How To Make Money As A Teenager
Many teenagers nowadays are interested in earning money on their own. They use these to cover their expenses like saving up for college, shopping for clothes and makeup, dining in world-class restaurants, or watching the movies. If you are one of these teens, make sure to read on. We have a long and comprehensive list of ways on how to make money as a teenager.
Taking Online Surveys
How It Works
Some people might be a little hesitant in engaging with survey sites. However, there are still several legitimate websites out there where you will get the chance to answer surveys related to teens. All you have to be is at least 13 years old to participate.
Aside from surveys, other businesses like these incorporate small fun tasks for payment. For example, they ask you to play games, shop online, watch videos, and search the web. If you have extra time on your plate, you can slowly venture out into these activities and maximize your earnings.
Here is a list of legitimate sites you can try:
How Much Will You Get From This?
You won’t make a large amount of money on these sites, but it is a great way to save extra cash by incorporating work with the things you usually do. Some online surveys only give out gift cards that you can use on Walmart, Old Navy, Target, and even Amazon. Other sites will pay you cash through your Paypal account.
The earnings you will get from here depends on the activity you will be performing. Answering surveys that are 5-minute long will only benefit you with a dollar or less. The longer the surveys are, the better pay you’ll get. Watching videos, on the other hand, will allow you to earn 10 cents per minute of video. That’s not a lot, but it will take you somewhere.
Selling Your Old Stuff
How It Works
What better way to earn some extra cash than selling things that you no longer use?
Start this money-making business by decluttering your room. Instead of throwing out the things that you don’t need anymore, why not use this as an opportunity to earn money? Some things you can sell include the following:
- Clothes
- Shoes
- Video Games
- Sports Equipment
- Bicycles
You may even talk to your parents and ask for their help. You can also encourage them to let you sell some of their unwanted items which you can add to your inventory.
To maximize your profit, you may opt to set up a garage sale in front of your house or take pictures of the items and post it on your social media sites. This way, your target audience will broaden. This money-making strategy hits two birds with one stone. At the end of the day, your house is more organized and cleaner, plus you get to have a fatter wallet.
How Much Will You Get From This?
The general rule for this is to sell your items 10 percent of how much you bought it (retail cost). However, you might consider some exemptions on larger items and newer ones. You can most likely charge a higher price for these things.
Babysitting and Pet Sitting
How It Works
Are there kids or pets in your neighborhood who need a sitter? If that’s the case, then you may extend your babysitting and pet sitting services. During your vacation days, you can give out your service to parents who are at work while you may offer to nanny on nights and weekends when classes resume.
If you don’t know where to find clients, you may visit Care.com. It is a website that lists available babysitting jobs in specific areas.
How Much Will You Get From This?
The regular rate for this job ranges from $10 to $20 per hour. The longer you serve the same client, the higher your rate will be.
Listing Your Home on Airbnb
How It Works
Airbnb is an online application and website which allows individuals to list houses or rooms for other people to rent. It is within your discretion on whether you will offer it by night, week, or month. To know whether you’ll accept a particular client, you may try checking the potential guest’s rating system and see if they’re a good fit for you. Remember to ask your parent’s approval before listing out your place.
How Much Will You Get From This?
The rate will depend on the nature of the place you are listing.
- Resorts: $500 to $2000 per night.
- Large houses: $800 to $1300 per night
- Small apartments: $500 to $1000 per night
- Rooms: $20 to $300 per night
Scanning Your Groceries
How It Works
Are you familiar with the National Consumer Panel (NCP)?
Well, NCP pays individuals to scan their grocery purchases through the use of a Smartphone app. The rationale behind this is for a specific member of the NCP to know which kinds of products are out there in the market and guide retailers and manufacturers on which specific products to improve or develop.
You may earn money by following these steps:
- Register your email for a free account.
- The NCP will send you an access link to use their app.
- You will use that app on your phone to scan the barcodes of all your purchases in the grocery store.
- You fill up a form where you will state these details: a) How much you paid for these products and b.) Where you purchased it.
- You are given points every week which you can use to translate for cash.
As a teenager, you should seek the guidance of your family members. You may come with them whenever they visit the grocery store and scan the barcodes whenever they get it out of the box.
How Much Will You Get From This?
The app does not directly translate the scanned products into cash. Upon using the app, you gain points – around 5 to 10 points per item scanned. Then, 8000 points are equivalent to $10 to $20.
Download The NCP Mobile App At The Google Play Store
Washing Cars
How It Works
Busy adults do not usually have the time to clean and wash their cars. Hence, as a teenager with lots of free time on their hands, you may capitalize on these scenarios. All you have to do is to rummage through your house and collect the following equipment: buckets, rags, towels, and soaps. If you plan on cleaning the insides of the cars as well, you should also look for paper towels, a hand-held vacuum, and window cleaners.
How Much Will You Get From This?
Most car wash companies charge their services for $5 to $15 per car. You may play with this range; however, it would be better if you settle on the lower amount spectrum.
Becoming A Tutor
How It Works
Many parents out there looking for tutors who can help their kids in specific school subjects, especially the hard ones like math, science, and foreign languages. What you can do is to ask your neighbors if they need a tutor. If you can’t find anyone in your area, you may check online websites like the Craigslist or kijiji in Canada since some parents publish their job postings there.
There is also a big market for an English tutor. For instance, individuals who are not used to speaking English often seek help from English-speaking people to help them in school or work. There are even instances where you can sign up in a tutorial site, such as Enroll.com or Rarejob, and do the tutoring while you are at home.
How Much Will You Get From This?
