Smart ways to make money as a teen

If you’re a teen looking to make some extra money, you’re not alone.

There are items to purchase such as clothing, entertainment, and electronics. It is also beneficial to save money for things like cars, college, and other large purchases.

As a teenager, you have a multitude of options for earning money. Check to see if you can get what you require by using one (or more) of the methods listed below.

How to Make Money Online as a Teen?

Online jobs are one way to make money without having to leave your house. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Search the Web

Swagbucks is a legitimate website where people are paid to accomplish online tasks. You earn points for completing tasks.

When you earn points, they are placed in a “bank” and can be redeemed for Amazon gift cards or gift cards to local and online retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Old Navy. You can also be paid via PayPal.

To earn points, you must complete small tasks such as:

(a) Filling out surveys

(b) Playing games

(c) Searching the Web

(d) Watching videos

(e) Shopping online

By using your Swagbucks account in your free time, you can earn money to pay for things you require or want. The best part is that it is completely free and simple to join. To get initiated, simply enter your email address and a password.

Swagbucks has a Trustpilot rating of 4.3/5, and they also offer a $10 sign-up bonus!

2. Sharing Your Opinion

Do you enjoy expressing your thoughts on various issues? Why not get paid to do it?

Companies like Survey Junkie will pay you to provide feedback on businesses and products. Brands want to hear from you and are prepared to pay for it.

Survey Junkie has over 10 million members and needs only that you be at least 13 years old to join.

To get began, simply enter your email address, zip code, birthday, gender, and create a password.

Sell Things As A Teen:

Selling items is a surefire way to make extra money. Do you have a hobby in which you make things that you could sell?

The following suggestions will help you earn some extra spending money.

3. Sell Drinks and Food

In the summer, a cold cup of refreshing lemonade will go quickly. One plan is to set up a table and sell lemonade at your parents’ next garage sale.

Set up a table with your friends and spread the word that you have cold lemonade for sale.

It’s simple to make a pitcher of lemonade. All you need is water, ice, and a tub of lemonade powder if you’re on a tight budget.

The secret of success in this type of business is price. Make sure your prices are sufficient enough to justify the cost of the items you’re selling. Also, include a little extra to make a profit for your hours of work.

4. Sell Your Products

Do you have a talent for making crafts, jewelry, artwork, woodworking, or other items? You can easily begin selling them to friends, family, and even on your local Facebook page.

Consider expanding your business to sites such as Etsy as you progress. You can sign up if you are at least 13 years old and have the permission of your parents.

You can also sell your items on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and at local fairs and events.

Make sure your prices cover both the cost of your materials and your time.

5. Run a Farmer’s Market Stand

When adults set up a stand at a local farmer’s market, many of them charge a fee. Fortunately, some will let children do so for free.

Farmer’s markets sell everything from fruits and vegetables to baked goods and crafts. Consider all of the various things you could sell.

At our local farmer’s market, there was a group of teenagers who used to make brick oven pizzas and bread. They made a decent living doing this.

Before selling baked goods or specialty foods at a farmer’s market, check your state’s laws on farmer’s market foods.

6. Turn Your Hobbies into Cash

Do you have a passion that you can earn money? Do you have a talent for drawing people or animals? Do you know how to design business logos? Or do you have a talent for writing stories or poems?

Make a list of your skills and provides to hire them out. You can advertise locally or on websites like Webdabster. Anyone 13 years old or older can use Webdabster to list job opportunities for $5 and up.

The secret to success on sites like Webdabster is to charge an appealing price to potential clients while also ensuring that you are paid fairly.

With Webdabster, you may begin out making less than you would like.

The great news is that if people like your work and your services become more in demand, you will be able to raise your rates.

7. Sell Your Stuff

Is your closet overflowing with items you no longer require? Do you have any games or Legos that are collecting dust? Or do your parents have anything they’d like to get rid of? To make money, consider selling them.

For example, do you have any video games, DVDs, or CDs lying around your room that you never use? See what you can get for them on a site like Decluttr, or organize a porch pickup through your neighborhood Facebook group.

If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of selling items one at a time, Decluttr is a fantastic choice.

Their app scans items you want to sell and then sends you a box to ship everything to them.

The basic rule for selling used items is to charge 10% of the retail price. For instance, if your Lego Friends set costs $60.00, try selling it for $6.00.

However, if you want to sell items quickly, price them lower than your competitors.

8. Collect and Resell Golf Balls

Collecting and selling golf balls is another way to make money. Keep an eye out for abandoned golf balls near local golf courses. You might even be able to obtain permission from local club managers to find the course grounds after hours.

As long as you’re on public property and have accumulated a sufficient number of golf balls, you can wipe them up and sell them outside the local golf club’s entrance.

