If your teenager is having trouble find a part-time job, you may want to explore online options with him/her. Definitely be on the lookout for schemes and scams that aren’t worth the time and effort, but there are plenty of legitimate ways for teems to earn some money online.

(Be advised that I normally advise against thinking of paid surveys as a real business, but teens may be able to make a little pin money by completing surveys. As cautioned in the article, don’t pay for information about surveys; you can join all the survey sites for free. As you begin to research survey sites, you will probably also come across “paid to read emails” or “paid to surf the web” offers. Those types of opportunities typically pay pennies and in my opinion are not worth the time and effort.)

The article below by S McIntyre includes suggestions for several other ways teens can earn online.

7 Job Ideas For Teens To Earn Money Online
by S McIntyre
More teens are turning toward the Internet searching for online jobs to earn extra money from home. Despite the age requirements, teenagers can find real money making opportunities. If your teen is looking for ways to work at home online discuss with them their interests, commitment and goals.

All of these work at home job ideas will require some help or involvement from either parent. Here are seven online job ideas for teens looking to expand their wings and or to explore their entrepreneurial side.

1. Surveys and focus groups are simple, fun and one of the easiest things to do. It doesn’t require any experience, just a teenager’s opinion. The types of surveys vary from topics about video games, movies, fashion, music, and other teen interests. Your teen may be compensated with money, Amazon or retail gift certificates, or points redeemable for cash or products. Signing up is always free; don’t ever pay! Monetary payments are usually paid out to a PayPal account or by cheque.

2. Many teens have their own blogs and they can use it as a way to promote their affiliate programs or get referrals from survey companies they have joined. They can sign up with Clickbank, a marketplace with merchants who offer digital products for people to sell. These commissions are set anywhere from 1% to 75%. LinkShare and Commission Junction are other affiliate marketplaces.

3. If one or both parents have their own home business, you can hire your teenager and delegate some of the monotonous and time consuming tasks. These simple tasks could be typing and printing out address labels, submitting articles to article directories, link checking and so forth. Parents can also help their teenager get the word out to others who may have limited budgets, but need to outsource some work.

4. Some kids like to follow in their parents’ footsteps, so if your teenager is interested in owning their own home business, you as a parent will have to be a co-signer.

5. Teens are very computer literate and savvy. Many are also artistic and creative. Becoming a web designer is a lucrative and rewarding career. Your teenager could be designing websites, creating blog templates, designing Twitter and MySpace backgrounds, buttons, logos etc. for anyone who can’t or don’t know how to do it themselves.

6. Open a lemonade stand; not a traditional one anyway. At Lemonade.com your teen can create an e-commerce online lemonade stand by recommending products that they love like music, sports, clothing, food, movies, video/electronic games and more.

7. If your teenager enjoy making crafts or he builds model airplanes, with the help of a parent they can open up their own online store at Etsy.com.

These are all worthwhile job ideas for teens who are interested in working at home and earning an income online. With a little help and support from you, your teenager can start earning their own spending money and maybe even put some away for college.

Find jobs for teens at WorkAtHomeSpace.com, a free work at home resource focusing on work at home companies, daily telecommute job leads, articles, business resources and other work at home related topics.

Sophia co-owns WorkAtHomeBusinessOptions.com, a comprehensive work at home business resource focusing on helping others who are looking for opportunities and ideas to work from home. You will also find tips and articles on how to balance work, family and play in your daily life.

California based Chartreuse is a young direct sales company offering earth-friendly products such as shopping bags, organic personal care and cleaning products, recycled paper products, and more. With the increased awareness of the importance of protecting our environment and natural resources, consumers are more and more interested in purchasing green products.

Independent consultants market products at home parties, online, and through other direct sales methods.

Learn more about the company and contact a consultant to start your own home business by visiting the Chartreuse Products company page in the InternetBasedMoms.com Direct Sales Directory.

If you’ve been looking for a home business but don’t want to sell products or your family obligations or schedule don’t really lend themselves to direct sales parties, a service business might be a good option. With some basic computer skills, office skills, and good communication skills you can set yourself up as virtual assistant fairly quickly and inexpensively.

What is a virtual assistant?

