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Best Side Hustles For Teens: 80 Easy Ways To Make Money

best side hustles for teens: easy ways to make money as a teen
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Teenagers rarely stay at one place for long. Finding the best side hustles for teens doesn’t have to be a struggle, though:

Teens, students, and young adults can discover side hustle ideas that won’t interrupt their current lifestyle or schedule. They can earn money on their own terms while doing whatever else they want.

Many income-earning opportunities for teens don’t require parental consent. Some will keep teens online, while others let them enjoy the outside world.

Today, I’ll show you 80 high-paying side hustle ideas for teens. We have a lot to cover, so let’s get to it!

This post contains affiliate links – read my affiliate disclosure for more information.

80 High-Paying Side Hustles For Teens

1) Resell Items For Profit

resell items for profit

Buying items at low prices and reselling them at a profit is one of the easiest side hustles to start. You don’t need much money at first, and you can earn money fast (that’s the best part)!

Selling on various online marketplaces (eBay, Poshmark, or Mercari) lets you earn money while offering different items. And what those items might be? See for yourself:

2) Sell Items You Already Own

How do you feel about selling items you already own and decluttering your living space? Is there a better example of killing two birds with one stone?

We all have things at home we rarely use. Selling things you don’t need is a great way to earn cash when you need it urgently.

The Facebook Marketplace is probably the best place to do that. Of course, you can find potential clients elsewhere.

3) Sell At Flea Markets Or To Thrift Stores

Shall we use the concept of selling unwanted items and taking them off the web? To clarify, I’m discussing side hustles for teens that involve selling locally.

Generally, you don’t have to sell online if you don’t want to. That money-making idea works just as well if you do it nearby.

Take a short trip to your local thrift store or flea market to see if they’ll accept your items.

4) Have A Garage Or Yard Sale

Another easy way to earn extra cash by selling items offline is to have a yard or garage sale. Those types of sales are still quite popular:

There is no need to create online listings or write in-depth product descriptions. Instead, you can sell items by displaying them in front of your house.

You never know which neighbours or family friends will be interested in buying them!

5) Sell Handmade Crafts

Creative teens everywhere, assemble! It’s time to put your special skills to work and let them earn you money:

Offering handmade items is worth considering. Opening an online store to sell handmade crafts is one of the most popular and profitable hobbies you can develop.

Turning that hobby into a reliable income source requires hard work. Feel free to engage in it in your spare time.

6) Sell Art Or Art Commissions

Are you an artist at heart? More importantly, are you the only one who enjoys your art pieces?

Hopefully, you’re ready to show them to a worldwide audience. Aspiring artists can earn good money by selling physical or digital art online and locally.

Alternatively, you can sell art commissions. An art commission is a paid arrangement where a client hires you to create an original piece for them.

7) Sell High-Quality Photos Online

Selling stock photography is one of the best side hustles for teens who are excellent behind the camera. Even younger teens can take advantage of that:

Many online platforms let you sell stock photos for a good price. This beats getting a remote photography job!

Listing feet pics for sale online is another great option. Unfortunately, you’ll face age restrictions: minors can’t legally do that.

8) Design And Sell T-Shirts

side hustles for teens online: design and sell T-shirts

Are you good at creating unique designs? Do you want to see them on T-shirts?

A Print-On-Demand venture is more of a business than a side hustle. Still, designing and selling T-shirts can earn you more than extra money:

Focus on creating beautiful designs. Your Print-On-Demand partner will manage printing and shipping the shirt to the customer (you pay the company after the customer pays you).

9) Sell Poems

Do we have poets reading? I hope that we do:

Keeping your poems to yourself if you’re not ready to share them with the world is understandable. But what if you’re ready to show them?

Poetry Foundation pays $10 per line. Meanwhile, Threepenny Review offers $200 per poem.

10) Buy & Sell Used Books

Nowadays, you can get paid to read books. Earning money while reading books is just one of the many different side hustles you can start in today’s digital era.

Let’s leave the reading part for now. Instead, I’ll discuss buying and selling used books:

Amazon offers higher rates to online sellers offering used books. eBay is another option to consider.

11) Offer Cleaning Services

Cleaning (on its own) might not lead to full financial independence. On the bright side, teens and younger students don’t need parental consent to do it!

Can you manage window cleaning? What about pool cleaning?

Offering any cleaning service in your free time is one of the easiest ways to supplement your monthly income.

12) Car Washing

Teen’s skills worth talking about include car washing. Washing cars should be on any list of easy side hustles for teens.

