There are so many great ways for a teenager to make extra cash. Here's the ultimate list of how to make money as a teen.
In today's world, teenagers have more opportunities than ever to make money at a young age.
When I was young, we didn't have smartphones and barely had access to AOL instant messenger (most of you probably have no idea what that is). Nowadays, teens have endless possibilities when it comes to making money!
From yard work to online opportunities and everything in between, this list will detail the absolute best ways for high schoolers to make extra money!
This post is all about how to make money as a teen.
Make Money Online as a Teen
1. Make Journals to Sell on Amazon
Did you know you can make blank journals and then sell them on Amazon for a profit? Amazon will then print and send out your journals to the buyers.
It's a fantastic and easy to way to make passive income as Amazon continues to push your product!
BookBolt is a company that walks you through each step to get journals up in minutes!
2. Sell Things on eBay
When I was a teenager, I made $500 a month selling items on eBay.
I'd find items from around the house and ask my parents for permission or I'd go door to door in the neighborhood and ask for items people wanted to give away.
It was a win-win because I took items off people's hands so they didn't need to take it to the thrift store or dispose of it, and I made extra money as a teen.
Articles that outline exactly how I made money on eBay as a teenager:
- Selling on EBay Will Make You the Highest Profit: 17 Reasons You’ll Make More Money
- Poshmark vs EBay: Which Makes You the Most Money?
- What to Sell on eBay: Make an Easy $500 a Month
- How to Make Money on eBay: 26 Tips to Maximize Your Profit
3. Take Online Surveys
There are many different survey companies that allow you to take surveys in exchange for cash!
My favorite online survey companies to make extra money are Survey Junkie and Swagbucks! Their programs are easy to follow and you can start earning cash today!
4. Start a Blog
Starting a blog is one of the best ways for teens to make money. There's very little setup cost and you can start making money fairly quickly.
I made $750 in my 3rd month of blogging and was making $7,000 a month within 7 months!
I made a how to start a blog tutorial explaining exactly how I did it and how you can too!
Related Articles:
- How I Made $6,836 from Blogging as a Side Hustle in January 2022: Blog Income Report
- How to Launch a Blog with No Experience (in Under a Week)
- How to Start a Blog from Scratch in 2022: Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
5. Use Money Back Apps
I love using money-back apps like Rakuten.
They allow me to make my normal purchases, but then receive a percentage back on the purchase I made!
Since these are purchases I would make anyway, it's just extra money in my pocket!
Plus, they'll give you $30 just for signing up and making your first purchases! It's an app I use every day!
Related Articles:
6. Sell Photos
Did you know you can sell your photos online and actually make money from them!?
It's true!
Stock photo sites will pay you to list their photos on their website.
You can sign up for as many or as little as you'd like.
Some stock photo websites to consider selling your photos at are:
- Unsplash
- Pexels
- Canva
7. Design T-Shirts to Sell
There are many websites that allow you to design a t-shirt.
You then design your t-shirt (or any product) and sell it!
You can sell it on eBay, at a local Farmer's market, on the Facebook marketplace, or anywhere online!
Make Money through Social Media as a Teen
8. Start an Instagram Account
There are so many young humans making money on social media these days!
Start an Instagram and make videos or posts that are entertaining, inspirational, or educational.
Grow your account to get followers.
Once you have a good amount of followers, you can pitch your account advertising to brands for money in return.
9. Start a YouTube Channel
YouTubers can make millions.
Yes, you read that right.
You'll need to pick a niche and make videos based on that topic.
Again, you'll want to aim to be entertaining, inspirational, or educational. This will draw in viewers.
Once you have enough views, YouTube will start paying you to advertise on your YouTube channel. It's such an amazing way to earn passive income.
10. Start a Podcast
Starting a podcast sounds intimidating, but it's really not bad at all!
You can interview people on your podcast, speak your mind about topics, or discuss a niche topic.
The choice is yours.
Either way, starting a podcast that draws in views will bring brand sponsorships that will pay you money to advertise their brand.
Related Article:
11. Make a TikTok Account
TikTok is the latest trend and it has taken the world by storm. It's changed a LOT in just a little amount of time.
If you can make a TikTok account and draw in views, you can grow quite quickly and start making money from brands fast!
Make Money at Home as a Teen
12. Do Yard Work for Neighbors
Another tried and true way to make money as a teen is to do yard work for neighbors.
All you need to do is go door to door asking if neighbors need help with yard work.
Make yourself a little flyer or business card explaining a little bit about you and leave it with them.
Neighbors want to give business to neighborhood kids so I guarantee you will get calls.
You can offer to:
- mow the lawn
- trim trees
- rake leaves
- shovel snow, etc.
The best part is, you set the prices!! (Just don't get too greedy.)
13. Babysit
One of the best ways to make good money as a teenager is to babysit!
I had a younger sibling so as soon as I was around 13, all of my younger siblings' friends' parents (yikes, say that 5x fast) would call me to babysit nonstop.
I was ALWAYS babysitting!
It was easy work and it paid REALLY well. At that time, the minimum wage was about $7.25, but when I would babysit, I would get $20 a child per hour.
Now, I've seen teenagers getting $30-$40 an hour per child.
It can be really lucrative for a teenager and it teaches you good life skills to have!
14. Dogwalking
This brings me to the next way to make money as a teenager.
