25+ Fun Ways for How to Make Money as a Teenager
Figuring out how to make money as a teenager shouldn’t be stressful – here are 25+ fun making money as a teenager ideas!
Author: Kari Lorz – Certified Financial Education Instructor
Being a teenager can be tough as you’re trying to juggle school work, family, and social life.
On top of all that, it can be really hard to make money as a teenager. You may not have a lot of experience or skills yet, so it’s tough to find jobs that pay well.
You can look into online jobs, offline jobs, or even starting your own business to help you make some extra cash. So let’s jump into the best ways how to make money as a teenager!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may make a commission at no cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more info
- Figuring out how to make money as a teenager shouldn't be stressful – here are 25+ fun making money as a teenager ideas!
- Ways to make money as a teen online
- Making money as a teenager in person
- Helpful tips for making money as a teenager
- Where to put your money – banking for teens
- What age group are we looking at here?
- How to make money as a teen FAQs
- Resources to help teens learn more about money
- At the end of the day
Ways to make money as a teen online
If you don’t have a car yet, it can be hard to talk your parents into driving you to a traditional job every day. Why not skip all that as there are lots of ways to make money as a teen online (aka home jobs – or work-from-anywhere jobs). Let’s go through some of your options, and fill that bank account (or college savings account)!
1. Take part in online surveys and online focus groups
Participating in online surveys and focus groups is a great way to make money as a teenager. Companies are always looking for feedback from teenagers about their products and services, and they’re willing to pay good money for it.
To find online surveys and focus groups that you can participate in, read this post on the best way to earn giftcards by doing an online survey in your spare time. But just a quick recap, the top five paid survey sites are…
- Survey Junkie
- Swagbucks (offers a $10 sign-up bonus)
- MyPoints (offers a $10 Amazon gift card sign-up bonus when you spend $20)
- Inbox Dollars (offers a $5 sign-up bonus)
- Branded Surveys (offers 100-point sign-up bonus)
It’s important to note that almost all online survey sites pay you in “points,” and then you redeem those points for gift cards (usually), while a few places do pay to PayPal. (But hey, who doesn’t love an Amazon gift card!)
2. Freelance writer
If you’re a good writer, there are plenty of ways to make money as a teen online. For example, you can get paid to write articles and blog posts. There are many websites and online publications that accept submissions from teenage writers.
They may not pay a lot, but practicing and getting experience will be great for when you’re older, and you can earn a full-time income from it.
Elna Cain built her freelance writing business part-time while staying home and taking care of twins. She now makes $1,200 for single pieces of work from huge clients (i.e., big-box retailers).
If you’re not quite sure if freelance writing is for you (but you’re curious), Elna has a free mini-course on getting paid to write to help you get the ball rolling and see if it’s the perfect fit to make extra money online as a teen.
3. Blogger
There are no age requirements for starting a blog; literally anyone can do this online job. Starting young is a great option, as building a site’s reputation and following takes time. You can start early with affiliate marketing (Recommend products using an affiliate link, and when people click and buy/sign-up, you get a small commission.)
Then once you’re older, you can partner with brands for sponsorship opportunities, where they pay you $200 – thousands to promote their brand or product.
Once your site gets enough traffic, you can apply for ad programs and start making passive income (the golden ticket).
If you want to start a blog, you can learn the step-by-step process from a pro! Tracie Fobes has been blogging since 2009, and you may have heard of her hit site Penny Pinching Mom. Soon she was making six figures a month from her site and eventually sold it for a huge profit!
Now she shows new bloggers (just like you) how to set up their blogs the right way. She has the perfect introductory course, The Blogging Playbook. Which, you guessed it, takes you play by play in setting up your new blog.
I know jumping into a course isn’t for everyone, and Tracie knows that too. She’s made a great free workbook that you can use to get your ideas all out on paper, plan some basic ideas, and really see if this blog thing is for you. Again it’s a totally free blogging roadmap workbook, so you have nothing to lose!
4. Influencer
If you’re a teenager with a strong social media following, you could start earning money by promoting products and brands you love.
Brands will pay good money for people to use and promote their products, and you can make a ton! For example, Niana Guerrero is a 15-year-old dance and content creator. The Filipino social media personality boasts 13.9 million followers on Instagram, 14.5 followers on YouTube, and 30.6 million followers on TikTok.
She has a net worth of $3 million, earned mainly through her social accounts.
It’s important to note that you must be at least 13 years old to use Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok.
5. Play online games for money
Yes, you can actually get paid to play games! There are quite a few companies that will pay you to play and review new games. What a fun way to make free money!
