There are many options for kids to earn extra cash.
Maybe they can’t work a full 8-hour shift, but side gigs can help them make money online and offline.
If you’re a parent who wants to help your child find a side hustle or a teen who wants to start making some extra cash, I got you.
Kids and teenagers (if you’re a teen, here are some money ideas for you) today are smart.
Tech smart.
Goodbye lemonade stands, and hello online jobs.
Start a Blog
How to make money fast as a kid? Try starting a blog.
Blogs can be profitable, and there are various ways to do that.
Ways To Make Money With Blogs:
- Ads- Ad networks like AdSense offer content creators to make money from ads displayed on the website.
- Sponsored Posts- Make money by writing reviews or promotions products given by companies.
- Affiliate Marketing– Get commissions when someone buys from your affiliate link,
The advantage of blogging is there’s no age limit to get started.
Once you establish an audience, you can monetize your blog through the items above.
[Related: see how much it can cost to run a blog]
Start A YouTube Channel
YouTube is huge – it’s the second biggest search engine on the planet.
The content created by the Youtubers inspired many people, even kids, to start their channel.
I’m 40+ and I see the value in creating a media channel on YouTube!
Create videos that genuinely spark your interest. You can make content about toys, video games, outdoor games, or movies, and you can start focusing on a category that will help you engage in the YouTube community.
YouTube welcomes at least 13-year-olds who want to create their own channel.
But if you have your parents’ go-signal and cooperation, your community potential is enormous. It’s definitely a way to make money fast as a kid.
[Related: How much do sponsors pay YouTubers to create videos?]
Start A Streaming Channel
Another way to make money is by streaming. Video game streaming has become so popular that it is now a multi-million industry.
You can make up to millions of dollars from playing video games and streaming them. You’re not just doing something you love, but you’re also making money out of it.
Video game streaming needs hardware that can record your games and then upload them on video-sharing platforms. You can also live stream using sites like Twitch and Youtube.
Streamers earn money from advertising during the stream, collaborations with brands, and membership subscriptions.
Be A Video Editor
There are many video editing opportunities online. You don’t need complicated video editing software used in movie-level production.
Some clients just want someone to trim bad takes from videos, edit audio, or add text to the video.
You can do these tasks with simple video editors and the necessary editing skills.
Be A Photographer
You can become a photographer with your camera phone. By contributing to stock photo sites like Shutterstock and Adobe you can make money.
Buyers purchase the rights to your photos- and when I say photo, almost any kind of pictures- to use on their sites or projects.
To earn more money from contributing to stock photo sites, you must invest in your skills.
There are many available tutorials, courses, and how-to videos that you can enroll or watch online.
Start with Youtube University – it’s free!
They have tons of videos that teach beginners about photography.
Answer Online Surveys
Another easy task that can make you money as a kid is answering online surveys. You can earn extra cash every month on platforms like Survey Junkie.
Companies put out surveys in their apps or websites to gain honest feedback from people. These questions are simple to answer and do not take much of your time.
Though most online survey platforms aim at adult responses, some companies seek answers from the younger bracket.
Sites like Survey Junkie or Swagbucks may have surveys for you.
If you’re a qualified participant of the survey, you earn money through cash or gift cards after answering. They use your time, and they pay for it.
[Related: Is SurveyJunkie Safe?]
Start An Online Course
Are you a teenager and you have skills that not many people can do? Then start an online course to share your knowledge about it.
Online courses can be in the form of digital books or videos.
You can make money by selling them, creating a membership subscription, or using a skill-sharing platform where they can access your materials.
Be An Online Tutor
Intelligence is a skill, and kids who do well in school can earn extra money.
Your brain is free, and you don’t need to spend anything to start tutoring online.
Tutoring sites are prevalent nowadays. These platforms connect tutors to students who need academic help.
It helps struggling students and lets the tutors gain more knowledge about topics along the way.
Sell Preloved Items Online
If you have stuff that you don’t use anymore and see them lying around, get rid of them but earn money.
Check your closet and pick out clothes or toys that outgrew you. Save that space and sell your things online.
You can sell your preloved items on eBay and other listing sites to clean up your space. Ensure that all the things you are selling are yours, and if not, ask your parent’s permission sooner.