Another option is to ask people you know who play golf if they want to buy the discounted golf balls you’ve found.

Remember that if your golf balls are in good condition, you will have an easier time selling them.

Balls that appear to have been used for years and are scuffed will be more difficult to sell.

9. Rent Your Video Games

If you have a large number of video games or books that you do not want to sell, you can rent them to friends for a small fee. Charge them a flat fee for renting the item for a week or two.

Also, inform them that if the item is not returned to you on time, you will be charged a late fee.

Keep a notebook with a list of who has what items and when they are due back so you don’t lose track of your belongings.

10. Sell Your Designs

Creating designs for t-shirts and other products is one way to make money that costs very little out of pocket.

You create the design and then upload it to sites like Redbubble or Cafepress to have it printed on items like t-shirts, totes, and iPad covers.

These websites even handle shipping and returns. When someone purchases an item with your design or saying on it, you receive a commission from the sale.

Cafepress will allow you to use their site if you are at least 13 years old and have permission from your parents. Redbubble requires that you be at least 16 years old.

11. Collect Aluminum Cans

If your neighbors drink a lot of canned drinks, such as sodas, ask if you can pick up their thrown-away soda and other beverage cans once a week.

Then take the cans to a nearby recycling center, where you will be paid cash for your aluminum cans. Even though this is an out-of-the-box sales chance, you can still make money.

Earn Money With Your Hands:

Cleaning and home improvement are activities that must be completed on a regular basis. If you are a teen who excels at either of these projects, the options below are for you.

12. Clean People’s Houses

The majority of people are eager to keep their homes clean. Traditional cleaning services, on the other hand, can be expensive. As a result, people may think about hiring teenagers to clean their homes for a minimal price.

A house cleaning business may be right for you if you enjoy cleaning and know how to do a good job.

Make a list of the types of cleaning you’ll do to get your business off to a good start. After that, you can begin looking for clients by promoting your services to family, friends, and neighbors.

Check to see if you can offer a competitive rate. Maid cleaning services typically charge between $25 and $35 per hour.

Doing your work quickly and thoroughly, while charging only $15 per hour, gives potential clients a reason to choose you over a traditional maid service.

13. Wash Cars

Busy adults frequently do not have time to wash their vehicles. This means you can earn a lot of money doing it for them, especially if you can wash their car at a place of their choosing.

You’ll want a bucket, soap, rags, or a soft sponge to wash with, and towels to dry with.

You’ll need window cleaner and paper towels if you’re cleaning the interiors of the cars. A portable hand-held vacuum cleaner can also be a useful addition.

Most people will allow you to use their hose and water to clean the outside of their car. Some people may lend you their vacuum cleaner to clean the interior.

Before you accept the job, make sure to find out what supplies you will be allowed to use.

When it comes to pricing your car washing services, consider how long it will take you to complete the cleaning task, then offer an appealing rate that still provides you with a good hourly wage.

You can also enhance your hourly rate by learning to work quickly and efficiently.

14. Organize Homes or Garages

Many people want arranged spaces but don’t know where to begin. You can begin a business organizing people’s homes or garages if you are good at organization.

When providing your services, take a close look at the job at hand and estimate how many hours it will take you.

Then, compute the number of hours by your desired hourly rate and use that as your job offer price.

You can promote your services on Facebook, through flyers, or through emails. Contacting friends, neighbors, and family members to inform them about your organizing services is another way to spread the word.

15. Boat and Camper Cleaning

You might have relatives, friends, or neighbors who own boats, campers, or other automobiles. Verify with them to see if they want you to clean them after their outings.

Request that you use their hose and water for rinsing and shop vac for vacuuming. Bring all of your other cleaning supplies from home to make things easier for your clients.

Be comprehensive but quick, and charge a reasonable fee that benefits both you and the customer.

16. Weed Gardens

Do your friends and family have vegetable and flower gardens? You could make some money by offering to pull weeds in their garden for them.

Weeding is usually required once a week and is difficult work for older people, so they may admire a teen taking this task off their hands.

Paper/plastic bag, a towel to kneel on, and gloves are required.

17. Paint Fences

To keep wooden and metal fences from deteriorating, they should be painted or stained every few years. If you enjoy painting and have neighbors who have fences that require to be re-coated, ask if you can do the work for them.

You’ll almost certainly require to do some research on how to properly prepare surfaces for painting. Before you begin, you’ll also require to know what types of paints are great for use on outdoor wood and metal surfaces.

Google and YouTube are good places to start.

18. Babysit

Do you have any young children in your neighborhood or extended family members who require child care? If so, you can earn money by providing babysitting services.

During the school year, you can offer your babysitting services at night and on weekends. You could offer to nanny during the summer while parents are at work and children are out of school.

