This is so important for your future. Having some extra money gives you the freedom to purchase what you want now and to save for college, a deposit for a home, or whatever else it is you’re looking to save for.
These days, with so many side hustle apps and the gig economy, there are many ways for teenagers to earn money.
Side hustles give you a way to earn extra money in your spare time.
They come in many forms, like:
- Freelance work
- Small business ideas, like selling stuff online or providing a service like window-cleaning.
- Gig work, like delivering food or dog walking
And that’s just to name a few. There are so many ways to make money on the side, and that’s what today’s post is all about.
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I’ll be covering side hustles for teenagers of all ages from 13 years old to 19 years old.
To make things easier, I have separated the list into two categories:
- Side hustles for teenagers of all ages: These are side gigs that even teens under 18 can do. So if you are 17, 16, etc. you can make money with these options.
- Side hustles for 18-year-olds: These gigs are ideal for older teens, so 18 and 19-year-olds, who’re looking to make extra money.
Hopefully, you find something that suits your skills and schedule – and I’m sure you will as there are 70 side hustles on our list and more than 100 sites where you can make money.
Without further ado, let’s get onto that list.
Table of Contents
Side Hustles for Teenagers of All Ages
During my research, I found people who were recommending working on sites like UpWork, Mturk, and TaskRabbit. And, sure, those are good sites for making money, but NOT if you are under 18 years old.
Sadly, those sites, and many others I saw recommended by other blogs and on forums online, only allow those who are at least 18 years old to sign up. So, they are not ideal for those who are looking for a side hustle they can do at say, 15, 16 or 17 years old.
Thankfully, there are still plenty of side hustles out there for people who are as young as 13 years old.
Here are some awesome side hustles for teens of all ages.
1. Cleaning
Offer to do some cleaning work for friends and family. If you already know someone who’s a cleaner, then you could ask to work as their assistant.
Housecleaners can earn around $13 an hour.
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2. Work at a restaurant
If you’re looking for a part-time gig, try working at a restaurant. Some restaurants hire people who’re as young as 14 or 15 years old. Your tasks could range from serving customers to cleaning.
Here are some restaurants that have been known to hire teenagers:
3. Selling crafts
If you are good with crafts, then you might want to consider making and selling crafts at places like local craft shows or flea markets. You could even advertise your crafts for sale online.
4. Babysitting
Make some extra money babysitting. You could offer your services to your parent’s friends or ask your parents if they could let people know you’re looking for babysitting work.
You can have a look online for babysitting jobs, but most jobs are for people over 18 years old. One site you can try is Bambino Sitters, as it allows people who’re as young as 13 years old to sign up as long as they get the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
Babysitters can earn $8 to $17 an hour.
5. Window cleaning
People always need someone to clean their windows, so this could be a good side hustle for you. You could offer your window cleaning services to homeowners near you, and you could even branch out to cleaning windows for local businesses too. Window cleaners earn $15 an hour.
6. Pet-sitting
Pet-sitting is another fun side hustle for teens. You get paid to take care of people’s pets while they are at work or away on vacation.
If you love animals, then this is a really great gig. You could tell your parents to let their friends and family know that you are looking for pet-sitting work. You can also advertise your services to people in your neighborhood.
7. Work at the grocery store
If you’re looking for some part-time work, why not pick up some work at the grocery store.
Many supermarkets won’t hire those who are under 18 years old, but some have been known to hire workers who are 17, 16, 15, or even 14 years old.
Here are some grocery stores that hire teenagers:
Your tasks can involve everything from stocking shelves to greeting customers, to bagging groceries.
8. Dog walker
Why not try working as a dog-walker? This is a fun side hustle that gets you outdoors. Since many pet owners are busy with things like work, they don’t have time to walk their dogs, so they hire a dog walker to do it for them.
Advertise your services to people in your neighborhood and tell your friends and family to let people know you are offering a dog walking service. If you provide a great service, you may be able to pick up more work by word of mouth.
9. Retail arbitrage
Retail arbitrage is when you purchase items and then sell them for a profit. For example, you could purchase a purse that’s on sale for 40% off. Normally, the purse costs $80, but with the discount, you get it for $48.
