Hello!
Yay! I'm finally writing blog posts every day. Finally the ball of blogging is rolling! Today I'm going to be talked about the ways I make money for horses as an underage worker. It's always a struggle to make enough money to support our very expensive passion. Thankfully, my mom also loves horses so I get lots of support from her. But horses are very expensive and so is everything that comes with them. It's even harder to make enough money when you are under 16 and can't get a true part time job. I myself am under 16 so I have a few tricks up my sleeve for finding jobs and making money. Here are my tips for making some money for horses!
1. Baby sitting. I know, I know, this is the most stereotypical job ever for underage workers, but it makes money and it isn't too physically demanding. I did this when I was ten as a 'mothers helper'. It was kind of horrible, but in the end I had more money than I did before and more money to save/spend on horses. If you really like kids, this is a great choice for you. The best ways to get babysitting jobs are by taking the course, putting signs up, and straight up asking your neighbors, family friends, etc...
2. Working at a barn! This is probably the best choice for the kind of people reading this blog. Working at a barn is a good way to work off lessons, board, or just making a few bucks. There could be a few problems with this kind of job though. First off it is a very physically strenuous job. If you like that kind of work (I do) this could be a great job for you. Also, working at the same barn you ride at could cause problems. From my experience this sometimes causes problems with owing money, drama, and some other problems as well. Of course, I don't know what your situation is, but be careful when working for people who are also you trainer, barn owner, etc.
3. Pet sitting. This is one of my personal favorite jobs to do. You get to work with animals, and you get paid! This job is generally pretty fun if you don't mind cleaning up after animals. I really like working with animals whether it is horses, dogs, or cats. They don't talk back, they are cute, how could it get any better? This job is good for people who are responsible, because there is truly a life in your hands. You can't just forget to feed them one day, like you could another job. There are no sick days and no days off. But that is also good practice for owning a horse, so I really like it!
4. The last tip I have is not a job suggestion, but a tip about money. Save it! I know it's tempting to blow your money on useless things, or things you want, but especially if you are saving for something important, do not give in to the urges! I know it's hard, I want to buy that beautiful piece of tack, or tailored sportsman breeches too, but there are other things I need more than that.
Also remember, if a job doesn't work out, if you get nothing else out of it, you get experience. You get another thing to write on your resume. And never let someone take advantage of you at a job. No matter how much you need the money, it is not worth it to suffer through a bad situation. Other jobs will come, and it never pays off to stick around in a bad situation. Thank you guys for reading and good luck saving up! Hope you guys learned some good tips for saving for our expensive sport. Thank you sosososossoso much again for reading, and have an amazing day!
Annie
I was lucky, because I started volunteering at a barn when I was 11, and then the summer before my 14th birthday, I was offered a job there. I only made $5 an hour but I loved it! I had that job for several years before I moved on and it paid for my horse! I also spent a lot of hours working off my board. It's not easy to make money when you're under 16, but you can definitely find ways:)
ReplyDeleteYou were lucky! Opportunities always come up though you just have to ask. I can't wait until I can get a real job and take on more financial responsibility for my horse back riding.
ReplyDelete