It is not surprising for babysitters to earn $15 or more per hour. Babysitting is an excellent job for teenagers (even 14 and 15-year-olds) who are willing to take responsibility, mature and enjoy working with children.

Check out Care.com if you want to look for babysitting clients outside of your existing circle of family, friends, and neighbors. This is a database that lists available babysitters in various areas.

If you are under the age of 18, you must have the permission of a parent or guardian to be listed on the site.

19. Tutor Kids

Many parents are looking for low-cost tutors for their children. If you are a teen who excels in a subject such as math, reading, or a foreign language, you can tutor local parents.

Inquire with nearby parents if they require the services of a tutor. Alternatively, look on local online classifieds such as Craigslist for parents looking for tutors.

Keep yourself safe by involving your parents whenever you meet with a new potential customer.

20. Be a Parent’s Helper

A mother’s (or father’s) helper is not the same as a babysitter or nanny. It’s distinct because the parent is usually at home the majority of the time you’re working.

As a parent’s helper, you’ll most likely be asked to do a multitude of activities to assist the household run smoothly.

You might be asked to help with the dishes, lunch preparation, or laundry folding. You could assist a child with homework, change a diaper, or assist at the local pool.

Being a parent’s helper allows you to earn money by assisting a family while still being supervised by an adult.

To find employment, check with local families and distribute flyers. Determine your hourly wage depending on the type of work you will be needed to do.

21. Run Errands

Many busy people and families would welcome the opportunity to pay a teen to run errands for them. They might send you to get groceries or to the pharmacy.

Alternatively, they may request that you drop off/pick up dry cleaning or rush to the post office to mail a package.

One suggestion will assist you in making the most of your errand-running income.

Choose to work in areas where there are a lot of homes and apartments and where stores and other locations are close by. This will save you time.

22. Hold a Class for Kids at Your Home

If you have a skill, such as drawing, painting, or dancing, you could teach classes to neighborhood children in your yard or at your home. Lessons can be one-time events or scheduled for many days in a row.

For example, you could host a day camp where children can participate in scavenger hunts and other activities.

If you’re going to attend a course for kids in your neighborhood, you’ll require to plan ahead of time. The schedule should include lessons and activities that will keep them occupied for the duration of the class.

Make sure to charge a reasonable class fee that compensates you for your time and is cost-effective to parents.

23. Ask Parents for Tasks

Your parents (or grandparents) certainly have a long list of things they’d like done around the house. They may simply lack the time to do so.

Inquire with your parents if they have a list of jobs that they are willing to pay you to do. Maybe they’ll employ you to clean out the basement or garage.

Perhaps they require assistance in decluttering their home office.

They may ask you to help them with a spring cleaning project, such as washing windows or dusting.

Make a list of the tasks that require to be finished around the house, as well as how much they will be paid for each completed job.

Determine which jobs you want to do and finalize the details with your parents.

24. Help a Senior

Many senior citizens are looking for young people to fill a variety of positions. Sometimes they just want someone to spend some time with them, playing cards or talking.

To find work, contact local retirement communities. Check to see if they have a job board where you can provide your services.

25. House Sit

If a neighbor, friend, or family member is going on vacation, they may want to employ a house sitter to ensure their home is not empty while they are gone.

House-sitting clients may request an hour or two of your time per day, depending on their needs. Others may simply want to check in on the house on a daily basis.

Some homeowners prefer to have a house sitter live in their home for the duration of their absence.

Before agreeing to take the job, get specific instructions on the type of house sitting they require. Negotiate your pay with potential clients and obtain a signed contract.

Do you have no idea how to put together a contract? You can use Google to find contract templates that you can customize to meet your needs.

26. Pet Sit

Pet sitting is an excellent job for teenagers who enjoy animals. If they do not want their pets to be alone while they are at job, some people may request pet care.

Others may require pet care while on vacation. The time it takes to pet sit varies according to the type of pet.

Dogs will almost certainly require constant care, either at your home (with your parent’s permission) or at the pet owner’s home. Cats and fish, on the other hand, may only require you to check in on them twice a day.

Make a plan ahead of time for the types of pets you’ll be keeping an eye on. Set your prices based on how much time you’ll spend caring for the pet each day.

You can advertise your services to friends and family to find clients. You can also sign up as a pet sitter on Care.com.

Earning Money Outside of the Home:

If you enjoy caring for animals or tending to homes and gardens, there are numerous opportunities for you to turn your hobby into a source of income.

Take a look at the money-making opportunities listed below to see if any of them pique your interest.

27. Dog Walking

If you want to earn money while helping animals but prefer a less time-consuming job, you could offer dog walking services.

