Ever feel like you’re the only teen struggling to make money? Well, you’re not alone! Between endless homework, strict parents, and no car, it can feel impossible to earn extra cash as a teenager.
But what if I told you there are ways for ambitious teens to score quick money without begging mom and dad? Best part — these money-making ideas can all be done online or close to home!
I’ve uncovered 17 legit ways teens can profit big time:
Get Paid to Live Your Best Life Online
You already chat with friends, scroll Instagram, and binge YouTube for hours anyway…why not get paid for it? Believe it or not, big brands shell out billions per year to understand what makes teens tick.
Lucky for you, sharing your opinions online takes zero experience and you can do it from your couch! Here are three easy ways to profit from your pastimes:
1. Take Fun Surveys
Ever wonder how Snapchat comes up with those funky new filters? Or why TikTok keeps changing their logo? By filling out easy surveys, you get cash rewards and brands pick your brain on the latest teen trends!
Sites like Swagbucks ask for your take on fashion, music, movies and more. To get started, just:
- Sign up for an account
- Confirm your email
- Earn an instant $1 bonus!
With Swagbucks you can:
- Give opinions on brands like Apple and Nike
- Answer multiple-choice questions
- Get cash rewards via PayPal
- Score a $5 welcome bonus
As a teen, your view matters more than you think! Sign up for this top-rated survey site through this link and you’ll get bonus sign-up perks.
Estimated Earnings: Up to $20/month
2. Earn While You Watch
What if you could make bank by watching funny videos and playing games? With Swagbucks, you totally can! This popular rewards site pays you to:
- Play new online games
- Search the web
- Answer polls
- Watch entertaining videos
- Shop cashback deals
Over 17 million Swagbucks members have earned $394 million in gift cards and cash. As long as you’re 13+, you can:
- Create a free account
- Earn points (called “SB”)
- Get paid via PayPal or gift cards!
By joining today, you’ll get a $5 sign-up bonus after earning just 300 SB points. That’s free money!
Estimated Earnings: $25 to $75/month
3. Sell Your Stuff
If your room looks like an episode of Hoarders, listen up! You can score fast cash by selling your old stuff online. No one’s buying your 5th grade art projects or soccer trophies…but video games, phones and trendy clothes? Cha-ching!
Apps like Poshmark and Letgo make it super easy. Just:
- Download the app
- Take pics of your items
- List them for sale!
Pro tip: Check sites like eBay first to price items competitively. Remember, photos sell, so style items nicely and avoid bathroom selfies!
Once an item sells, pack and ship using the app’s prepaid label. Ka-boom, cash hits your account instantly after delivery! Some teens even buy used goods in bulk then resell at a markup.
Estimated Earnings: $100 to $300/month
Monetize Your Passions
Let’s be real — boring after-school jobs like fast food and retail suck. You’d much rather do something you actually enjoy, am I right?
Good news: you can profit from your hobbies! Avoid crappy entry-level gigs by turning what you love into a moneymaker with these fun ideas.
4. Get Crafty
Are you always DIYing something cute for your dorm room? Or the friend that makes personalized gifts for every holiday and occasion? Well my crafty friend, it’s time to get paid!
With an Etsy shop, your homemade goods can score you some serious cash. This site makes selling handmade items, vintage finds and crafting supplies a total breeze.
To start making bank:
- Set up an Etsy shop
- List your creations
- Share your page on social media
Many artistic teens earn $100 to $300 a day selling jewellery, paintings, clothing and more on Etsy! Since it costs nothing to open a shop, you have zilch to lose.
Pro tip: Take quality pics to showcase your awesome style on your listings. Market your shop on Instagram and TikTok to drive traffic from friends and followers.
Estimated Earnings: Up to $300/day
5. Vlog or Podcast
Are you a master when it comes to makeup, gaming, tech or memeing? Share your genius with the world via your own video blog (vlog) or podcast!