One company, in particular, is Playtest Cloud. They’ll pay you $10 for every 20-minute test you complete. The catch is that the game developers will give you specific instructions on what to do.
You can also make extra income playing games if you’re at least 18 years old; check out how to earn free PayPal money playing games to learn more.
6. Proofreader
If you have a sharp eye for spotting errors, you could get paid to proofread articles, books, and other documents.
There are many businesses and individuals who need their documents proofread but don’t have the time (or eye) to do it themselves. That’s where you come in! This is the perfect home job, as you can do it from anywhere; all you need is an internet connection.
If you’re ready to begin, I strongly recommend enrolling with Proofread Anywhere to learn all you need to know to establish a successful proofreading side hustle. Oh, and the best part is that you can do this job from home.
But first, check out their free workshop, where you’ll learn if proofreading is the perfect fit for you to start making money on your time from anywhere in the world.
7. Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant is someone who provides administrative, creative, or technical support to clients remotely. In other words, you could be doing anything from scheduling appointments to designing graphics to managing social media accounts.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to the types of tasks a virtual assistant can perform.
Abbey Ashley was struggling to make money. She tried selling jeans on eBay and making freezer meals for busy moms, but nothing was working. She was desperate, she said, “We were newly married, newly pregnant, and completely broke.”
One day, she clicked buy on a laptop from Craigslist as she decided she wanted to be a virtual assistant (as a friend told her about how she was making some money from home).
She scraped together info and used her time management and organization skills to become a fully booked VA in 30 days. She was busy! She was so busy, in fact, that she hired a few of her friends to help her.
She taught them everything they needed to know, and others were asking her every day how to do it. She made a quick online course to show people what to do.
That online course has been updated, expanded, and released year after year, and she’s helped over 5,000 students make a full-time income while working part-time from home in their own online VA business.
If you think you’d love working whatever hours you want to work (2 hours here, and maybe 3 hours there). Then you can check out Abbey’s free training – Become a Booked Out Virtual Assistant!
8. Sell Crafts – Etsy Shop
If you have an especially crafty kid, why not open an Etsy Shop? Making money as a teen should be fun, and crafting absolutely fits the bill. With the Cricut machine, everyone can make stickers to sell on Etsy (which is super popular right now).
Mim Jenkinson has a free masterclass, Discover The Stickers That Sell On Etsy. Where she can walk you through her business. (Fair warning, you’ll be impressed as she makes bank with her Etsy sticker shop!)
You can also make and sell printables, which is fun to do, and very easy to sell, as you don’t have to ship anything. Selling printables means everything is a digital download for your customers (and 10x easier on you!).
Gold City Ventures has a great free workshop on the basics of making and selling printables (plus some insider tips), so be sure to check it out if you’re at all interested.
There are so many different kinds of crafts to sell, so be sure to look at the best Etsy shop ideas to get started in the right direction.
Technically speaking, sellers on Etsy need to be 18 years old. But you (as the parent) can open the shop, and then you can hire your kiddo to make the goods.
9. YouTube Channel
Like being an influencer, your 13 or older kiddo can have a YouTube channel. The great thing about YouTube is that you don’t need expensive equipment to start. Just a smartphone and a willingness to create videos!
There are many different types of videos your teenager can make for their YouTube channel. For example, they could do haul videos, product reviews, unboxing videos, vlogs, dancing, painting, gaming, and anything really!
10. Write and self-publish books on Amazon KDP
If you’re a bookworm, why not get paid to write your own books? With Amazon KDP, you can self-publish eBooks and print books and earn up to 70% royalties on each sale.
To get started, come up with a list of ideas for books you think people would like to read. Hint: research top sellers on KPD before finalizing your choice.
Then, start writing! Once your book is finished, you can upload it to Amazon KDP and start earning royalties.
The great thing about this option is that you can earn money passively; once your book is published, it will continue to sell without any additional work from you.
If you’re under 18, your parent needs to create a KDP account, and then they can publish your book.
11. Freelance Online through Fiverr
Fiverr is a great way for teenagers to make some extra cash. You can offer your services in a wide range of categories, from social media help to design work and more.
To get started, create an account on Fiverr (you need to be at least 13 years old) and browse the available gigs. This is a great way for teenagers to make money as you can do it on your own schedule, anytime you choose, so it can fit around school obligations.
12. Stream on Twitch
If you’re at least 13 years old and enjoy playing or talking about video games, Twitch is the perfect platform for you. You can set up live streams on the gaming site and make money through various means such as donations, affiliate marketing, sponsorships, etc.
