Earning - but parents?

[Losdivinos]

Hi guys!
I am only 14, soon 15, and i earn some money online. I have been earning for 4 month and earned around $2.000 but they dont know. I have 1k on my paypal and they dont believe in stuff on the internet and think it is dangerous... I am with 3 others, so we share the money in 4 parts. 2 of their parents know...

How should i tell 'em?

[Chris]

I'd wait until I have around 100k. Then I'd say "I'm moving out". When they ask you, "but where will you get the money from?". Just tell them, "off my PayPal account".

If you think they'll get mad you're wrong. There's no need to tell them if you don't want, you can make you own decisions, why should they care what you have earned, you did it yourself and should feel proud, not bogged down by what you think are the people who control your life.But believe me, all they want is that you realize the importance of the money you earn.

Law on the other hand is something you might want to give a little more thought. I don't know where you're from, but the tax office might not be too happy if they don't get their share. Where I'm from, you can earn up to something like 4000 euros a year before getting taxed, and as far as I know when you're under 15 you can't get taxed as you are not legally allowed to be employed by a company, self employment is allowed. And that's only if the money is in a bank the tax office has access too.

[Losdivinos]

Haha sounds kinda epic!

But yeah, i know them good, and i think they will be kinda mad. If a pop-up appears on their PC and i was the last using it, they would go like "What is this?!?".

The only problem is, that my cousin, a great friend too, told his parents i was earning because he would start himself and now they want me to tell them. :/

[Chris]

If I was a parent, and my child was earning legit money by them selves online, I would be nothing else but proud. You're not earning money through selling porn or anything?

[Losdivinos]

Well, no, its through facebook, so no porn!

But yeah, i would be afraid not being allowed to use my computer.

[Chris]

Well, no, its through facebook, so no porn!

But yeah, i would be afraid not being allowed to use my computer.

Buy a new one.. You bought it.. It's yours.

[Last Known Hero]

My parents were the same way about not trusting the internet.

When I first started using paypal they were a bit wary but I can attest that they wont be mad of LEGITIMATE earnings, as long as your not scamming they shouldnt care. They ended up being proud of me, in fact I didnt have to get a part time job doing some lame shit since I had a part time job doing my art.

I say tell them, but sit them down and let them know your plans, let them know that you have thought things through.

Although sharing the money on one paypal through 4 people sounds like an awful awful idea.

[Jackolantern]

I'm not sure if keeping it a secret is an option. Even beyond the other parents telling you that they want you to tell your parents (I always hated when my friends' parents pulled that crap. Mind your own business, I'm not your kid! lol), you are going to have to deposit the money into a bank account to get it off of Paypal. I am assuming at 14 you probably don't have your own checking account, which means you would have to put it into your parents account and have them withdraw the money and give it to you. So you will have to tell them sooner or later.

Here is the way I would do it: Call your parents to the computer, and say something like "I want to show you what I can do and what I have been working on". If you do programming, web development, or anything like that, start to show them what you can do. Start to blow their mind with some of the technical things they won't understand. Then follow up with something like "Most people don't know how to make this kind of stuff, but it is extremely valuable. People actually pay to have others do this (or, if it is a website making money, "people actually pay to visit sites like this")" and then break it to them then that you have made some money, and that you have a legit business going on.

They are just worried that you are going to fall for some scam or get swindled online. If you show them you have an actual, legit skill or an actual product that people are willing to pay for, they will take it better.

As a side note, you are starting to make real money with this, so it is time to end the amateur agreement with your partners and write up some real documents. Just "splitting whatever money comes in" is a recipe for a lawsuit once real money is being made and the business is in full swing. You need to get people to scan or fax you legitimate signed documents outlining your agreement. Verbal contracts are a nightmare when it comes to money and businesses.

[Torniquet]

Buy them a nice present each and they will undoubtedly ask where you got the money from... then tell them.

soften them up and tell em how it is. Worst they will do is insist on taking it from you to put away in savings.... and take up that offer lol.

I also agree with how bad it is to share a paypal account. Get everyone to set up their own account and have the money split between the four additional accounts, then do the same at the end of each month or something. You can monitor what goes in and out of paypal and who to. So if anyone starts playing funny buggers you can find out who it is.

[Losdivinos]

Guys, we HAVE 4 accounts.

And thanks alot!

I might not have the courage to tell them yet, but i am thinking about telling my sister. She is 19 and i know she wouldnt be mad.
Maybe i could get her on my side.. This way it would be easier convincing them...

The only problem is, that they would be scared to get involved with great powers like paypal wanting them to pay 24012342430598235094238 millions dollars, you know?