How can a 14 year old make money for firearms?

[nch_2018]

I always find neat firearms related stuff and never have the money for them. I used to breed and sell chickens but they changed town ordinance and instead of grandfathering me in they gave me two weeks to get rid of them before they would ticket me. As I already mentioned, I live in town, not on a farm, so I can't make money by breeding and selling livestock. I live in a fairly small town in central Indiana. Every store in town requires you be at least 16, most 17. How can I make money for shooting stuff? I know this isn't really related to the forum, but I had no idea where else to post this. The only sport I participate in is wrestling, November-February, so I've got after school and weekends all other months of the year.

[TXAZ]

Congrats on your initiative. I have 2 (adult) kids who have the same attitude, nothing will stop their success.
So they won't hire you, then hire yourself (that also solves some issues with child labor laws employers must avoid).
What services can you provide:
Cutting lawns in most places pays way over minimum wage
Odd jobs, cleaning, organizing, running errands is also a pretty easy thing for an enterprising 14 year old to do.

Question: Can you find a problem someone (a business or neighbor) has and solve it for them?

There was a young man like you in NE Phoenix a decade ago that advertised "you name it, I'll do it". Clearly you need a parent to approve those types of jobs, then work your backside off to get great reviews, then let us know when you make your first million.

Good luck.

[lamarw]

Take your allowance money and buy utility stock. By the time you are 21, you will be able to buy numerous firearms or a nice diamond for your fiancé.

[nch_2018]

Originally Posted by lamarw

Take your allowance money and buy utility stock. By the time you are 21, you will be able to buy numerous firearms or a nice diamond for your fiancé.

I don't get allowance

[nch_2018]

If I want money I have to work for it. My parents don't see why they should pay me for doing chores and pay my insurance and other bills. My dad is paying me to rebuild carbs on a Suzuki 750 motorcycle and to do some other repairs but until I can get it to spark and fire over we can't sell it and I don't get money. I already rebuilt the carbs and attached it but it needs some other work. My dad works seconds though so we can only work on them on the weekends and now that squirrel season is in I can cut that time in half

[jtmckinney]

Would someone outside of town let you move your chicken breeding business there? I made a lot of my money when I was you age picking up pecans but maybe there isn't any opportunity for that or something like it in your area.

Best of luck and stay at it.

[jmr40]

When I was 12 I started mowing neighbor hood lawns. I got $3/yard back around 1970. In the Fall I raked leaves for neighbors. Altogether I had 8-10 yards. That meant about $30/week. Saved enough to buy a bicycle one summer and a shotgun the next.

Dad was making less than $5/hour in a textile mill, so relatively speaking I was doing pretty good.

A school friend who worked in a different neighborhood did the same in his area. When he turned 18 he rode his bike to the local Ford dealership. Couldn't get a salesman to talk to him so he rode 4 miles farther to the Lincoln dealer and paid cash for a brand new 1975 Mercury. Put his bike in the trunk and drove it home.

There is money to be made if you are willing to work.

[nch_2018]

Originally Posted by jtmckinney

Would someone outside of town let you move your chicken breeding business there? I made a lot of my money when I was you age picking up pecans but maybe there isn't any opportunity for that or something like it in your area.



Best of luck and stay at it.

Already had to get rid of em last year. It sucks. Most of my money was just from the 4-h auction every year. I don't have the means of going out into the country to take care of them. I have a 49cc scooter but my mom doesn't want me going out of town on it unless I'm riding with my dad. I can only ride with him on weekends and his motorcycle needs some work right now.

[Colt46]

Sell fresh produce or old style things things that have been replaced by Walmart items like Old style pickles, green beans, sun dried tomatos, baked goods.
I make knives as a hobby to give as gifts. You could sell them at street fairs or to people around town.
There are always niches to be filled. Just put on that thinking cap.

[Pahoo]

Many years ago, I posed the same question to my Uncle who was home on leave from the Navy. He told me that regardless of any current condition there is always an honest buck to be made. You have to look at your environment and find ways to make some extra money. I have always said; You show me a successful paper carrier and I'll show you a successful future. I helped another younger Uncle with his paper route. I cashed in Soda and beer bottles. I went through alleys and collected scrap metals. I collected Squabs for a couple of old ladies and got .25 each. When the water, in the river got low enough, I hunted for sinkers and lures. I even found a gun, one time. I have washed folks cars, houses and even a couple of dogs. Eventually I was able to work in a supermarket until I went into the service. ...