13. Make Money With Print on Demand
If you’re into fashion or design, you can make money by starting your own print-on-demand business.
Print on demand is when you create products (usually t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, tumblers, etc.) with your designs, and then a company prints and ships the product when someone orders it. You don’t need to keep any inventory, which makes it a great option.
There are a few ways to get started with print-on-demand. You can use a site like Teespring or Redbubble to create and sell your designs, or you can work with a company that specializes in print-on-demand products.
You can learn how to do this by checking out some YouTube channels or by taking a course on Udemy…
- Print on Demand with Etsy for Passive Income
- Redbubble Print on Demand Masterclass
- Beginners T Shirt Design Using FREE Tools
14. Become a Social Media Manager
If you’re a whiz at IG, Tik Toc, FB, and everything in between, then this is an easy way to make money as a teenager!
Businesses of all sizes are looking for help managing their social media accounts. You can offer your services to help them with tasks such as creating content, scheduling posts, responding to comments, and more.
Go to local businesses (not chain stores) and ask about managing their socials. Be sure to have info at the ready with what you can do (create a website or a flyer to highlight your skills and past experiences).
You can always get a jump start on this by picking up a course on this. Check out…
15. Sell your photos
If you love taking photos, you can make money by selling your photos online!
There are a few different ways to do this. The first is to sign up for a stock photo site like DepositPhotos or Shutterstock. Here, you can upload your photos, and people can pay to use them in their own blog posts. This is a great passive income stream, because you do the work once, and sell the photos over and over again.
Making money as a teenager in person
While some jobs are online only, sometimes you like to get out of the house and talk to someone besides your little brother. You could go the traditional ways – like a grocery store clerk or a part-time job at McDonald’s, but that’s no fun. We’ve got lots of better ways to earn money as a teenager!
16. Walk dogs with Rover
If you have a dog-loving teenager in your house, they can make money by walking dogs! With Rover, all you need is to be 18 years old.
With the Rover app, you can connect with dog owners in your area and set your own rates. There are no commitments, so you can work as much or as little as you want!
The average part-time salary reported from three different sources as a Rover dog sitter is about $1,000, but they take 20% as a fee.
You can also be a Rover Groomer, which pays even more! So if you have a good setup space, you can make even more!
17. Tutor
If you’re good at a certain subject, why not get paid to tutor other students? You can advertise your tutoring services online or offline.
Many parents are happy to pay for their children to receive extra help outside of school. And as a tutor, you can set your own hours and rates.
18. Babysit
If you love kids, babysitting is a great way to make money!
You can reach out to friends, family, or neighbors who might need a sitter. To go above and beyond, create a website, or at least a flyer, which talks about…
- Qualifications (how long have you been a babysitter)
- Favorite activities to do with kids
- Rates per child
- Hours available
- References for families you currently babysit with
If you’re 18 or older, you could create a profile on a site like Sittercity. Here they help both parents and sitters find each other based on zip codes. You’ll need to verify your identity and pass a background check to be approved for their site.
19. Flip items
Teenagers are great at picking up new skills, and one of the most profitable is flipping items like furniture, electronics, rehabbing clothes to sell to resale stores, and more!
Rob from Flea Market Flipper started flipping items in 1996 on eBay, just as something fun to do. In 2015, their income was over $42,000, putting in about 10-20 hrs a week, and in 2016 Rob & Melissa earned over $133,000 with 15-30 hours a week!
You can grab Rob & Melissa’s free guide on 47 Household Items to resell and get started right now. Or watch their free webinar on how to turn your passion for flea market shopping into profits! (Plus, insider secrets on how they did it!)
20. Mow lawns
Mowing lawns can be an easy win if you live in a neighborhood with houses close together. You could also do other yard work like raking leaves, pulling weeds, gardening, and more.
There are a few ways to get started; look for overgrown yards and knock on their door with a flyer, Or you can ask your neighbors if they need help.
You’ll want to be sure that you have a reliable mower and know how to do easy fixes to it. You’ll also need to cover the cost of gas out of your earnings, so don’t forget to add that to your rates. You’ll also need a plan for the yard debris after you mow and clean up. Some people may not have an easy way to dispose of clippings at their house (always check with them first).
21. Work at a farm stand
If you live in a rural area, there are often farm stands looking for workers! This is a great way to get outside, learn about different types of fruits and vegetables, and make some extra cash.
To find work at a farm stand, you can ask around your neighborhood or look online at your local farm co-ops or associations.
This work is mostly seasonal (depending on where you live), so I think April – October work, with high demand in the summer.
22. Deliver newspapers
Now newspapers aren’t as popular anymore, but they still get delivered to houses. If you want an early morning job, this could be perfect for you.