If you’re camera shy, podcasts let you build an audience just by using your voice. Or express yourself on YouTube shorts without showing your cute face.
Topics for teens could cover:
- Fashion and beauty trends
- Gaming playthroughs
- Debates and hot takes
- Advice and tips
- Reactions and commentary
- Art and animation
- Comedy sketches
Once you build viewership, you can make bank from ads, affiliate marketing, selling merch and fan donations. Who knows, you may even go viral!
Some of the most popular YouTubers make over $27 million per year on sponsored videos and partnerships alone. Basically, they’re rich AF — and they’re just playing video games and goofing around on camera!
Estimated Earnings: $100 to $10,000+/month
6. Launch an Online Store
Entrepreneurship sounds intimidating, but ecommerce makes launching your own biz online super simple.
Just choose a product niche, like:
- Apparel and accessories
- Handmade crafts or art
- Stickers and prints
- Custom Merchandise
- Digital products
- Beauty, wellness or fitness items
…then build and customize your own storefront with Shopify or Wix.
Add inventory, process payments, and manage shipping and orders from one user-friendly dashboard. These sites make expansion easy anytime your shop takes off!
Many savvy teens earn over 6 figures/year by dropshipping trendy items that Gen Zers love. This means hot products ship directly from the supplier to your buyers so you don’t deal with stock or warehouses. Cha-ching! 🤑
Estimated Earnings: $1,000 to $100,000+/month
Side Hustles That Make Bank
When browsing TikTok, doesn’t it seem like side hustles are all the rage? Young millennials and Gen Zers everywhere are making serious bank with these flexible gigs. Lucky for you, many can be done part-time for sweet cash flow.
7. Influencer Marketing
Have a knack for taking fabulous selfies and snapping #OOTD shots? Turn yourself into a human billboard to earn an epic income!
Apps like Instagram and TikTok make it simple to grow a loyal, targeted following in the hundreds of thousands. Once your audience is large enough, brands will pay you big bucks to showcase their products.
As a teen nano or micro-influencer with just 1,000+ engaged followers, you can earn:
- $10 – $100 per sponsored post
- Free products to feature and review
- Affiliate commissions promoting coupon codes and links
- Event appearances and partnerships
Some top teen and young adult influencers with 1 million+ followers bring in over $28 million per year thanks to lucrative brand sponsorships. Cultural icons like Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae bank millions as full-fledged celebs!
While reaching star status is rare, many regular teens earn impressive income promoting brands part-time.
Estimated Earnings: $100 to $100,000+/month
8. Resell Sneakers
If your obsession with sneaker drops borders on unhealthy, why not score profit from your hypebeast knowledge? The sneaker resale market is booming and expected to top $30 billion by 2030 according to Cowen Equity Research.
Using apps like GOAT and StockX, hypeheads buy limited edition or sold out kicks at retail value…then resell for 2X, 5X or even 10X returns!
Top shoes flipping for insane multiples:
- Travis Scott x Nike collabs
- Yeezys
- Off White Nikes
- Retro Jordans
- Air Dior 1s
To snag the most coveted drops, enter raffles, queue up for releases and network with plugs. Learn to spot fakes and negotiate resale deals for maximum profits!
Estimated Earnings: $500 to $5,000+/month
9. Social Commerce
Have an eye for scouting cool products? Thanks to social commerce, everyday people earn commissions promoting brands across social media.
As a teen brand ambassador, you’ll get unique promo codes and links to share anywhere your audience exists:
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Text groups
- Group chats
When followers use your code or click your link to buy, you’ll score a commission! Some top social sellers earn over $100,000/month in passive sales commissions.
To maximize payouts, negotiate higher percentages from brands. Share links prominently on your page and create content flaunting featured items.
Estimated Earnings: $500 to $100,000+/month
Odd Jobs That Pay Surprisingly Well
Apps like Rover and TaskRabbit connect you with neighbours needing odd jobs done – and they pay generously for it! You set rates and hours for ultimate flexibility.