You can offer dog walking to the neighborhood! This is such an easy way to make extra money.
People love their dogs, but they also work hard and can't always take them for walks.
Offering to take neighborhood dogs on walks is such a great way for teenagers to make extra money that doesn't take much time at all!
15. Have a Garage Sale
This is something I used to do ALL THE TIME as a teenager.
I would gather up items from the house and my younger siblings' old toys (with permission, of course) and then I'd sell them at a garage sale.
I'd put up signs around the neighborhood and now you can even advertise for free on Craigslist.
I would also sell donuts and coffee which made a LOT of money!
How to Make Money with a Specialized Skill as a Teen
16. Tutor Other Students
If you are a good student and know school subjects better than the average student, go ahead and offer to tutor!
You can offer to tutor younger students or students of the same age.
17. Teach Music Lessons
Have a specialized musical talent?
If so, try teaching music lessons to others! Many people are seeking to learn how to play musical instruments. If you are able to teach those musical instruments, people will pay money to learn from you!
18. Play Music in Public for Tips
This takes me to my next point.
If you have musical talent, think about playing music in public for tips.
Many people love hearing music in public places so showcase your skills and gain some extra money by showing off!
19. Dance in Public for Tips
You can also dance in public for tips.
Think about setting up by a park, restaurant, shopping mall or local grocery store. Put out a bucket or hat that says “Tips” on it and watch the money come in as you dance!
20. Give Dance Lessons
Think about giving dance lessons.
If you have good experience in dance, then giving dance lessons is a great option to earn additional money as a teen!
21. Teach a Language
If you know any foreign languages, you can actually teach the foreign language to others for money.
It's a great way to share your skills with the world while enriching the lives of others.
22. Teach a Sport
If there's a sport you know well, you can offer lessons in that sport to others for a fee.
People love to learn new things and it's a great way to make money as a teen!
How to Make Money Locally as a Teen
23. Be a Lifeguard
If your town has a pool or beach, consider applying to be a lifeguard.
They usually require you to take a CPR certification course, but after that, you can sit by the water and watch over your local community.
P.S. I was a lifeguard at the local water park when I was a teenager and made great money!
24. Wash Cars
Consider washing cars to make money as a teenager!
Washing cars is super easy and lucrative!
It takes me 10-15 minutes to wash my car (max) and yet, you can charge $20 a car easily!
People don't want to go through the hassle of getting wet and climbing on their car to get it clean. Therefore, most people are more than willing to pay $20 to have the local neighborhood kids wash their cars.
It's such a great money-making business for teenagers!
25. Set up Christmas Decor/Lights
During Christmas time, consider offering to set up Christmas lights or decor for a price.
Setting up Christmas lights on the exterior of a home can be a total pain.
Therefore, paying someone young (like you) to do it for them is a dream come true! You can earn a lot of money doing this!
26. Sell Lemonade
This is something I did every single weekend!
I loved setting up lemonade stands and selling not just lemonade, but other things.
At one point, I was selling my mom's leftover lasagna. (She wasn't too happy when she came home from work and saw me with a sign for her lasagna.)
Nevertheless, I saw an opportunity.
Lemonade stands are so easy and show you how fun it can be to make money.
27. Be a House Sitter
When people go on vacation, they often seek out house sitters to watch their home while they are away. This is a great way for teenagers to make money as you don't need to do much.
You can basically stay in their home and watch TV all day and get paid. What could be better, right?
28. Sell at a Farmers Market
Farmers Markets are a great place to make money!
You can make a DIY craft and sell it at Farmer's markers for a profit.
Take a look at Pinterest. Find some DIY craft ideas, Make some crafts and sell them!
29. Be a Referee
Teens can actually make great money as a referee at a sports game.
Tee Ball and Little League need umpires so who better to do that than a teen that plays those sports?
Take a look in your local community to see where a referee or umpire is needed.
30. Be a Golf Caddy
Teenagers can also be golf caddies!
Yes, that's right!
You can follow someone around on the golf course and learn their strategy/technique while making money! It's a great way to learn a new store while bringing in cash!
31. Do Makeup
Learn how to do makeup on YouTube if you don't know how to already.
Then, offer your makeup services to other teenagers. It's a great (and easy) way to make money as a teenager!
Related Articles About Making Money
- Ultimate List of 45 Insanely Easy Ways to Make Money (that are actually good)
- 15 Passive Income Ideas for Beginners in 2022
- Can You Make Money With a Podcast?: How This Girl Quit Her 9-5 Job to Do Just That
Other Ways to Make Money
Rakuten
Rakuten is a cashback site that gives you money back for shopping! I usually don't like these types of apps, but this one I use religiously. I just saved 15% at Macy's the other day by using this app. This is FREE Money, people! Plus, they are giving $30 to my readers just for signing up here! Here's my honest review on Rakuten.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks pays you to take surveys online! They're great if you'd like that extra cash while you're watching a movie or lounging on the couch. They are offering my readers a $5 bonus when you sign up to start making extra cash by taking surveys online! (FREE Download)
Top Cash Back
Top Cash Back's claim to fame is that they are the “most generous” cashback site in the USA! They are a free app that offers rebates and coupons for over 4,000 retailers! It's super simple so I check both Rakuten and TopCashBack every time I make a purchase at a retailer to see if there's any money I'm leaving on the table. (FREE)
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