Maybe you want to save up for a new video game or a pair of shoes you’ve had your eye on.

Whatever your reasons, there are plenty of ways for teens to make extra cash from home and in your neighborhood.

If you’re looking to start building your savings so you can be prepared for college expenses or life after high school, a side hustle could be perfect for you.

From online surveys to tutoring elementary school children, here are 39 of our favorite side hustles for teens.

Quick Picks: Best Side Hustles for Teens

We have so many ideas for side hustles for teens to do in their spare time, including surveys for teens and jobs irl that pay $20+ an hour.

Here are a few of our favorites that are easy to begin and don’t require a high school diploma:

Easiest To Start: Online Surveys
Most Flexible: Dog Walking
Most Passive: Blogging
Most Scalable: Start a Flipping Business

Best Online Side Hustles for Teens

1. Online Surveys

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $250

Minimum Age Requirement: 13- 18, depending on the app and parental permission

One of the most popular side hustles for teens is taking paid surveys.

Survey sites like Swagbucks pay you for your opinion and for completing online surveys, where you can earn free gift cards to retailers like Amazon.

Most survey sites are free to join and only take a few minutes to complete- and many even have other ways to earn money, including online shopping rewards, playing video games, and watching videos.

Here are a few of my favorite survey apps:

Swagbucks
Survey Junkie
InboxDollars
MyPoints Surveys
Opinion Outpost

2. Start A Blog

Potential Earnings Per Month: $500 – $10,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you’re passionate about a particular topic, starting a blog can be a great way to earn money while sharing your knowledge and passion with others.

Your blog can earn passive income with affiliate links, sponsored posts, merch, and more.

Not sure how to create a successful blog? We’ve got your back! We have a step-by-step blog guide to give you an easy place to start.

Our free blogging workbook, Start Your Blog Boot Camp, can teach you how to make money blogging and make $1K per month!

3. Freelance Writing

Potential Earnings Per Month: $250 – $5,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, but job sites are open to 18+

You probably write plenty for school, so why not put those skills toward making money?

If you love writing, consider becoming a freelance writer. Freelance writing is a side hustle that can be done during your free time.

Becoming a freelance writer can pay good money with flexible hours that work around your classes and social life.

FlexJobs is an online marketplace where you can find writing gigs to apply for or connect with companies directly and pitch your freelance services.

4. Start An Online Store

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $5,000+

Minimum Age Requirement: 18+ to open accounts on online stores

If you’re interested in online business, you can start your own online store. You can sell products you make yourself or resell products you source from other suppliers.

You don’t need a lot of money to get started. You can use platforms like Shopify to set up shop.

We started our shop years ago to sell printables and have had some great success! We make about a few thousand each month, and we’re very happy with how easy it was to set up and manage.

You’ll need to create your brand (logo!!) and market your business through social media, email campaigns, and more.

Find out how to make money on Shopify and get your store started today!

5. YouTube Channel

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $5,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you’re creative and like to be in front of the camera, starting a YouTube channel can be a great way to make money.

You can monetize your videos through ads, sponsorships, or selling products or services through your channel.

If you want to make thousands per month from your videos, we highly recommend the online course Mastering YouTube.

Mastering YouTube is where we learned how to monetize our videos, which has changed how well our videos perform!

6. Start A Podcast

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

Similar to starting a blog, if you have an interest or idea for a show or series, you can earn money by podcasting. This can be a great side hustle with a flexible schedule.

For us, blogging has more writing and upkeep to have affiliates and information stay current for readers, but podcasts take more time to record and process before posting for listeners.

You need a good camera, microphone, and an editing program to get your content ready for consumers. But once you post, you can make passive income consistently from listeners.

You can use free platforms like Apple Podcasts or Podbean to host your episodes, and many podcasts are ad-supported, so you can also earn money through sponsorships.

7. Social Media Management

Potential Earnings Per Month: $100 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: 16+ depending on the job; but can’t join job sites until 18

Companies are always looking for someone to help them grow their online presence, which can be a great way to earn some extra cash.

As a social media manager, you’d be managing other people’s social media accounts or moderating Facebook groups.

