Unless you are an extremely fortunate individual, we’ve all been in tight financial spots from time to time. Things always seem to compound themselves at the worst times. Tax bills always seem to line up nicely with failed transmissions, a leaky roof and that delightful series of root canal procedures your insurance doesn’t cover. Once you become a parent, those fiscal disasters seem to be lurking around every single corner, waiting to turn your pockets and make off with every cent you have.

We decided to turn the tables on the constantly looming economic distresses by thinking of ways to have our kids contribute to the pot, rather than being a drain on it. We’ve hit upon 5 solid ways your kids can save your family potentially thousands of dollars.

1. Collecting Cans and Scrap Metal

Alright, I admit it. This is a no-brainer. Everyone knows you can earn a few dollars here and there by collecting cans. Usually though, it’s not worth the hassle. I used to just toss it in my recycling bin and have it taken for free rather than collect the change it would provide. But with kids, you can really profit on this! Every Friday and Saturday night I wake the kids around midnight and head to the local pubs. At that point the bouncers concentrate on what’s happening inside and aren’t watching the doors as diligently as they should. With the low profiles my kids keep, they very easily hide under the bar and behind people as they collect cans and bottles off tables, railings and restrooms. They are in and out in 5 minutes per pub, like little bottle collecting elves! With this practice, we net a solid $40-50 per week. Over the course of a year, it truly adds up!

2. Car Maintenance

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We all know the old adage “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.” Well, this is pretty much just like that. Only our bank account gets all of the fish. We are able to save a few hundred per year on oil changes, tire rotations and starter rebuilds. The small hands can really fit into those tricky spots in the engine that are maddening to us grown folks! Plus, gas savings on trips to the repair shops! But when our windshield broke, we asked from professional help from Mobile Expert Windshield Repair San Diego.

3. Crowd Sourced Ride Sharing:

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Speaking of gas savings, I calculate that our favorite technique for getting them to school in the morning is saving us a lovely $10 per week. Who can’t use that kind of savings?? They are generally picked up by someone we vaguely know, but otherwise generous strangers ALWAYS stop to offer a ride! I know, some of you are concerned with safety, but don’t worry. We have them promise to wear seatbelts every day.

4. Roofing and Home Maintenance:

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Home repairs can be an astronomical cost to a family. Luckily I had a roofing contractor near me that I could trust. The only problem was getting time away from work to actually take care of what needs to be done. If I’m not working, I’m not earning, so home repairs were a double loss. Income not coming in, and the cost of hiring a professional roofing contractors is sometimes becoming a difficult task.

Since we started using the kids for all things home-repair, we’ve saved mucho dinero!!! I don’t really worry about them not knowing exactly what to do. They are VERY good at YouTube and are always able to find the solution there. However, when it comes to draconian roof issues that are too risky, it’s advisable to hire a professional who is well-versed in roof repair instead. Then also for blocked drains, you will need to hire expert plumbers for that.

When it comes to roof shingle replacement, I always rely on professionals to do the work for us. You should consider their flat roofing dublin services as they’re definitely top notch.

5. Arc Welding:

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Talk about a good ROI. After enrolling in a welding school and paying for a short course in consumable and non-consumable electrode methods, my kids have become amazing welders. Not only do they take care of all welding related issues around the house, but we are able to farm them out on the weekends for a considerable fee! Our daughter is especially good at crafting steel unicorns so not only is it a source of income, but it’s also an outlet for creativity. These kids are really paying off!!!!
If anyone reading this still believes anything in this article is remotely true, let me wish you a Happy April Fool’s Day. Please put down the phone. CPS doesn’t not need to pay me a visit, and I have broken zero Federal Child Labor Laws…. so far.