They’re perfect if you want great money but can’t lock down a weekly after-school gig. Here are five to earn piles of cash on demand:
10. Dog Walking
You’re probably that random neighbour kid stopping to pet every cute dog anyway! Make your puppy love pay by becoming a professional dog walker.
Apps like Rover and Wag! connect local pet owners with trusted walkers. Schedule appointments via the app whenever you have free time. Expect to earn $15-$20 for 30 minutes of quality canine bonding!
Dog parents also hire teens for:
- Pet sitting
- Drop-in visits
- Overnight housesitting
Become a repeat walker for your furry besties and get tipped generously!
Estimated Earnings: $100 to $1,000+/month
11. Running Errands
Adults often have zero time for simple errands like grabbing takeout, waiting in line or returning stuff. That’s where you swoop in to save the day!
Download apps like TaskRabbit or Takl to snag local tasks posted in your area. Common jobs include:
- Picking up groceries or packages
- Waiting in line for hot concert tix
- Returning items to stores
- Helping with furniture assembly
- Yardwork like mowing lawns
People will pay dearly when they’re short on time! Set your own rates and schedule. Consider travelling beyond your neighbourhood for bonus-earning potential.
Estimated Earnings: $100 to $500+/month
12. Delivery Driving
If you have a car and know your way around town, delivery apps keep your tank full and pockets fat with cash! Apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Instacart pay teens to:
- Pick up takeout orders
- Shop and deliver groceries
- Transport passengers
You simply toggle online whenever you have spare time – drives pop up that you can choose to accept. At $15-$25/hour, it sure beats a boring fast-food job!
Estimated Earnings: $300 to $1,500+/month
13. Tutor Local Kids
Do you have a knack for helping classmates cram for that geometry final or write killer essays? Get paid for your smarts by tutoring kids after school!
Parents shell out up to $50/hour for one-on-one academic support in:
- Math
- Sciences
- Reading and writing
- Test prep (SATs)
- Organization and planning
Tutoring builds invaluable leadership skills while padding your wallet! Register with sites like Wyzant or print up some flyers to spread the word locally.
Estimated Earnings: $300 to $1,000+/month
14. House and Pet Sit
What could be chillier than kicking back in a sweet pad while the owners are out of town? Getting paid $100+ a day to do it!
Pet sitters water plants, play with pets and keep watch over the home for extended periods. Create a profile on TrustedHousesitters to apply for gigs across your state or country!
Most homeowners require:
- Meet and greets
- References
- Background checks
Don’t fret about experience though – the platform offers training to prepare you for house-sitting success! And who better to cuddle those lonely pets anyway?
Estimated Earnings: $1,000+ per gig
Apps That Pay Just to Live Life
Last up – genius apps that literally pay you for everyday activities like walking, music and more! They won’t make you Insta famous but provide effortless income streams for simple living.
15. Listen to Music
Have Spotify on repeat from wake to sleep? SlicethePie pays diehard music fans like you to review new artists’ tracks!
How it works:
- Join for free
- Listen to 90-second song clips
- Rate the tracks
- Collect cash rewards
You’ll score 5-20 cents per review based on quality. Top monthly earners cash out over $1,200! That buys a crap ton of concert tickets!
Estimated Earnings: $5 to $100+/month
16. Play New Games
What if playing games on your phone could level up your bank account? With Mistplay, it totally can!
This app pays you to play new Android games during your downtime. The more you play, the more you earn in gift cards and cash:
- Level up by playing games
- Cash out earnings anytime
- Score a $2 sign-up bonus
- Get paid via PayPal or gift cards
Okay, you won’t get rich gaming on mobile…but earning real rewards for a hobby you love anyway? Level up accepted!
Over 10 million players have cashed out $15+ million in rewards so far!
