Pet sitting business for students: a 40-minute startup cost list, 6–8

1. Ask: "What does a pet sitter need before the first job?" Brainstorm for 3 minutes.
2. Explain two kinds of costs. One-time costs are bought once at the start (a leash). Ongoing costs repeat (poop bags, treats, bus fare).
3. Teams use the price sheet to build a startup list. They add anything missing with their own fair estimate and a note on where the price came from.
4. Teams total the one-time costs, then the ongoing costs for one month, assuming 4 jobs a week.
5. Teams decide on a price per visit and find how many visits it takes to pay back the one-time costs.
6. Each team shares its total and one cost they almost forgot. Discuss why businesses plan for surprise costs.

Safety: this is a planning exercise. A real pet sitting job needs a parent or guardian involved, a known neighbor and a plan for pets with health needs.

Differentiation: students who need support start with a partly filled list. Students who are ready add a 10 percent cushion for surprise costs and compare. English learners can use a two-column organizer with icons for one-time and ongoing.

Quick check: "Is a bag of treats a one-time or an ongoing cost? Explain."

More on UpOnly Learning (linked below): The Business You Build is a free business mindset check with one safe business idea for your student's age.

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