Learning how to make money as a teen (without a job!) is seriously one of the best things you can do to get ahead of the game.
Whether it’s getting enough cash to buy a car, saving up for college or even just trying to pay for some new clothes, they can all be hard if you’ve also got things like school – and social – commitments to worry about.
But that absolutely doesn’t have to stop you from starting to get some money coming in. So if that sounds like you, these ways for teens to make money may be just what you need!
Whether you’re looking to make money online or offline, and no matter what your interests are or how much time you have, there are definitely options for you here for how to earn money as a teen while studying, doing your extracurriculars…and just living your life!
It’s also worth mentioning that the fact you’re even considering how to earn money as a teenager is one of the best things you can do for taking your first financial steps in the world.
You may not believe it, but learning how to manage your money now will already put you far ahead of many adults who are still figuring this out.
And if you take the extra step of starting to invest some of your earnings, so they start making even more money for you? Well, you’re putting yourself on the path to build some serious wealth.
(Don’t worry if you have no idea how to do that – this article has you covered with some tips on what to do with money as a teenager, including what a teenager should invest in.)
So no matter what you plan to do with your extra cash, keep reading to check out our ideas of easy ways for teens to make money – that are actually proven to work.
How to make money as a teen without a job
Figuring out how to make money as a teenager online can be one of the best ways for teens to make money.
This is because, unlike a job where you have to be there whenever you’re scheduled, making money online means you can work on your chosen side hustle whenever you have time.
This means that these can be particularly good for those with a fairly heavy study schedule or who have other after-school commitments.
1. Play games
You’re probably playing games on your phone or computer anyway, so why not do the same but earn some money from it?
And on that point, Swagbucks has paid out over $550 million to its users since it was created, much of which was from playing games.
Swagbucks
Free sign-up bonus: $10
A great app for making extra money, including with cash back from online shopping, watching videos, playing games and more.
And given it’s paid out over $550 million through Amazon, Paypal and other gift cards, it’s 100% legit.
It’s definitely a legit way to make money as a teenager, especially given that you only have to be 13 years old to join.
It also comes with a completely free $10 bonus just for signing up for free with Swagbucks and verifying your email address.
Related: Is Swagbucks Worth it? The Ultimate Review
2. Do your household’s grocery shopping
Your parents will likely be doing the household grocery shopping, but you can make money by offering to do it for them online with Ibotta.
It’s an app that gives you cash back on things you buy – including a ton of groceries and other things your household is using, like medicine, clothes and beauty items.
In fact, some people have reported earning $500 per month doing this with this app, which makes sense given that Ibotta has paid over $682 million to its users.
Plus you get a free $20 welcome bonus!
Ibotta
Free sign-up bonus: $20
Ibotta’s a completely free app that gives you cash back on what you’re buying already – groceries, medicine, clothes and more.
In fact, users make $150 per year on average – not including your free $20 welcome bonus – with over $682 million having been paid out, so you know Ibotta is definitely legit.
You do have to be 18 years old to sign up so you’ll have to do this through an adult’s account. But if you offer to do the shopping for them based on their budget on the understanding that you keep the cash back, it’s a win-win for both of you!
Sign-up with Ibotta here and you can check out our Ibotta review for more information too.
3. Search the web
One of the best ways to make money, no matter your age, is from things you were doing already.
And making money from searching the web definitely falls into this category.
So you may be interested to hear that Swagbucks has a built in search engine which gives exactly the same results as if you search with Google.
But each time you use it, you’ll earn a bit of money. Over time and with more and more searches this can really add up.
Sign-up with Swagbucks here to find out more (and don’t forget that free $10 bonus they’ll give you just for verifying your email address!)
Related: 42 Best Passive Income Apps to Make Money on Your Phone
4. Start a blog
Starting a blog takes some time to build it up to a point where you’re making money but, when you get there, it’s a great way to make some extra cash.
And as some people have shown, it’s even proven to be one way that makes it possible that you can get rich as a kid.
For example, Tavi Gevinson started her Style Rookie blog when she was only 11. By the time she was 15, it had become a full-on business from which she’s making millions.
And there’s no reason why you can’t do the same, especially when it’s so simple to get started. In fact, you’ll easily be able to launch your own blog in less than 20 minutes!
Thinking about starting a blog to make extra money?
Great choice! After all, it’s one of the cheapest online businesses to start at under $3 per month – less than a cup of coffee! In fact, that’s the price you’ll get if you launch your site with Bluehost, which is easily my top pick for the best website host for beginners to use.
Not only will you get a free domain name, but you definitely don’t need any tech experience to get started.
To find out more, check out my simple step-by-step guide on how to start a blog as I show you the exact steps I took to start on the path to earning thousands of dollars every month – on the side of my full-time job!
5. Do surveys
There are some great apps out there with sites where you can do surveys for money via PayPal.
All you have to do is answer some questions and you’ll earn a few dollars for each survey you finish. That’s literally it.
Plus signing up for these apps gives you some great (FREE) welcome bonuses.
Just keep in mind that, with these, you generally have to be 18 years old to create an account. If you’re younger than that, ask a trusted adult to create one for you so you can use theirs to earn some extra cash.