You then resell it for $60 or $70. The buyer still gets a discount, since the purse’s retail value is $80, but you make a $12 to $22 profit on the sale.
Retail arbitrage does require effort, but it can also be fun finding deals when shopping and selling stuff too.
You buy discounted items at places like:
- The thrift store
- The dollar store
- The clearance section of any store
- TJ MAXX
- Marshall’s
- Ross
Also, make sure you look out for sales at stores and check out the clearance section for deals too. You can even find free stuff on sites like Craigslist and OfferUp and resell them leaving you with 100% profit!
10. Tutoring
Another option is to try tutoring people. You could provide tutoring services to people in your neighborhood, and you could even advertise your services online.
11. Video editing service
If you know how to edit videos, then you could offer a video editing or video creation service to local businesses. Many businesses want marketing videos, but they don’t have the time to make these videos themselves.
You will need to have a fast computer, as well as the right software and, of course, video-making and editing skills for this side hustle. You could advertise this service online and near you.
12. YouTube
When it comes to online jobs for teens and making money on the internet, in general, YouTube is a no brainer for most kids these days.
Why not start your own YouTube channel? It could be about gaming, makeup, or whatever you want. Once your videos get enough views, you can be eligible to become a YouTube Partner, which allows you to make money from the ads on your videos. Online reports suggest that YouTubers earn from $0.25 to $7 for every 1,000 views their videos get.
The YouTube Partner program pays through AdSense, and it’s important to note that you can’t get an AdSense account until you are 18 years old.
Fortunately, those under 18 can still monetize their videos by linking their YouTube account to an approved AdSense account of a parent or guardian who is over 18 years old.
And, you can also make money by creating sponsored videos for brands.
- You can get started with your YouTube channel here.
13. Sell on Etsy
You could sell stuff on Etsy. Things you can sell on Etsy include handmade crafts, artwork, vintage clothing you find at the thrift store, or furniture.
Anyone who’s aged 13 years old or over can use Etsy. However, those under 18 years old need to get the permission and direct supervision of a parent or legal guardian who is the owner of the account. Etsy does charge a commission when your stuff sells, but it’s still good side hustle.
- Start selling on Etsy here.
14. Work at the movie theater
If you love movies, and who doesn’t, then why not consider picking up some work at your local movie theater? You may even be able to get an employee discount when you want to watch a movie.
Now, not all theaters hire those who are under 18, but there are many places that hire at 15, 16, or 17 years old. One well-known movie chain that hires people who’re younger than 18 is AMC Theatres.
15. Yard work/Landscape Labor
Although federal child labor laws prohibit 15-year-olds from operating lawn mowers, lawn trimmers, and weed cutters, making grass cutting an option that’s not on offer to anyone under 16 years old, general yard work is a good option.
You could offer to do yard work or provide a landscape labor service to people nearby.
Tasks you could offer could include things like watering plants, pulling out weeds, power-washing concrete areas, and maintaining fences.
16. Pool cleaning
If you live in an area that’s warm and where many people have pools, then consider offering a pool cleaning service. You can set your own rates, and work at the weekends as well, making this a flexible side hustle for teens looking to fit in making money around their schooling.
17. Work as a camp counselor
Why not try working as a camp counselor? It can be a good way for teenagers to make money over the summer. Of course, each camp will have its own age requirements for counselors. Just get in touch with camps in your area to ask about being a counselor and what the requirements are.
18. Laundry Service
Some people are too busy to do their own laundry, so they hire someone to do it for them. Providing a laundry service to people near you could be a good way to make some extra money,
You could let people in your neighborhood know about your service and advertise it in Facebook groups too. And, don’t forget to ask your parents to tell their friends that you’re providing a laundry service.
19. Errand service
Many people are busy, so they need someone to run errands for them. You could earn money doing errands for people like picking up the dry cleaning and going to the grocery store. Just put the word out about your services.
20. Start a blog
Blogging is something that can be really profitable once you build up traffic to your website. To get started, you need to get a domain name and hosting from sites like Bluehost, HostGator, and GoDaddy.
