Finance

How to Make Money as a Teen

Chris Cerny

Making money as a teenager is not always easy. Many teens don’t receive an allowance from their parents, and it’s very hard to find a full-time job under the age of 18 for legal and knowledge-based reasons. But never fear – Financial Professional is here to help!

There are a few major categories to look toward first if you’re seeking to make money as a teenager:

All of these are great ways to make money as a teenager and offer many different avenues (I wish I knew that when I was younger).

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First, Try Passive Income

One way for teenagers to make money is through passive income. This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many options in this category, which provides a lot of variety for teenagers looking to find what they want to do with their work lives.

Online Surveys

One of the best ways for teens to make money is to take online surveys. You can make money from many different sites such as:

These sites pay you for taking surveys whenever you want and don’t take too much of your time. Signing up is easy and you can complete these surveys while watching Netflix, eating lunch, or even while you’re in the bathroom!

The best part is that you only have to be 13 to take surveys for most of these sites!

Making Money as a Teen on Swagbucks

Another way to make money is on Swagbucks. This site pays you for watching TV, taking surveys, and even searching the web. Swagbucks has been around for ages and lets teenagers make money for things they do daily. They have paid out over $300 million already for easy tasks that can be completed in a few minutes of free time. Like many online survey-style sites, Swagbucks only requires you to be 13 years old.

Make Money Online

Another easy way to make money as a teen is through various online work. These jobs may require a lot of time investment – at least initially – but they are a good way to build an income and learn basic work-related skills as a teenager.

Making Money through Fiverr

Fiverr is one of the best ways to make money as a teen because the site is so flexible. Essentially, this website is an online marketplace for freelance services starting at $5. Teens can make money through this site by offering up whatever skills they believe have value.

Options include:

  • Writing papers, books, or other literature
  • Selling artwork such as paintings or hand-crafted items
  • Coding and web development
  • Graphic design
  • And so much more!

There are a lot of things people need and are willing to pay $5 (or more!) for. On Fiverr, the possibilities are quite literally endless!

Teach Online Basics to Older Folks

Another way to make easy money as a teen is by teaching older people how to use the Internet and other technology.

This is a great side hustle for teens because many use technology every day and understand it the best. Many people still do not know how to use or understand computers, especially those over 60 who didn’t have access to technology until their adult years. Moreover, many seniors are willing to pay someone to teach them the basics and get surfing the ‘net with ease.

To get started, offer your services to your local senior citizens’ groups or even senior citizens living centers. You can also post ads online, on community bulletin boards, or even in the newspaper!

Tech Support

Sticking with the theme of technology for a moment: instead of just offering skills to older folks, teenagers may be able to make money working as tech support for larger organizations. Companies like Dell, Verizon, Microsoft, Apple, etc. are always looking for tech support from younger people.

Just be sure to look into labor laws and company policies on age limits. Furthermore, if you’re working tech support from home, you’ll need access to a computer, phone, and maybe a headset in order to do your job effectively.

If you have a very good handle of computer/technology lingo, tech support is an excellent place to start making money as a teen. The average salary for tech support is $16.25 per hour according to Indeed – not bad for not even being an adult yet!

Delivery Services

Delivering food and/or groceries are two of the best ways for a teenager to make money if you can drive, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Delivering food through DoorDash or groceries through Instacart not only gives teenagers the chance to work and earn on their own, but allows people to get the essentials they need. Both companies are similar in their approaches to different markets.

DoorDash

DoorDash is a service that’s on the rise, especially during coronavirus. Since many people can’t go out to restaurants or bars for health and lockdown-related reasons, DoorDash bridges that gap between take-out restaurants and patrons. It is a way for teens to make an income during a crazy time while also providing a much-needed service in a time of crisis.

Through DoorDash, you can make up to $10 per hour on a flexible schedule. The amount of money you make from each food delivery does vary depending on the time of day. However, it is a great way to make money as a teen looking for a side hustle.