If you’re looking for a way to make money as a social media manager, using Surfer SEO can be a great tool.

Surfer SEO is an online tool that helps you find the best keywords for your social media campaigns. It also provides information on how competitive those keywords are and how much traffic they generate.

8. Sell Things Online

Potential Earnings Per Month: $200 – $2,000+

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you have some unwanted items around the house, you can make money by selling them online.

There are several platforms you can sell old phones, toys, clothes, and more, including Decluttr, eBay, Amazon, and Facebook Marketplace.

Another way to make money from selling stuff is flea market flipping, where you source things to specifically sell on Facebook Marketplace and other sites.

Flipping items at flea markets means buying things for cheap at thrift stores or online and reselling them for a higher price.

This can be done with many items, including clothes, furniture, and jewelry. You can just search for whatever items you find and see if people are paying money for them.

Flea Market Flipper is a free workshop that teaches you all the insider secrets to flipping items for profit. Rob has made so much money flipping random stuff from Goodwill and no doubt you could too!

9. Sell Photography & Artwork

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $500

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you’re a talented photographer or artist, you can make money by selling your photos or artwork online.

Stock photo sites are websites that offer royalty-free images for people to use in their own projects. Each time someone downloads your image, you earn a royalty of a few cents to a few dollars.

You can also set up a Shopify store and sell prints of your work directly to customers to take custom orders. This way, you can control how much you charge for each piece.

10. Become A Virtual Assistant

Potential Earnings Per Month: $100 – $3,000

Minimum Age Requirement: 18+

A virtual assistant provides support to a business or individual remotely.

This can include customer service, social media management, scheduling appointments, or helping with other online tasks.

There are several companies that offer virtual assistant services, or you can start your own VA business.

I recommend using FlexJobs, where you can make a profile for your work for companies to see, plus apply for vetted job positions (and avoid scams!).

11. Test Websites

Potential Earnings Per Month: $25 – $1,500

Minimum Age Requirement: Depends on the company, usually 18+

If you’re good at finding errors and have a keen eye for detail, you can make money testing websites.

Companies pay testers to visit their websites, find errors, and report them. This can range from finding broken links to typos, formatting errors, and spotting design issues.

Other companies will ask you to order on their site and make sure the cart is working properly, and the money adds up.

If you know coding and website design, you may be able to make even more by helping companies fix the issues!

12. Design & Sell T-Shirts Online

Potential Earnings Per Month: $100 – $5,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, may need parent to sign up for seller accounts

If you’re creative, you can start designing and selling T-shirts online as a side hustle.

You can create designs with Canva Pro easily, then upload your designs to sites like CafePress or Zazzle, where customers can purchase the shirts directly.

Or, you could create your own shop on Shopify. Opening a T-shirt store on Shopify is a great way to start selling your designs and making money from home.

You can create your own shop, upload your designs, and customers can purchase the shirts directly from your store.

13. Create An Online Course

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $5,000+

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission- course content is geared for 13+

Teens have a lot of knowledge and skills to share, which is why many are turning to online courses to teach others what they know.

If you’re an expert on a particular topic, you can create an online course and sell it to students. You can use sites like Udemy or Teachable to create and market your course.

Some popular topics teens are teaching online are:

Drawing and painting
How to use social media
Programming and coding
Photography
Graphic design
Gaming

14. Play Games

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: 13-18, depending on the app

A fun way to make a little extra money in your spare time is to make money playing video games.

You could record yourself playing video games, upload it to YouTube or live stream on Twitch, and get paid from viewsership.

Or you can sign up for apps like InboxDollars and Swagbucks to earn money playing games on your phone.

15. Become A Customer Service Representative

Potential Earnings Per Month: $250 – $5,000

Minimum Age Requirement: 16+ depending on the company

If you want to work from home, consider becoming a customer service representative.

Businesses hire remote workers to answer phone calls or chat online with customers.

Remote customer service jobs are in high demand, and businesses hire workers to answer phone calls or chat online with customers.

The great part is this can be done around school hours and other commitments.

16. Sell Old Clothes At Online Consignment Shops

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $250

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

Turn your old clothes into extra cash by sending them to online consignment stores like ThredUp!

