Getting Your Parents to Pay You
Avery
Avery
Avery enjoys playing lacrosse and spending time with friends in the Washington, DC metro area
Last night, I walked up to my mom, flashing my million-dollar smile. I then proceeded to ask her for a twenty-dollar bill. I guess my smile wasn't convincing, because she laughed and replied, "Absolutely not." However, ten minutes later, when I asked, "Will you give me twenty dollars if I organize the attic?" I got a much more promising response.
At this point, your parents are probably like mine: fed up with giving you an allowance. As my dad likes to put it, you can only withdraw from the "Bank of Dad" so many times before your card starts getting declined. So, what are you supposed to do when their generosity dries up? Do what I did. Offer your services!
Getting your parents to pay you is tricky. If you aren't careful, they will end up saying something along the lines of, "I pay for the roof over your head. You should be doing that for free." Ten minutes later, you'll find yourself doing extra chores without having made a cent. However, if you use these three foolproof strategies, I assure you, you'll be successful in convincing your parents to make your wallet a little bit fatter.
1. Think of something out of the ordinary
Never asked to be paid for doing an everyday chore like dishes or laundry! That is a one-way ticket to "do it for free." Think of a task that is out of the ordinary, and hopefully incredibly tedious, one that they definitely don't want to do themselves, but would really like to have done. My go-to is sifting through the junk in my attic or garage.
2. Scope out the competition
Figure out how much your parents are paying for services and offer to do them for less. This strategy is great for lawn mowing, landscaping, or any other maintenance service that is relatively expensive.
3. Listen to them
Believe me, it is easy to tune your parents out when they are complaining about something. However, if you want to make money, listen to what they're complaining about. Do they want your kitchen painted? Or maybe, their car washed? If they want something done enough to complain about it, they might be willing to pay you to do it.
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