A virtual assistant or VA is a self-employed, home-based entrepreneur who assists other businesses, often in administrative work. In addition, most business owners have particular tasks that they will turn over to their virtual assistants, and these can go beyond basic office or business administration.

What skills are needed to become a VA?

The basic skills a VA needs are office and business administration skills. A VA also needs to be highly organized, communicate effectively and pay careful attention to detail. Some clients look for additional technical skills, such as writing, marketing, social media, blog or website maintenance, and multimedia production – even podcasting!

The skill set you’ll need as a VA depends on the type of clients you want to work with. Find out what they need and build your skills to respond effectively.

What kinds of work does a VA do?

VAs commonly do office-related stuff, such as responding to emails, making travel arrangements, researching and compiling information, business writing and typing up notes or transcribing audios

In addition, VAs nowadays are often expected to write and publish or schedule blog posts, work with autoresponders, rewrite private label rights content, optimize a website for search engines, update websites, and set up social networking profiles/pages.

Is being a VA a good option for Moms?

Oh yes! A lot of work at home Moms I know are VAs and they make good incomes from the comfort of their home, without having to leave their children in the care of others. Virtual assistance is a home business, which means it’s flexible. You decide how many hours a day you want to work, on which days, what type of work you want to do, and even whom you will work with.

On the other hand, if you have small children, remember that occasionally you will need to be on the phone or web chat with a client, supplier or other associate. In this case you’ll need somebody else looking after your small children so you can have some quiet and be able to focus on the call or chat.

How much money does a VA make?

The hourly rate of VAs depends on several factors. These include their skills and experience, whether they specialize in certain services or a particular industry, and any certifications they may have (those who are certified by recognized institutions charge higher fees). VA fees vary widely, ranging anywhere from around $15 to $70 per hour. So you can see, it’s entirely possible for a VA to make a full-time income working at home.

How can someone get started as a VA?

You can try and figure everything out yourself, of course. But better yet, get the guidance of experienced VAs who have successful virtual assistance businesses. Two such VAs are Jen Houck and Nell Taliercio who have a combined experience of over 5 years in virtual assistance. They share their success stories and step-by-step tips in the
Just Add Sweat Guide To Becoming A Virtual Assistant.

The guide includes:

• an audio course on everything from setting up your VA business, to marketing your services and finding and keeping clients
• a workbook to get you into action
• 5 videos teaching essential Internet skills
  …and more.

This is the guide that will get your VA business up and running in no time.

Many small business owners use virtual services to help them with a variety of tasks. Becoming a virtual assistant may be the next perfect “job” for you.

Affiliate link or our product link (Why tell?)

I have a free gift for you as a token of my appreciation for my loyal readers. Thank you for making the time to read iRepNetwork’s blog, Business Opportunity Connection.

Have you ever wondered how all the work at home and Internet business owners learned how to successfully run an online business? Many of them purchased “how-to-guides” and other information products. And it’s not just the beginning marketers who need help. As business grows so does the business owner’s need for new information and resources.

This ongoing need for information offers you the opportunity to build your own successful business selling special reports on a variety of topics. And you don’t even have to write the reports yourself!

Find out how to get started without a huge investment of time or money.

Claim your free Guide to Selling Special Reports.

To view and print this guide you will need a PDF reader. If you don’t have one, you can get Adobe Reader for free here.

 
Affiliate link or our product link (Why tell?)

Are you new to our blog or did you miss our other gifts? Find them all here.

Thanks again for sticking with us and as always, we welcome your feedback. You can offer your opinions and make requests and suggestions by leaving a blog post comment or by contacting us.

PartyLite is probably best known as a candle direct sales company, but their product line includes gifts, home accents, bath and body care, and more. And they’ve expanded further with the parent company’s recent acquisition of Two Sister’s Gourmet.

The company is well-established and has a reputation for quality products. The consultant opportunity became available just over 35 years ago, but the company got it’s start in the early 1900’s when Mabel Baker started making candles.

To learn more about this candle and gift home business opportunity, visit the PartyLite company page in the InternetBasedMoms.com direct sales directory.

Scentsy consultants market a unique product line in the popular direct sales category of candle sales. The company offers wickless, flameless candles in a variety of fragrances.

