Blog 28 October 2022

35 Easy Ways For Teens To Make Money – No Experience Required

There are plenty of jobs that you can get started on if you are a teenager looking to make some money. You can get a part-time job, a summer job, or even start helping people around you to make money.

Some things you can do as a young teen in exchange for money include babysitting, house cleaning, dog walking, washing cars, tutoring, window cleaning, and gardening. The money you earn can help cover your personal expenses or pay for college in the future.

This Scholaroo blog gives different ways for teens of all ages to make money. Including ideas on what you can sell, different gigs you could take up, and job ideas you should look into.

How Can I Earn Money as a Teenager?

There are various ways for teenagers to make money. Some jobs may require a specific skill set while others require no experience or specific skills to qualify.

  • Part-time jobs: Teenagers as young as 13 years can easily get part-time jobs at various places. In a part-time job, you will only have to dedicate a few hours of your day to it. The hours are usually flexible and can fit around your school schedule. Getting a part-time job can help teens earn some extra cash to pay for their personal expenses or save for later. Most jobs start at around $18 per hour. How much you will make exactly depends on the nature of the job, the place that is hiring you,  your age, and number of hours you work. Many teens are able to make $100 at least easily per week by working part-time.
  • Selling things: You can also make money by selling things you own but do not use. Garage sales are a good way to earn some extra cash. You can also bake some cookies or other treats and sell them around in your neighborhood and friends. If you are creative and have the skill, you can also make various crafts and paintings, and sell them online on Facebook or other similar social platforms.
  • Summer jobs: Summer jobs are only temporary jobs that you do during school holidays. It keeps you busy and helps you learn new things and gain new experiences. They also look quite good on a resume and are preferred by prestigious colleges when choosing a student. There are various types of summer jobs available for teens like a summer camp counselor and a lifeguard.
  • Paid Internships: Many internships are unpaid but there are some that are paid. Many schools also have internship programs for their students. They help place their students for internships in various organizations. This way, students are able to learn valuable experience and work ethics early on. This gives the student an opportunity to build professional contacts that can help them get a job easily later on.

35 Ways For Teens To Make Money

The following are the best practical ways for teens to make money. The list includes earning options for teens of all ages. Most of the jobs mentioned do not require experience either and are easy to get.

#1 Sell Stuff

How much you can make: varies

Minimum age: 13+

The e-commerce wave has made it possible for any person to start selling stuff online and meet a buyer. So why not start selling things online to make money? You could sell through Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Craigslist. Each of these sites requires that you must be 18 years or older to use the platform. If you are under 18, you can set up a garage sale to sell old stuff. You can also ask around in your neighborhood and friends if they would like to buy anything from you.

There are many things you could sell. If you are sitting on a bunch of gadgets around at home that you do not use then consider selling some of them to make some money. You can trade in your old phone, tablet, or laptop. Other things can include old books, finished video games, old clothing, etc. You can also make some hampers, crafts, paintings, and jewelry at home to sell.

How much you can make depends on the items you would sell. Selling gadgets would probably make you more money than selling old books.

#2 Shovel snow

How much you can make: $25 – $100

Age: 14+

Shoveling snow, clearing out snow from driveways, and scraping it from car windows is a time-consuming job. Many people prefer to pay someone else to do it before they have to leave for work, providing a money-making opportunity for teens. You wouldn’t even have to go far for work. You can just ask around your neighborhood to see if someone needs help clearing out snow and you can discuss and set an hourly wage for it with them. People don’t usually pay per hour for this job as it depends on the area. Depending on the area to be shoveled you can earn easily between $25 to $100 or even more.

#3 Freelance writing

How much you can make: $0.02 to $1 per word

Age: 16+

If you have good grammar skills and would like to earn from home then this can be another way to make money as a teenager. You can find work online via LinkedIn but you will have to be at least 16 years old to make an account legally. You can also work part-time for companies hiring freelancers or find long-term clients on platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr. However, some of these platforms may require you to be at least 18 to register.

The average pay varies according to the length of the content that you write. The per-word rate can vary anywhere between $0.02 to $1. Those hired according to hours can earn around $23 per hour.

#4 Set up Christmas lights

How much you can make: $1.50 – $3.50 per linear foot

Age: 16+

Setting up lights on Christmas may be a tiring job too which is why people hire helpers to do that for them. This could be a fun casual job during Christmas time in winter for you to earn some extra cash. You wouldn’t have to go far for this job as you can help around in your neighborhood in exchange for some cash. However, setting up lights may also require you to use ladders, and tools, and climb on heights. Therefore, this job is more suitable for older teens who are at least 16 years old.

