[Wendy]

We are trying to teach our son to work and save. He is doing a few odd jobs here and there. What do you think is reasonable for a teenage boy to charge per hour to weed flower beds, mow, and do other yard work? (He will use the customer’s mower if mowing.)

[Catherine]

All these comments and does anyone remember we got paid 2.00 an hour to babysit! 10 dollars an hour is sufficient and not disrespectful for a teenager to get paid for lawn, cleaning, or babysitting.

[Katie]

$10 an hour.

[Michelle]

When my son’s cut lawns last year, we charged according to how small or large the yard was.

So, if it’s a small yard $25 – $30 per yard (front and back) and if it’s a large yard $35 – $40 per yard. I found that I had to set the prices for him, otherwise my son would get ripped off.

I once caught a neighbor laying him $10 bucks for mowing his large back yard, and when I told him he should have paid my son more, he said he would pay that next time.

Then I later saw said neighbor cutting his own grass with a manual mower, lol.

[Skyla]

We don’t really go by time, for yardwork stuff most people go by job. Even companies go by size of job around me, which sure they factor in hourly rate for the team to complete the job but for just one kid trying to get some cash per job is more than reasonable.

For weeding flowerbeds id say 10$, a small yard mowing 15$, raking $10, picking up sticks and and trash in the yard I wouldn’t charge for separate cause that’s just part of mowing/raking. Really depends on where you are though.

What kind of demographic is your neighborhood? If it’s a nicer area you could get away charging a bit more.

If it’s a more average working class type of area, lots of parents and such, I’d probably keep the prices on the lower end.

[Christine]

My kids usually charged for the job, not by the hour. That encouraged them to be efficient and maximize their time.

When we lived in the city people happily paid $25 to have their lawn mowed. It took my son 30 minutes to mow it. Weeding a flower bed might be a $20 job; the faster it’s done the more money made.

[Skyla]

My sons charged $10 an hour, but people ALWAYS paid them more because they were dependable and worked hard. It was a wonderful learning experience for them.

[Megan]

We are in Illinois. Minimum wage here is $14/hr. My 11 year old son gets paid $20/hour by several people to do that work.

The job is worth whatever people should pay. People that say he shouldn’t make minimum wage because that includes taxes etc are a bit ridiculous, because… the job is worth whatever people are willing to pay for it. Many people don’t want to do yard worj; and pay a premium for that service. They pay my son $20/hr because the licensed insured company is 2x as much.

[Mary]

i had a helper for several summers. I paid him 20 $$ per hr. after I got him trained, it was very much worth it. I had to work right by his side to make sure he was doing what I wanted. working with him developed a friendship and he was willing to come – I never had to worry that he was there because someone was forcing him. he grew up. doing other things now . sad.

I’m hoping another helper willl come along. he didn’t know the difference between a poppy and thistle. so I don’t expect the new person – if they ever come along, will know the diff,. either. but I’ll teach them.

[Tanya]

Also he can probably help take down and put up Christmas lights for older women….. if they fall and break a hip, often they die after breaking a hip, but there they go up on a ladder, doing Christmas lights!

[Casey]

My son does $25 to mow the yard, $15 to pick up dog poop (and must pick up poop if cutting grass and there’s poop), $10 to edge lawn with weed wacker, price for pulling weeds varies, he’ll spray for weeds for $20. Uses all our own equipment and product. Doesn’t charge by hour, just by service. He does same 8 lawns a week on a schedule.

Plus any one time request due to vacations and what not. All in the neighborhood, people contact us by word of mouth. So some weeks he has more than 8 lawns. He is 13 and started when he was 11.

Started picking up dog poop when he was 10.

[Lisa]

When my kids were younger, they went around shoveling driveways. One person didn’t have cash, so said to come back later, which they did. The people figured out what minimum wage was and paid them that, which was maybe $5. They worked hard to do that driveway (in the cold), and it was ridiculous that they got paid so little!

Everyone else was very generous, appreciated their work ethic and the job performed.

[Stephanie]

Minimum of minimum wage, but he can also price by job. When I push mow my yard it takes an hour. But the guy I hired for the summer does it in under that time and I pay 30, so people will pay a bit more per job so he can quote that way as well.

[Pete]

Depends on his age, skills, and work ethic. If the work is done properly then were I hiring him his age would not matter. I’d be happy to pay a fair rate to the area. Where I am that would be 20+, an hour. If the work is not up to snuff than I wouldn’t pay anything.

[Nesha]

Mowing is usually by the job, not by the hour, and it’s less if you’re using the homeowner’s equipment. If he actually knows how to weed, that’s pretty skilled and a lot of people are interested in hiring someone to weed, not just spray.

Don’t go too low, but also he should plan on filing taxes.

[Author]

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