According to the National Candle Association, retail sales of candles in the U.S. is about $2 billion a year and 7 out of 10 households use candles. Scentsy’s wickless candles appeal to the segment of that market that loves candles, but doesn’t like to burn them.

Check out the video below and then get more information about the company and contact an independent consultant by visiting the Scentsy company page in the direct sales directory.

What could be more fun than a business that gets you invited to lots of birthday parties where you help kids make their own stuffed animal friend? As a Noah’s Ark Animal Workshop independent consultant, known as a “Crew Member” that’s exactly what you’ll be doing at all kinds of children’s events and programs including parties, scout meetings, preschools, and libraries. Consultants sell the company’s exclusive line of stuffed animal kits and also conduct “Bella Bee Workshops” where girls learn about beauty that comes from the inside while getting a new look for their outside.

Many direct sales consultants are moms who want to contribute the the family income while being at home with their children. As Annette Yen knows, Noah’s Ark Animal Workshop can help you do just that; she’s been working it with her children for five years now. Read her article below for tips on how to involve your kids in your home business.

As a founding Crew Member and a top leader, and with twenty years of experience in direct sales, Annette will teach you how to successfully start and run your home business.

Get more information about Noah’s Ark Animal Workshop and contact Annette through the InternetBasedMoms.com direct sales directory.

—————————

Little Entrepreneurs – Starting them Young and Creating Good Habits for Life
Written by Annette Yen

I’ve been working from home since my youngest daughter was born. It’s been a great adventure and I’m so blessed to be able to stay home with my kids and bring some income to the family budget. I love it.

The key to making this work for our family has been having our daughters work with me in my businesses from the beginning. Now I know, that sounds impossible. And obviously a newborn can’t stick labels on my mailing etc. But as soon as my kids could walk and talk I started training them to be little entrepreneurs and helpers, beginning first with helping me around the house so that I could get the business work done.

Here are a few quick steps you can take with your little ones to start them on the road to success in helping you with your business and even toward helping them get their own home business started when they’re older.

1. While they’re still in your arms, use a sling or a backpack to carry baby with you while you work. Talk about what you’re doing and how they can help you when they’re older. The key at this age is have them WITH you as much as possible and then use nap time to get those things done that might be impossible to do with a young one strapped to you.

2. When your little ones can walk, have them help you with some simple tasks…filling up the dog food, folding washcloths, snapping beans. Always talk about how much help they are to you and how much you’ll love it when they’re ready to do this job all by themselves. Before you know it they’ll be saying, “I can do it mom!”

3. Praise them often for their efforts. They may not put the fork on the right side of the plate but it’s there and it helped. Let them know it! Make simple jobs easy for them. Put items in drawers that they can reach. For instance, a two or three year old can easily set the table with silverware, but it would really help them if they had a placemat to tell them where each piece goes and if the flatware was in a drawer at their level. You can easily make a vinyl placemat a silverware map with a sharpie. Just draw each piece on there and use the placemats at every meal letting your child set the table.

4. Let them work the business with you. In the beginning that might just be having them sit in the high chair or booster seat at the table while you work the computer and they put paperclips in Dixie cups. Or buy some tape and construction paper and have them tape away … it’s cheap and you’re using items that they’ll be using in the future to really help you with your business. As soon as they’re ready, have them put the stickers and postage stamps on your mailings, strap the packing tape on your boxes (it doesn’t have to be perfect!) sort and/or file your papers, etc. Again, the key when they’re young is working with them and encouraging them.

5. Let them work independently when they’re ready. Kids are often ready to take on bigger responsibilities before you think they are. A 10 year old can easily handle the checkbook and just imagine how great it will be for his math skills too – plus the bank checks his work!

Involve your young kids in your business from the beginning. You’ll be amazed at how the investment of time (and maybe some frustration) in the early days will pay off greatly down the road when your children can handle huge parts of your business without you because they’ve been well trained.

Article by:
Annette Yen and her daughters have worked together in their home-based business from the beginning. You can learn more about them at their website www.kidspartybusiness.com. Find out more tips for raising your kids to be entrepreneurs at www.showkidsthemoney.com.