More often than not, your work activities will include vacuuming and applying cleaning products to remove stains. Providing a helping hand with car washing can go beyond family members and nearby friends:

Doing a great job can help you build a good reputation. That matters if you plan to expand your car-washing business. And you should (you can charge up to $15 an hour).

13) Babysitting

Do you have younger siblings? How often have you been caring for them to help your parents?

Readers with babysitting experience can turn their abilities into a great side hustle. That would be the case if they don’t mind watching clients’ kids:

The babysitting hourly rate in the United States is over $20. You’ll earn even more if you agree to care for more than one kid.

14) House Sitting

Are you looking for a lazy job? I’ve got one for you:

House sitting is an earning opportunity that doesn’t involve hard work. Watering plants and collecting mail won’t exhaust you!

How much money can you earn from house-sitting services? These days, house-sitting pays up to $18 an hour.

15) Voice-Over Work

Voice-over work for various projects is a fun way to earn money from home. Teens, high school students, and college students with pleasant voices have no reason not to do that remote work.

Voices.com is an excellent company to start a voice-over career. It offers valuable training you can implement to earn a steady income from voice-over work.

Many voice-over projects pay better than you probably expect. I suggest reading this in-depth guide to becoming a voice-over actor before you choose that career.

16) Become A Virtual Assistant

become a virtual assistant as a teen

Offering virtual assistant services is one of the top side hustles for teens. You’ll need real-world skills (time management and efficiency) to do that high-paying online job well.

VAs handle administrative tasks for small businesses, large brands, or individuals. They answer emails, schedule appointments, create content, or manage invoices.

Honestly, you can offer additional services once you become a virtual assistant. Experienced VAs earn up to $200 an hour.

See Also: Best Jobs To Make $40 an Hour

17) Become A Content Creator

Content creation is one of the best ways to earn money online. That profitable side hustle can go in many different directions:

For instance, you can write blog posts for online or local businesses. This option will suit you if you love writing and have your way with words.

Of course, you can offer video content instead. Selling your skills as a content creator requires good communication skills and knowledge of branding and marketing.

18) Start A TikTok Or YouTube Channel

Let’s expand the topic of video content further:

TikTok has exploded in recent years. Anyone can earn money on TikTok – make short-video content that instantly grabs attention and can easily go viral.

Monetizing YouTube videos is another option: you can use affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and ad placement.

19) Start A Podcast

Chances are, podcasting might not be the top choice for everyone researching side hustles for teens today. After all, creating and distributing video or audio content for online streaming is not everyone’s cup of tea.

But what if it’s yours? I don’t see why it shouldn’t be:

Once you build a solid fan base, monetizing your podcast episodes won’t be an issue!

20) Freelancing Online

Do you think your current skill level allows you to earn a full-time income as a freelancer? Hopefully, some of you do:

Building a solid freelancing career offers many advantages, including flexible hours and financial independence. So, how do you start a freelancing career?

You can join platforms like Freelancer or Fiverr. Offering various services on these marketplaces lets you monetize your valuable skills.

See Also: How To Earn Money On Fiverr

21) Pick Up Odd Jobs

For starters, what qualifies as an odd job? I have many good reasons not to provide only one answer to that question:

What you might find odd may be normal for someone else. Still, I can provide a few popular options that fit the category of odd online gigs:

Related: Where To Cash In Coins For Free

22) Run Errands & Complete Chores

How many busy adults do you know? I’m sure you have at least a few in your close circle.

Does helping them run their everyday tasks sound like a great idea? It will, once you learn how much cash you can earn by completing chores.

Organizing a closet pays around $20. Meanwhile, washing someone’s driveway can earn you $25.

23) Seasonal Side Hustles For Teens

Each season brings its own earning options. Which seasonal side hustle can make you the most money?

  • Shoveling snow (at least $25 an hour)
  • Cleaning yards (between $10 and $15 an hour)
  • A lemonade stand (your earnings depend on different factors)
  • Offer lifeguard services (pay rates start at $17 an hour)

24) Raising Animals

side hustles for teens near me: raising animals

Many kids, teens, and young adults love animals. Starting an animal-raising side hustle can teach any young person important skills:

Caring for animals comes with certain responsibilities. That sounds great, but where do you find such flexible jobs?

Facebook Marketplace can show you animal-raising gigs in your area.

25) Pet Grooming

Speaking of animals, can you see yourself starting a pet-grooming side hustle?

Pet owners who care about the regular grooming of their furry family members will be your future customers. Teens should do this gig as a part-time job:

On average, the hourly rate for providing pet-grooming services in the USA is $23.

