What are the best ways to make money as a teen (and fast)? Find out in this post that's all about the absolute BEST ways to make money as a teen today.
Are you a teen wondering- what exactly are the best ways to make money as a teen? Maybe you're looking for some extra cash to spend on the things you love. Or maybe you're a parent looking to encourage your screenager to go out and bring home the bacon! Either way- this is the article for you.
In this post, I will go over the very best ways to make money as a teen, and they are simple, easy, and quick. Almost all of them I did when I was a teen myself, and #1 is even my current job as an adult! If you're looking to make money as a teen, read on!
This post is all about the best ways to make money as a teen.
9 Best Ways to Make Money as a Teen
More posts you'll love...
1. Start a Blog
#1 - Ways to Make Money as a Teen
This is, in my opinion, the best of all the ways to make money as a teen. Starting a blog is easy, quick, cheap, and fast! You can start one today for only a few dollars a month! With the very low start-up costs, you have the potential to make tons of money in profit. And the best part? You can work online or work from home. Starting a blog will only take a few hours of work per week, likely less time than a part-time job. I know bloggers that are making over $50,000 per MONTH from their blog, and all from their laptop.
You can blog about anything you want, but I recommend starting a blog about something you're interested in. There is no shortage of blog topics. Think about what you love and like to do or learn about, that is a great place to start.
The first step in starting a blog is to register your website (this takes less than 5 minutes and costs less than $5 a month!
Once you have your website set up, my next suggestion is to save up and take a blogging course to learn exactly how you can make THOUSANDS off your website.
Blogging online is an amazing way to make money as a teen. You don't need any special knowledge or skills to start a blog, and you can easily work around any busy teen schedule.
Read my in depth step-by-step tutorial for exactly how to start a blog that makes money here!
2. Take Online Surveys
#2 - Ways to Make Money as a Teen
I absolutely love making extra cash by taking online surveys. These are the very best free online survey sites I recommend that pay REALLY well (they are the ones I use!). Taking surveys online is a great way to make money as a teen because it is quick, simple, and flexible. You can take a survey on your way to and from school, while riding the bus, during study hall, or on your lunch break! You can spend as much or as little time taking surveys as you'd like to. Many survey sites even offer a $5-$10 sign-up bonus.
By taking surveys online, you can make easy money from your phone. Companies love to hear what teenagers are thinking about their products. You can even get paid to review products that get sent to your house for free!
When I was paying off my student loans, I took surveys all the time to make extra money! I was able to make over $100 a week, and all online.
3. Take Care of Pets
#3 - Ways to Make Money as a Teen
Pet sitting is a simple way to make money as a teen. Are you a dog, cat, rabbit, or bearded dragon lover? Then pet sitting might be for you! Pets are very popular, and people need someone trustworthy to look after their furry friend when they go out of town. Pet sitting involves feeding, walking, and showing affection to the pet. That's pretty much it! You just need to provide basic love and care, and of course keep the pet safe while their owners are away. The best part? People will pay very well to have their pet looked after by someone they trust!
The reason pet sitting is such a great way to make money as a teen is that it's easy to advertise your services and get clients. Let your parents and friends know that you are looking for pet sitting opportunities. Create a simple flyer with Canva and hang it up throughout the neighborhood, at your church, at your school, and at your local veterinary office! Remember not to include personal information like your phone number or address on the flyer. Instead create an email account just for pet sitting inquiries and put that on the flyer. People will be interested in having you watch their pet as it is a cheaper alternative to boarding and provides a better experience for their beloved pet!
4. Take Care of Kids
#4 - Ways to Make Money as a Teen
Are pets too low-stakes for you? Or perhaps you prefer looking after something less... hairy? Babysitting is a great option! I made THOUSANDS of dollars as a teen from babysitting. If you love spending time with kids, why not get paid to do so? The best part- you can set your own hours so you don't have to sacrifice other activities you love, like sports.
To be a qualified babysitter, you need to enjoy spending time with kids and have lots of patience. Getting CPR certified is an easy way to be more qualified and a more appealing candidate for parents.
To get started babysitting, let your parents, neighbors, and friends know that you're willing to babysit. I primarily babysat for 3 families that lived on my street- talk about convenient! Making a flyer with Canva is easy, and I recommend hanging it up at school, at your pediatrician's office, at your church, and of course, around your neighborhood! Remember not to include personal information like your phone number or address on the flyer. Instead create an email account just for babysitting inquiries and put that on the flyer. Another amazing way to get babysitting jobs (and the one that I used) is Facebook groups for local moms. They will post what they need, and you simply respond via Facebook.
5. Get Paid to Play Online Games
#5 - Ways to Make Money as a Teen
Put all that time you spend playing candy crush to good use and make money playing games online. I love making money from these apps. Just like taking online surveys, you can spend as much or as little time as you want playing games, all while getting paid. These are the apps I swear by, and the ones that have helped me make over $100 a week!
Making money with online apps is a great way to make money as a teen because every teen is qualified! No special experience necessary. Just make sure you don't do it while in class, or risk facing your teacher's wrath!
6. Work in the Service Industry
#6 - Ways to Make Money as a Teen
The service industry is a fantastic way to make money as a teen. Working a legitimate part-time job provides valuable life experience and lots of extra money! You can make lots of extra cash working after school and on weekends. My experiences working in the service industry have been some of the most valuable in my life, and it looks GREAT on college applications because it shows you are hard-working and responsible.
Looking online using websites like Indeed is a great place to start, but an even better way is to look around in-person at your local restaurants. Look for signs/flyers that state they are hiring, or better yet, walk up to the counter and ask if they are looking to hire. It might sound scary, but it's the easiest way to get a job.
7. Become a Tutor
#7 - Ways to Make Money as a Teen
Are you academically gifted? Or maybe you're just extra good at one subject (like me!)? Tutoring is a great opportunity to make money as a teen. You have the option to tutor a student in the same grade as you, who is taking the same class you are. OR you can tutor a student that is younger than you, taking a class you took last year. If you are in high school, you can tutor elementary students in virtually any subject. Math and foreign languages are the most in-demand for tutoring. Ask your teachers if they have a tutoring program. Another option is to tutor for standardized tests like the SSAT. To tutor for a standardized test, you will need to have done well on the exam yourself!
8. Wash Cars
#8 - Ways to Make Money as a Teen
If the weather permits, washing cars can be an amazing and lucrative way to make money as a teen. People will pay you the big bucks to have their car washed from the comfort of their home. You'll need to make a small investment in supplies like window and exterior cleaners and brushes, but once you have those you are ready to rock. Watch some YouTube videos to learn technique so that you're prepared to do a good job. You can purchase supplies at a place like your local AutoZone or on Amazon.
Again, I recommend telling parents, friends, and neighbors that you are starting a carwash service! Creating a flyer is another easy option with Canva. Remember not to include personal information like your phone number or address on the flyer. Instead create an email account just for babysitting inquiries and put that on the flyer. The better job you do, the more likely they are to ask you back and to refer you to their friends. Word of mouth is the best way to grow your business. Schedule the carwashes around your schedule as you like. Spend time outside in the sun, soaking up the vitamin D, all the while making money!
9. Do Yard Work
#9 - Ways to Make Money as a Teen
Handy with a mower? Yard work is a wonderful way to make money as a teen. It is a simple job requiring virtually no skills or experience, and it's one that people do not like to do! This means they are willing to pay someone else to do the hard work- like you! One of the reasons this is such a great way to make money as a teen is that you can set your own schedule around school and other activities. If you do a good job, you can have a recurring schedule for different clients. Start with your neighbors first!