And, you will need to use a site like WordPress.org to publish content. Choose a topic, do some keyword research, and then you can start uploading content. Make sure that you are uploading articles on a consistent basis.
Although you won’t make money from your blog right away, you can start earning money from it once it gets traffic. Now, there are lots of ways to make money from a blog, including:
- Ads
- Affiliate links
- Sponsored content
21. Shoveling snow
Get paid to shovel snow for people in your neighborhood. This is a good side hustle for teens looking to make extra cash during the winter months.
22. Work at an amusement park
Some amusement parks hire teenagers, so if you want to make some extra cash, this is an option to consider. Amusement parks often provide seasonal jobs or work all year round.
Here are a few amusement parks that have been known to hire teenagers:
23. Be a referee or umpire
Working as a referee or umpire is also a good side hustle for teenagers. After all, every little league or recreation league needs referees and umpires. For sports fans, it’s a particularly good gig!
24. Painting
Paint people’s houses to make some money. Depending on your skillset, you could paint the interior or the exterior. Again, advertise your services to people locally.
25. Wash cars
Offer a car washing service to people near you. If people knew that they didn’t even need to drive their vehicle to a car wash to have it cleaned, they’d be happy to use your services instead.
Simply offer to wash your neighbor’s cars. If you can get repeat work, then this could be a good side hustle.
26. Golf course maintenance
You may be able to find work at your local golf course. Golf courses often need help around the course, which could include things like working in the pro shop, cleaning up, or collecting balls. Just contact local courses to see if they have any work available.
27. Have a yard sale or garage sale
Selling stuff can be a great side hustle, especially if you want to make money fast.
You could consider selling stuff at a yard sale or garage sale – it’s likely that you have stuff you don’t use anymore anyway, so you may as well make some money out of it, right?
28. Be a kennel assistant
Working as a kennel assistant can be awesome if you love animals. Simply check with your local veterinarian to see if they have any work available, like kennel assistant jobs, or working at the reception desk.
29. Housesit
Some people hire a house-sitter to look after their home when they go on vacation or out of town.
Now, this is a varied gig that can come along with a variety of responsibilities, like taking care of pets, tending to plants, and bringing in the mail.
Simply ask your parents to let their friends, family, or neighbors know that you’re offering a house-sitting service.
30. Be a lifeguard
If you’re looking for a side hustle for the summer, then why not try working as a lifeguard.
You will need to sign up for lifeguard training and certification. Then, you can start applying for lifeguard jobs near you.
Lifeguard jobs are available in lots of places, like at the YMCA, your city pool, recreations centers, or even at your neighborhood pool.
31. Get paid to do easy tasks on reward sites
Another option you can try is doing tasks on reward sites. Now, if you don’t already know, reward websites pay you for doing really easy tasks online or even from your phone.
Tasks you can get paid for include:
- Watching videos
- Taking surveys
- Playing games
- Browsing the internet
- Shopping online
Now, not all reward sites accept members who’re under 18, but there are a few of them that accept users who’re as young as 13 years old.
Here are some great reward sites for teenagers:
InstaGC
InstaGC pays you for doing tasks online, like taking surveys and watching videos.
The site allows users as young as 13 years old to join, as long as they have parental consent.
You get paid to PayPal or to a gift card, with more than 300 gift card options available for places like Amazon, Pizza Hut, and iTunes.
The best part is that you can redeem your earnings for as little as $1 to $5.
- Sign up for InstaGC here.
MyPoints
Next on the list we have MyPoints. This is a website that pays you for taking surveys and gives you cashback when you shop online. Anyone who’s aged 13 years or older can make money from it. You can get paid to PayPal or you can choose to redeem gift cards for as little as $5.
And, the best part is that, just for signing up, you can get a $10 Amazon or Visa gift card.
- Sign up for MyPoints here.
FeaturePoints
Finally, we have FeaturePoints. This is a rewards website that pays you for doing tasks like trying free apps, completing surveys, and shopping online.
Anyone over the age of 13 (or 16 years old within the European Union) can sign up for FeaturePoints and make money, which is great.