(One exception is MyPoints, which has minimum sign up age of 13 years old. Plus, you’ll get a $10 Amazon gift card just for buying anything online in your first 30 days after signing up with them!)
Sites where you can get paid for doing surveys:
- Swagbucks ($10 sign up bonus)
- InboxDollars ($5 sign up bonus)
- MyPoints ($10 Amazon gift card for buying anything online in your first 30 days)
- Survey Junkie (no sign up bonus but the highest paying of the lot)
6. Enter competitions
Entering competitions isn’t going to give you a steady stream of income, obviously, but it can give you a cash boost from time to time.
FYI: You can also check out Daily Goodie Box. Boxes are given away every day that are full of all sorts of free stuff.
Simply sign up with Daily Goodie Box and you’ll be put in the running to be randomly selected for these each day, similar to a lottery. All you have to do is provide a short review of the items to stay in the running for future draws!
So keep an ear out for competitions run on local radio stations and operated by businesses in your area, as there may be less entrants than big national competitions.
Another option is to download an app like Lucktastic. It’s a free app that lets you “gamble” with in-app scratch cards as well as enter competitions to win thousands of dollars – or more, in some cases!
And you only have to be 13 years old to download it! Check out our Lucktastic review to find out more.
7. Through Snapchat
As a teen, you probably already use Snapchat. Which means you’ve almost certainly seen people make money from using this app.
You may have even bought something yourself based on something you’ve seen in a snap.
So why not use your experience in this app to make some money yourself? With 218 million daily users, there’s definitely someone on there willing to part with some of their hard earned cash based on something you’re promoting.
Take a look at our article on how to make money on Snapchat to find out more.
8. Install an app that pays to track computer or phone use
One way to earn passive income is by installing certain apps on your devices that pay you to simply run an app in the background that collects data on how you use your phone or computer. This covers things like the websites you visit and how long you spend on each one.
Nielsen is one company that offers this. They’ll pay you $50 per year, as well as automatically putting you in the running to win competitions and other bonuses.
And the data they collect is completely anonymous, with your personal information kept strictly confidential.
9. Create and sell digital stickers
If you’ve done any sort of digital journaling or used a digital planner, you’ll know how massive the world of digital stickers is.
And given that you’re actually in one of the prime target markets for this product, learning how to make stickers to sell is the perfect way to make money as a teen as you know exactly what your potential customers want!
You can see more on how to do this in our article on how to sell digital stickers online – but, essentially, you can use Canva to create digital stickers and sell them on Etsy. In fact, once you build your product range up enough, this can actually become a source of passive income.
Pro tip: Michelle at Wild & Solo made $7,000 in her first six months selling digital stickers.
And her course on Creating and Selling Digital Stickers shows you exactly how to do the same thing!
She’ll show you how to make your own stickers and sticker templates – to get you selling as quickly as possible. Plus it comes with 10 digital sticker templates to make over 400 stickers in only one hour!
10. Sell your own printables
If you’ve spent any time on Etsy, oyou’re almost guaranteed to have come across people selling printables on there. You may have even bought and downloaded some yourself.
And it’s no wonder they’re so popular, with so many different printables that you can make and sell. In particular, you can easily target these towards other teens, with things like weekly planner pages, school schedules, homework trackers, reminder lists, budgets and more.
Having such a range of options means there’s also a huge amount of earning potential. Just ask Tracie Fobes, who has made tens of thousands of dollars selling her printables online. She’s now used this experience to launch her Easy Printables course, which goes into:
- Exactly how to use free tools like Canva to design eye-catching, polished printables
- The design tips and tricks that actually work to get people to pay for your products
- How to get people to actually see (and buy!) what you’re selling
Find out more about Easy Printables here.
11. Design clothing and other accessories
If you’re good at graphic designing or have always dreamed of having your own product range, Printify is just what you need.
It lets you create designs for things like t-shirts, mugs, totes, hoodies and more – and all you have to do is upload your design.
From there, whenever someone buys a product with your design on it, Printify will handle the whole thing for you, including creating and shipping the finished product out. You simply have to sit back and wait for the money to roll in!
Find out more about Printify here.
12. Sell your creations online
…and even if digital stickers aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other things you can create and sell to make money as a teen.
To get you started, we’ve assembled this list of over 50 things to make and sell online. As you’ll see, you can create literally anything and make money from it. This includes jewelry, toys, accessories, decor, beauty and healthcare items, kitchen-related products and so much more.
What’s great about this side hustle for teens is that you can tap into both your skills and interests. So if, say, you love jewelry and have an eye for detail, the different earring inspirations in that article are really going to help you to hit the ground running.
And here’s a hint: the holiday period tends to be the best time for many businesses to make the most money. You could totally take advantage of the same thing here by finding some Christmas crafts to sell.
13. Become a Pinterest virtual assistant
There are plenty of ways to make money on Pinterest, including as a teen, but one of the best is to become a virtual assistant who specializes in Pinterest.
This is because you don’t need to be an adult to succeed in this kind of role. Instead, it’s far more important that you have a solid understanding of how the relevant platform works – and how you can maximize your clients’ reach on it.
