams, you know for next time that you should consider “assigning” recommended dishes!

Adult Party