All you have to do is order a free shipping kit, fill it up with your old clothes, and send it back.

Once your items are received and processed, they’ll create listings and photograph them. As your items sell, you make money.

ThredUp also has the option to turn your earnings into a free gift card to different retailers like Gap, Athleta, or Old Navy.

17. Create An App

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age- it’s more about the technical skills

Creating an app is a great way to make money if you have a unique idea that users need and enjoy!

Websites like AppyPie help you create apps without any coding experience required.

Once you have developed the app, market it through major stores like Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

You can also consider running ads within the app or offering in-app purchases to generate additional revenue.

18. Create An Etsy Shop

Potential Earnings Per Month: $100 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: 18+

If you’re crafty or have a unique skill, you can sell products on Etsy.

Etsy is an online marketplace where you can sell handmade items, vintage goods, and craft supplies. Creating an Etsy shop is also quick, and you can start selling right away.

Plus, you’ll have access to an audience of over 30 million buyers looking for unique items like yours!

You’ll need to create a shop profile, upload pictures of your products, write detailed product descriptions, set prices, and establish payment methods.

Make Extra Money Offline

19. Car Detailing

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you have a knack for cleaning, you can start your own car detailing business for easy cash.

The great thing about car detailing is that it can be done anywhere, so you can offer the services at your home or drive to the customer’s house.

You could offer full detailing packages or keep it simple with car washes- and you can offer different services based on the season and how busy you are.

To get started with a business like this, you’ll need a few supplies like:

Car shampoo
Car wax
Microfiber cloths
Bucket
Sponge
Cordless vacuum

20. Grocery Delivery

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $500

Minimum Age Requirement: 18+

Grocery delivery is a fun side hustle that can be done in your free time. It was something easy for me to do in college, especially if I already needed groceries too!

You can join your parents on their grocery run and make money while you’re at it, or just grab groceries for people once or twice a week on your own for easy money.

You can get started by reaching out to a local business or using a delivery app like Instacart.

If you don’t have a car or license, don’t worry! Instacart also has in-store shoppers, where you just grab the groceries for someone else to deliver.

21. Tutoring Services

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $3,000

If you’re good at a particular subject, you can start offering to tutor students in your area.

The most popular offerings for me were English and math for high school students.

But I had friends who also offered test prep for a bunch of classes, sold worksheets for students to study, and since I’m from New York, we also offered different lessons for Regents prep.

The more offerings you have, the more students you can attract, but stick with what you know well- if I had tried to tutor in history, it would’ve been a disaster!

You can work with individual students or offer group sessions and set your own rates and schedule to work around your life.

Once you have a few regular clients, you could even turn this side hustle into a full-time business in college and beyond!

22. Babysitting

Potential Earnings Per Month: $100 – $2,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you’re good with kids, you can start your own babysitting business. You can work from home or offer mobile services and set your own rates.

Brittany and I started babysitting our cousins, and I watched my younger brother from time to time, but that’s not possible for everyone.

It’s easy enough to ask family, friends, and neighbors about watching their kids while they grab dinner once a month or something.

Some apps can help you find babysitting gigs, like Bambino, SitterCity, and UrbanSitter.

23. Do Odd Jobs

Potential Earnings Per Month: $75 – $5,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission; apps may only be for 18+

If you’re willing to do some work for extra cash, there are plenty of odd jobs you can do.

Some people need help moving boxes or furniture, cleaning gutters, cleaning their fridges, and so much more.

You can offer anything, and everything- the possibilities are endless! Just make sure you don’t tackle projects that are too big to will take too much time away from school.

You can find gigs on platforms like TaskRabbit or Next Door or reach out to businesses and individuals directly.

24. Be A Personal Shopper

Potential Earnings Per Month: $100 – $4,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission; apps may be for teens 18+

Next on the list is becoming a personal shopper. A personal shopper is someone who helps people shop for clothes, groceries, or other items

You can start by offering your services to a family member, advertise on community websites like NextDoor, or become a shopper for apps like Instacart.