You can charge on an hourly basis – $20 will do. However, if you are earning through an online platform, you will most likely receive a minimum of 60 percent of the tutoring fees paid by the client to the website owner.
Make Money By Blogging
How It Works
Blogging does not pay a lot, but it can be a way to earn extra cash. Since teenagers nowadays are exposed to the technicalities of the digital world, you may start writing a website or a blog with something you are passionate about. Once you have established the skeleton of your blog, you may now then regularly post content, such as videos, articles, and podcasts, about your niche.
So, how can you make money out of it? You may earn through the following strategies:
- Add Google Adsense to the website or blog
- Promote certain products of companies
- Participate in affiliate programs which offer products and services connected to your blog
If you want to immerse yourself with the step-by-step guide into the money blogging business, you may try reading How To Make Money Blogging by Bob Lotich.
Grab a copy now from AMAZON.COM
How Much Will You Get From This?
You will only start earning once you have high traffic on your website. According to experts in this field, you can make $500 to $2000 per month in your first year of blogging. In 5 to 7 years, this can increase to around $100,000 should your business be successful. There are even other bloggers who make more than a million per year with just working 10 hours or less per week!
Starting A Youtube Channel
How It Works
Creating a series of videos on YouTube can be your steady revenue stream. Your content can be on any topic or subject you are passionate about. You can create how-to videos, music or movie reviews, or technical videos. Once you have set these up, you can incorporate Google AdSense and earn money per person who views your video. You also have the option to monetize these through affiliate marketing or Youtube’s Partner Program.
How Much Will You Get From This?
Your rates depend on how you monetize your videos.
- Google Adsense: $0.006 to $0.015 per page view
- Youtube: $4.18 per 1,000 views of ads
- Running video ads: $27 per 1,000 views
Working At A Restaurant Or Fast-Food
How It Works
You may opt to work as a cashier or waiter in a local sit-down restaurant or a fast food place. This job is an excellent source of income since there is a guaranteed hourly wage, which has some food benefits on the side. If you are a waiter, your earnings will also increase due to the tips obtained from the customers.
These eating places are regularly on a lookout for new hires. You can either check their physical noticeboard on their location, check their website, or inquire from the restaurant managers if there are current job vacancies.
How Much Will You Get From This?
As mentioned, this will be on an hourly basis. For fast-food restaurants, the pay ranges from $5 to $20 per hour while sit-down restaurants give out a minimum of $15 wage per hour.
Selling Your Designs
How It Works
Are you a creative person? Do you love crafting your own designs on your laptop? If you are, then you can use this talent to make money by creating original designs for t-shirts, tote bags, mugs, IDs, and other items. After making the artwork, you have to upload it on design paying sites such as Cafepress and Redbubble and these companies will pay you should they use it on their items.
How Much Will You Get From This?
It is on a commission basis, and these businesses usually give out 10 to 15 percent of their profit to the designer. For example, a client orders $400 worth of t-shirts with your creation, and the business earns $200; then you get $20 to $30 commission.
Being A Content Writer
How It Works
With the rise of the search engine optimization (SEO) strategy nowadays, you can bank on this trend to earn money. There are countless of websites such as WriterAccess.com or Upwork.com, which pays you to submit articles for blogs or websites publication. You are eligible for this job even if you’re still a teenager.
How Much Will You Get From This?
Beginners usually charge $7 to $10 per 1,000 words. However, the longer you stay in the field, the higher the pay in freelance writing.
Being A Virtual Call Center Representative
How It Works
In the past, call center agents work in an enclosed space in the company building. But now, they have the option to work from home instead of housing in a central commercial location. As call center representatives, all you have to do is answer customer service questions, schedule appointments, and clarify product information concerns. You can master this through online training courses which the company will provide on your first days.
Most companies employ applicants who are at least 18 years of age. However, few companies like U-Haul allow teenagers as young as 16 years old to work in this field.
How Much Will You Get From This?
The work pay is on an hourly basis. In your first year, you might only get $5 to $10 per hour. Afterward, your salary will increase gradually depending on your performance rating in the past year.
Having A Bake Sale
How It Works
If you are a foodie, you may opt to engage in a bake sale. If you’re not familiar with baking recipes, you may search for some videos on Youtube or ask your parents for their home-made recipes. There are endless offerings you can create, such as cakes, cookies, and cupcakes.
To be able to sell these products on a broad audience, you can set up a mini stall on your lawn or promote these on your social media pages.
How Much Will You Get From This?
Your profit from your bake sale will depend on the price of the ingredients you will use. On average, however, one can earn a maximum of $1 per piece of baking product.
Becoming An Event Photographer
How It Works
We are not talking about becoming a photographer in company events or weddings. As a teenager, you can lend your service to a group of people in less extravagant events such as school organization activities, kid birthday parties, or family gatherings. You can start by creating your own social media page and post some photos to showcase your skills. You should also put your contact details there should they decide to hire you.
How Much Will You Get From This?
Beginner photographers often charge around $30 to $40 per event. However, if it’s just light work in a small and informal event, getting free food can be your best offer.
If you want additional earnings, you may also extend your services by creating a video compilation of all the photos from the event. Instead of letting them hire a separate video editor, why not offer photography plus video editing package that they cannot resist? You may charge an additional video editing fee of around $10 per minute of the output.
Conclusion
The world offers endless possibilities on how to earn money. Just because you have not earned a degree yet does not mean that you can’t achieve financial dependency. As seen above, there are limitless ways so you can rake in cash. You just have to be creative and find the perfect fit for your personality. Paired with determination and diligence, you are good to go.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to develop financial independence and start building a better future now.