Professionals usually charge per linear foot rather than hourly. You can negotiate a set amount with your hirer or charge the usual labor for setting up the lights which is around $1.50 – $3.50 per linear foot.

#5 Rent out stuff

How much you can make: Varies

Age: 13+

Renting out stuff like video games, books, furniture, and electronic/computer accessories can be a great way to make money as a teenager. If you are older than 16 and have a car, you can even rent out one for some extra cash. This is a perfect way of earning without doing much. You will just have to find people who would want to rent the stuff. You can ask your friends in school and your family to spread the word around. The amount you earn, however, will vary greatly according to what is being rented, how much of the stuff gets rented, how often it gets rented, for how long it is rented, and at what cost.

#6 Do odd jobs around the house

How much you can make: Varies

Age: 13+

Some teenagers also get money in return for doing chores around the house. There are probably some odd jobs that your parents don’t want to do. Take all such chores as an opportunity for you to earn. You can talk to your parents about it and they can set some things for you to do in return for some cash. Some parents also give such opportunities themselves to teach their children the value of money.

#7 Take down Christmas trees

How much you can make: $50 – $100 per tree

Age: 16+

Setting up and decorating a Christmas tree is fun but taking it down is the opposite. This is why many people have their Christmas trees up till months later. You can take this as an opportunity to earn by taking their trees down for money. At the end of the Christmas season ask your friends and family to spread the word or you can also distribute flyers around the neighborhood.

Professionals who do this seasonally charge around $50 – $100 per tree. You can negotiate an amount with the people you know. Usually offering a slightly lower price than the market for your service can get you the job. This job, however, is more suited for older teens.

#8 Taking care of elderly

How much you can make: $25 -$30 per hour

Age: 16+

Sometimes elderly people around the neighborhood need help getting some things done. You can assist them with daily chores like cooking, grocery shopping, taking them to doctor’s appointments, etc., in exchange for a fee. Teenagers can earn a reasonable amount of cash this way. Most times, teens taking care of the elderly are paid well too. You can easily make $25+ by doing this job.

#9 Filing and small office jobs

How much you can make: $18 per hour

Age: 16+

Offices need people to do small tasks around the office like shredding paper or filing documents. This is a job that can help teenagers get familiar with an office environment and learn work ethics for their future full-time jobs. You can earn a reasonable hourly wage but you will have to be on the older side of teenhood to be able to work in offices.

The minimum age requirement may vary according to the place you have applied to. Some may accept 14 year olds but most require the teenagers to be 16 or older.

#10 Photography

How much you can make: $35.00/profit

Age: 13+

If you have a camera or an archive of photos, you should consider selling these to make money. With websites such as Shutterstock, Dreamstime, and iStockPhoto you can sell photographs you have taken as stock images online. You can also set up your website, Etsy shop, Foap, or use your social media to sell your photographs. You can make money through royalty payments on each of your stock photos.

If you are good at taking photos and there is an event coming up among your friends or family, you can offer to cover their event and negotiate a set price for your services.

#11 Teach a foreign language

How much you can make: $20/hour

Age: 13+

You can even cash in on your polyglot talent and teach people around you another language you know. If you know one of the most studied languages of the world then you could find many opportunities to teach it. Some such languages include French, Mandarin, Spanish, German, Italian, and Japanese. If you don’t know any other language than English, you can earn by teaching children who are not English native speakers and have immigrated from elsewhere.

#12 Become a DJ

How much you can make: $20/hour

Age: 16+

If you love music and have a knack for becoming a full-time DJ, then you can start early by taking on smaller gigs in high school. It can also be continued as a side or part-time job later if you don’t want to do it full-time. However, bear in mind that some of these gigs might be late at night. You can start by being a DJ at your friends and family’s birthday parties, weddings, and other events. However, being a DJ requires some expensive equipment which you will have to purchase before taking on gigs.

#13 Teach a sport

How much you can make: $19/hour

Age: 16+

This would be a fun part-time job for athletic teens who are good with kids. It will be a way to earn money and remain fit and active at the same time. Many parents are looking for older teens living nearby to train their kids in a sport. To start off, you can make flyers and distribute them around the neighborhood and even ask your friends and family to spread the word.

#14 Wash windows

How much you can make: $18/hour

Age: 13+

This is a reasonably well-paying job that can be easily done by teenagers during the summers. Many offices and businesses are looking for willing people to clean their dirty windows for them. However, you will need to buy some cleaning products and cleaning clothes for the job. You can also clean windows around the neighborhood for money. You don’t have to be of a minimum age unless you are working at heights or in offices.