Sell them by creating a product listing, state the price, and ship them to your buyer. It’s just a piece of cake!
Create Your Jewelry Piece
Are you passionate about jewelry? How about creating it? If the answer is yes, your talent can get you to earn fast money.
You can sell your pieces on online platforms like Etsy. This site promotes handmade crafts created by anyone, including kids and teens. You can also try making custom pieces of jewelry as they’re quite popular.
Make money with your creative hands.
Sell T-Shirts
Do you have a fashion talent? Turn these skills into money. You can earn cash by selling your designs online (as an example, here’s our store).
You don’t have to be bothered with the printing and delivery process. Some companies take your design and print it on shirts when customers pre-order. They take care of the transaction and the shipping process.
Selling tee shirts is easy and profitable.
Start A Garage Sale Online
Garage sales have been a great way to make extra income. You can call your family to join you in as well to make extra cash.
Offline, you can set up space in your house and rent it for neighbors who want to get rid of their things.
To push through a unique garage sale, use the Internet to hold it online—post announcements about your garage sales on social media platforms.
It can help potential customers to view available items and know your operating hours.
Offer Yard Services
Yard services are classic jobs that kids do. Even your parents may have done yard work to make extra income.
You can mow your neighbor’s lawn, pick up trash, rake leaves, water plants, or clean yards. Nowadays, social media is an easier way to promote your services.
Let your neighbor know that you offer yard services. Join your local Facebook community and post your offers and rates.
Wash Cars
Offer to wash people’s cars. Some don’t have the time to do it themselves and would rather pay someone to do it. They want to avoid doing demanding tasks.
Now, this is where you shine! Grab the opportunity to do the task so you can earn cash. Promote yourself on social media, just like offering your yard services.
You can also invest in car washing tools and products to appeal more to potential clients. If you have the top-level experience, you can even offer a full-service car wash for a higher rate.
Be A Babysitter
Another classic kid job to make money as a kid fast is babysitting. Those who are at the age who can take care and accompany someone younger than them, this job is yours. Ideally, you have to be at least 13 years old.
Promote your babysitting service on social media like your local Facebook community. There are also platforms like Care where people can promote their babysitting services.
When you sign up on these sites, they take care of the advertising on your behalf. They help clients find suitable babysitters like you.
Be A Dog Walker
If you enjoy caring for dogs, then this job is the best for you. Out of the ideas to make money here in the list, this one is probably the most enjoyable.
Sometimes, dog owners are busy walking dogs themselves. Due to this reason, they hire someone reliable enough to accompany their dogs in walking.
Start your dog walking business by advertising your services on social media and signing up on dog walking platforms.
Do Local Gigs
You can pick up some local gigs online on platforms like Fiverr and Flexjobs. Although it’s known as a freelancing site, there are gigs doable by kids to teens. Most jobs that you can do here are errands that people don’t want to do.
Clients may hire someone to rake leaves at their yard or buy items for them. It doesn’t matter what job you’re looking for; these sites help you connect with a client quickly.
These sites cover the advertising process for you, and it is now easier to find gigs that can generate income in your free time.
Be A Party Entertainer
You can make money by just dressing up and enjoying a party. People seek party entertainers to add color and fun to the parties, especially for younger kids. And to be fair, people pay a lot for them.
You can wear costumes or dress up to celebrate a kid’s party, or if you have creative hands, you can also do face painting.
You can promote yourself through social media or create your website to display services, rates, and portfolios. Make your site attractive, and you’ll find customers eager to hire you.
Rent Out Your Things
This idea helps adults make extra income by renting their home spaces, parking lots, cars, and other things. While you can’t offer the same things that adults provide, you still have something you can offer.
Rent out your sports and gaming gears, costumes or clothes, and other stuff that you don’t usually use, but people tend to use.
As usual, with the help of technology, you can advertise your renting services online. Either do it on a social media page or create your website.
It’s easier for you to find people willing to pay for borrowing things for a short amount of time.
Sell Crafts
Handmade crafts always have room in the money-making industry. They feel personalized, and it helps the art industry.
