Being a teenager happens to be one of those critical phases where money turns out to be quite a pain in life. You want to make some extra bucks but have no idea where to get started. Don’t sweat! There are a few ways you can make money without having too much experience, and they aren’t complicated either.
Now let’s get into some ways to make money fast as a teenager!
1. Babysitting
Babysitting has long been one of those staple foolproof ways of making money quickly as a teenager. Parents always need responsible teens to mind their kids, particularly in the evening or on weekends. Great job for teens because they love kids and being responsible.
How to Start:
Ask around:
Make friends, family, and neighbors know that you are available for babysitting.
Create a flier:
Just make a simple flier saying your contact information, and then hang it around local places such as community centers, churches, or libraries.
Sign up on platforms:
Care.com or Sittercity are great ways to get babysitting gigs. If you are below the age of 18, you have to be under the permission of a guardian.
Set your rates:
Charge between 10 to 20 dollars an hour depending on your area.
Pro Tip: Go out and take that course in CPR or babysitter certification to really wow those parents.
2. Dog Walking / Pet Sitting
For those who love animals, dog walking and even pet sitting will be an entertaining and easy activity to do if you want to make money fast.
How to Start:
Ask around:
Make your neighbors aware that you can walk dogs, place flyers in mailboxes, and let the owners know directly.
Sign up on platforms:
Rover and Wag among others are created to connect individuals needing dog walking or pet sitting services with those offering these services. If you are under the age of 18, you would need to have permission from a guardian to use these apps. They are safe and easy to work with, nonetheless.
Set your rates:
You can charge anywhere between $10 to $20 depending on the size of the dog and your location. Pet sitting overnight or over a weekend can be more lucrative as well.
Pro Tip: Offer additional petsitting including watering plants and bringing in the mail to supplement the above earnings.
3. Sell Items You No Longer Need
The easiest way of acquiring money fast is to sell stuff that is not needed or is no longer in use. Well, be it old clothes, gadgets, or books, maybe even furniture, you can turn these items into quick cash.
How to Start:
Clean your room:
Go into your closet and climb onto the shelves. Find items you have not used in the past year.
List items on platforms:
Sell things on eBay, Depop, or Facebook Marketplace by clearly photographing your items, detailing the description of them, and then pricing them fairly.
Garage sale:
Due to the large number of goods to sell, consider running yard sales. Let your neighborhood know the sales are running to attract attention.
Pro Tip: Price items to sell, not to sit. Another good idea is offering bundle deals to entice buyers.
4. Online Surveys
Though they might not make you rich, online surveys are an easy way to earn money during your free time. Several companies are paying teenagers to give their opinions on products, advertisements, and services.
How to Start:
Sign up on survey sites:
Survey sites like Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, or MyPoints will pay cash or give gift cards while filling out the survey.
Be consistent:
Check these sites often for new surveys. Most of the surveys only take about 10-15 minutes to complete.
Cash-out:
Once you hit the minimum cash-out level, you can get your money by way of PayPal or gift cards.
Pro Tip: Some survey sites will offer a small bonus for daily log-ins or referring friends as an added method of increasing earnings.
5. Freelance Work
You can offer your skills, be it in writing, graphic designing, coding, or social media management, on a freelance basis. The thing is, many small businesses and people need some skills they either lack the expertise or the time to make for themselves.
How to Get Started:
Identify your skills:
Reflect on what you’re good at. Can you do essay writing, design logos, or edit videos? Whatever your talent is, there might be someone out there willing to pay for it.
Create a profile on sites like Fiverr or Upwork:
These websites let freelancers of just about any service connect with people needing those services. You can start off doing small gigs and work yourself up the food chain.
Set your rates:
Start with lower rates to attract customers; you can always raise them later as you gain more experience.
Pro Tip: Always do a very good job to build your reputation. Good reviews lead to more gigs.
6. Yard Work
A lot of people, especially older adults, require yard work to be performed for them: simply mowing, raking leaves, or even shoveling snow. That is a great way to make money because it targets neighborhoods where most of the homeowners do not have the time nor the ability to do such activities themselves.