To get started, contact your local paper and inquire about becoming a delivery person. You’ll need to be able to wake up early and have a bike or car to deliver the newspapers.
23. Rent Out Your Stuff
If you have sporting equipment you won’t be using for the season; you can rent it out to people in your city for cash. Better yet, offer it up to kids in your school so you can keep tabs on your stuff.
Or, if you want to broaden your horizons, check out FriendsWithA site to help you market your stuff.
24. Collect Bottles and Cans
This is a really easy way to make money if you live in a bottle-bill state. The eleven deposit states are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Vermont.
All you need to do is collect bottles and cans and turn them into your local redemption center. You’ll get cash back for each container that you return. It’s $.05 – $.15 per can/bottle, depending on your state.
Be sure to have a truck to haul them all (they take up a lot of room), and consider doing a monthly pickup service for people in your neighborhood to make it really easy for people.
25. Clean Houses
If you’re a neat freak, this could be a great way to make some extra cash. You can offer your services to families in your neighborhood or even start a business cleaning houses.
To get started, create flyers and post them in local businesses or go door to door to let people know that you’re available. Obviously, you want to know the people you’re working for, as being a teenager in a stranger’s house isn’t the smartest idea. Ask your parents about who you can work for.
26. Golf Caddy
If you love being outdoors and staying active, this could be a great way to make some extra cash. You can offer your services as a caddy at your local golf course.
To get started, contact the golf course and inquire about caddy services. They will usually have you shadow another caddy to see if you’re a good fit. Once officially hired, you’ll be responsible for carrying the golfers’ clubs and helping them on the course.
This is a great way to make some extra cash during the summer months. But get on this early in the springtime as jobs fill up fast.
27. Swim Instructor
Many athletic clubs and swim centers give swim lessons to kids (especially popular during summertime). You can offer your services as a swim instructor.
To get started, contact your local swim clubs to inquire about teaching opportunities. You will likely need to be CPR certified and have some experience working with kids. But this is a great way to make some extra cash as a summer job.
28. Deliver for DoorDash
If you’re over 18, have a car, and are a safe driver, then you can deliver for DoorDash. You can make your own schedule and deliver food to people in your area when you’re available.
You may make up to $20 per hour delivering meals from local eateries using your vehicle. There are also no membership fees or obligations; you can work as much or as little as you desire!
I know I’ve mentioned making flyers to give to potential clients, which is super easy. You can get a free plan on Canva and make them in like 5 minutes. Canva is a super easy-to-use graphic design platform where you can make any kind of graphic, flyer, business card, etc.
Helpful tips for making money as a teenager
1. Set a schedule and know how many hours a week you can put towards making money. Don’t cut into school work time, as you don’t want your grades to suffer. Obviously, the more time you spend on it, the more you can make.
2. Get a Cash App account to keep your money. You need to be 13 years old for it, and a parent needs to approve your account. (so your parent has to get an account first, and then they can approve the account for under 18 users.
You can even earn a free $5 when you sign up by following these steps…
- Sign up for Cash App and follow the prompts
- Open Cash App account settings (upper right icon), scroll to the bottom, and tap on “Referral Code.”
- Enter referral code NRTZMHV
- Send $5 to another Cash App user, and have someone send you $5 (it can be the same person you sent money to). Once those two steps are done, you’ll get your $5 sign-up bonus.
You can read all about it and learn how you can start earning by referring your friends to Cash App.
There is another, more traditional bank option with Current (see below).
3. Always check age requirements – some ways to make money may have an age requirement that you need to be aware of. You don’t want to start on something only to be told partway through that you can’t actually do it or use their platform.
In fact, you can provide many of the services listed in this post by being on NextDoor; there, you just need to be 13 to use the platform.
4. Keep track of your earnings – you want to know how much you’re making so you can budget your money and set some aside into savings.
5. Have fun! Making money as a teenager should be something that’s enjoyable for you, not a chore. If you’re not enjoying it, then it’s probably not worth your time. Find something that works for you and your school work and family time.
Where to put your money – banking for teens
First, let’s say that you should never keep your money in a shoebox. It’s not 1950 anymore. That being said, you need to keep your money safe. You can open a Cash App account mentioned above, or you could go full the full teen banking experience.
Current is a new online banking app, with a great teen banking option. “Current gives teens the financial freedom they crave with the security and visibility parents want. With a Current Visa debit card, teens can learn to spend, save, and manage their money better from the start.”
It’s available on iOS and on Android
A parent needs to open an account first and then approve their teenager’s account. Then they can easily transfer your allowance to you, and you can then use your Current debit Visa card to spend as you like.