For instance, you could easily offer services like pin design (which you can easily do through Canva), writing pin descriptions and pinning your clients’ pins.
None of these require you to be an adult to do them well. In fact, when you’re a VA, your clients don’t even need to know how old you are as they’ll likely never meet you in real life! Plus, you’ll probably have to charge a bit less than someone who has VA experience, meaning the fact you’re a bit younger (and thus cheaper) could be an aded bonus for your clients!
Want to see whether becoming a Pinterest VA is for you – for free? Why not check out the free webinar available here from Kristin, the creator of the Become a Pinterest VA course!
14. Start a YouTube channel
We’ve all heard of YouTube as a way for teens to make money – and serious amounts of it.
As an example, EvanTubeHD is 13 and is reported to make $1.3 million per year from his videos, while Danielle Cohn has 1.5 million subscribers from which she earned a cool $2.5 million per year by age 15.
And it’s even one of the ways for tweens to make money. Just take a look at the Ryan’s World channel which earns Ryan, who was born in 2011, $22 million per year.
Moreover, other teens also do Mukbang content, where they are able to enjoy eating while getting paid.
Most of these people make money through advertising on their channels, so check out our article on how to get paid to advertise to see how you can do the same. After all, there’s still plenty of time to jump on the bandwagon of this being one of the most lucrative side hustles for teens.
15. Sell site designs
If you’re looking for how to make thousands of dollars as a teenager, putting your tech skills to work is one way to do it. And learning to code is one of the most valuable skills you can have these days.
By teaching yourself or even attending some in-person courses (check any universities in your area for what they have on offer), you can find out how to build websites – and then sell them.
Local businesses in particular may be interested in having you build a site for them. So once you’ve got your skills up to scratch, advertise on local community Facebook groups and other similar pages to get your client list started.
Related: 37 of the Highest Paying Online Jobs
16. Sell your idea
If you’re the kind of person who has brilliant ideas from time to time that you’re sure someone would pay good money for – well, maybe they would!
There are a stack of companies out there that pay for good ideas, especially for new products or for updates to something in their existing product line.
Find out more in this article on companies that pay for ideas.
17. Online freelancing
Any sort of online task you can think of, there’s someone willing to pay someone else to do it for you.
So if you’re looking to freelance in any area, Fiverr is one of the biggest marketplaces in the world for offering your services.
Have a look at the site to get an idea of the massive range of services that people are offering – and to also get some inspiration of how you could make some money through the site.
18. Sell stock photos
Businesses and other website owners constantly need stock photos for their content. So putting photos you take on stock photo sites can be a good option for you to get paid by the download.
You can also use sites like Fine Art America to sell your photos as prints, shirts, mugs…the sky’s the limit!
19. Stream on Twitch
If you’re a gamer, streaming can be one of the most lucrative ways for teens to make money. Many of the biggest Twitchers are teenagers and are making a small fortune from streaming.
For those looking for how to make money as a teenager without a job, this can certainly fit the bill.
20. Sell in-game items
Many people prefer to buy in-game items than do the work to find or earn it themselves.
So if there’s a particular game you’re good at where you’ve built up a valuable inventory, why not see if you can make money from it?
This is one great way to make money on Steam, for example.
Just be sure to check the terms and conditions of the game to make sure this is allowed.
Related: 22 Proven Ways to Get Cash Urgently If You Need Money Desperately
21. Write web content
Many sites pay ghostwriters to write content for them. So for those who have a knack for writing, using this to create web content is one of the best ways for teens to make money.
In particular, you could take a look at Helium, which allows writers aged 13 and up.
Site owners often also mention they’re looking for writers in relevant Facebook groups or on the sites themselves, so keep your eye out for opportunities and be prepared to share examples of your work.
Related: 25 Websites Where You Can Get Paid to Type
22. Test websites
You’ve probably wasted time on countless websites in your adventures around the internet. So why not get paid to test apps by earning money through ending up on random sites?
Sites like Respondent pay you to user test websites – and you can earn up to $125 an hour. This will involve looking around a site then you’ll be asked to fill in a questionnaire at the end with your thoughts on it.
Find out more about the sites where you can test websites for money.
23. Review songs
You’re probably already listening to music all the time, but did you know you can get paid to listen to songs and give your opinion on them?
MusicXRay pays you $0.10 per song to give your feedback on things like whether you like the artist, what you thought of the lyrics and how the song works within its designated genre.
And you only have 30 seconds to listen to the music to get paid! Sure, the payout isn’t massive, but when you’d be listening to music anyway, why not earn a few bucks doing so?
24. Digitialize photos
Most people have dusty boxes of old photos in their attics that they “keep meaning to get to one day”. So having someone else offer to digitalize them may be just what your potential clients are looking for.
You’ll need to have a scanner to do this, although these are pretty cheap these days.
And from there, you can either do a letter drop offering your services in the area or post on local community Facebook groups.
It’s up to you to determine your fee, although places like Costco provide this service of $20 for 63 photos, so you may wish to price yourself accordingly.