26) Pet Waste Removal

Pet waste removal might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fun jobs. But maybe it should be:

Not everyone wants to or has the time to pick up after their pets. Subsequently, finding paying customers for your pet waste removal services might be easier than you think!

How much should you expect from that job? Generally, pet waste removal pays around $20 an hour.

27) Pet Sitting & Dog Walking

No list of the best side hustles for teens would be complete without dog walking and pet sitting!

Ask your neighbours if they need help walking their dogs. You can do the same with relatives and family friends.

Alternatively, you can join Rover (the company offers such jobs in your area).

28) Car Advertising

Car advertising is a suitable side hustle only for teens with a valid driver’s license. Do you have one of those?

If you do, consider wrapping your vehicle in ads. How do you earn money from that?

All you should do is drive around to earn up to $1,500 per campaign. Before you do, I suggest becoming familiar with the top companies that pay you to place ads on your car.

29) Become A Human Billboard

How many extracurricular activities do you have as a teen? Can you squeeze in wearing advertising signs in public into your busy schedule?

Such an earning opportunity involves promoting products or services for local businesses. Does it pay well?

Working as a human billboard offers up to $15 an hour.

30) Affiliate Marketing

I’ve just mentioned promoting products and services for money. What better way to do that than through affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketers earn commissions when someone buys through their referral links. They don’t have to create physical or digital products themselves.

Taking an online course to learn the basics of this business model is a great idea. This free training will get you started on the right foot!

31) Social Media Influencer

I’m sure everyone knows what a social media influencer does. Are there age restrictions to consider before moving into that field?

No, there are not:

Monetizing your chosen social media platform will become easier once you have 10,000 followers. Your future earnings depend on the companies you work with and the campaigns you accept.

32) Social Media Manager

Social media management and influencing are not the same:

The biggest difference is that the first activity requires managing social media accounts for other people, brands, or companies.

In other words, you’ll work to build a social media presence for your client. If you do a good job, you can earn much more than minimum wage!

33) Online Tutoring

online tutoring

Tutoring services are one of the highest-paying side hustles for teens.

Are you an expert on a particular subject? Can you tutor others in math, English, or science?

There is no set price for such services. However, most tutors charge around $20 an hour.

34) Take Online Surveys

Do you know which survey platforms are the best? More importantly, should you bother taking surveys at all?

Completing surveys for money won’t replace your nine-to-five job. Instead, sharing your opinion can earn you extra cash without taking much time.

PrizeRebel and Swagbucks should be the first survey sites you join. Both platforms offer various ways to make money online and sign-up bonuses.

35) Complete Simple Tasks Online

Joining short-task sites will feel like getting free money; I’m not joking about that. And who would say no to free PayPal cash?

Most available short tasks take minutes. You can do them between other jobs or during your lunch breaks.

Again, none of the short-task platforms will make you wealthy. But these websites will earn you money on the side!

36) Etsy Seller

Who should become an Etsy Seller? Actually, the right question is who shouldn’t be one:

Selling on Etsy suits people of all ages and backgrounds. That online job will work for anyone who is:

See Also: Easy Ways To Earn Money As A Kid

37) Create And Sell Printables

Speaking of Etsy, have you considered selling printables and digital downloads on the platform?

Calendars, wall art prints, planners, and templates sell very well on Etsy. Opening an Etsy store won’t cost you anything.

Making and selling digital products is one of the best ways to create a passive income stream. Basic tools like Canva will help you create professional printables in no time.

38) Blogging

Blogging will always be one of the top side hustles for teens. Starting a blog is as worthwhile today as it was years ago:

You can monetize a WordPress website through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and ad placement. How do you start one if you have no experience?

You need a blog topic, a memorable domain name, and a reliable web hosting provider (SiteGround will do the job nicely).

39) Graphic Design

Professional graphic designers are the freelancers you need when creating graphics is not your strongest suit. They create logos, social media graphics, and other elements for small or large businesses.

Any business needs eye-catching branding. That’s what leaves a lasting impression on potential clients.

Graphic design services pay up to $30 an hour in the United States.

40) Gift-Wrapping Business

Graphic design can become an online business. The same goes for gift wrapping:

Starting a gift-wrapping business means offering decorative and personalized wrapping services to clients. Christmas is not the only time to exchange gifts!

Your gift-wrapping venture will serve customers who need to send gifts for various events, such as birthdays, parties, and corporate events.

41) Event Planning Business

side hustles for teens from home: start an event planning business

How are your organizational skills? Many teens have a discipline that anyone would admire!

Shouldn’t you make the best of that? Launching an event planning business seems like a good fit.

