QUESTION~Have You Ever had a Paper Route??

I had a paper route, but I was just a boy and it was a lot more work then becuase I did not and could not drive a car...but the money was nice for a boy...I did it for a good 6 years...

no but my husband has. He said yes you have to buy the papers and then you have to collect the money from the people. That was a long time ago and it could possibly be different now. You have to roll the papers and bag them and it depends upon how many you have to deliver etc.

nope been tempted tho. With gas prices these days, I'd go for a route I could walk/ride a bike!

Nope! Never. I babysat when I was about 12 or so I guess... got a "real job" at 15 and worked ever since.

Jeff, do you need to have a large vehicle to do something like that?

I had one with our community paper. We didn't have to collect or anything, but rain or shine or deep snow, we had to be out there delivering. I was happy to have the money but for me it wasn't worth it. If you did it as a couple and alternated, it might be ok.

It was terrible when I was 13. Now they have direct billing and alot better pay. It is hard work though and sometimes the middle of the night. Give it a try and don't forget to deduct your car milage.

marty

I had a paper route, I mean my son had a paper route. It seemed like it was mine sometimes. He was paid for the number of papers delivered, and did not have to buy the papers or collect. He had to buy supplies like the plastic sleeves for the rain, and rubber bands. It was a good experience, but it is hard. You can't really have a day off. If you wake up sick, you still have to do it.

many moons ago

You mean like throwing a paper through a side light window-pane ?
Snow going through and stuffing other papers in the hole
to stop the blowing snow?
They never even charged me, nor tried.
What a diff. from the other assholes
I encountered as a child

I had a paper route when I was growing up. It was in my neighborhood so I would walk it. But when I had to do the Sunday paper my mom drove me. I had a hard time actually collecting the money I was due so I ended up quitting.

Don't know much about the paper route, but I am filing up papers and junks to be sold for extra bucks, enjoying...

I think in your part its time consuming and you get weary and mind to be bloated, an everyday garage saleing...

Be prepared to work your butt of. My two youngest and I had a route when I was working as a consultant. My time was my own and I made my own schedule.

The route was great for the following reasons:

Lots of exercise
Fairly decent money
Opportunity to teach the kids about work and handling money
My kids working for money

Bad things:

A lot of the guys in the depot were total jerks
Paper added lots of addresses where there were no subscriptions just to up their numbers.
Winter - winter - winter
Wrecked the shocks on my car

I found that the costs of using my car for jobs like delivering papers and worse - delivering food - pretty much too care of any short term financial gain... when the brakes went ... or the shocks... any gains were quickly wiped out

Nope....sorry

I havent had one, but my friends have. They made ok money. I know on the Sunday paper not only did they have to roll and bag, but they had to insert the coupons. That's why sometimes there aren't any in there. Someone forgot!

I haven't but I know of some others that do.

They don't have a problem getting up and doing it everyday, but if you are not an early morning person or if you plan to travel a lot it might not be for you. The one lady that really does it loves the extra money and she is able to work it in with the rest of her schedule so that it works for her. She gets up, does the route and is back home to get her kids up for school. After they go, she heads to her regular job as a checker at the grocery store. She loves the added money and she doesn't have to collect.

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I know a lot of adults who do this in their spare time for extra cash. I thought about doing it too but the papers here have to be delivered by 4:30 p.m. (it's an evening paper) and I work until 5.

I did this a while back while in college - you did "purchase" the papers and the company did direct bill - so no collecting. However, you need to purchase rubber bands and bags for wet days. Rolling and putting in inserts took forever especially on sundays. But, sunday is the day where you really make the money. Tips were great especially if you did special things like put the paper in the door or on the porch for people. Christmas tips were the best and made the winter delivery a little more bearable. On the flip side - I was in great physical condition from running from house to house and back to my car :)

PS - during the week i worked for about 2-3 hours (from picking them up and doing a double route) sat was probably 3 and sundays at least 4 hours. I had 2 routes because it wasnt worth the time and pay to do just one. I probably had around 300 customers total.

I had one 38 years ago. I know things have changed but one thing that probably hasn't... there are no days off. You deliver 365 days a year. Being an adult, having a car instead of a Schwinn Stingray bicycle, both would be a great help. Check it out carefully before you commit to it.

My dad had one for many years. Its a real pain. First you are on call EVERY day. People dont care what the wheather is. Second if for some reason a customer did not get their paper, they expect you to jump in the car and get it to them. You need a very reliable vehicle. Your car insurance will probably go upAnd then there is the cost of the gas.There are much easier ways to make the extra $

I was not a carrier, but I worked in the phone queue at the paper. It is a thankless job, hard on your vehicle and people can be very picky about how, when and where their papers are delivered.

I worked with someone who worked both in the phone room and as a sub carrier at one time. She was called in to finish a route because the carrier died of a heart attack on the route. After finishing the route she went to work in the phone room. One of the customers she had delivered to personally called and complained about her paper being late. When my coworker explained what happened, and the customer said, "I don't care, that's your problem!"

I never had one, but my father in law works one now and again. Unfortunately I don't know the specifics to be able to answer your questions.

I had a route when I was younger. Actually, I had 3 routes at once. Money was ok but you don't make as much as a kid / teenager as you do as an adult. The bulk of the time is assembling the paper, provided the newspaper company has not already done that for you. If you only deliver on weekends, it's a great way to earn a little extra cash. If you deliver it weekly and you drive the route, remember wear and tear on the vehicle and the extra gas expense. If you have an average route of say 50 to 100 customers, it shouldn't take too long once you know the route. Happy delivering!

For those kind of routes you need a truck and plenty of spare time. These are not kid paper routes You will be spending hours each day on the route. Generally, you have to plan on getting up EARLY every morning to be at the distribution point between four and five am to fold and load hundreds of papers. Your route may be miles long. Hint if you want to do this without breaking your back you need an urban route with plenty of apartment houses, nursing homes, senior residences, etc. This is much more efficient than just suburban homes. Those are for kids and/or gluttons for punishment. Make your route as drop and go as the distributor will let you. Bill by mail.

This aren't stuff the paper in the door or mailbox routes. No, hi, Mrs. Smith, you owe $4.50 this week. You have to be motivated. A friend of mine has done it for years. I had a bad relationship with my distributor and my route stretched over two counties. So beware and good luck!

I have a paper route, and it's nothing like what everyone else posted here.

1. I don't have a truck, I have a car. I have about 200 papers, which fit easy in a car.
2. It takes me 2 hours
3. I don't bill anyone. The newspaper takes care of all that. I just get a check from the paper.
4. There is the cost of gas and wear and tear on your car to take into account. I had one route that was 80 miles, and that was not worth the money. I now have a route that's only 20 miles, so less wear on the car. It all depends on the area you are delivering to. Go with a paper that's popular in your area, and you won't have to drive as many miles.
5. AFTER THE PRICE OF GAS, I make approx $250/ week. Not bad for 15 hours of work a week.
6. I don't have to deliver any papers that I might have missed. The customer calls the paper company and they go out and deliver those.
7. There are people in my area who will work for you if you want a day off. Of course, you can't take many days off, but if you need a few days a year, or a week off for vacation, they will fill in for you.

I mispoke -- I have 300 papers, not 200