Kathy Furgang - Money-Making Opportunities for Teens Who Are Computer Savvy

Published in 2014 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2014 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Furgang, Kathy.
Money-making opportunities for teens who are computer savvy/Kathy Furgang.1st ed.
p. cm.(Make money now!)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4488-9388-1 (library binding)
1. YouthEmployment. 2. Money-making projects for children.
3. Technology and youth. 4. Technology and youthVocational guidance. 5. Internet and teenagers. I. Title.
HD6270.F867 2014 004.023dc23
2012040037

Manufactured in the United States of America

CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #S13YA: For further information, contact Rosen Publishing, New York, New York, at

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

T abitha has always been a computer whiz. Since she was ten years old, friends and family have been asking her for help with all things digital. One of her biggest dreams is to work at a big computer company and develop apps or computer games. But Tabitha doesnt feel the need to wait until shes an adult to get started making money using her computer skills and knowhow. She is making money now as a high school student.

Tabitha is getting paid by a neighbor to transfer old home movies from reel-to-reel film onto DVD. Shes also creating electronic video files for the neighbor. Those old movies will soon be able to stop collecting dust in the attic and start being compressed, stored, e-mailed, or shared with friends and family members online. Tabitha feels gratified by the workshe is having fun looking at the old videos, and she knows that the elderly neighbor would not be able to perform these tasks himself. Tabitha is offering an important service to someone who cannot afford to pay a professional digital services company to do it.

Part of the project involves adding music to the home movies. Tabitha is also including new credits and titles so that the viewer knows who appears in each scene, where the film was shot, and on what date. She is working diligently on this project because she knows that if she does a good job and her neighbor is pleased with the results, he will recommend her services to his friends and neighbors. The job is fun for Tabitha and comes easily to her. Some of the work can even be done with programs already loaded on her computer, so she doesnt have to spend any money in order to make money.

The money Tabitha earns can be put toward her college fund or simply saved for a rainy day. And the work experience and references will look great when she lists them on a resume or application for employment or college admission.

Computer-savvy teens can earn money by creating new products or helping others learn how to use their computers.

Many teens have the opportunity to use their computer skills to make money now, not when they are older and finished with high school or college. Whether you are a jack-of-all-trades and have mastered most computer-related tasks and activities or you have become a specialist in one particular arealike programming or graphic designyou can take steps to start earning money now.

Teens often do not realize that they have the ability to use what they already know to become their own boss now. Having the spirit of an entrepreneur is the first step to actually becoming an entrepreneur. Teens who think outside the box are often surprised by how easy it is to use their knowledge to make a difference in their own lives, right now. You may not have to wait until after you have finished college to start a great career. Using your computer skills to make money can help you pay for that college education. It can also help you start blazing a career path that will lead to fulfillment and success.

H ow does someone who is computer savvy start to make money while still in high school? If you have computer and digital know-how, you will certainly be able to figure out how to make it work for you. Some entrepreneurs take a while to figure out what is right for them. You may be good at programming, design, or developing games or apps. Like Tabitha, you might enjoy working with visual media. Helping people transfer old films into a digital format or enhance their newer digital footage might be a good way to showcase your skills and earn some money. The only limits on the number of ways to apply your skills to money-making ventures are those of your imagination. If you can dream it, you can do it!

Some small business owners or citizens in your town do not have the skills and knowledge necessary to set up, update, or sometimes even simply operate their computer equipment. People may ask you all kinds of techie questions already, so why not offer your services as a consultant to these companies or people for a fee?

A consultant works on a project basis, helping only when needed and doing the job for a predetermined price. This kind of arrangement works well for both parties involved. The company can get computer tech services when it cant afford to hire a fulltime, on-site computer technician, and the consultant (thats you) gets the opportunity to use his or her skills to make money.

Computer repair can be done on a consulting basis. A consultant is paid for each individual job that he or she does for a client.

Even the average person who hires the consultant to work on a home computer would benefit from such a service. It would likely take that person a long time to learn the skills or read complex manuals that someone else may already understand. It may take a lot of time and money for someone such as an elderly person to do the work necessary to set up or update his or her computer. That person knows it is better to hire someone knowledgeable and experienced to do the job in order to avoid inadvertently doing harm to his or her home computer system through errors in procedure or mistaken actions.

Techies are often available at a moments notice. Sometimes they may need to troubleshoot when someone has a problem. A client may not know what to do if he or she sees a certain error message on the computer screen. The consultant who is available at odd hours and can provide a reassuring demeanor can give his or her client a peace of mind.