If you like shopping, another option to consider would be to become a mystery shopper. A mystery shopper goes into stores undercover, observes and records their experience, and provides feedback.

25. Dog Walking

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age; Rover is only 18+

Do you want to get paid to walk and have fun?

Starting a dog walking service is becoming a very popular side hustle for teens and can be done in your free time.

You can charge an hourly rate for walking the dog and may also include additional services such as brushing, feeding, or providing treats.

You can set your own rates and hours and even find customers through apps like Rover.

26. Pet Sitting

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age; Rover is only 18+

If you’re good with animals, you can start your own pet-sitting side hustle. You can offer dog walking, overnight pet sitting, and pet daycare services.

This is the best because it gets you active and pays well, but you also enjoy time with the cutest animals ever!

To get started with pet sitting, we recommend using the app Rover to find gigs.

27. Become A Referee

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

A Youth Sports Referee is a great way to make some extra cash. You can work with different organizations to referee Youth Sports games.

Check with local leagues and Elementary schools to see if they need referees.

There are some classes or certifications you need, so just consider the sports you like and look up the requirements.

As for me, I can’t skate, so there’s NO way I’ll think about becoming a hockey ref any time soon; but I’m super into volleyball and might consider reffing volleyball games.

28. Snow Shoveling

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

Trying to get my daughters up in the morning is hard enough, but also, getting the driveway shoveled so they can get to the bus means I have a lot more to work on!

You may be an early bird, so you could help people by taking care of their driveways before school or on the weekend.

Snow shoveling is a great way to make money in the winter. You can offer your services to businesses and individuals in your area.

There are even apps like Shovler that can connect you with customers!

29. House Cleaning

Potential Earnings Per Month: $75 – $5,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you’re good at cleaning, you can start your own house cleaning business. You could offer to clean family and friends’ houses or reach out to local businesses to clean up office spaces.

All you’ll need to get started is basic cleaning supplies, like a broom, microfiber cloths, a bucket, and cleaning solutions.

You may also want to invest in a vacuum cleaner and carpet shampooer for more extensive cleaning jobs, but start with what you can invest in and have the time to do.

You could grow your business as you bring in profit and could keep the job after you graduate!

30. Furniture Flipping

Potential Earnings Per Month: $25 – $2,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you’re good at finding reasonably priced furniture, you can start your own furniture-flipping business.

You don’t need a lot of capital or expertise to start a successful furniture business. You can buy furniture from thrift stores or garage sales, fix it up, and then sell it.

However, you need money to buy things first and power or a van/truck to move the bigger pieces you want.

This is where your parents and friends can come in some may be happy to help you for free or for pizza!

31. Lawn Care

Potential Earnings Per Month: $100 – $4,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

Lawn care is a great way to make money in the summer. You can offer services like mowing lawns, weeding gardens, or raking leaves.

To get started, you’ll need a few supplies, like a lawn mower and rakes. You’ll also need to wear protective gear such as gloves and long pants.

Having a good customer list can help you get established, so reach out to friends, family, and neighbors who might be interested in your services.

32. Become A Kid’s Party Entertainer

Potential Earnings Per Month: $75 – $2,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you’re good with kids, you can start your own business as a kid’s party entertainer. You could offer face painting, balloon animals, or other activities.

If you like acting, you could even dress up like a famous character, Princess, or Super Hero.

You could also sign and dance, play guitar, or use other skills to entertain kids.

33. Pool Cleaning Service

Potential Earnings Per Month: $100 – $3,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

Pool cleaning is an easy way to make extra cash during the summer. Plenty of us don’t want to clean our pools!

Learn how to properly clean a pool using chemicals, brushes, skimmers, vacuums, and other equipment.

Once you feel comfortable with the process, contact local businesses, neighbors, and friends to offer your services.

34. Deliver Newspapers

Potential Earnings Per Month: $100 – $500

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you’re looking for a traditional way to make money, you can deliver newspapers. You could walk, drive, or bike the neighborhood and deliver newspapers before school.

It’s a great way to exercise and learn about the neighborhood. Plus, you can make friends with your customers and build a steady income base.

35. Flyer Delivery Business

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $100+

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

Surprisingly, many local businesses will still hire people to hand out flyers to people on the street or post flyers around town.