Current also comes with a lot of other great features…
- Get your very own Visa debit card to use as you’d like – online or in-stores.
- Learn to manage and budget money.
- Start saving early & easily with round-ups and Savings Pods
- Get instant transfers to your account.
- Fill up worry-free with instant gas hold removals with your parent’s Current Account.
- Access over 40,000 Allpoint ATMs in the U.S.
- No subscription or hidden fees
- Parental control options on spending limits, blocked merchants, and paid chore lists.
See Current on iOS
See Current on Android
Current is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Member FDIC.
What age group are we looking at here?
Technically speaking, teenagers are between 13-19 years old. Yet, many of the jobs we’re looking at here are for the older end of the spectrum, 15 years+. But that depends on how mature the kid is and their experience level (both of which can vary a lot from kid to kid).
Child labor laws make a few employment exceptions for children under 14. But kids of any age can work for their parent’s business. So we’ll look at options for how to make money as a teenager without a job. We’re passing over stuff like working at a retail store or a fast food place; you already know about that stuff.
How to make money as a teen FAQs
Is it legal to work online as a teen?
There are many ways for teens to make money online. But before you start, check the age requirements of any platform or site you want to use before you start.
What are child labor laws?
If you want to work for a business (vs. working for yourself in your home), there are laws protecting child workers. Child labor laws protect minors by setting strict rules about the types of work they can do and the hours they can work.
These are both federal and state laws that businesses need to adhere to. But in general, Federal law states that 14-15 year-olds cannot work over 8 hours a day, with no more than 3 hours on a school day, and over 40 hours a week, with no more than 18 hours per week, while in school. Minors are also not allowed to work before 7 am or after 7 pm, respectively.
When your state laws differ from federal laws, the law that provides greater protection is the one to follow.
It’s important to note that laws for agricultural jobs are different (i.e., working on farms or nurseries).
These rules are for traditional jobs, those where you file a W2, and these jobs will most likely be minimum wage jobs. Yet when you work from home (or do odd jobs), you are your own boss, and child labor laws don’t come into play when you work online for yourself.
Can I make money as a teen with no experience?
Yes! There are many ways for teens to make money with no experience. You can start by offering your services to family and friends or look online for opportunities. Once you start, you can build up your skills and experience.
Plus, in this day and age, you can learn how to do anything with the help of YouTube!
How do you get paid as a teen working online?
There are a few different ways you can get paid as a teen working online. The most common way is cash, or you can also get paid through apps like Cash App. There are also some platforms that offer gift cards as payment.
Do I need my parents’ permission to work as a teen?
This depends on your state and the type of work you want to do. You may need your parents’ permission to work if you’re under 18. For some online jobs, you may just need your parent’s permission to use their credit card or PayPal account to get paid.
Getting your parent’s permission before doing anything as important as getting a job is always best.
Is working online as a teen safe?
There are many safe ways for teens to make money online. However, it’s important to be aware of scams and never give out your personal information or payment details to anyone you don’t know or trust.
If you’re ever unsure about something, you can always ask a parent or guardian for advice.
How much money can you make working online as a teen?
This depends on the type of work you do and how much time you spend working. Some teens make a few dollars a month, while others make hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month.
It’s important to remember that you should never spend more time working than you can afford to. Be sure to balance your work with your school and your family time.
Resources to help teens learn more about money
How to get rich as a teenager – Read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
This is an amazing book (one of my favorite personal finance books), and Kiyosaki talks about the different money-earning mentalities of his two dads. One dad went the traditional route (school, steady job) and ended up poor. While entrepreneurial dad looked at money as a tool to earn more money – hence the “rich dad.”
This is a worthwhile read for anyone; it can be especially impactful for teens.
Learn from the best – Dave Ramsey
While he’s helped thousands of parents get out of debt, he also aims to teach kids about how to better manage their money right from the go!
You can see all of his teen products right here in his shop.
Pay special attention to his Foundations Course, available for both middle and high school learners. “Your teens will learn the money skills they’ll use now and for the rest of their lives so they’ll have a solid foundation when they’re out on their own (see where we got the name?)
This course trades boring formulas and financial theories for time-tested principles, real-life applications, and humor (yes, personal finance can be fun!).”
At the end of the day
So, there you have it! A bunch of ways how to make money as a teen. Just be sure to find something that fits your interests and schedule, and start making some extra cash. It can be a great way to learn some important life skills, like money management and time management. And who knows? You might even enjoy it so much that you decide to turn your side hustle into a full-time job!