25. Sell your old stuff
If you’re wondering how can a teenager make a lot of money fast, selling their old stuff is definitely one of the best ways to do this.
And there are countless ways to do this. Whether you go to a local flea market, ask to set up a table at a neighbor’s garage sale or sell it online on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, these are all good options to get cash in hand for things you don’t need anymore.
Related: 15 Best Places to Sell Baseball Cards Online and Near You
26. Clean out your closet
In addition to all your other unused stuff you can sell, I thought I’d particularly highlight the potential gold mine that’s lurking in your closet.
That is, clothes are some of the easiest things to sell to make money as a teenager online – mainly thanks to platforms like Poshmark and thredUP which make it much easier to connect sellers and buyers in the secondhand clothing market.
(Our Poshmark review and thredUP review go into more detail about each of these.)
This means that if you’re looking to make money as a teen (and your parents are ok with you getting rid of some of your stuff), your closet clean out could give you just the cash you need.
The exact site you should use will depend on a few factors, including the type of clothes you’re selling. I’d recommend checking out our Poshmark vs Mercari vs eBay comparison to help you with this.
27. Start a dog treat bakery
Often, when people talk about selling things to make money (as a teen or otherwise), they stick to things that humans may want.
But there’s a massive market for pet-related items too. After all, Americans spent $95.7 billion on their pets last year, with $36.9 billion of this spent on pet food and treats.
This is why a new up and coming side hustle for teens (and adults!) is starting a dog treat bakery. In fact, one woman, Kristin Larsen, was making five-figures per month from this on the side of her main job. Her dog treats were even included in an Emmy’s gift bag!
And now Kristin’s created a course to help you do the same. Her Diva Dog Bakery course takes you through everything you could possibly need to know about making money in this way, including:
- Recipes that have been proven to sell
- Her best tips on pricing, packaging and presenting your products to maximize your earnings
- All the legal aspects, like labeling requirements, that apply to selling food (yes, even if that food isn’t going to be eaten by humans) to get you through this stuff as smoothly as possible. After all, you don’t want this to turn into an illegal side hustle, do you?
- Where to sell and how to best ship your products so your customers are happy – and turn into repeat business
Find out more about this course from our Diva Dog Bakery course review.
FYI: To find out more about the Diva Dog Bakery course, check out Kristin’s completely free workshop here.
28. Rent out your stuff
Renting out things you already own is a good option for making some money without totally giving something up. After all, it basically means that you can make $20 instantly – if not more – and still have your item at the end of it!
You could do this with a range of things, including:
- Books (including school books you don’t use anymore)
- Video games
- Sports equipment (such as your bike or a tennis racket)
- Workout equipment (especially weights, which are always in high demand)
29. Sell creations on Etsy
Etsy can be one of the easiest ways for teens to make money if they have some sort of creative streak.
You have to be at least 13 years old to use Etsy and if you’re under 18, your account will be owned by your parent or guardian.
But once you’ve set this up, there are still plenty of ways to make money on Etsy. Some ideas include:
- If you have good handwriting and want to get paid for your handwriting, you can do wedding invitations or menus
- If you can draw well, you can make money by drawing photos that people send you
- If you’re good at making jewelry, try selling earrings or necklaces
- If you have a green thumb and love plants, you can put up a shop and start selling plants on Etsy
30. Collects bottles and cans
You won’t become rich from doing this, but collecting bottles and cans can get you a good amount of extra cash by trading them in to your local recycling facility.
In fact, if there are regular events near you where people are often drinking out of bottles and cans, you can make $100 a week from this easily.
31. Create and sell art
Creating art is something not many people can do well. Which means if you’re skilled in a certain style of art, you may be able to earn good money from this.
You can either sell it at a local farmers markets or make it available for sale online, including through some of the sites listed in this article.
32. Make things to sell at markets
This doesn’t just include art, as mentioned in the last point. In fact, anyone who’s been to a market will tell you that there’s almost anything you can make and sell there.
Whether it’s something you’re particularly good at making, like jewelry, or a skill you have, like doing caricatures of people, local markets can be a goldmine for teens looking to make money.
33. Flip items
Flipping things refers to buying something secondhand and then reselling it for a higher price, often including some repairs or improvements you’ve made to the piece.
Meaning that this is one of the ways for teens to make money that will require you to use a bit of your own money upfront. The payoff can be unbelievably good though.
In fact, some people have literally made thousands through flipping, like those who’ve made a ton of money from when they flip furniture and other similar pieces. So if you’re looking for how to make $1000 a month as a teenager, keeping an eye on what’s available in local markets, yard sales and thrift stores could be the key.
34. Organize a bake sale
It’s probably one of the more “traditional” ways to make money as a teen, but there’s no question that holding a bake sale has long been a proven way for anyone to earn some extra cash.
People love freshly baked goodies and if you can offer that at a reasonable price (while still turning a great profit), you’ll be sure to sell out in no time.
(Although you might want to check out how much to charge for your cupcakes first to make sure you’re earning as much as possible.)
