Teens love to spend money!  If you're lucky, you'll receive cash for your birthday, report card, as an allowance, or for a holiday gift.  To ensure that you always have money, you can get an after school job.  This way you can buy whatever you need or want without having to ask mom or dad.

Given the recent economic client, teens are competing with experienced workers for jobs.  Don't fret because you can still find income opportunities if you know where to look and how to approach a hiring manager.

Note:  Having a job means you'll can benefit from time management skills.  You'll have to do homework after work or get up early to finish it.  Create a schedule for yourself.  This way you'll know what days you work and make sure you complete all of your assignments.  Use study halls to your advantage.  If you're lucky, you'll be able to get a pass to the library or computer room to do whatever research you need to do for assignments.

Tips to finding income opportunities

1.  Read the classified section of your local newspaper.  There are plenty of jobs listed in the newspaper.  Working at a job will give you extra cash and perhaps "awaken" the entrepreneur in you.  When you graduate from high school you may opt to begin your own business versus working for someone else.  Speak to local entrepreneurs and discover how they got started and how they can help you!

2.  Ask your friends who have jobs if there are openings where they work.  Here's a tip:  word-of-mouth and networking are the best ways to find employment.  Most companies will not post their job openings because they rely on referrals from their employees or work with a recruiting agency.

3.  Find a passive income stream.  Let's say you're a teen author.  You can self-publish your book and create other merchandise around it such as CDs, DVDs, t-shirts, and other items.  Mom and dad can help you with this if your school or community doesn't have a "young entrepreneur program."

4.  Attend job fairs.  Believe it or not, there are some job fairs for teens.  Bring your resume and smile with you!  Make sure you dress up.  You don't have to wear a suit, but don't dress in t-shirt and jeans.  Make sure you know something about the companies you want to work for.  Employers like people who know their business.

5.  Create a job.  You can babysit, shovel snow, landscape, paint, or put your technological skills to use by designing web sites.  Again, mom and dad can help you get started or perhaps your school has a program for teen entrepreneurs.

6.  Get involved in the family business.  Ok, a funeral home may not be your ideal business, but you could get involved and earn cash along the way.  Who knows, one day you may decide to run the business.  In the mean time, offer to take out the trash, open the mail, do some light bookkeeping, or whatever else your family can use.  You'll be able to apply the business skills you learn today to whatever you do in the future.

Teens earn money now to save and or buy whatever it is you'd like.  Perhaps you want a car but mom and dad expect you to pay the insurance. Having an after school job will take care of the insurance and gas!  If you want a cell phone, an after school job can pay for that as well.

Earning income as a teen will teach you money management.  Make sure you put money aside for education, giving, financial freedom, and long-term spending.  Read my articles in the Money Management section to learn more about this subject.  It's best to develop money management skills today because it will prepare you for the future.