Instacart

Another way for a teen to make money is through shopping with Instacart. Instacart allows you to deliver groceries to people’s houses after you shop for them. Instacart does require you to be at least 18 years old and have your own car in order to work for the service, however. Furthermore, becoming a personal shopper on Instacart means that you are handpicking these items for the customers. On the other hand, Instacart’s minimum wage is $10 per hour (you can make $20+ during peak hours!).

Make Money Electronically

In the past few years, both video and video games have become the preferred method for many individuals to make money, and teenagers are no different. Platforms like Amazon’s Twitch and Google’s YouTube have skyrocketed in the number of users recently. This is one of the best and easiest ways for teenagers on a budget to make money since all you need to get started is a phone with a camera.

Starting a YouTube Channel

One of the easiest ideas in this category is to start a YouTube channel. You only need to be 13 to start a channel and start making videos. Teens are making anywhere from $1 to $20 per thousand views on their videos.

To monetize your videos, you can start with Google’s AdSense, which gives you money for people who watch your videos and click on the ads. You can also make money through affiliate links from different companies.

Stream on Twitch

If you don’t want to deal with video editing and posting to YouTube, another route would be streaming on Twitch. Twitch is a great way to make money if you’re a teen who enjoys video games. The platform allows you to monetize playing video games through your subscribers who like to watch you kick some digitized butt. To learn more about the specifics of making money on Twitch, check out our article here!

This service lets you play video games and actually do something with your life (unlike what your mom said), which I think is win-win!

Stream Competitions to Make Money

If you are especially good at gaming, you can also enter competitions and make money from streaming those games. Twitch allows you to stream your competitive games on the platform and make money from the streams. Also, in competitions, there are payouts for advancing to every next round – the better you are, the more money you’ll make!

“Normal” Ways to Make Money as a Teen

There are also many “normal” ways to make money as a teen that don’t necessarily include technology. A lot of them were ways that your parents, grandparents, etc. made money when they were younger. However, they’re still around today – some even more so due to the pandemic.

Walking Dogs

While this is one of the oldest ways to make money as a teen, it’s still widely prevalent today. Asking your neighbor or family friend to walk their dog when they are on vacation or just to get outside is a great way to make money. It’s very simple, depending on the dog, and you can get some exercise at the same time. Once you get more experience you can put up posters and advertise your services.

Subject Tutor

If you are a straight-A student or really good in a specific subject, you can make money as a tutor. Being a tutor is easy since all you need to do is help people with their work. Most tutors get paid by the hour and work flexible schedules around their own classes or other jobs. You can tutor online, at school, or in people’s homes if you aren’t qualified enough to earn an official certification yet.

College Prep Tutor

Another great way to make money as an older teen is as a college prep tutor. As a college prep tutor, you help kids with their college applications and their SATs/ACTs. This is an especially great way if you have made it to college or just got accepted to help the students one or two years behind you.

Part-time Jobs

Another classic way for teens to make money is through part-time jobs. This is something many people have done during their teen years, especially during the summertime. Even though it may not be the most exciting way to make money, it is guaranteed income once you get hired. There are many different types of “traditional” jobs that teenagers qualify for, such as:

  • Restaurant work
  • As a lifeguard
  • At a camp
  • Delivering pizza
  • Getting a paper route
  • Refereeing
  • Manning the counter at a movie theater
  • Stocking shelves or checking out customers at a grocery store

You can apply for jobs on sites such as Glassdoor or Indeed. Many of these types of jobs are looking specifically for teenagers and will work with your school schedule – why not make a little money and get some of that “real world” experience at the same time?

A Final Word: Is Making Money as a Teen Right for You?

If you are a teen looking to make some extra cash, these are just some of the options for you to start earning a little money. While this list is not comprehensive, it does cover some of the best ways to break into the rat race.

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Chris Cerny
Chris Cerny is currently a student and intern based out of New Jersey. He has written many articles for Financial Professional. He has been investing his money in the stock market for the last 3 years.