Help!!

Im crazy about horses but only 13 years old and i really want a horse and yes i know how expensive they are and how much work they are but i really would like to earn money to have a horse of my own but i cant afford one do you know any ways i can earn money??? Ive tried walking dogs, watering plants and babysitting but no one will really let me do anything for them. Help??

layla,

My step-daughter went through the same thing a few years ago.

Maybe you can make a deal with your parents where you earn money for getting good grades in school. Also, save any money you may receive for birthday and Christmas gifts.

The internet is sometimes a good souce to earn an honest buck. Online surveys from www.surveyspot.com and www.mysurvey.com pay money (I have used both). There are many other survey websites, but I do not know how good they are.

Keep your savings in an interest-bearing savings account or money market account until you have earned enough for that horse.

Good luck!

Dingo

okay thanks, i had my mom sign up for the surveys but how do you know whe there is a survey??? -thanks

They will go to the e-mail account that your mom entered in the registration.

Some surveys offer money, and some only offer a chance to win a prize. I suggest ignoring the ones that do not offer money, unless you are just bored.

ok ive been trying surveys but none offer money do you have any other suggestions????

Just keep trying to be creative. Maybe recycling (call local recycling locations in your area and see what items are worth what amounts) or newspaper delivery or flyer distribution in your neighborhood (with your parents help and consent).

Well, 14 is the magic age at which you can legally work in traditional jobs (restaurants, offices, stores, movie theaters, amusement parks, etc.). Because you're only 13, you'll have to get creative. Have you tried marketing yourself? Make up fliers listing your services (babysitting, dog-walking, yard work, etc.) and how much money you'll charge for each and hand them out to your neighbors. Or put a (free) ad in your church bulletin or neighborhood newsletter. You need to get the word out.

Also, you can try striking up a work-for-pay system with your own parents, grandparents and other relatives. I did this in high school when I was trying to earn enough money to take a senior trip with my friends. I took over a variety of housecleaning and yardwork projects -- washing windows, scrubbing baseboards, weeding the garden, organizing bookshelves, washing and waxing cars, scrubbing out garbage cans, mowing lawns, you name it. My mom and Grandma made a list of jobs and how much they were willing to pay for each, and I took my pick. My mom also set up a read-for-pay system in our house where we got paid for each book we read (required school reading didn't count). My mom would write the pay on the inside-back-cover of each book so we knew how much we'd get (the bigger the book, the higher the pay). So Mom encouraged her kids to broaden our minds and read, and we'd spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with a good novel and turn it into a payday. A pretty sweet deal for everyone.

Once you turn 14, you have a lot more options. Check out "Beyond Burgers (http://www.kiplinger.com/personalfinance/magazine/archives/2006/04/jobs.html)" for some cool job options and then get tips on how to land the perfect teen job (http://www.kiplinger.com/personalfinance/features/archives/2006/03/summerjob.html).

Good luck!
Erin Burt
Kiplinger.com

thank you i'll try your suggestions

why do you like horses so much???

why not , ive been riding horses for awhile and their really fun and ... because i just do. You should take a few lessons too or something because now surprisingly i know what i want to do with my whole life even though im 13