Payment is sent via PayPal, or you can get a gift card, with gift cards available for retailers like:
- Amazon
- Walmart
- GameStop
- Xbox
- Target
Overall, it’s a good site if you’re looking to make some extra cash.
- Sign up for FeaturePoints here.
32. Furniture refurbisher
If you’re looking for something a bit more fun and creative, then try refurbishing and selling used furniture.
With this venture, you purchase a piece of used furniture, refurbish it, which could include simply sanding and painting the item, and then resell it for a profit.
You can resell your furniture on sites like Etsy, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace. When selling products or meeting anyone though, please be careful, and take your parent or guardian with you, and meet any potential buyers in a public place. This is good advice for sellers of all ages, but particularly teenagers. It is always best to be safe. So, again, do not meet with anyone without a parent or guardian present.
Now, in terms of where you can find furniture that you can resell, I would recommend looking out for great deals at thrift stores.
Other than that though, the internet can be a good place to score great deals, and even some free stuff.
You can find cheap or even free furniture on sites like:
Now, the amount of money you’ll make depends on how many sales you make and the profit you get from each sale. If you can find some good deals, and make a lot of sales, then you could earn $100s a month from this.
Do Freelance Work on Fiverr
Okay, so if you’re a teenager who’s looking to make money from home, then I would definitely consider freelancing.
Now, sadly, not that many freelance platforms actually allow you to sign up unless you are 18 years old. If you are 18 years old that’s great and you’ll find plenty of freelance opportunities in the “side hustles for 18-year-olds” section below.
If you’re younger than that though and want to work as a freelancer, then I would consider Fiverr.
It’s one of the few freelance websites that allows users who are under 18 to sign up and make money.
The site is available to users who are 13 years of age or older.
Fiverr, if you don’t already know, is an online marketplace where freelancers can earn money selling their services.
You can set your own rates for these services, which is awesome.
You can charge anywhere from $5 to $10,000 for a service. Fiverr does take a 20% cut of your earnings though.
What’s great about Fiverr is that you can sell a variety of services there, as there are more than 200 categories featured on the site.
Freelance side hustles you can do on fiver include:
- Freelance writing
- Graphic design
- Video editing
- Voiceover work
- Photo editing
- Proofreading
- Logo design
- WordPress sites customization
- Animation
- Web programming
- Podcast editing
- Songwriting
- Book writing
- Podcast writing
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Social Media Marketing
- Social Media Management
- Game art
- Infographic design
- Email marketing
- Speechwriting
- Creative writing
If you are looking for a side hustle that you can do from home, then it’s definitely worth offering your freelance services on Fiverr.
- Get started with Fiverr here.
Side Hustles for 18-Year-Olds
Okay, so as you can see above, there are plenty of side hustles that teenagers who are as young as 13 years old can do to make some extra cash.
You’ll notice that above, I didn’t mention some of the more well-known money-making options. That’s simply because a lot of these don’t work unless you are 18 years old.
If you are 18 years old, there are plenty more money-making opportunities out there for you.
So, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to make some extra money.
Here are the best side hustles for 18-year-olds.
55. Freelance writing
Freelance writers create a wide range of different works, such as:
- Blog posts
- Articles
- Books
- Newsletters
- Product descriptions
You don’t need a degree or anything to get started – just a few writing samples.
You can find private clients on sites like UpWork and PeoplePerHour.
Or you can try a writing website instead, like:
On these sites, you’ll find a pool of articles that you can get paid to write.
56. Proofreading and editing
If you are good at finding typos, grammatical errors, and other mistakes like spelling mistakes, then consider working as a proofreader or editor.
Proofreaders and editors check work, like a novel or a blog post, for things like grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and typos. Editors may also check work for structural elements.
Here’s where you can find work:
Make sure you read my proofreading guide to get started with this career, and for a list of places where you can find proofreading jobs.
Pay for proofreaders ranges from $12 to $30 an hour, with the average pay being $18 an hour.
Pay for editors ranges from $9 to $60 an hour with the average pay being $25 an hour.
57. Teaching English
Another way for teenagers to make money is by teaching English. Cambly is a website where you can get paid to teach English in an online classroom.
