Funding

[daberno123]

As many of us have figured out, spudding isn't exactly cheap. Although some of the members of this site have real jobs with reasonable salaries to help fund our hobby many of us are teenagers without much income (myself included).

The main income I have is a monthly allowance and lawn mowing money in the summer. With this small income I try to work on a budget but always end up spending more than I want on a project, or having a project stalled because of lack of money (all my projects are suspended right now because of this reason). This summer I will be mowing more lawns and hopefully get a real job to help me pay for spudding (I'm addicted!)

So does anyone have any advice to give about making money or working on a budget, since these seem common problems that many experience?

[bigbob12345]

How old are you?
im sure you are better off than me with my infamous $8 a week "salary"
I live on mercer island, I should be rich like everyone else

edit:a good way to make money around here is to browse the ground for bills. People are so rich here that they really dont give a dam about 20 or 30bucks

[daberno123]

I'm 14 just like you with a $14 a month allowance, which comes out to $3.50 a week, so not much of an allowance at all really.

[OuchProgramme]

Infamous?...not quite....

Go to your local (teen)employer and try to ask for simple jobs to start out with.

[bigbob12345]

I'm 14 just like you with a $14 a month allowance, which comes out to $3.50 a week, so not much of an allowance at all really.

Wow that is terrible
i thought mine was bad but I just feel bad for you


ouchprogramme:I would say it is quite infamous
It is widely known by many members here for a bad reason, it is so low

[daberno123]

Go to your local (teen)employer and try to ask for simple jobs to start out with.

Thats actually what I'll be doing tomorrow, i have an interview for a job at my local pool for a concessions/front desk job.

[OuchProgramme]

Go to your local (teen)employer and try to ask for simple jobs to start out with.

Thats actually what I'll be doing tomorrow, i have an interview for a job at my local pool for a concessions/front desk job.

Cool, i've got a friend who is soon to be working as a life guard.

He's getting certified

And..infamous means: Bad reputation...

Your allowance didn't do anything bad lol.

[bigbob12345]

My allowance has a bad rep
so it is infamous
does it matter that much

[MrCrowley]

I get $40 a week for walking my dog, but that's because my parents moved to Aussie for 6 months and me and my brother look after the house.

Not sure how I get money, I just do. I need a bloody job

[daberno123]

I get $40 a week for walking my dog

Lucky

my parents moved to Aussie for 6 months and me and my brother look after the house.

Even luckier

[SpudUke5]

Well i know how u guys feel, i dont even get a allowance!!

Never have

i barely got money now but i am going to be a lifeguard during the summer so ill make some good money, and ill be driving so this should be good.
You know......stayin up late............getting out of bed.................to shoot cannons ofcourse!
Ahh there's nothin better like good ol' destruction at night!!

[kablooie]

One way to I fund my projects (besides my $5 allowance) is to get one of my parents to drive me to the hardware store (I can't drive yet) and then once you are in the checkout line say "oops I forgot my wallet, will you pay for this? I'll pay you back." Works like a charm with my dad, and most of the time he forgets to have me pay him back. My Mom is impossible though, luckily my Dad is more inclined to go to the hardware store. This is slightly shady, but you should see the stupid stuff he spends way to much dough on anyway, and when my funds are dwindling, a huge help.

[DYI]

I got shafted out of my job by the boss's son, and only get 18 hours this month (~$135)

Luckily, I've secured a full time job this summer (~$300/week). So my projects can continue then, but considering the mini lathe I'm buying, and the cost of my driver's ed., I'll only actually have $2k of disposable (i.e. spudding ) income.

Let me say simply that I'll need every penny of it. Bigger and better things are on the way, and they won't exactly be dirt cheap.

I'm really looking forward to working in the summer. My projects are depending on it, and I'm usually bored during the day in the summer anyway. That, and the holidays (Canada day, August long weekend) give me an excuse to test my noisemaker design. On that note, anyone that lives within 100km or so of Manitoulin Island might want to listen in at 10:00pm on July 1st. You might hear something interesting

[potatoflinger]

I let out two neighbor's dogs every day after school, which takes maybe ten minutes a day, and I get paid 20 dollars a week for it. Also, my parents are friends with a local hardware store owner, so I'm going to try and get a job there this summer, so that I will have money to spend and I will have a discount .

[Blitz]

Even if you aren't old enough for a job with a real employer, you can at least do "side" work. Before I got into IT support and management, I often took side jobs to help people set up wireless networks, clean up their computers, build new computers, whatever. It was good money, with virtually no paper work and I set my policies and standards clear to everyone I perform work for.

That being said, just ask around. Relatives are perfect starting points; ask if they have any chores around the house they can be done, maybe they have dogs that need to be walked, whatever.

Work is... well, work. You perform a service for a material goods in return. In other words, a paycheck. Hope that helps you and others out.