I'm a born saver: I arrived six weeks early on Dec 28, just in time for another tax deduction for my dad! I had the idea for my first business at the age of seven when I found a handshake buzzer in a box of cereal and decided to charge my classmates for handshakes. I charged a nickel for the girls and fifteen cents for the boys (who wanted to touch a boy--eeewww!). I made ten dollars in the first two weeks and I was hooked.
By the time I was in the fifth grade I created the "Critter Business" and made blue critters out of fake fur and plastic wobbly eyes. My marketing efforts at my elementary school caused the critters to replace the pet rock craze and I earned enough money to pay for a trip to Spain to see my cousins. Alas, my biz was shut down when the principal called me into his office for running a multi=million dollar company out of my locker.
In middle school I had a thriving babysitter service where the client had to book me a month in advance and if they cancelled a week in advance, they still had to pay the full amount. I had a sliding scale and charged more for the party animals as my rates went up after midnight and they doubled after 1:00 AM. I had a client list longer than I could ever handle because I played with the kids (didn't turn on the TV), I cleaned the kitchen, bathed the rascals, gave them their medicine and put them to bed on time. This job helped me pay cash for my first car at the age of fifteen.
I went to school with a Business major, and worked as a broker before I met and married the "World's Greatest Fighter Pilot." But THAT story is for another day!
Thanks for visiting my blog and we'll talk more later!
Ellie Kay
"America's Family Financial Expert" (R)
www.elliekay.com