The great thing about the site is that you don’t need any experience or a degree to start teaching.
That makes this a good way for 18-year-olds to earn some extra money.
Cambly pays you $10.20 an hour.
58. Data entry
Another side hustle to consider is working as a data entry clerk. This is a job you can do from home, and most positions are freelance based so you can work when you want to and how often you want to.
This is a good side hustle for teens because it doesn’t really require many if any, qualifications or experience.
As a data entry clerk, it’s your job to input data into data management systems, like spreadsheets and documents.
Here’s where you can find work:
Data entry clerks earn anywhere from $10 to $18 an hour with the average pay being $13 an hour. You could earn more or less than that depending on the client you work with and your experience level.
59. Resume writing
Next on the list we have resume writing. If you’re 18 or 19 years old and are looking to make some extra money, then this could be the job for you.
You earn money writing people’s resumes for them. Lots of people want to make sure their resume is good when they are looking for work, so they hire a resume writer to write it for them.
Here’s where you can find resume writing work:
Resume writers make $21 an hour on average with the income ranging anywhere from $5 to $37 an hour. Some resume writers are paid per resume, rather than per hour. This can range from $50 to $500. But it could be more or less than that depending on the client or company that you work with and your experience level.
60. Virtual assistant
Next on the list we have virtual assistant work. Virtual assistants are responsible for lots of different tasks, such as:
- Scheduling appointments
- Organizing meetings
- Making phone calls
- Bookkeeping
- Transcription
- Organizing travel arrangements
- Researching content
- Project management
- Social media management
- Other admin and organizational tasks
This is a job that can be done from home, and on a freelance basis, so it can be done around school or college or even during the summer break or winter break.
Make sure you have a read of my post on how to become a virtual assistant to learn more about how to get started with this side hustle, and for a list of virtual assistant jobs.
Virtual assistants earn anywhere from $10 to $27 an hour with the average pay being $16 an hour.
61. Transcriptionist
You could make money working from home as a transcriptionist.
Transcriptionists listen to audio and then they type out, or “transcribe” what they hear, and then deliver the document to the client.
Since transcription work can be done online and from home, it’s easy to fit this gig into your schedule.
Here’s where you can find work:
Pay ranges from $10 to $28 an hour with the average pay being $15 an hour.
62. Grocery shopping and delivery
Why not try shopping for and delivering groceries? This can be a good way to make some extra money.
You get paid to deliver people’s groceries to their homes.
Here are a couple of places that pay you for this:
How much money you earn by delivering groceries depends on the company you work with and how many deliveries you make.
Shipt pays anywhere from $16 to $22 an hour.
Instacart shoppers earn $14 an hour on average, with pay ranging from $5 to $25 an hour.
Instacart is a good option too for those who are looking to get paid fast because you can cash out your earnings every day using the site’s Instant Cashout feature, or you can get paid weekly.
63. Test search engines
Another option you can try is testing out search engines. Now, when you enter a word or phrase into a search engine like Google, the algorithm determines which results appear.
Now, to ensure that the right results are generated by the algorithm, search engines like Google and Bing hire search engine evaluators who check what results appear when they enter a specific keyword or phrase. So, you can get paid to improve search engines.
This job can be done from home making it a great side hustle for teens.
You can earn anywhere from $10 to $49 an hour as a search engine evaluator with the average income being $26 an hour.
Here’s where you can find search engine evaluator jobs:
64. Closed Captioner
Closed captioners get paid to write those captions that you see when you click on the CC button on platforms like Amazon Prime.
Closed captions are designed to help those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Here’s where you can find closed captioning jobs:
According to Rev, its top earners make $1,574 a month.
Make sure you have a read of my closed captioning post for a list of jobs.
65. Get paid $100s to visit local stores
Mystery shopping is a good side hustle for 18-year-olds. With this gig, you visit stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and other businesses, and provide feedback on your experience. You usually need to report on things like how the employees treated you and how clean the place was.
Pay for mystery shopping varies from $8 to $25 an hour.
It’s a pretty good way for teens to make some extra money.
