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Discussion » Questions » Jobs » One of my fondest memories of earning money as a youngster/preteen was when I roamed my neighborhood with a lawn mower and a gas can,

One of my fondest memories of earning money as a youngster/preteen was when I roamed my neighborhood with a lawn mower and a gas can,

knocked on people's doors and asked if they wanted their grass cut. My going rate was $5 per yard, regardless of size (there wasn't a wide nor extreme range in yard size then, the neighborhood had a lot of cookie-cutter development to it).
  Satisfying demand was simple to the point of being foolproof: go to the houses where the grass was badly in need of being cut, the person would see me standing there with my own lawn mower, the acceptance rate was about 80%.
  I carried the gas can with me so that I could extend my potential range of work area with stopping. My number one customer base was the elderly people, because they were so glad and grateful to have someone offer to do it rather than having to ask someone or look for someone. In a few short weeks, I had an actual route of repeat customers, some of whom I'd cut their grass so regularly that after a while, I didn't even need to knock on the door each time. We had an arrangement, and I'd collect later if they were not home. I never got stiffed by anyone, either. 
  Fast forward to the winter months: I parked the lawn mower and picked up the snow shovel, same price, many of the same customers, continued success.
  I was happy as a clam, worked hard, enjoyed myself, etc. Nothing negative ever came of it, I made some spending money, and my only overhead was refilling the gas can about once a or twice week. 
  I doubt that it could happen for young people today because I only see gardeners, either self-employed ones or landscaping services doing that these days. (I now live in Southern California, so snow is never issued nor an issue.)


My quetion is: what are some jobs a young boy or girl may have worked when you were growing up that no longer exist today because companies and businesses have taken over or because only adults do them?
~

Posted - November 10, 2018

Responses


  • 6988
    There is this guy I know, motorcycle stunt jumper Bubba Blackwell, who still operates a lawn care business on the side. 
      November 10, 2018 6:42 AM MST
    3

  • 44175
    I had regular mowing customers. Shoveling snow is a good one. My sister and I used to do that when we were youngsters. I have been in this house 13 years and only three people have knocked on the door after a snow.
      November 10, 2018 7:18 AM MST
    2

  • "I used to wash and wax automobiles for some of the tenants of the trailer park I lived in as a kid."

    "At the age of 35, I became one of those adults
    that took away some of those "kids jobs"
    by delivering 750 newspapers, out of my car, every morning. 
    I figure I put six to eight paperboys out of business."

      November 10, 2018 7:50 AM MST
    4

  • 52905


    ~
      November 10, 2018 8:16 AM MST
    2

  • *gives you $5*

    Man, that's one hell of a deal for such a big yard.  Well, I won't hold you up from getting started. :P
      November 10, 2018 8:51 AM MST
    4

  • 44175
    When I was doing that, five dollars was a fortune. We had a regular who gave us 5 all the time. Then invite us in for cookies and hot cocoa.
      November 10, 2018 9:28 AM MST
    4

  • The cookies and cocoa were like edible gold to us. :)
      November 10, 2018 9:37 AM MST
    3

  • 22891
    i did sonne babysitting when i was a teenager
      November 10, 2018 2:16 PM MST
    1

  • 3523
    I also mowed yards and babysat.  When I was in the sixth grade, I'd saved up enough money to buy a motorbike.  I've been a good saver ever since.  Kids nowadays could give lessons to us older folk on how to make the most of all the new electronics, including this laptop. This post was edited by CallMeIshmael at November 10, 2018 8:16 PM MST
      November 10, 2018 7:26 PM MST
    2