You could easily do this at your school or some other community group you belong to, like a sports club or church. Alternatively, as mentioned earlier, you could find a local market to sell these at – although if you do that, just be aware of any labeling requirements that may apply in your state when you sell food.
35. Tutor in a school subject
This is one of the best ways for teens to make money when it comes to earning a steady income, besides having an actual job.
After all, if you’re doing well academically in a certain subject, parents of other students doing less well (and probably in a lower grade to you) may be keen to pay you to help their child.
Even just doing one tutorial a day can help you make $20 a day doing this, so ask around at your school or others in your area to see if this is a possibility.
Related: How to Get Paid to be a Virtual Friend
36. Teach a skill
People don’t only want to learn about academic subjects. There are a ton of different skills out there that people will pay you good money to learn.
To go back to the skill mentioned above of being good at making jewelry, you could easily run classes of a few kids after school and show them how to do the same.
Think about something you can do that’s a bit unique or that sets you apart from other people – and then start to brainstorm how you teach others this same thing. For a fee, of course.
37. Foreign language classes
If you speak a second language, you’re sitting on a great way to make money as a teen without a job by being able to teach others your language skills.
And you don’t even have to limit yourself to in-person lessons, although they pay pretty well. Instead. check out websites that let you be an online language tutor, as your range of potential clients there is enormous.
38. Teach English
Even if you don’t speak a language other than English, you can still help others learn – and get paid for it.
For example, on Samespeak, you can either give actual English lessons or provide English conversations, for students to basically practice their speaking abilities on you.
There are plenty of other sites out there that let you get paid for this as well, like for teaching English online to Japanese students.
39. Help people with technology
It’s pretty clear by now that technology dominates most of our lives. But for those who may not have grown up with this, getting left behind is a scary concept.
Which makes this one of the more unique ways for teens to make money, given that teenagers today are the first fully digital generation.
By offering your services through flyers, letter drops or on social media (although best to do it a way where even tech-challenged people can see your ad), you can make some extra cash by helping people to learn how to manage today’s technology.
40. Do people’s homework
Doing other people’s homework has been one of the ways for teens to make money for decades.
You can easily offer these kinds of services in person, but there are also sites out there if you’d like to look into an online option.
For example, Papers Marketplace has a huge demand for people offering quality essay writing services – or even other non-essay based homework, like algebra. And given you’d be doing all this work anyway as part of your own school work, it’s clear why this is one of the more popular ways to make money as a teen.
Just make sure that it doesn’t cross the line into cheating for them…
41. Host a trivia night
Trivia nights are a great way for you and everyone else there to use their brains. And by charging a participation fee, you can make some great money from doing this.
Convincing local businesses to provide the prizes will also save you some money. Not to mention that many trivia nights include a raffle, which you could charge tickets for to make even more from this idea.
42. Dog walking
Americans spend more than $72 billion on their pets each year. Some of this is on toys and vet care – but a lot of it is also on the general day to day care that their animals need.
Which means that there is definitely room in that industry for you. And offering yourself up as a dog walker can be a good way to get on board.
(In fact, it’s one of many great ways to get paid to walk.)
The best part is that you can even walk multiple dogs at once, meaning you’ll be making money from different owners at the exact same time.
43. Pet sitting
Pet sitting is also a good option for making money from people’s love of their pets.
This is an especially effective money maker during the summer holidays, when their owners may have to work but are looking for someone who’s available to watch their pets during the day.
And as teenagers are out of school then with all the time in the world, this is one of the easier ways for teens to make money without a job.
You may also be interested in: 13 Simple Steps to Start a Dog Daycare At Home
44. Baby sitting
As a long time fan of the Baby-Sitters Club books, I can confirm that baby sitting is one of the oldest ways for teens to make money.
Word of mouth is usually the best way to grow your business in this area. As parents start to trust you, they’re likely to recommend you to other parents. And your money making can grow from there!
Related: 43 Amazing Under the Table Jobs that Pay Cash
45. Yard work
If you’re wondering how can a 15 year old make quick money, doing the hard work that homeowners can’t find the effort (or time!) to do anymore is definitely one way.
Whether it’s cutting the lawn, raking leaves or digging holes…for those that own a yard, the work is never done and many of them are more than willing to pay you to take care of it for them.
46. Car washing
Car washing is one of those tasks that car owners mean to do every once in a while…but life gets in the way and before they know it, it’s been a month and their car is embarrassingly filthy.
But if they can give you a call and know that you can come around that afternoon to wash it for them, the convenience of this is something that many people will be more than happy to pay you for!
(You could even set it up as a regular appointment to give yourself a steady stream of income every week.)
47. Wash windows
Washing windows is another job that many of us always mean to get to but for some reason, we never seem able to do so.
It’s also one of the easiest ways for teens to make money without a job. All you need is a bucket, a cloth and a squeegee and your neighbors will probably be more than willing for you to come around and take care of their dirty windows for them on a regular basis.
48. Do errands
Some people just don’t have the time or energy to get all their errands done. And some can’t for health reasons.
Whatever the reason, doing all of these tasks for people (for a fee!) can be a simple way for you to make a few extra dollars. Things like picking up groceries may just be the lifesaver that someone else needs.