Who will be your clients? I would say anyone who needs help planning weddings, milestone birthdays, family celebrations, or anniversaries.

42) Baking Business

We all need to eat. It might be hard to believe, but there are many creative ways to get paid to eat!

Are you a decent baker? If you are, monetizing your skills should be a no-brainer.

You can start selling your baked goods to neighbors or family friends. Once you establish your name, you can expand your client base.

43) Online Handbag Rental Business

Let me guess: you have an impressive collection of handbags and you are wondering how to use it to earn extra money.

Does renting designer handbags sound like a good idea? It most definitely is:

Creating acceptable rental terms and taking good care of the handbags are crucial for this venture’s success.

44) Find Gigs On Craigslist

Visiting Craigslist to find high-paying work-from-home jobs or offline gigs will always be on my list of the best side hustles for teens. Here is why:

Many teens already use Craigslist to find local gigs, such as pet sitting, car washing, or yard work. What’s the downside of Craigslist?

Unfortunately, you can stumble upon many scams on the platform. Approach each earning opportunity with caution to protect yourself.

45) Wedding Photographer

Who doesn’t love weddings? More importantly, who would refuse work as a wedding photographer when the job pays better than expected?

Booking jobs as a wedding photographer requires start-up investment. You need high-quality camera and lighting equipment before you start advertising your wedding photography services.

Professional wedding photographers in the USA earn an annual salary of between $75,000 and $99,000.

46) Modeling

Do you think you have a future as a model? There is only one way to find out:

Start your modelling career by posing for local photographers to build an impressive portfolio. Gaining enough experience is crucial before contacting popular modeling agencies.

Teens under 18 years old will need a parent’s permission to work as a model.

47) Join Focus Groups

Aren’t focus groups similar to online surveys? They are, but that’s not why I’m mentioning them:

More often than not, focus groups require you to provide your opinion in person. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule:

Nowadays, you can join virtual focus groups. Participating earns you up to $150 per session.

48) Personal Shopping

Is working as a personal shopper one of the best side hustles for teens? You tell me:

Personal shopping services pay around $18 an hour. Where do you find such gigs?

Many luxury online platforms and general job boards let you create a personal shopper profile.

49) Personal Styling

Can you start a personal styling side hustle for free? Unfortunately, you can’t:

You need tools to work as a personal stylist. The good news is that investing in them will not leave you completely broke!

Your future earnings depend on your experience and the quality of services you can provide.

50) Mystery Shopping

mystery shopping is one of the highest-paying side hustles for teens

In my humble opinion, all teens should be interested in starting a mystery shopping side hustle:

Mystery shoppers get paid to visit establishments, take product photos, or provide feedback on customer service. Doesn’t this sound like fun?

I suggest starting your journey by reading my in-depth guide to becoming a professional mystery shopper.

51) Teach Music Lessons

What type of skills do you have when it comes to teaching music? Are they at a professional level?

There are several ways to approach it. For instance, you can offer individual or group music lessons.

Starting a YouTube channel to promote that side hustle is an excellent idea. Uploading videos that show your music-teaching abilities will attract many paying customers.

52) Freelance Writing

How hard is it to see yourself becoming a professional freelance writer? If it’s not hard at all, I can’t recommend writing enough when researching lucrative side hustles for teens today.

Over 100 sites hire first-time writers. Many online magazines offer high pay rates to content creators.

Alternatively, you can get paid to type, find an online typing job, or earn money by writing reviews.

See Also: Top Ways To Get Paid To Write Homework For Others

53) Resume Writing

Resume writing is a profitable subniche. It requires a specific set of writing skills:

A professional resume can make all the difference during a first job interview. Helping others with that is a reliable way to earn money from home.

Experienced resume writers charge at least $100 per project. So, creating resumes is one of the best ways to earn $100 daily.

Related: How To Make $10 a Day

54) Write Kindle eBooks

Do you need a reason to get into Kindle eBook writing? Fine, I’ll give you the most important one:

Writing and selling Kindle eBooks is a great way to build a passive income stream. eBooks are digital products. As such, you can create them once and sell them multiple times to different clients.

Give this money-making hobby a try by registering at Amazon KDP.

55) Online Course Creation

Another source of passive income is course creation. Anyone with in-depth knowledge of a specific subject can create an online course.

Nowadays, creating and selling online courses is easier than ever. Future course owners can find hundreds of tutorials to walk them through the process.

56) Freelance Editing

Generally, freelance editors can work with various media. Writing editors earn $0.02 per word, which can add up fast.

You should focus on photo or video editing. These niches pay much better!