Here are a few places where you can find mystery shopping work:
66. Work on TaskRabbit
When it comes to finding gig economy jobs, TaskRabbit is one of the best places to look. TaskRabbit is a website where you can find errand-running gigs. You work as a Tasker and do a variety of jobs, like assembling furniture, shopping, and yard work. Basically, you help people with their to-dos.
TaskRabbit pays $26 an hour on average, but income can vary anywhere from $3 to $78 an hour.
67. Collect and charge scooters
In many cities, people rent scooters to get around. You could get paid to collect and charge these scooters.
You collect scooters in your nearby metropolitan area, put them in your vehicle, and then charge them.
Here’s where you can find work:
You can earn $3 to $20 per charged scooter, but how much money you make depends on the company you work with.
With Bird, you can get paid for move tasks that don’t require charging. You even get to set your own hours, making this a flexible side hustle.
The thing is, you will need a vehicle for this gig, but if you have that, then this can be a good way to earn money.
68. Sell t-shirts and other merch
If you know how to create designs on your computer, then why not consider selling your own merch?
Online you can sell a variety of items that include your designs, such as:
- T-shirts
- Phone cases
- Mugs
- Scarves
- Masks
- Jigsaws
- Throws
- Shower curtains
- Throw pillow covers
- Hoodies
- Dresses
- And much, much more!
The best part is that you don’t have to print any of these products yourself.
You can simply upload your designs to a print-on-demand website, and then wait for them to sell. If you make a sale, the company will print and ship the product for you.
That’s pretty great, right? It gives you the chance to start your own business, without having to purchase or store any inventory.
This could become a full-time business for you if you make enough money.
Here are some great print on demand websites where you can sell t-shirts and other merch:
Now, these websites do charge you a commission rate for using their services. But, still, all you need to do is upload your designs and wait for them to sell. And you could make $100s or even $1,000s a month selling your own merch.
69. Try affiliate marketing
Another one to try is affiliate marketing. As an affiliate marketer, you make money selling other people’s products. This could be anything from a camera to makeup.
When you join an affiliate marketing program, you get affiliate links for products, which you can post in places like:
- Videos
- Landing pages
- Blog posts
- Newsletters
- A product resources page
- A comparison review site
- Social media posts
When a customer clicks on one of your affiliate links, they’re taken to the product page where they can purchase the item. If the customer purchases the product, you get a percentage of the sale.
So, if you linked to a coffee table that was worth $300, and you got a 10% commission, then you would earn $30 on the sale.
You’ll need to sign up for an affiliate program to get affiliate links.
There are quite a few affiliate programs out there, including:
Affiliate marketing won’t make you money from the outset. This is one of those side hustles that requires a bit of work upfront before you start seeing any real profit.
You’ll need to get people to see and click on your links, and that can take time to build up. Some affiliate marketers make $100k plus from their venture.
According to income reports, affiliate marketers can earn anywhere from $11,000 to $401,500 a year.
You need traffic though!
Like I said before though, it takes time to build up your income. With affiliate marketing, you can earn a lot of money or nothing at all.
You’ll need to get lots of clicks on your links so that you have more chance of customers purchasing products.
If no one clicks on your affiliate links, then you’re not going to make any sales, and you won’t earn any commission. If you can get people to follow your links and make a purchase, however, then affiliate marketing can be a great way to earn money.
70. Graphic design
Graphic designers create digital illustrations and designs, such as logos, website banners, and flyers.
Since many graphic design jobs are freelance based, this is a good option for making money on the side.
You can find work on sites like PeoplePerHour and UpWork.
Graphic designers earn $23 an hour on average, with pay ranging from $9 to $38 an hour.
Closing Thoughts
Whether you are 13 years old or 18 years old, highschool student or not, it’s good to know that there are so many great cash paying gigs and side hustles for teenagers out there.
I mean, there really is something for everyone. There’s online work you can try, like freelance writing or data entry, or you can try offering a service like dog walking or babysitting.
And, there are plenty of side businesses you can start too, like selling stuff on Etsy, affiliate marketing, and blogging.
Give these money-making methods a try and let us know in the comments section below what you think are the best side hustles for teenagers.
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