By Tom Polanski

It’s a painful realization for many teens:  money really doesn’t grow on trees.  But if you need some extra cash - you don’t have to look far.  In fact, you can start your own business almost for free.  All it takes is a little research, a dash of dedication and these five tips:

1. Choose something you love - The more you’re “into” what you do, the more work doesn’t really seem like work at all.  You can sell items on eBay, resell other people’s products for extra cash or start your own service business - such as running errands, dog walking or lawn mowing/snow removal.  Lots of people need your help - you just have to know where to look.
2. Get ideas - Check out Entrepreneur.com’s Teen section or teenmoneymakingideas.com to help spark your imagination. Reading the success stories of others will teach you that you can do it, too.
3. Tell the world about it - You can post flyers on community bulletin boards, spread the word on your favorite social site, tell your friends, family and relatives.  You can have free business cards made at www.vistaprint.com and pass them out freely to everyone you meet.
4. Know the legal stuff - There are laws that regulate how long you can work, as well as how to make your business “real” and not just a side job. For more information on getting started, check out the SBA Teen site - hosted by the Small Business Administration at http://www.sba.gov/teens/
5. Make yourself memorable - Remember, customer satisfaction is the key to getting repeat business and having your clients tell others about you.  Do the best job you can and word will spread quickly!  Above all, when you’ve completed a job for a customer, ask them for a testimonial - you’d be surprised to see how far this goes in netting you other business!

Starting your own business and sticking to it shows others that you’re responsible, disciplined and a good money manager - all traits you can develop which will help tremendously in the “real world”.   They may seem simple at first, but showing others that you can handle the easy stuff will help you learn more quickly.  Good luck!