How to Get Started:
Offer your services to neighbors:
This can be as easy as asking around, making flyers, or putting up posts on local social media groups.
Charge by the chore:
Certain jobs may be quoted between $10 to $50 per chore completed. You may get paid $20 for mowing a lawn or as much as $30 for shoveling snow off a driveway.
Get the right equipment:
If you don’t have your own lawn mower or snow shovel, ask if you can use the homeowner’s equipment.
Pro Tip: Offer seasonal services raking leaves in the fall and shoveling snow in the winter to keep the money coming year-round.
7. Tutoring
This being said, if you’re good with math, science, or English, tutoring younger students can be another good source of earnings. Parents will usually pay a reasonable rate to have a teenager work with their kids on improving grades.
How to Get Started:
Offer your services to friends and family members:
Let them know you are available to tutor their younger siblings or children.
Advertise locally:
put up your fliers in the local library or community center. Online marketing on Facebook or Nextdoor will be great, too
Set your rates:
Depending on your experience and the subject, you might ask for anything between $10 to $25 an hour.
Pro Tip: Offer group sessions, as that will raise your earnings for fewer hours taken up by you.
8. Sell Handmade Crafts or Art
If you are creative, you might want to turn your passion into cash by selling handmade stuff. People pay good money for handcrafted jewelry, paintings, and unique T-shirts among others.
How to Get Started:
Create your products:
Spend time perfecting your craft, whether it’s making bracelets, painting portraits, or designing T-shirts.
Set up an Etsy store:
This is a major online marketplace where items are created in a handmade fashion. You may also want to try to sell your products via social media through Instagram.
Showcase your work:
Sell through your social media what you will be making to find buyers. You can also attend any local craft fairs where you can sell in person.
Pro Tip: For getting started, keep the prices on the low side. As soon as you get a following, you can increase your rates.
9. Run Errands
Many seniors and families with jammed schedules have limited time for grocery shopping, picking up prescriptions, or doing laundry. In that case, offer to run errands-an easy way to make money in the process.
How to get started:
Reach out to your neighbors:
Tell the elderly neighbors or family friends around you that you would like to do some errands if they want you to.
Charge by the task:
You can charge from $10 to $20 depending on how complicated the errand might be.
Be reliable:
Most of the time, if you do a good job and are reliable, you will get return business.
Pro Tip: You can offer a bundled service whereby you can perform multiple errands in one go, saving time and increasing your pay.
Create a YouTube Channel
If you like to make videos and develop a virtual following of viewers, a YouTube channel might be a decent long-term way of producing an income. Of course, once you have the following, you could make ad income, sponsorships, and merchandise.
How to Get Started:
Find a niche:
Focus on an issue that you like, such as video gaming, vlogging, fashion, or even DIY tutorials.
Provide content and build it up in this way, you will be sure that your audience will finally get interested in what you are doing. However, your first videos do not have to be perfect; after all, practice makes perfect.
Monetize your channel:
Once you have reached 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours, consider reaping some money through ads.
Pro Tip: Begin collaborations with other YouTubers; that will help you grow faster.
Conclusion
Now that you have learned how to make money fast as a teenager, it is time you choose the best method that appeals to your style. Babysitting, freelancing, or maybe selling your own creations-the list goes on, and there is something in it for every teenager. What is most important is finding what you’re passionate about and taking that first step.
Remember: There’s no shame in any job when it comes to making money and building your future. Every opportunity is a step towards achieving your goals. Whether you’re starting with a part-time gig, freelancing, or taking on small tasks, the priority is to gain experience and build your financial foundation. Keep your eyes on the prize, stay motivated, and remember that success often begins with humble beginnings. Your journey is unique, and every job is a valuable part of your path to financial independence and wealth.
Want more tips and in-depth guides about personal finance? Well, do visit my website at Dr. Moolah. It is laden with how-to strategies to help you not only earn an income but teach you how to manage your money wisely. Today, start earning and take charge of your financial future!