49. Clean houses
Cleaning may not be the most fun job in the world, but it always needs to be done. So if you can step in and do it for someone – and get paid for it – then why not?
50. Collect golf balls
Many golf clubs pay a fairly good fee for people to collect golf balls from around their courses.
It’s also a great way for you to get some exercise as hiking around 18 holes is definitely going to give you a pretty solid step count.
51. Clean out garages
It’s rare to see a garage that’s actually organized, tidy and clean. Shout out to my neighbors whose garage was so full of junk that they couldn’t park the car inside of it.
But one man’s trash is another one’s treasure. Or, in this case, the treasure for you is in tidying up their trash!
It’s often a hard, dusty job. But someone in your neighborhood will always appreciate your help in doing this, making it a good way to earn some money on a weekend.
52. Paint
Whether it’s a fence, a wall inside someone’s home or the entire outside walls of a house, many homeowners often mean to do some painting but never get around to it.
This is where you step in. You can offer this service with the homeowner providing the materials, making it a totally free (for you) option for making some extra money.
53. Landscaping
This isn’t quite the same as yard work, as mentioned above, but it’s just as appreciated by those who love their gardens.
That is, you can get paid to plant new plants or help to cultivate existing ones. You could even combine it with getting paid to do some yard work to really maximize your earnings!
54. Shoveling snow
Clearly this is only available at certain times of the year. But people really really hate shoveling snow – making it one of the really really good ways for teens to make money.
After all, one person’s hated job is another person’s money making opportunity!
Spread the word about your services at the start of winter, as this can be a great way to make quick cash for the holidays. That way, when it does start to snow, people will already have your name in mind rather than those who try to do this after the snow has fallen.
55. Clean out gutters
Cleaning out gutters is one of those jobs people never get to but really need to, especially after the leaves have fallen and clogged them all up.
This means that you could offer your services all year round or seasonally. If you live in an area with heavy rain at certain times of year, about a month before that starts could be a great time to take advantage of this.
56. Makeup for events
If you’re good at makeup, people will happily pay you to do this for them even if you’re not a professional makeup artist.
It would be best to target this at other teens for proms and other events, as people like brides are more likely to want to pay a pro.
But you can also take advantage of social media by combining this with someone offering to be a photographer for, say, an Instagram photo shoot.
This is one of the ways for teens to make money where letter drops and things may not be as effective. Instead, market yourself on your social media platform of choice. Instagram and Snapchat in particular work really well for this.
57. Photographer
Again, you’re probably not going to be hired to shoot weddings as a teen photographer.
But people always want photos of their parties or going to proms or similar events. And, as mentioned, social media photo shoots are a real thing. You could also offer to shoot someone’s portfolio if they’re looking to become a freelance model.
So if you work on your photography skills, this can definitely be one of the more specialized ways for teens to make money.
Putting examples of your portfolio on Instagram can be a great way to attract clients. And, as mentioned above, think about combining your services with someone who’s good at makeup and hair to make yourself a package deal.
58. Odd jobs
There are tons of other ways for teens to make money that we haven’t included on this list but that could fall under “odd jobs”.
Basically, where there’s a job requiring some sort of manual labor, there’s someone who’d rather pay someone else to do it.
Some of these could include:
- Putting up or taking down Christmas decorations
- Hanging pictures in someone’s home
- Cleaning out attics and basements
- Oiling wooden furniture or floors
- Helping to pack or unpack when moving houses
These odd jobs can be done by any teen at any age. But they’re particularly good for those who may not be old enough to have a “traditional” job.
This means that any of these can be solid options for those wondering, say, how can a 13 year old make quick money.
59. Work in hospitality
No matter where you are, there’s always a restaurant or cafe looking to hire teenagers as a weekend job. Whether it’s working with customers, making the food out the back or even being on clean up duty, working in hospitality is a rite of passage for many of us looking to make money as teenagers.
There are, however, quite strict age restrictions. For example, when looking into what age does Pizza Hut hire or what age does Subway hire, the consistent answer is 16 years old at a minimum.
And if you’re wondering how much does a 16 year old make somewhere like Subway, it seems that the average hourly rate for a Sandwich Artist is $9. Not bad!
60. Get a retail job
Another one of the fairly traditional ways for teens to make money is to work in retail.
Again, though, you’ll have to consider the minimum legal age restrictions that apply. For example, for those wondering if you can work at Target at 15, unfortunately their minimum hiring age is 16.
If you’re looking for places that hire at 15, the list of possible jobs in that article will help you to find stores that offer roles like this and that are able to hire you.
61. Event-specific job
If you live in a city that holds major events from time to time, you may want to consider asking if there are any event-specific jobs that are available.
This could include major sports events or things like theaters showing productions. Either way, someone has to check tickets and sell snacks, so why can’t it be you?
62. Office job
Most offices need someone to answer the phone or file documents, so ask around at doctor’s offices or other businesses in your area to see if this is something for which they’d be willing to hire you.
It’s great experience if you hope to move to an office-based role in your later life and can be a good way to earn a few extra dollars after school.
