Teens, Let’s Earn Some Money!

A job can provide you with valuable work experience, transferable skills, a sense of independence as well as an income. There are many job opportunities available to students, from part-time jobs during the academic year to seasonal work during the summer. Most of them can turn into actual businesses that can grow with you into high school and even college. Plus, when you enter the job force where a resume is important, any job you’ve done as a teen will help you.

Babysitter

Babysitting is a fantastic job for teens. If you have younger siblings at home, you could watch them while your parents go out. Family friends or neighbors can also hire you to babysit their children. This position builds skills like communication, patience, and decision-making. Consider doing it either as a one-time price or negotiate a monthly price (maybe every Friday night). Then you know exactly how much money is coming your way each month.

Lawn Mower or Gardener

If you love spending time outside, working as a lawn mower or gardener is a great option. Do a great job mowing a neighbor’s yard and word will spread quickly in your neighborhood as the go-to person. Advertise in community Facebook groups or print out a flyer and hang in your neighborhood’s grocery store. While at a job, mention other skills you can offer like raking leaves, taking down holiday decorations, or shoveling mulch. This position builds hard skills like operating machinery and soft skills like negotiation and time management.

Dog Walker

Love dogs? This job can be year-round. Walking neighborhood dogs after school and during the summer midday when the dog’s owners are at work makes this job ideal. Also consider if a groomer is nearby offering to walk them to their appointment and bringing them back saving the pet owner time that they will appreciate not having to spend. This job builds skills like patience and management.

House or Pet Sitter

House sitting and pet sitting are good options for introverted teens. In most cases, house sitters and pet sitters take care of the client’s house and/or pets while the client is out of town. But it could also be for an afternoon or while a pet is home recovering from an illness or surgery. Summertime is perfect to cover family vacations, but they can offer their services year-round. This job builds soft skills like time management and hard skills like caring for a pet or caring for house plants.

Tutor

If you’re good at a particular subject at school, consider tutoring. Many parents want their late-elementary or middle school students to receive individual tutoring support. This usually causes a high demand for this type of work. Advertise your services at local schools, FB group pages, or through community organizations. This position builds a multitude of skills like communication, patience, and time management.

Blogger

If you have a passion about a specific topic, you could launch a business through a blog. Starting a blog is simple. There are several online hosting platforms to choose from. Keep in mind, this business idea will take a little more time to turn a profit than others. First, you’ll need to grow your audience, and then you’ll have the opportunity to partner with advertisers and affiliate partners to bring in revenue.

Podcaster

Like a blog, you will need passion for a specific topic and the ability to grow a decent following. However, once you do, you can earn income by finding advertisers interested in placing ads on your podcast. Also, many podcasters sell merchandise promoting their podcast to their listeners.

Social Media Influencer

As you already know, there are a ton of celebrities out there who make money by talking about products on their social media platforms. Many brands look for personalities with a strong following. The great thing about this option, is that the startup costs are minimal, and the income can be substantial.

Car Washer

Another fun position if you love the outdoors is washing cars. You could set up a car-washing station in a high-traffic community area (with permission) or visit established clients at their homes. If they have access to a vacuum cleaner and interior cleaning supplies, you could also detail the interiors. This builds skills like becoming entrepreneurial minded, responsible, and organized.

Junior Camp Counselor

Ever gone to camp? Many camps hire past attendees as junior counselors since you already know the camp and how it works. It provides the camp with extra help and a built-in training program for their junior counselors to become senior counselors in the future. This position builds skills like communication, creativity, and resilience.

Newspaper Deliverer

I know this sounds “old school” but there still are newspapers that are delivered to people’s front porch. If you want to work but have a busy life/school schedule, consider a job delivering newspapers. You’ll have to get up early in the morning, but this job has a set schedule that leaves your afternoons and evenings free. This job builds skills like time management and organization.

Actor or Model

Working as an actor or model can be lucrative and fun. Of course, this is one of those jobs that will require a parent or legal guardian to assist you. Getting into this field requires some research and dedication but can be a great way to save for college and can continue into your adult life. Acting and modeling builds skills like negotiation, organization, and resilience.

Technology Guru

If you love and understand the latest technology, working as a community tech guru can be a great job. Help friends and family set up new devices, update software or select new phones or computers to purchase. Offer to go to a local senior living facility and talk through any technology issues they might have. This position builds desirable skills like communication.

House Cleaner

Cleaning houses might not sound glamorous, but it is an excellent first job. Start by cleaning your house, learn from your parent or legal guardian, and then offer your skills to other family members, neighbors, or community members. This is a great job for building a regular schedule, as you can establish regular clients that you work for on a weekly or monthly basis. Plus, the startup costs are low and you can quickly make a profit. This position builds responsibility and a good work ethic.

Mother’s Helper or Elderly Helper

Mothers with young children will often hire “mother’s helpers”. They perform basic household tasks like cooking or cleaning while the mom takes care of the children or vice versa. Some elderly people who need help with basic household tasks do the same. This is an excellent position for teenagers who are extroverted and enjoy helping others and want to work with other people rather than on your own.

Lesson Assistant

Are you skilled in dancing, singing, or playing an instrument? You can find part-time work as a lesson assistant with a lead teacher. Some instructors like having a helper who can demonstrate movements, sing parts, or play chords during a class. This job builds skills like communication, teamwork, and patience.

Crafting and Creating

Love crafting? Do you create jewelry, paintings, or anything creative? Consider selling your pieces on retail spaces like Etsy, eBay, or Amazon. Take your wares down to the local farmer’s market and setup a table. There is virtually no limit to the type of products you can market and sell. Having a passion bring you money is a great. This job builds entrepreneurial skills, patience, and self-motivation.

Taking Paid Surveys

Of course, you’ll need permission from your parents for this, but industries are desperate to find out what teens want. Take a Saturday and sign up to take surveys. Most are under 5 minutes, and you will earn points towards products, gift cards or even cash.

Don’t limit yourself to the suggestions above. Think outside the box and come up with alternative ideas. Whatever you choose to do, remember that every job you take is important and word of mouth is extremely important. Do a great job and you’ll grow your client list. Do a poor job and it will be hard to keep earning money. So always do your best!