When I was a little boy, I always thought it was neat how a grown man rattled the change in his pocket. Told myself that one day I too would have change in my pocket and so it is. .....

Good Luck and;
Be Safe !!!

[nch_2018]

I think I should be able to make money by making coon and muskrat traps. It'll be a box trap where they are walking and go into the trap the idea is that they walk in on either side and once they're in the door shuts and they can't get out. I'm i overlooking anything? How long, wide and talk should they be? What gauge wire should I use? And when I trap my own how much should I expect for furs and where should I take them somewhere close to Wayne county Indiana? And where could I sell the traps? There is a Facebook group/page called the Connersville man cave(I highly recommend if you are near or not more than an hour away from connersville you join) that has I think over 5,000 members. I should be able to sell some here. Where else?

[Mosin-Marauder]

I funded my K-31 by working in my Granpa's machine shop (and let me tell you something you know you've worked when you can taste the Humity and it's 100 degrees outside!). I would get about $100 each week if I worked hard enough (I still think I should have gotten more! :P). It's also good to note that I'm 14 as well. I was thinking, with the amount of success I achieved with my Stock Refinishing venture, I might set up a little business on the forums refinishing people's stocks. I enjoy it so it wouldnt be too much, like $10-$20 a stock dependant on condition.

[spacecoast]

I cut neighborhood yards for mostly elderly folks from age 12 until I graduated from college. Banked a LOT of money that way, and I'm sure it's more lucrative now. Back in those days I made from $2 to $5 a yard, nowadays when I can't cut my own I've paid a neighbor kid $25. It doesn't take too many of those customers every week or two to get a few thousand in the bank.

Tip - quote a low price, do a nice job, be extremely polite and you'll get a very nice tip and benefit from word of mouth.

[buck460XVR]

I delivered papers, cut lawns, shoveled snow, pulled weeds all for cash and all before I was 12 until I got a full time job washing dishes/busing tables @ 14. My youngest son(who's now in college) found plenty of work mowing lawns, shoveling snow and cleaning flower beds and never went more than three blocks away from home. His secret was to key in on single moms and little old ladies.

[barnbwt]

"$100 each week if I worked hard enough"
Even bad machinists charge 60$/hr anymore, good thing you were 'getting paid in experience'

Depending on how 'gunny' the town is, you could offer to clean guns for people while they wait (avoids FFL, transfer, licensing, liability, and lots of other annoyances). I only suggest this since it is tangentially gun-related, unlike muskrat breeding and chicken trapping. It's gotta be better than developing websites, for people, too (amateur web development stuff is still something kids are still mostly allowed to do, unlike most other gainful employment, if you happen to know that dark magic).

Any wonder we're getting dumber, lazier, and more criminal?

Maybe you could hit up Kickstarter; some idiot got thousands of other idiots to chip in for a bowl of potato salad a while back, to tune of some 50,000$ (see again; getting dumber as a people)

TCB

[nch_2018]

Originally Posted by barnbwt

Depending on how 'gunny' the town is, you could offer to clean guns for people while they wait (avoids FFL, transfer, licensing, liability, and lots of other annoyances). I only suggest this since it is tangentially gun-related, unlike muskrat breeding and chicken trapping.



TCB

What do you mean "while they wait"? I'm not sure I would get a whole lot running a brass brush and a cloth or two down a barrel and I wouldn't pay someone to do something that easy you could do it yourself in 5 minutes.

[kilimanjaro]

First real job after college I moved to a small town, in a few days the doorbell rang, at the door was a kid, 15 years old, soliciting yard work. It was his second year of doing that, and he had locked up much of the landscaping work in town. He had about a dozen other kids, some college age, working for him, and was going to be able to go to college at the U of Washington on his own money, with his own car, according to him.

I guess it wasn't very legal for kids under 16 to own businesses and hire out, but the town kind of turned a blind eye to all that and kept him busy. His dad was the legal business owner, and a bookkeeper did all the payroll.