63. Social media manager
Ever found a local business’ website or social media profile and it’s, shall we say, not quite up to scratch?
Most businesses know they have to get online to attract customers but many don’t know how to do that.
But you’ve grown up with social media, so why not offer these skills to get paid to manage this for businesses in your area?
You can even make this an even more lucrative part time online job by doing this for multiple businesses at once, making it a great way to get a steady stream of income.
Related: 11 Legit Ways to Get Paid to Advertise for Companies
64. Lifeguard
Community pools regularly hire teens to work as lifeguards during the summer.
So before summer comes around again, check what qualifications you need and get that CPR training so you’re prepared as soon as jobs start being advertised.
65. Sports-related job
If you play any particular sports, you can use your skills as a way to make money.
Whether it’s being paid to coach a kids’ team or working as an umpire or referee, it can be a fun way to make money after school and on weekends. Ask around at local teams or community organizations to see what may be on offer.
66. Camp counselor
Summer camps love to hire teenagers as counselors, especially if it’s a camp you used to go to when you were younger.
It’s a good idea to approach them directly to ask if they plan to hire for any upcoming periods as well as whether you need any qualifications to work there. That way, you can be ready to apply as soon as they start hiring.
67. Get a scholarship
This may not be what you had in mind when searching for how you can earn money at 16 but if you’re trying to make money to save up for college, looking into the scholarships for which you’re eligible could be an effective way to make a ton of money at once.
This scholarship directory contains a massive list of scholarships ranging in value from $1,000 to over $100,000, some of which you’re bound to qualify for.
Or you could just throw yourself all the way into it like this teen who was awarded $8.7 million in scholarships. You know, as you do.
68. Invest
No matter your age, investing your money has been proven as one of the best ways to build wealth.
It’s a rule that’s true if you’re a teenager or if you’re a retiree: making sure your money is working for you is, over time, the best way to set yourself up financially.
And time is one of the most valuable things to have as an investor. After all, the earlier you start, the more time your investment has to grow.
So as a teenager, you’re well placed to make some serious money from investing.
That said, if you’re trying to make money for a short term goal, like having some spending money or buying a car, keeping all your money in investments probably isn’t a good idea.
But if you have some to set aside for the long term and want to grow your money over time, you should seriously consider investing some of it.
(And we’ve got some basic tips below on how you can do this!)
69. Busk
Can you play an instrument or sing? Then why not consider busking as a way to make some money.
Location is key, so try to find a local event or somewhere else that’s busy to take advantage of all the foot traffic – without getting in the way of people.
And how much can a 16 year old make an hour doing this? This article interviews some buskers making around $20 an hour, so there’s no reason why you can’t do the same as a teen!
70. Get paid to walk
There are plenty of apps out there where you can get paid to walk and the best part is that you can simply turn them on and forget about them. That way, as you go about your daily life, you’ll be getting your step count up and earning points through these apps to convert into cash!
Sweatcoin is our top pick for this. In fact, I have it running in the background on my own phone to earn a few extra dollars every day. And I don’t even notice it’s there, except for the occasional notification telling me how much I’ve earned that day just from doing things like going to the mall and wandering around.
Sure, you won’t become a millionaire from apps like this. But when you’d be walking around anyway, why not use those steps to make a few extra dollars every day?
Find out more about this from our Sweatcoin review.
71. Food delivery
Doing food delivery can be a good option for teens looking to make money. For businesses that want you to drive to deliver food, you’ll generally need to be 18 years old.
But many also offer delivery on foot or by bike, meaning they’re much more open in terms of minimum age requirements.
Related: 14 Best Ways to Make $200 a Day with Postmates
72. Get a paper route
Yes, people still get their news from newspapers, not just the internet.
And someone has to get those newspapers to people’s front doors – so why can’t it be you?
73. Golf caddy
Working as a golf caddy will involve you spending a lot of weekends following people around on the golf course.
That said, it’s not hard work and, when the weather’s nice, it’s a great way to earn a bit of extra money.
What to do with money as a teenager
So you’re a teen who’s figured out how to make some money – which is great!
Now it’s a question of figuring out what to do with money as a teenager.
Here are some ways we’d suggest splitting your earnings.
Keep some for fun things
Having your eye on a financial goal is fantastic. In fact, if this is you, you’re literally already in a better position than many adults who are struggling to manage their money.
But it’s fine to also save some of your money for fun things. That way, you’ll stay motivated to keep making money and also have the chance to live your life a bit.
Save most of it
It’s good to keep a financial goal in mind during all your hard work. As once you get there, the fact you’ve worked so hard to achieve that goal will make it all the more sweeter.
This is why it’s a good idea to save most of your money. If you’re earning cash in hand, keeping it somewhere safe should be fine, but consider opening a bank account instead to store it there.
Generally, you can open a bank account from 14 years old, but until you’re 18, you have to have a legal guardian as a co-owner of the account.
Invest part of it
As mentioned earlier, starting to invest as a teenager is seriously one of the best things you can do for your financial future.
One of the most important features of any investment is time – that is, having the time for your investment to compound (i.e. grow) in value.
So starting as a teenager definitely gives you enough time to do this.