#15 Look for acting gigs

How much you can make: $18/hour

Age: Any

You might not be able to get a lead role right away but there are many opportunities for teenagers of all ages to work in the industry as extras. Extras are basically actors in the background that do not have a major role. It might be hard to get in but if you are actively involved in school plays then you can try and give this a go. This would also help teens looking to get into acting in the future to familiarize themselves with how things work.

#16 Delivering Groceries

How much you can make: $18.00/hour

Age: 18+

Just like delivering food from restaurants, you can sign up to deliver groceries around your city too. There are grocery delivery operations in almost every state and you can get started by working with Amazon Fresh, Instacart, Peapod, FreshDirect, and Shipt. This side job is easy to get into and is an easy way to make money. You must be 18 years or older to sign up for grocery delivery apps. But you could still get into this job, by offering this service to friends and families in your neighborhood.

#17 Do Tasks For People

How much you can make: $15.00/hour

Age: 13+

With apps like Taskrabbit, Thumbtack, Upshift, and Jobble you can quickly get into doing tasks for people for money. These online platforms help you connect with people who need someone to complete tasks, odd jobs, errands, and other staffing services. This is an excellent opportunity for students who need income, but you can only sign up for these platforms when you are at least 19 years old. Nevertheless,  you can get started with this job earlier by offering to help your neighbors, family friends, and people in your community. You can even offer gardening or home cleaning services around your community to get started.

#18 Pet sitting or dog walking

How much you can make: $18.00/hour

Age: 14+

Pet sitting is an excellent way to make money because it is such an easy and convenient job. You can use dog-walking job apps or pet-sitting apps to get started, apps such as Host a Pet, Rover, and Wagor. If you are not accepted on these apps, then you can start a business of your own offering pet sitting and dog walking services to people.

#19 Baby sitting

How much you can make:$18.00/hour

Age: 14+

Babysitting is probably one of the oldest known ways for teens to make money. It is the perfect job for responsible and reliable teens who are great with kids. Moreover, there may be a lot of job opportunities nearby only. There is always someone around who needs help taking care of their baby while they have to either work or have other commitments where they cannot take the baby with them.

#20 Apply for paid internships

How much you can make: $17.5/hour

Age: 14+

Many paid internships are also offered to teenagers during school breaks. These internships will not only help to earn money but will also provide valuable practical experience for your future job. It will also be an excellent addition to your resume, and college and scholarship applications.

#21 Become a mail clerk

How much you can make: $17/hour

Age: 18+

Mail clerks work at company mailrooms and post offices and manage incoming and outgoing mail. They are responsible for sorting the mail by category, department, and other specifics. They help process outgoing mail, screen junk mail, and may also be responsible for maintaining all records of the mail properly. However, you will have to be 18 years old or above to be able to get appointed.

#22 Work as a golf caddy

How much you can make: $17/hour

Age: 13+

Golf caddies carry golf bags for golfers. Sometimes, they even give suggestions on which club to use. It is a good money-making option for teenagers who like sports and exercise and would like to learn about golf. If you do consider being a golf caddy then you might want to buy a hat, sunscreen, and a pair of sunglasses as it might get sunny out on the golf course. The minimum age required to be a caddy varies by state. 13-year-olds can also be a caddy as long as they can carry at least one bag for 18 holes.

#23 Delivering Food

How much you can make: $16.00/hour

Age: 18+

The food delivery service is easy to get into if you have a motorbike, car, or even just a bicycle in some cities. You just need to sign up on apps like Doordash, UberEats, or Postmates and start delivering food in your area. With UberEats Pro, you can also earn rewards as a delivery person for completing trips. Rewards include tuition coverage at Arizona State University Online, discounted car maintenance, and cash back on gas.

With some of these apps, you must be at least 18 years old to start deliveries. But you can always contact local stores, to offer to deliver specifically for them, if you are a bit younger than 18.

#24 Play video games

How much you can make: $16/hour

Age: 18+

Almost every teenager enjoys playing video games and you can also earn money by doing so. Many game developers are looking for people to test their new games and give feedback and they pay for it too. There are many websites where you can sign up to play new games, provide feedback, and earn money. A few of these sites include Mistplay and Inboxdollars.

Some websites also allow their users to enter gaming contests and win cash prizes. You can even start a YouTube channel that reviews games; however, earning through YouTube may take a long time and is complex. However, many of these video gaming platforms require the teen to be at least 18 years old. There may be a few that may allow 16-year-olds to join too.

