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6 easy ways teenagers can make money with a side hustle

Dannielle Beardsley
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Your teen needs money for the movies. Your teen asks for money to get new shoes. These are signs that point to your teen needs some sort of income. If your teen doesn’t have time for a part-time job, or you don’t want to add that to their already full plate, there are other options for them.

There are plenty of easy ways for teenagers to make money. You just have to find one that plays to your teen’s strengths so they don’t roll their eyes at you when you suggest it. Let’s look at 6 different side hustles for teens to be able to pay for their own Starbucks.

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A teenage girl feeding a dog a treat.

Playing with pets

If you have a teen that loves animals

There is always a post on Facebook where someone needs a pet sitter or a dog walker. This would be great for an animal-loving teen. Plus, if you don’t have pets and don’t want pets, this is the perfect way for your child to get their furry fix without you having to worry about pet hair.

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Your teen can post on Facebook or Nextdoor or just have them check the sites regularly. They can always ask neighbors if they need any pet help. It’s a safe and fun way for your teen to start making some money while still having a free schedule for school and other activities.

Lawn care all year round

If you have a teen that loves to be outside

Lawn care is one of the biggest go-to’s for teens to make some money. They will have work all year and won’t have to worry about bouncing back and forth between side jobs. In the spring and summer, they can mow and pick weeds. In the fall they can rake leaves. In the winter they can shovel and salt driveways and sidewalks.

This one is perfect if you live in a neighborhood because then you won’t need to drive your teen anywhere. They can walk around and ask the neighbors what services they need, and you’ll know where your kid is. Even if one house only needs snow removal and another only needs leaf raking, your teen can be the go-to lawn care guru on the block.

One student helping another with school work.

Tutoring

If you have a book smart teen

There is always a need for tutors. Your teen can tutor in the subject (or subjects) they are really good at. They can ask around at local high schools or post in groups on Facebook about their services. School is hard, even in the younger grades. Your teen can tutor grade school kids or help junior high students get ready for the next step.

If your teen doesn’t mind younger kids, there is a huge opportunity to help children in the lower grades right now. With all of the remote and online learning, a lot of the K-5 kids are struggling to learn some of the basics. Your teen can feel good about helping and earn some money.

Referee all the games

If you have a sporty teen

Every sport, at every age, needs referees. They can ref for youth leagues, high schools, and even college games if they stick with it. The pay isn’t bad at all if they like the sport they ref. Since sports are played all year, if they find one sport a season to do, they’ll always have a way to make some side money.

There are a few steps with this one, but if your teen did multiple sports they would make decent money. Your teen would have to get certified by passing a course and some levels need the teen to be 16 years old.

YouTube/TikTok videos

If you have an outgoing teen

While you may not like that your teen is glued to social media, they can use it for good instead of evil  – and make some money. For talkative teens, this can be a piece of cake. If they have a niche such as tutorials, unboxing, singing, or doing product reviews, they can turn it into a lucrative side-hustle.

They can start out getting free swag and products, and if they get a decent following they can start to make money off of their channel. Like it or not, social media and the power of it is here to stay. So, if your teen loves to be in front of the camera, and you are okay with it, might as well let them make some money. The best part is you don’t need to buy any fancy equipment. They just need their phone.

A teenage girl holding a camera.

Selling photos

If you have an artistic teen

Your teenager always has their phone in their hand, right? Between all of the selfies and pictures of Starbucks drinks, they should be able to take a photo or two that’s good quality. With the amount of creative content on the rise, the number of photos needed to complete that content is in demand.

If you have a teen that has a good eye, there are sites like Shutterstock or iStockPhoto (Getty) that are great places for your teen to start telling their artistic photos.

Side hustles are perfect for teenagers

Whichever kind of teenager you have, we found a side hustle style that will match their personality. Whether your teen needs money for their extras or wants to save for a bigger purchase like a car or a new phone, a side hustle will help them independently get what they want.

Not every teen needs to get a part-time job at the mall, and not every teen needs to wait until they are 16 to get a job. These side hustles can be done on your teen’s schedule and as young as 13. So, run these by your child and see if one of them sticks.

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