You can sell your crafts like cards, jewelry, knitted pieces, and other handmade products. Platforms like Etsy and eBay provide you with a place to promote your art and reach many potential customers.
Customized gift boxes, greeting cards, and other crafts sell well on these platforms. You can also try to sell knitted scarves or beanies.
Just use your imagination and creativity to envision your shop’s feed.
[Related: Things to sell on Etsy]
Flip Items
Flipping items means buying them for a good deal than selling them at a higher price. It is easy money for you to make.
Check out items from flea markets, store sales, or thrift shops and find items in good condition. Most products sold in these places are the cheapest, but still in good condition. You just have to comb the racks.
Take those items, wash and make them presentable before selling online. Add your price to it. Your item may be a hidden gem that has a designer tag. You can price that even higher.
Many sellers on e-commerce platforms tend to flip products, and they make money from it.
Review Products Online
Companies can send out free products for you to review with honest opinions. This job is taking online surveys to the next level.
Brands collaborate with surveying sites to get an honest opinion from people like you on their products.
You don’t only review and earn from it, but you also get to have early access to soon-to-be-released items.
Be An Influencer
Social media sites started as a platform for socializing, but nowadays, it has blown up to be a great source of income.
These sites welcome teens up to adults to start their accounts and gain followers. The more audience you reach, the more you attract sponsors.
Platforms like Instagram allow 13 years old above to sign up and make money from ads, sponsorships, and other paid content by brands. Make sure you gain many followers to start easy with earning.
Also, you can try TikTok, which has become a recent hit to make money too.
Crowdsource
A passive way to earn cash is to start crowdsourcing. This method does not always guarantee a consistent income, but you can always try, especially if you’re looking for extra money for events and trips.
Some fundraising platforms like GoFundMe or Kickstarter help you establish a page for your fundraising causes. You may share it with your friends and family and ask for a donation.
Because the sites handle the process of donation, you don’t have to do much. This way is more convenient for kids.
Be A Content Writer
If you like writing but don’t want to create your website, you can try it for other people. Of course, they’ll pay for your skills. To improve the speed and quality of your article you can take the help of AI.
Check out Appsumo for lifetime discounted deals on such tools.
Many sites and companies look for a new perspective, and it will help that they reach even younger people’s views.
Be a freelance writer to write on various sites freely. By doing so, you have the choice to write about different topics and spread out creativity without working under one website.
Publish Your Book
Self-publishing has been more comfortable and hassle-free with the available digital stores like Amazon.
Bring your writing skills into life by creating stories, novels, or poems and virtually publish them. People enjoy electronic books as much as they want printed books, so this will sell well.
Thanks to Amazon and other popular digital stores, self-publishing has never been easier.
Sell Digital Products
Most kids and teens have excellent technical skills. You can use these skills to create digital products.
Besides ebooks, you can also create logos for commercial and personal use, website themes, and other digital tools that people use in their web activities.
Believe it or not, some kids made “skins” for their video games. You can sell them online and don’t have to worry about stocks running out.
Take Advantage of Buyback Programs
Many companies offer buyback programs. They specifically look for books, electronics or gadgets, and video games.
Of course, you don’t receive the same amount you paid for purchasing them, but it’s still a good deal if you don’t use them.
You can find buyback programs online. Take a quick search and find a credible platform.
It’s also easy to get cashback credit when you make purchases online with a company like Rakuten.
Apply On Social Media Jobs
Social media has risen to the top for the past years. It has become essential, and of course, the more people engage in the platform, the more companies market their products on the forum.
If a company has an account, it only makes sense to have a manager. Your familiarity with using Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can be your advantage.
As most social media sites impose, there are age restrictions. You should be at least 13 or 16 years old to work on a social media account.
Try applying to local businesses as a part-time manager. You can offer to create posts, edit photos, answer messages and comments, and manage the account for them.
Be An App Tester
You can earn money by testing apps that are not yet out in public. You’ll need your parent’s help and gadgets to make money this way.
You need to use their apps or software, then give a review. By doing so, you’re also helping developers improve parts that may be lacking for attaining a great product further.
Many sites offer kids to sign up and get paid for being app testers.
Create Games
Creating games may sound complicated, but you can create a game even without a lot of coding knowledge in reality.
