You want to know what jobs are out there for 12 year olds and how you can best earn some extra pocket money? Whether you want to buy a new game or save up for a big dream – here you can find out everything you need to know to start earning money at 12. Read on and learn which jobs from 12 years are possible for you and what the law for the protection of minors says about jobs for 12 year olds.
What jobs can you do at 12?
What jobs can you do at 12? As a 12-year-old your brain and body are not yet fully developed. That’s why it’s important that you get enough rest and sleep besides school. Basically, according to the law for the protection of minors, you are not allowed to work until you are 13 or older. You cannot enter into an official employment relationship at the age of 12. So the law protects your development and health by prohibiting working.
But you still have the possibility to earn a little extra pocket money. You can, for example, take on small tasks within your family or circle of acquaintances. This is not a ‘job’ in the classical sense, but you can earn one or two euros without any problems.
Just ask your relatives or neighbors if there is something you can help with. We’ve collected a few ideas for you about what jobs you can do at 12:
- Pet Sitting: If you are good with animals, you can help with pet care and walk the dog of neighbors or relatives. Feeding the cat when the owners want to go on vacation is something you can offer as well. Since you are addressing your family or acquaintances with this, you have the advantage that you probably already know the animals (and they know you). This will help you to better assess what you are capable of doing. Especially for larger dogs this is very important. Here it is important to be realistic and not to overestimate your own physical strength. Be aware of the responsibility you are taking on. Reliability is the be-all and end-all here.
- Gardening: To supplement your pocket money, you can offer to help your parents with gardening: watering the plants, pulling weeds or planting flowers – if you enjoy being active outdoors, there are many gardening tasks you can take on. This is not only fun, it can also help you to increase your cash a little bit.
- Getting groceries done: Going to the supermarket can be quite an effort for older people. That’s where you come in: offer to help elderly neighbors and do some small shopping for them. Not only do you earn extra money, but you also take on a very meaningful task. Equipped with a shopping list, you can do a good job here for 12 year olds and help where needed.
- Give tutoring: You are particularly good in a school subject and would like to pass on your knowledge? Then you could offer tutoring to your classmates or younger children. This way you not only earn some extra money, but also repeat what you have learned at school. You can earn about 5 to 8 euros per hour.
We will go into more detail on the different types of jobs. So don’t worry if you don’t know which jobs for 12-year-olds are right for you!
Tips for your application
You need tips for your job application? We show you how the letter of application and the curriculum vitae should look like.
Mini-jobs from 12
Unfortunately, there are no mini-jobs from the age of 12 because, as already mentioned, you are only allowed to work from the age of 13 at the earliest. A mini-job is a job where you can earn up to 450 euros a month and don’t have to pay any taxes. This kind of work is also called a ‘marginal employment. This is especially good for students who want to earn some extra money without sacrificing their performance in school. But you should only do simple jobs that don’t put too much physical or mental strain on you.
Your 13. Birthday is already around the corner? Then mini-jobs will soon be an option for you! Because from 13 you are already allowed to do some marginal jobs, for example:
You see, even if there are no mini-jobs from 12, you can soon after your 13. Look around for a suitable mini-job on your 50th birthday.
Vacation job from 12
To earn money as a child, you can make particularly good use of school vacations and look for a vacation job from 12 upwards. This will allow you to focus on your homework and classwork during school hours. For example, spring and summer is the right time for planting and taking care of flowers in the garden. Here you can help relatives and friends with the gardening. During the winter vacations, you can again offer to clear the snow in the yard. Or you can sprinkle the sidewalks with salt, so that they are safe to walk on. You will not only fill up your cash box, but also make your neighborhood a safer place. During the vacations you have all the time in the world and can supplement your pocket money with suitable jobs for 12-year-olds.
In the vacations, moreover, many people go on vacation. Maybe your neighbors will need someone to take care of their pets or water their flowers in their absence? This is the perfect chance for a vacation job from 12!
Delivering newspapers from the age of 12
Delivering newspapers from the age of 12 – is that possible?? Unfortunately not. You can’t deliver newspapers until you’re 13 years old at the earliest. This means that this activity is one of the jobs that you are allowed to do even as a young person. You’ll be paid either by the hour or per piece. So it all depends on how fast you’re running. The good thing about this job is that you don’t need any previous experience and you can start right away. A good way to earn some extra money – even if it’s not yet a job for 12-year-olds.
You will soon be 13 years old? Then you can already find out about jobs as a newspaper deliverer!
Babysitting jobs for 12 year olds
Babysitting jobs for 12-year-olds exist. Look around again in your circle of relatives and acquaintances for it. Maybe you already have good contact with the neighborhood kids or your cousins. For example, you can offer to watch small children while their parents go shopping or work in the next room. Babysitting is a very responsible job, but also a lot of fun. Babysitting jobs for 12 year olds are therefore a great way to earn some extra money.
How much money can you earn at 12?
How much money you can earn in jobs for 12-year-olds is hard to predict. Since it is not a ‘real’ job, but rather an additional pocket money, your earnings are not legally regulated. Your earning potential depends on what you arrange with your relatives or neighbors and how often you take on these tasks.
If, for example, you have agreed that you will receive 5 euros once a week for an hour of gardening, this adds up to 20 euros a month. So a job for 12 year olds is a good way to save up for a bigger wish, like an expensive computer game or a trip to an amusement park.
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