Many people want their dogs to be able to exercise while they are at work. These people will pay a reasonable hourly rate to have their dog walked a few times per week by someone else.

To find clients, distribute flyers, post on Facebook, or visit local pet stores. Make a schedule for yourself so that you can take care of your dog walking job commitments.

If you walk dogs that get along with other dogs, you can walk several dogs at once and increase your income. Make sure you don’t walk too many steps at once. Safety is always prioritized.

28. Doggie Doo-Doo Scooper

Dog owners must take the time to clean up dog poop in their yards. Some of your neighbors may be willing to pay you to do this work for them.

Set up regular yard cleaning times for each client to bring in a consistent amount of money for your company. Bring a scooper and a small garbage bag with you.

Place the droppings in the outside trash can or wherever your client instructs you to.

29. Grass and Plant Watering

Sometimes people require help watering their grass, flowers and plants Offer to come to their house and water their plants.

This is a job you’ll most likely do once or twice a week to maintain their grass and flowers in good condition.

You can publicize with flyers or on your neighborhood’s Facebook page, just like some of the other options.

30. Lifeguard

If you’re a good swimmer who enjoys spending time at the beach, becoming a lifeguard may be the job for you. The majority of neighborhood community pools are searching for teenagers to work as lifeguards.

The majority of lifeguard jobs require workers to have or obtain lifeguard certification from a qualified organization such as the Red Cross. Speak with local beach managers to learn more about the required qualifications.

If you want to work as a lifeguard, you should look into local lifeguard certification classes.

31. Umpire or Referee

Local sports organizations will occasionally hire teenagers to work as umpires and referees for children’s sports teams.

If you enjoy sports and are familiar with the rules of baseball, basketball, softball, and football, you could apply to be an umpire or referee.

These kinds of jobs are usually well-paying. Umpires in my area can earn up to $30 per hour. For more information on referee positions, contact your local sports organization.

32. Be a Golf Caddy

Teens are frequently sought after as golf caddies by public and private golf clubs. If you know how to play golf or are willing to learn, you could work as a golf caddy.

Golf caddies frequently receive nice tips from the people for whom they caddy in addition to a base rate of pay. The more you can assist the golfer you’re caddying for with club selection and shot advice, the more money you’ll make.

Paid Part-Time Jobs For Teens:

Getting a part-time job is one of the most common ways for teenagers to earn extra money. If you want a more consistent income stream, these are some options available.

33. Work at a Restaurant

Working as a cashier at a fast-food restaurant and as a waitress at a local sit-down restaurant were popular jobs for teens.

The fast-food job is fantastic because you can earn a guaranteed hourly wage in a fun environment while also getting fries as a side benefit. The waitressing job is fantastic because you can receive excellent tips in addition to the pay.

Both are jobs that allowed you to make good money as a teen.

If you like the idea of helping people eat, look for jobs at restaurants near you. You could also work in a local restaurant as a cook, busboy/girl, or cashier.

34. Be a Call Center Representative

Many businesses hire call center agents to work from home. Call center representatives to handle tasks such as appointment scheduling, customer service requests, and product information inquiries.

Many companies that hire customer service representatives require applicants to be at least 18 years old. Other businesses, such as U-Haul, hire teenagers as young as 16 to work as customer service representatives.

Companies in need of customer service representatives provide all employee training. Online customer service representatives are typically trained using an online service manual. The manual will be sent to you by the company so that you can gain knowledge about their services and products.

If you are courteous and enjoy interacting with others, this job could be a great way for you to earn money.

35. Movie Theater Worker

Do you enjoy both people and movies? You might enjoy working in a movie theater. Ticket sellers, ticket takers, concession stand workers, and janitors are just some of the jobs available at movie theaters.

Check with the management of your local theater to see if you can submit a job application. If you work in a theater, keep in mind that you may have to work late shifts.

36. Grocery Store Employee

Teens can find a variety of jobs in grocery stores. You could work as a cashier, grocery bagger, cart handler, or stock person.

Some grocery store jobs require customer interaction, while others do not.

As a result, whether you enjoy working with customers or prefer to work behind the scenes, grocery store work could be a great fit for you.

37. Retail Store Worker

Many clothing and retail store managers require teenagers to work cash registers and stock shelves. Retail work can be done on a yearly basis, such as during the holidays, or all year.

When it comes to local retail stores, a professional appearance, a positive attitude, and a willingness to be on time are all important.

If you possess these characteristics, you should think about working in retail. Look for work with clothing, home improvement, and big box stores in your area.

Summary:

If you are a teen looking to make money, there are numerous options available to you. Consider what you enjoy doing, your skills, and how much time you have to devote to earning extra money.

You can begin earning serious money in no time with a little creativity and hard work.