Platforms like Roblox allow users to play games created by their users. The game has its digital currency and program.
Most users earn money from making games in Roblox and are younger than 18 years old.
Create An App
Kids can learn basic coding from school. If you enjoy doing it, then you can try making an app.
Application stores like Google Playstore and App Store make billions of dollars for offering apps.
While this suggestion requires extensive coding skills, you can learn to code as early as a kid. You can take your knowledge from there and improve along the way.
Be An Inventor
Kids tend to be imaginative and creative. Sometimes, they come up with unique ideas that are useful if you think again.
You can turn your imaginary blueprint into life by signing up on fundraising platforms that can help you gain money for your inventions.
Or ask your parents for help in finding an investor. The most successful ideas are sometimes from kids, so it wouldn’t hurt to take the risk and ask people to fund your project.
Join Contests
Many people and companies conduct contests online and even offline. You can join and win cash or gift cards from it.
Get your parent’s consent before taking part in any contest and drawings. They can help you determine whether the program is legit to avoid scams and misuse of identity.
Sell Your Artworks
Arts don’t have any age requirement, and there’s no wrong or right in creating art. Just like adults, kids are capable of creating artworks.
Sell your art pieces on online sites like Etsy and eBay. Also, advertise your masterpieces on social media platforms, marketplaces, and other sites.
Create Your Music
Put up your works in Soundcloud and Spotify to profit from it. You can enjoy making music while earning from it. It’s a win-win situation,
Even young artists can make music that people enjoy and earn from it. On your journey, you will also gain many listeners.
Sell Souvenirs Online
If you live in an area that has unique natural collectibles, sell them online. The more exotic your place is, the more it will spike the interest of potential buyers.
You can try selling seashells, stones, gems, wood, dried flowers, etc.
Digitize Photos
Technology evolved, and so does photography. People typically use mobile phones to take pictures; that’s why it’s rare to find old analog pictures.
And since it’s rare, there’s a big chance that there’s little competition in digitizing these photos. Kids can easily do this.
Simply scan the old photos, and enhance them a bit to keep a digital copy of them.
Advertise yourself online while the demand for digitizing photos is high. You’ll find yourself earning more money from it.
Teach How To Use Technology and Electronics
As the younger generations are more exposed to technology, it’s natural that they are more tech-savvy. Some kids even have had their phones since toddlers.
You can help other people use technology and gadgets, maybe the older generation. Advertise your services online or get gigs from Fiverr and Flexjobs.
Be A Mystery Shopper
Mystery shopping is a technique that companies do to assess the shop’s overall service.
You can make money by side hustling as a mystery shopper. You need to check out stores in your area and note the customer service and other store aspects.
Companies usually hire adults to do this, but the best people to hire are kids when it comes to stores that market to kids.
Shopping agencies may specifically require young kids to be mystery shoppers. They just need to visit a store and report honest feedback.
Second-Hand Items Consignment
You can take free items from online platforms like Craigslist and sell them to consignment shops.
You will also earn money from taking these items to your eBay listing, so you have more significant opportunities.
Participate In Market Research
Market research essentially means they need to study what consumers usually do and what interests them.
Nielsen is a company that focuses on market research. They use this method to determine the factors that cause customers to purchase items.
Kids and teens can participate in studies to contribute to market research. They may require you to install software that monitors your browsing activities.
Ensure your parents about this gig, so you know your privacy rights and officially sign up.
Start Investing
Usually, the age for investing is 13 years old. But if you are eager to try investing and you’re under 13, get your parent’s help.
The Internet has made investing easier for us. Find a digital broker such as Webull and Robinhood, invest your money, and patiently wait for your financial gains.
The amount you reap from investing depends on many factors, such as investing when you invest and other things.
This idea is a great way to start your investing career when you become an adult.
Conclusion
Being young doesn’t mean you’re not capable of making your money. You don’t have to be broke.
Technology has paved the way to earn money in many ways. By learning how to make money, you are practicing yourself for future adulthood.
Give yourself financial freedom as early as possible, so you’ll know what will work best for you in the long-run.
Don’t fret, as all of these ideas are bound to be productive, fun, and profitable.