 

#25 Summer camp counselor

How much you can make: $15/hour

Age: 15+

During summers, many camp counselor positions come up for teenagers to apply to. Most summer camps even prefer teenagers as they have much greater energy and can get along with kids a lot better than adults. Camp counselors are responsible for monitoring and leading children in camp activities like games, arts and crafts, hikes, etc. It may involve staying overnight too on some days. Generally, to be hired as a camp counselor you would have to be at least 15 years old.

#26 Lifeguard

How much you can make: $15/hour

Age: 15+

The minimum age to become a lifeguard in many states is 15. This is a suitable way for teens who love to swim and are good at it to earn money. This is one of the ways for teens to earn a reasonable hourly wage on average. However, you will need a certificate to be a lifeguard.

 

#27 Work for a restaurant

How much you can make: $15.00/hour

Age: 14+

Working at a restaurant/fast food shop as a teen is one of the best jobs for teens to do as a summer job. This is because many restaurants are typically hiring around this time, so it is an easy job to get. You can even approach coffee shops and bakeries.

You could also learn so much from this experience, such as developing communication skills and managing money. You can get started by just approaching a few restaurants near you and asking if they have any jobs available for you.

#28 Become a receptionist at a spa or salon

How much you can make: $14.9/hour

Age: 18+

If you are good with people then manning the front desk at spas is one of the best ways for you to earn as a teenager. You will be responsible for mainly scheduling appointments, answering calls, taking payments, and maintaining client records. Also as the staff, you can also enjoy various discounts on many of the services yourself. Spas do look for older teens or adults to hire as their receptionist, however, they do consider other things also.

You would be required to have a warm, happy, and friendly personality with good customer service skills, excellent communication skills, and proficiency with computers. Having previous experience would definitely help increase appointment chances.

#29 Work at a movie theater

How much you can make: $14.00/hour

Age: 16+

2 free movie tickets and 50% off movie concessions! Those are some of the benefits you can get working at a movie theater. So if you are a movie buff, then working at a movie theater may be a great way for you to earn some money. It promises to be a fun environment but you may need to work lay nights and holidays and your paycheck may not always make it worth it.

#30 Work at a flower shop

How much you can make: $14/hour

Age: 14+

Working at a flower shop is a nice way to make money for creative teens. At the shop, there is much to do including helping with flower arrangements for events like proms, weddings, and homecoming. You might even make bouquets and corsages for such events, and make flower deliveries to places.

#31 Work in retail

How much you can make: $13.00/hour

Age: 14+

Working in retail is one of the old-school first jobs for teens and it is still a great way to make money today. Some retail clothing stores offer employee discounts, or even friends and family discounts, so you will get to shop for yourself and others while earning some money.

It is quite demanding work though, from packing shelves, being on your feet for long periods, and stock counting. But you also learn valuable skills in customer service which may make you more employable for other jobs in the future.

#32 Tutor

How much you can make: $12.62/hour

Age: Any

If you are a top student in any of your subjects at school, then you should consider tutoring the subject to other students to make some money. This is a great opportunity for you because it will not keep you as busy as when you work a job, but you also get to help other learners. To get started on this, just start offering your tutoring services at a fee around school and in your neighborhood.

#33 Teaching music

How much you can make: $11.90/hour

Age: 13+

You don’t have to be a musical prodigy or music teacher to help other learners and friends learn an instrument. You could also earn a few bucks to help tutor and teach others how to read music, write music, or play a few chords on a guitar. You most likely will not find a job as a teen teaching music, especially without teaching experience and qualifications. However, you can still get started with this by offering lessons to people you know for fun.

#34 Car Washing

How much you can make: $11.29

Age: 13+

Starting a car wash business is a great way for teens to make money, especially in the summer. It is a fairly easy business to get started, just grab your brushes, soap and maybe a little polish then start offering to wash people’s cars in your neighborhood.

#35 Online surveys

How much you can make: $1.14/hour

Age: 13+

Earning online via completing surveys is also another way for teenagers to earn money. There are many websites where you can register take surveys and earn money for your participation. A few of the main sites include Survey Junkie, Branded Surveys, Google Opinion Rewards, and Swagbucks. Different platforms allow teens of varying ages to join. Survey Junkie, for example, requires the individual to be at least 16 years old to register; whereas, Swagbucks accepts 13 year olds too.

How to Apply for Jobs as a Teen

For jobs with companies and restaurants, you will be required to do a few things before you apply.