Estimated Earnings: $25 to $100+/month
17. Walk More, Earn More
Apps like StepBet literally pay you to get off your booty and walk! Earn life-changing money for a healthy habit you should do anyway.
How it works
- Join 6-week fitness betting pools
- Commit hitting daily step goals
- Track progress via phone or wearable
- Achieve goals to earn jackpot cash!
- Miss goals? Lose your bet buy-in fee
On StepBet, pools range from $40 to $1,000+ buy-ins with HUGE jackpots! Walk yourself straight to the mall whenever you win big! 💰😎
Estimated Earnings: $100 to $5,000+ per pool
Frequently Asked Money Questions
Alright, be honest – as you read this did you think…
“Yeah right, teens can’t actually make THAT much so easily…that sounds fake…”
Hey, I’ve been there too! When I first heard teens were pocketing piles of cash online, selling slime or becoming famous YouTubers I was majorly sceptical.
But after much digging, I can definitively say countless teens are absolutely crushing income goals online and locally.
Still, questions linger…below I’ll address the biggest ones:
Are These Money Methods Legit?
Yes, a hundred times over! While there are scams out there, the ideas in this article are 100% legit and ethical ways teens can earn money. I know teens running successful businesses across these models and validate their earnings are real.
Do I Need Experience to Start?
Nope! The beauty of side hustles is that anyone can get started no matter your skills or education level. For example, teens can easily set up an online shop through Shopify and sell without prior business experience.
The key is picking a hobby or interest you’re already knowledgeable about, and then monetizing it. Tutorials across YouTube can teach you any additional skills needed.
How Do I Get Paid?
Most platforms offer effortless payouts via:
- PayPal – Once you hit minimum thresholds, earnings transfer instantly to your connected debit card or bank account.
- Gift cards – Many survey and reward sites let you cash out earnings for popular gift cards to save up.
- Check – Some remote jobs and freelance platforms still pay by physical check in the mail.
- Direct deposit – Bigger brands may require setting up direct deposit to automatically pay your bank account.
Payout methods depend on each money platform, so just check for your preferred payment method before diving in.
Do My Parents Need to Be Involved?
In most cases, yes – teens under 18 require parental permission and oversight for legal reasons. However, many tasks simply require a guardian’s account:
- Reward apps -> Create an account under the parent’s email/name
- Remote work -> Apply using parent’s information
- Reselling apps -> List items in the guardian’s closet
Discuss business ideas openly with your folks and ease their security concerns by sharing account access. Show you’re a responsible entrepreneur and hopefully they’ll grant you more independence!
What If My Parents Say No?
First, suggest trying activities with parental controls like reward apps and surveys. Explain your goal of self-reliance and growth. Maybe even offer to save a portion towards college!
If they still refuse, don’t fret! You can revisit ideas once you turn 18 or simply focus on building skills for now. There are still so many ways to enrich your passions.
Do Taxes Apply to Teen Income?
Yes! You are responsible for claiming self-employment income earned from side hustles when you file taxes. Freelance and solopreneurs must pay a self-employment tax rate.
For W-2 income earned from traditional hourly jobs, your employer should provide a tax form detailing wages and withholdings. Your parent or accountant can explain taxation more fully so you stay compliant!
Start Making Bank Today!
Phew, still with me? By now you’re probably pumped to put these lucrative teen money methods to work!
Recapping, you can fatten your wallet by:
- Taking surveys
- Playing games
- Vlogging about your interests
- Growing social influence
- Building online stores
- Monetizing hobbies
- Freelancing skills
- Completing quick tasks
No matter your passion, there’s an easy way to monetize it. Don’t wait until you’re stuck in a boring 9-to-5 wishing you took action sooner!
Ignore anyone who says teens can’t secure their own bag. Now you know better!
The money-making potential is endless…but you have to begin before the opportunity passes.
So which are you trying first? I can’t wait to see you banking major cheddar! 🤑