—————————

Direct sales party plan businesses are run primarily by women, and moms are particularly attracted to the business model. It’s a home business most people recognize and understand. In the US, where it’s a $30 billion industry with more than 15 million people involved in selling, about 75% of Americans have purchased products or services through direct selling. Many women were first introduced to direct sales at a home party hosted by a friend or family member.

Some of the factors that make direct selling an attractive business for moms are:

• The business can be run from home on a flexible, part-time schedule and can be built into a full-time business with a full-time income.
• Consultants are independent business owner, but training and support is available.
• There are a wide variety of products that can be sold through direct selling including food and cooking products, children’s products, jewelry, home décor, clothing and accessories, craft supplies, and makeup and skin care.
• Low start-up costs
• Anyone can become a direct sales consultant; there are no educational or work experience requirement.

Direct sales party plan businesses are well-suited to our social nature and fit well into moms’ support groups such as the kids’ play groups, church groups, homeschooling groups, and other parenting groups, and social groups like mom’s night out.

Additionally, because women make most of the buying decisions for families, we are the perfect target audience for direct sales. The personal attention provided by direct sales consultants and the convenience of having items delivered make the shopping method even more attractive.

The sales party is a social event and it gives everyone a chance to talk freely about the products and the perks of direct sales. Women can be honest with other women. They will be your staunchest supporters and your toughest critics.

Moms and women getting together can create a huge direct sales network. Some will host additional parties and others will join as sales consultants. Each will market to their associates and widen the business circle.

Direct sales also lends itself to online networking. If the direct sales company allows marketing online, set up a website of your own and advertise on other “mom” websites and participate in social sites to find other moms looking for a business opportunity.

Much of what we have in common makes women, and especially moms, the perfect target audience for direct sales businesses. This type of home business allows us to combine our social nature, decision making power, and our entrepreneurial skills to make some extra money.

In their February hiring trends report Elance.com listed article writing as one of the top five skills that businesses are outsourcing to freelancers. It’s really no surprise, especially since Elance caters mostly to online businesses. After all, what is the Internet made of? Images and words… and it’s those words that are crucially important.

And believe me, most Internet marketers don’t have either the skill or the time to write – or both – and that means a lucrative opportunity for people with some writing skills.

In addition to article writing, there are other in-demand skills for online ghostwriting including copywriting, blogs, press releases, email marketing, white papers and more. There are many opportunities to specialize and actually charge MORE for your services.

To have a successful ghostwriting business, you need the right tools and strategies that successful entrepreneurs use. If you’ve been thinking of breaking into ghostwriting and doing it quickly, I recommend this guide to ghostwriting. It will show you:

• How to market your services without spending on advertising
• Where to find clients with deep pockets
• Why and how to put up a professional website
• Which industries are virtual gold mines for ghostwriters
• How much to charge to actually make profit
• How to set yourself apart from your competition
• How to develop your portfolio especially when you haven’t had a single client yet
  …and more!

This guide gives you the stories of two successful ghostwriters who earn a full-time income writing from home. Not only are they inspirational, but they give great tips too. The best part is, because this guide is written for Moms, the price is just right. In fact, you’ll easily earn back the cost of this guide with your first writing assignment. Check it out yourself. Get Paid To Write: Become A Ghostwriter.

Put your writing talent to good use and start an Internet ghostwriting business.

Will your kids be saying, “Mom! I just made more money!”

Summer is the perfect time to foster your children’s entrepreneurial spirits and help them start their own business. While a lemonade stand can certainly be profitable, many more opportunities are available both online and offline.

Kids’ Business Ideas and How-to Guides:

Kids’ Business Ideas is a 50-page ebook that lists at least seventy-five businesses that can be run by children. Some are generally known teen and pre-teen jobs like babysitting and dog walking, but there are many other unique and potentially lucrative ideas. The online business category contains some how-to information, but for the most part the ebook is a list of ideas, a brief description of what the work entails, the tools needed, suggested minimum age for each, and some notes to parents regarding safety. It’s well worth the $9.99 price.
Claim Your Copy of Kids’ Business Ideas.

Your Guide to Helping Your Child Start an Inexpensive & Fun Business Online, is a free report including tips on affiliate marketing and blogging. Click here for your complimentary copy.

Note: This is an updated version of a post originally made in March, 2007.