  • Make a resume: The first thing you will need to do to apply for any job is to make a Resume. A resume is a document that contains information on the applicant’s background and lists their skills and accomplishments. It also contains your contact information including a phone number and email address. A good resume that is well-presented and detailed can help you stand out from other applicants. In case you do not have any previous work experience, you can also mention the extracurriculars you have a part of in school and what skills you have learned from them.
  • Do your homework:  It is important to find out a little about the place you are applying to. You can get a sense of the organization’s culture and decide if the place would be right for you. It also helps demonstrate your interest in the job to the employer. You can also come up with relevant questions to ask during your interview. Most organizations have websites or pages on social media that you can look at for information.
  • Prepare for the interview: Some people show up to the interview without any preparation and employers are usually able to figure that out. This portrays the applicant as careless and undetermined. Therefore, it is important to prepare for the interview well. Researching the company is one thing that can help you prepare. Other common questions that employers usually ask include your interests, your strengths and weaknesses, why you think you are suitable for the job, your previous work experiences, and your goals.

Benefits of Making Money as a Teenager

  • Teaches balance: Earning from a young age teaches kids the balance between work and home life. It teaches them how to distribute their time between the two efficiently.
  • Teaches money management: Teenagers can learn the importance of money and how to spend it. They can learn to prioritize when spending and it can help them to learn how to budget properly. It allows them to learn that money is hard to earn and it is important to save it too.
  • Teenagers gain practical experience: Teens are almost near adulthood which comes with financial challenges. Earning early helps teenagers get a taste of practical life.
  • Better chance of admission into prestigious educational institutions: Getting work experience on your resume is always a plus for college applications. It makes your resume/application stand out and you may have a better chance of getting accepted into prestigious colleges. Teens with work experience also have a better chance of earning various scholarships. When applying for full-time jobs as adults, work experience during your teen years can help get you through as it makes you more marketable.
  • Helps build confidence: Confidence is one of the main ingredients for success. Working as a teen can help you get that boost of confidence that you need to shine. You will learn new things, increase your skill set, and meet new people which will make you all the more confident.

Tips for Teens Looking for Work

It might be hard to land your first gig but there are a few tips that can help you get work as a teenager.

  • Start asap! It’s never too early to get a job. The longer you wait, the longer it will take for you to get a job. Start looking now and you will find a job soon.
  • Work for experience and not for money: Don’t worry about earning a lot of money when you are a teenager. It is the invaluable experience that you are getting which counts. So have fun and try to learn as much as you can.
  • Be consistent: Since finding a job takes time, many teenagers get demotivated and give up. The key to finding a job is perseverance. Stay focused and keep trying and you will be able to land a suitable job for sure.
  • Don’t be too picky: If the opportunity coming your way is not exactly what you wanted, it would be best to still go for it. Experimenting with different opportunities like this can help you find something that you are best at.
  • Work hard: Once you land a job or start a business, make sure to work hard and honestly. You will make a good impression this way and people will start noticing. This might lead to better opportunities in the future.

What to do with The Money You Make as a Teenager

It might get confusing what to do with the money you earn as a teenager. Following are a few of the many options.

  • Treat yourself and buy something you have always wanted: You can treat yourself for doing all the hard work at such a young age. You can spend some of the money you earn by buying that thing you wanted for a long time. Just make sure not to spend all of your money on it.
  • Open a bank account: If you are earning cash, it would be best to open a bank account and deposit all your money in it. By doing so, you will end up spending less money, and cash in hand tends to be spent much more quickly. Also, opening a savings account can actually help increase your savings over time.
  • Save for college, a car, or a new phone: Buying a laptop or a phone with your own money is another feel. If you need a new laptop or a phone, then work hard and save up so you can buy the gadget of your dreams. You can also save up the money you are earning for college, as it can be quite expensive, and take a little burden off of your parents. You can also avoid borrowing student loans this way and avoid getting into debt.

FAQs

Can I make money as a teenager?

Teens of all ages can easily make money by taking on part-time jobs. You can also earn some cash by helping around with odd jobs and other tasks around your neighborhood.

How can I make $100 at 13?

There are many ways to earn at least $100 as a 13-year-old. Like selling unwanted stuff, working as a golf caddy, setting up Christmas trees, shoveling snow, taking on acting gigs for teens, and tutoring your classmates or those younger than you.

How much money can teenagers earn?

Teenagers usually make at least $15 per hour. Earnings vary significantly depending on the nature of the job, the employer, and the amount of hours worked. Some teens are able to earn $500 per week too.

How can a beginner make money online?

There are many online jobs that do not require any previous experience. Moreover, there are many platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and LinkedIn that help beginners find relevant online job opportunities. A few of the many options include freelance writing, blogging, selling photography, taking online surveys, or tutoring online. You can also join an online marketplace or set up a social media page to sell your old, unused, or unwanted stuff.