Well, realistically, I mean. This probably isn’t in the right forum, so feel free to move it if you like…
Given, I could only work a few hours a day… I get out of school at 4, which is in the middle of downtown Manhattan, so I reckon I could get near anywhere…
Of course, most jobs wouldn’t want to hire a 14-year old, so… my options are limited…
Any advice out there?
Pete Townshend’s housekeeper…
rimshot
Seriously, I don’t know if there is a legal age limit to work…
If not, then I’ll start with:
Fast food
Bussing tables
Gas station attendant
Check laws on getting worker permits.
Babysitting and yardwork.
As a father of three little ones, let me tell you the big bucks is in baby-sitting. Here are my suggestions:
If you show initiative and responsibility, parents will love you, and pay you big bucks. Do things like clean up something they’ll notice (do dishes or maybe straighten up a room). Always read to the kids or play a game. If you pay attention to kids your stay will be nicer, and the parents will like you, and once again, you’ll get the big bucks.
However, if you’re looking for a job for the social aspect, then you’ll have to do fast food. You won’t get diddly, but you’ll meet kids your age.
You can also work on a farm as a seasonal harvestrer or general laborer. I’m almost certain that this is legal. I will warn you however, that the work is very hard, and can have permanent health repercussions: you could ruin your back, etc.
Give up the thought of getting a “regular job”. Become self-employed. Try to develop an eye for things needing done and offer to do them.
In my youth I discovered the ease of finding work. If I saw a fence in need of painting, I’d bring the matter to the owners attention and offer to give them a bid on correcting the problem. Windows dirty? I’m your man!
Folks just can’t resist an enterprising youth and what’s more will give you all the word of mouth advertising you can handle Provided that you don’t cut corners, do an excellent job and above all keep your prices fair.
I found that I nearly always did better financially by not working by the hour but by the job.
Don’t forget while you are painting that fence to look around you for another project needin’ doin’.
Dishwashing, fast food, that kind of thing, but you may (likely) need parental consent. IIRC, in Quebec at least, the legal age to work is 15, although younger people can work if the parents give consent (as part of the contract, or whatever). Contact whatever ministry of state department applies to your state and ask them directly though. You can probably find the number in the blue pages of your phone book.
Good luck!
When I was 14 I did 1 of 3 jobs:
Pull weeds/plant plants at a Plant Nursery
yardwork for elderly neighborhood ladies
cut weeds in people’s lakes (very high demand for this job, and it’s pretty fun)
Off to IMHO.
When I was 14 I worked for my town’s library as a page (reshelving books mostly).
It was only a few hours a week, but it was easy work, it was air conditioned and quiet, and i got first dibs on any new books coming in.
I also babysat–that made me a lot more money, but some small children are hell.
My cousin and I did this one spring and summer many years ago. We used a 15 fook long piece of 6 inch channel iron with 40 pounds of lead bolted to it. At each end was 50 feet of chain. Using a Zodiak inflatable boat, we would drop the channel iron in the water 40 to 45 feet from shore. The two chains were hooked to another chain and then my truck. When the channel iron hit bottom, I would drag it to shore. Anything and everything in that 15 foot swath would be drug to shore. Besides pulling out the seaweed, it clear rocks, sucken logs, engine blocks, boat motors, lots of fishing tackle and even a wedding ring lost 5 years earlier. We made $200 to $400 per job. For a couple of guys looking to avoid real work, we busted our butts but it was lots of fun too.
When I was 15 I started working at my church’s Bingo kitchen as a waitress. I only worked Friday nights for about 4 to 5 hours and got paid from 20 to 30 bucks a night, depending on my luck and how good the cook was that night. It worked for me, as I didn’t like baby-sitting much. 
Family owned businesses are another avenue to explore. Our teens worked for their Dad as carpenter’s helpers, a neighbor who had a shipping business, and family friend who had a snowball stand.
Our 11 year old son earned over $400 this summer working for my husband as a carpenter helper/clean up guy. Daughter (10) earned over $200 going to work with me (computer software) and finding odd jobs to do for the owners.
I just made an offer to same daughter - $25 per week if she takes over the laundry (she’s been doing her own for over a year and for some reason loves laundry!) Have you asked your parents what they hate to do around the house and offered to take it over for a reasonable fee?
I had friends who worked as baggers and checkers at local supermarkets at 14/15.
Other possibilities, in decreasing order of fun, respectability, & $$$:
Caddy at a golf course - unfortunately, it’s seasonal in NY
Lifeguard
Clean cages at an animal shelter or vet’s office
Move to Canada and become a prostitute.
Forget babysitting…the real money is in PET-sitting. People shell out about three to five times more for watching their pets then they do for taking care of their kids.
Lifeguard is another big one for teens, and basically anything that can use a clean up/gopher type position. Unfortunately, not having a car poses a problem…most jobs won’t hire you if you’re under 16 because that tends to show you don’t have a reliable source of transportation. Of course, living in Manhattan, most people probably don’t own cars anyway, soooo…
I don’t know if bike couriers have to be a certain age, but it pays well, and gets you active and is a big thing for big cities. I also like the library idea.
If you live in a residential area, though, gardening and landscaping is a great idea, although I’m sure winter isn’t the best time to be looking. Washing cars, though…that’s a good job for teens as well. Ten bucks a car, an hour’s worth of time…not too shabby.
When I was 14, I started working as a busboy/dishwasher at bowling alley/nightclub.
Of course, I DID lie about my age. (I said I was 16)
Coincidentally, I went to HS in downtown Manhattan as well, but I lived in Queens. What school do you attend?
When I was 14, I bussed tables (if you try it, don’t spill melted butter in some guy’s lap like I did). I also did odd jobs around the neighborhood, like yard work, washing cars, dog walking, etc.
Like El Elvis said, pet-sitting is a good option as well. In related news, I recently read about a guy who’s doing quite well…picking up dog shit from people’s yards. Seriously. It seems some people just don’t want to be bothered doing it themselves.
Lawn service company…