57) Get Paid To Walk

Chances are, you already use mobile apps that pay real money. But did you know that some of them will pay you for walking?

Take a moment to read about the best apps that pay you to walk. Earning money by walking is one of the easiest side hustles for teens.

Alternative Money-Earning Apps:

58) Personal Training

I doubt that I’m the first person to tell you that you can get paid for working out. Today, you can also earn money for losing weight.

What about personal training? Such a side hustle pays $25 for a half-hour session. Of course, you must get certified before working as a personal trainer.

59) Yoga Or Dance Instruction

yoga instruction

Since we’re already discussing instruction, I should expand the topic further:

Certified yoga or dance instructors earn up to $30 per hour. Isn’t that enough to replace your current nine-to-five job?

60) Food Delivery Driver

Working as a food delivery driver is not as simple as you might think. You must meet certain requirements:

Companies like DoorDash require their future drivers to complete a background check. Those drivers earn a competitive hourly wage.

61) Lawn Mowing Services

Lawn mowing services and side hustles for teens go hand in hand!

Teenagers don’t need much to begin: a lawnmower and some tools will do the trick. Once you have them, you can charge $40 per lawn.

62) Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a business model that lets you sell products without keeping an inventory. That sounds easy enough!

Start your own online store for free: Shopify allows you to do that.

63) Test Products & Mobile Apps

Testing products or mobile apps is another excellent income source. How much can you earn?

Your future earnings depend on the products you test and the company that pays you.

64) Participate In Paid Studies

Nowadays, you can join legitimate websites that pay you for participating in studies. Survey Junkie and Swagbucks fit that description.

Don’t expect to earn much, though. Most paid studies can’t replace your full-time job.

65) Transcribe Files

Do you want to work as a transcriber? I don’t see why you shouldn’t:

Transcription online jobs pay well for professional services. Transcribing video or audio files is a great idea if you’re seeking easy remote jobs.

Additional Side Hustles For Teens

  • Youth Sports Coach: Are you excellent in a particular sport? If you are, you can apply for a local assistant coaching position.
  • Charge Scooters: Someone must charge and release scooters to their clients. As you can guess, that could be you!
  • Mobile Oil Change Service: These services are not exactly opportunities to get paid to travel. Still, you’re the one who must go to your clients, not the other way around!
  • Pick Up Trash & Junk Hauling Services: It’s a dirty job, but teens who own and drive trucks can do it.
  • Ironing & Laundry Services: You don’t need business cards to advertise your ironing or laundry services. Spreading the word in your neighborhood is enough to get you started!
  • Sewing Services: Do your sewing skills amaze others? Don’t hesitate to monetize them in your spare time.
  • Computer Repair Services: Repairing computers requires a certain amount of knowledge and skills.
  • Auto Trading: Buying, fixing, and selling cars for profit is a business idea that comes with startup costs.
  • Restore Items: Not everyone is good at restoring items. Readers who are good at it could take advantage of the earning opportunity.
  • Doing Hair or Nails: The beauty industry is here to stay. Hair and nails play a major role in that.
  • Handyman Services: Working as a handyman is always a smart idea.
  • Deliver Newspapers: This extra income source is self-explanatory!
  • Firewood Delivery: Splitting and delivering firewood to clients is physically demanding.
  • Translate Documents: While you can always teach English to others, translating documents is a money-making idea on its own.
  • Flyer Distribution Services: Another earning option is distributing flyers.

Side Hustles For Teens FAQs

What Is The Best Side Hustle For A Student?

  • Skilled-based freelancing
  • Academic tutoring
  • Content creation
  • Social media management
  • Local gig economy gigs

How To Make $100 A Day As A Teenager?

  • Offer in-person services
  • Babysitting
  • Dog walking & pet sitting
  • Provide digital services
  • Peer tutoring

How To Make $1,000 A Month As A Teenager?

  • Yard work & lawn care
  • Car detailing & power washing
  • Photo editing & short-video content
  • Freelance design or writing
  • Reselling items

What Is The Best Part-Time Job For Students?

  • Tutoring
  • Research assistant
  • On-campus jobs
  • Work-from-home gigs (writing, graphic design, or virtual assistance)

How Can I Make A Lot Of Money At 13?

  • Landscaping & yard work
  • Short-form video editing
  • Thrift store flipping
  • Dropshipping
  • Affiliate marketing

My Closing

Unfortunately, the side hustles for teens above are all the entries I have for you at the moment.

However, this list is not final:

I’ll add more money-making opportunities for young adults each time I update this article.

What questions do you have on this topic? Drop them in my comments section below!

Alternative High-Paying Side Hustles

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