Additional Coverage:
- I don’t give my 7-year-old an allowance. Instead, he runs a neighborhood business, where neighbors pay him to take out their trash. (businessinsider.com)
Local Kid Turns Trash Day into Treasure with Budding Business
Our Town, USA – Forget lemonade stands! One ambitious 6-year-old in our very own neighborhood is proving that even the most mundane chores can be transformed into a thriving enterprise, all while learning valuable life lessons and becoming a beloved fixture in the community.
It all started when the young entrepreneur, whose name hasn’t been shared, expressed a fervent desire for the latest must-have toy. His parents, Laura and her husband, saw an opportunity to teach him about earning his own way, a principle they emphasize in their household where chores are a shared responsibility, not a paid task.
“That sounds like a want, not a need,” Laura recalled telling her son. “You can use your money to buy it.”
With birthday cash and Tooth Fairy funds as his only previous income streams, the family brainstormed ways for him to earn. The winning idea? A neighborhood trash and recycling bin service, a perfect fit for a child fascinated by garbage trucks.
The journey wasn’t without its bumps. Armed with a marketing flyer and a pitch, the budding businessman initially balked at the idea of door-to-door sales.
It took a pep talk about facing fears and understanding rejection as part of the process, but with courage and practice, he knocked on his first doors. While not every neighbor said “yes,” those who did provided the crucial confidence boost he needed to keep going.
Now, he boasts nine clients, a testament to his perseverance. He began charging a modest 25 cents a week, later increasing his rate to 50 cents as he gained experience.
His father even helps him create professional invoices using QuickBooks. One particularly impressed client, understanding the effort involved, even bumped his $1 weekly payment to $5, citing excellent customer service and timely delivery.
To instill the importance of saving, his parents opened a bank account for him, matching any money he saves each month, provided it stays in the account for at least six months. While initially keen to spend, he’s now thinking more strategically about his purchases, having grasped the effort behind every dollar earned.
Beyond the financial gains, the young entrepreneur is learning invaluable lessons in commitment and community. Rain or shine, even after a full school day and First Communion class, he ensures his clients’ bins are taken out between 5 and 6 p.m., honoring his word and earning the trust of his customers.
His “trash business” has also woven him, and his family, into the fabric of the neighborhood. Having moved in a year and a half ago, what were once polite waves have blossomed into genuine relationships. He’s been welcomed into homes, received birthday gifts from neighbors he barely knew, and now walks down the street with a profound sense of belonging.
Most importantly, the business has ignited a beaming pride in him. When the topic of his enterprise arises, he proudly declares himself a business owner who earns his own money and helps his neighbors.
And that toy he “absolutely needed”? Turns out, he decided it wasn’t worth his hard-earned cash after all.