Side Business of the Week

So, you need to make some extra cash – and for whatever reason, it needs to be cash, and you need it fast! If you don’t have the time to work a regular second job, a quick cash side business is the way to go. You can do this at your convenience, whenever you have childcare available, or just make arrangements to do it whenever you need some extra money. I’m hoping to make this a regular feature, and to include some opportunities that you can include your kids in, as well. If you are a single parent, it’s a great idea to include your kids for so many reasons! You get to spend time with them, teach them a little responsibility, and give them some kind of extra treat or reward at the end. It can work out so well for everybody! I know my daughter and I have some side jobs, like babysitting many kids at one time, that we do together…and we both love it! She gets some extra cash, learns the value of a dollar, and she feels like she is contributing to the household, too! And since she is 13, it’s a great self-esteem builder for her, too.

And actually, you can make a decent amount of extra cash doing this. You won’t get rich, but if you know you are going to have to have $50 to pay the rent, this is a great idea. If your children are young, you can take them along, and the kids you are babysitting have somebody to play with. If your kids are a little older, like mine, they can be a huge help.

And, this is something you can set up pretty last minute, also. If it’s Wednesday, and you have only a few days left to make that rent money because you had to pay for a car repair or something else unexpected, you can really hustle and turn this into more money than you expect. Try contacting local community centers, day cares, and schools, especially in higher end neighborhoods, and let them know you are available over the weekend to babysit several children for a parent’s night out. If you get really, really lucky, the parents will all be in the same social circle, and possibly be going to some kind of event or something. That’s the best, because then they all know each other, and you can sit several kids who all also know each other, in one of their houses! If it ends up being more kids than you think you can handle, recruit another kid, preferably one of your own, to lend a helping hand. Keep this in mind though; if you can manage, with a little help, to babysit 10 kids, for 5 or 6 hours, you can charge up tp around $200 with no problem. Let the parents work out how they want to split up that group rate. As an example, I have a friend who does this for a ladies’ softball team. The moms get to play their game AND get a girl’s night out once a week. And they feel like it is worth every penny.

If you won’t be babysitting children for several parents, then you can always offer to babysit in your own home. This does not mean you have to make much less money. If the parents are going to be either rushed to get where they need to go, or will be out extremely late, you can always offer to pick up and drop off their child, and charge extra for that. Another option is to offer them an overnight rate, let their child spend the night in your home, and agree on a drop off time for the next day. And even though their kid should be sleeping, you can still charge a premium rate for overnight care.