I used to post flyers for a local pizza business, and they actually told me a few places to post the flyers, like churches, schools, colleges, and more.

It made the job super easy because I could tape things up and go about my day. And they gave me a flat $50 to get everything posted, so if it only took me an hour to post and distribute 100 flyers, I made $50 an hour!

Contact places near your house and in town adjust to see if you can find businesses that need help with flyers. You can also look for job ads online!

36. Become A Youth Sports Coach

Potential Earnings Per Month: $100 – $500

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

If you love sports, you can make some extra money by becoming a youth sports coach. You could coach a soccer or basketball team or even start a sports camp.

Being a youth sports coach can be rewarding and challenging as you have to manage the kids and ensure they learn proper techniques and stay safe during practices.

It’s also important to teach them teamwork and cooperation so that everyone on the team works together to achieve success.

37. Carpet Cleaning

Potential Earnings Per Month: $50 – $1,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

Cleaning carpets is a great way to make a little extra money and set your own schedule. You could create your own carpet cleaning business by renting or buying a steam cleaner and offer cleanings to neighbors or local businesses.

Start by researching the different types of machines, understanding the cleaning products you will use, and then setting your rates. You should also invest in marketing materials like fliers or business cards to advertise your services.

Canva Pro can help you create a professional-looking logo for all your advertising materials!

38. Get A Part-Time Job

Potential Earnings Per Month: $500 – $3,000

Minimum Age Requirement: 14+, depending on company and local labor laws

If you’re not sure what kind of side hustle to start, you can always get a part-time job. You can work in a retail store, a local fast-food restaurant, or a grocery store.

Any of these options can provide you with extra income, and many employers offer flexible hours so you can make your side hustle fit in around your other commitments. It’s also a great way to get more experience in the working world and gain new skills.

39. Have A Yard Sale

Potential Earnings Per Month: $25 – $2,000

Minimum Age Requirement: Any age, with parental permission

Hosting a garage sale can be a great way to make a few extra bucks and clean out your house at the same time.

Start by deciding what you want to sell, and post signs and advertise online so that people know about your sale.

On the day of the sale, make sure to place items in an organized fashion and set up a table with change and a cash box.

After your sale, donate any remaining items or take them to a consignment shop for some more money.

With careful planning, hosting a successful garage sale can be easy and profitable!

FAQs

What is a side hustle?

A side hustle is a way to make extra money outside of a full-time job or schooling. It can be anything from starting your own business to working a few extra hours per week.

Side hustles include freelancing your skills, starting a blog, streaming on Twitch, walking dogs, and more!

Where can I find side hustles for teens?

There are many ways to find a side hustle that’s right for you. You can start by thinking about your interests and hobbies and then look for opportunities that match. 

You can also ask friends and family if they know of any good opportunities or contact businesses directly to inquire about part-time or freelance work.

You can also find side hustles in different apps like Fiverr or Rover.

What is the best side hustle for a teen?

The best side hustle for a teen will depend on your interests, skills, and availability.

Some popular side hustles for teens include starting a blog or podcast, taking surveys or writing articles, and starting your own business or working a few extra hours per week.

No matter what you choose, it’s essential to make sure the side hustle you choose is legal, safe, and age-appropriate.

Additionally, make sure that you have enough time to dedicate to your side hustle before committing.

With the right preparation and motivation, any teen can find a successful side hustle!

How can a 14 or 15-year-old make money online?

There are many ways to make money online for a 14 or 15-year-old.

Options include writing articles or creating content on YouTube, taking surveys through online survey sites, participating in focus groups, and selling digital products or services.

Some local places hire 14 or 15-year-olds as well, so you can find jobs in person too.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways to make money as a teenager, and choosing one depends on your interests and skills.

When I was a teen, I started by checking out what hobbies could make money, and it opened many doors for me!

If you’re creative, you could start a blog or open a Shopify store. If you’re handy, you could start an odd-jobs business.

And if you don’t have a lot of free time but still want some quick cash, sites like Survey Junkie pay you for your opinion.

So take these ideas and go make some extra cash!