[alaskabushman]

if you have a good work ethic and keep your eyes peeled you can make quite a bit of money. Some have already mentioned mowing lawns. Some things I used to do for cash were...

Clean windows
clean gutters
paint
organize basements/attics/garages
rake leaves
shovel snow
dig ditches
sharpen knives
weed whack
pressure washing

if you go door to door (in a nice neighborhood) and say you happened to notice something needed done and suggest a price, something like..."good morning ma'am, I noticed you have little trees growing out of your gutters. I'll clean all the gutters on your house for $25". DO NOT ask, "do you have any jobs that need done?" I can guarantee you they almost never think of anything, even if the grass is knee high...

Good luck!

[kilimanjaro]

Do learn how to pressure wash, a guy up the street just took quite a bit of the paint off his siding on one wall! Kind of a neighborly thing, several of us standing around with a beer offering advice and consolation. He's taking it pretty well.

[TXAZ]

The industrious young TFL'er said

What do you mean "while they wait"? I'm not sure I would get a whole lot running a brass brush and a cloth or two down a barrel and I wouldn't pay someone to do something that easy you could do it yourself in 5 minutes.

Don't automatically short the advice you get here: I've seen people $35-50 to have their Glock cleaned in 20 minutes, with a waiting line, and expect others have also.
Ala... " I'll Clean your guns in your home for $xx each".
If you are rebuilding carbs, advertise, that's a pretty common need.
Both are low overhead, don't require a license, and you should be able to get referrals.

Good luck.

[Mosin-Marauder]

Kind of a neighborly thing, several of us standing around with a beer offering advice and consolation. He's taking it pretty well.

Sounds like an episode of King of The Hill, to me.

[kilimanjaro]

Pretty much, he started up the pressure washer at 4:00 PM, by 4:15 we could hear the cussing, attracting much attention. This is a pretty tough neighborhood, nobody gets away with anything...

[Mosin-Marauder]

Pretty much, he started up the pressure washer at 4:00 PM, by 4:15 we could hear the cussing, attracting much attention. This is a pretty tough neighborhood, nobody gets away with anything...

Yup.

[HiBC]

Dog poop,residential and commercial property.

And you might check with your school head custodian or principle.I'd leave out the gun part.

Neighbors around schools often use the campus for a dog park after hours.Next to the walks,on the playgrounds

Coach might appreciate a clean football field,for example.

There may be some PTO fund $ or ? available.Does not hurt to ask.

Occasionally as student might get a couple hours after school as a custodian helper.

Remember,look for something simple,necessary,and really crappy to do.Thats what people are willing to pay for.

Here is the magic.If you get a gig,smile,follow instructions.Show up.Produce.Solve as many of your own problems as you can...work independently.

It does not matter what you are doing(just so it is legal,safe,etc)

Your opportunity is to become known as a worker.

Most working adults have more to do than they can get done.At some point,if you develop the right relationship(show up,get it done,etc)they will keep you in mind.Be a "can do" guy.
Next thing you know,they will tell friends about you.Keep developing that rep,and you will have job offers in your future.

You might try making a list of things you know you can do well,and some other info and put it on a business card.

Maybe with your scooter you could be a "go fer" for young moms with new babies or older folks.

What if you could just show up and say Hi to an old person living alone.Talk with them 1/2 hour.Go pick up some medicine or coffee or whatever small thing they might need.Pick up something heavy for them.
Have a number of their family member you call,maybe every time.

"Hi,this is Moisin.I'm here with your Aunt Sally.She is having a good day.I went and picked up her blood pressure meds for her.So,if we could write down my usual $5 for checking on her plus $5 for the errand? Thanks,talk to you tomorrow Bye"

Folks on trips,feed pets,lights on and off,mail and newspaper pickup...



With all of these,discuss them with your folks.Get some feedback.I would not just post your business cards on laundramat bulletin boards.Give them to folks you know and trust.

[dakota.potts]

Are you any good with wood? YOu could always make and sell handgun grips for common guns like 1911s, M9s, etc. Somebody else mentioned knives. There are websites where you can get pre-shaped and sharpened knife blanks for less than $15 and the wood to complete them wouldn't cost much more than that. I'd bet you could sell those at the 4-H auction