And if you’re wondering what should a teenager invest in, look into low-cost, reliable options like an index fund.
This is what many adults – including me – base their entire investment portfolio on. So do some research into what that is and how to get started and start setting yourself up for future financial success.
How to make thousands of dollars as a teenager
The ways for teens to make the most money possible is exactly the same as for adults.
That is, by proving yourself to be a reliable worker who offers a good, solid service, people are likely to want to hire you again or recommend you to their network.
Some ways to do this include doing the following, no matter how you choose to make money:
- Be punctual – if you’re consistently late, people will remember and think you’re unreliable.
- Be professional – professionalism is important no matter what your job, so keeping this in mind at all times will go a long way to proving yourself to people.
- Be positive – having a good attitude is appreciated by anyone who’s hiring you to do a task or provide a service.
- Be safe – no one wants to hire a risk taker and your “funny joke” could be a real liability for a business. So practice safety at all times.
- Do the best job possible – it may sound obvious, but people are far more likely to rehire someone who’s committed to doing their job well. So check that everything you’ve been asked to do has been done as well as you can before finishing a job, as people will remember this.
How to make $1,000 as a teenager
As a teenager, making $1,000 can seem like a daunting task, but it’s definitely possible to do with some time and patience. In particular, taking on various odd jobs near you can be a great way to work towards this amount.
You could start by offering your babysitting services to parents in your neighborhood. Parents always need a reliable babysitter for date nights and events, and you could be the one to help them out!
Or, how about dog walking? Many pet owners need someone to walk their furry friends during the day while they’re at work. You could offer your services for a fee and get some exercise at the same time!
If you’re feeling a little more hands-on, you could offer to do some yard work for people in your community. Mowing lawns, raking leaves, and other yard work could earn you some decent cash.
Are you a whiz with graphic design, writing, or coding? Offer your services on freelance websites like Fiverr or Upwork! You could make some serious cash with your skills.
There are also websites that pay you to complete surveys. While the pay may not be high, it can add up over time. And if you have items you no longer need, why not sell them on websites like eBay or Amazon?
Lastly, consider getting a part-time job at a local store or restaurant. This will give you a steady income and valuable work experience. Making $1,000 may take some time and effort, but with dedication and persistence, you can definitely achieve this goal!
How to make $2,000 in a month as a teenager
If you’re looking to make $2,000 in a month as a teenager, it’s definitely a big goal, but there are a few ways you can get there! To hit this amount though, you’re likely going to have to combine different ways to make money, so make sure your grades don’t suffer at the same time.
First off, you could consider getting a part-time job. Working a few hours a day at a local store or restaurant can really add up, and with a minimum wage job plus something lucrative on the side, you could easily make $2,000 in a month.
Another option is to offer your services as a tutor. If you’re good at a particular subject, you could promote your services to students who need help. You could charge by the hour and make some decent cash.
If you have a talent for writing, you could also consider freelancing as a writer. There are plenty of websites out there that are always looking for writers to help with content creation. You could make some serious cash doing something you love.
Or, how about starting your own business? If you have a skill or a talent, you could start your own business and offer your services to people in your community. Whether it’s graphic design, photography, or something else entirely, there’s always a need for talented people.
Making $2,000 in a month as a teenager isn’t easy, but it’s definitely possible! With a little creativity and hard work, you could achieve this goal and feel proud of yourself for doing so. Good luck!
How to make money online as a teenager
Making money online as a teenager is definitely possible, but it does take some effort and dedication. However, if you put in the work, you could end up making some serious cash while doing something you love!
One option is to start your own blog or YouTube channel. You can make money through advertising, sponsored content, and even merchandise sales. It’s a great way to express yourself and make some cash at the same time.
If you’re into social media, you could also consider becoming an influencer. Brands are always looking for people with a big following to promote their products, so if you have a lot of followers, you could make some serious cash.
You could also start your own online store. Platforms like Etsy or Redbubble allow you to sell your own handmade goods or designs on merchandise like t-shirts, phone cases, and stickers.
Don’t forget as well that you could start by taking online surveys. There are plenty of websites out there that will pay you to complete surveys on various topics. It might not pay a lot, but it’s a great way to make some extra cash in your free time.
Finally, if you have a talent for writing or graphic design, you could offer your services on freelance websites like Fiverr or Upwork. People are always looking for writers and designers to help them with their projects, so this is a great way to make some money doing something you’re good at.
Final thoughts on how to make money as a teen
As you can see, there are a ton of great ways to make money as a teen. Whether you’re looking for how to make money as a teenager without a job online or somewhere in-person in one of the more “traditional” ways, you’re definitely not short on options even if you’re not an adult yet.
And it’s not only the actual financial benefit of having your own money which makes this a great idea. Future employers (and maybe even college admission officers) will love the fact that you have experience already with working and earning, especially if you’re looking to essentially start your own small business now.
At the same time, being able to start saving and, ideally, investing your own money now could put you literally a decade, if not more, ahead of your peers. And as we like to say around here: your future self will definitely thank you for it!
(But don’t forget to have some fun with those earnings too! You’ve – literally – earned it!)