Are you a person between the ages of 13 to 18 who is looking to make some spare cash in your time? There are tons of side hustles for teens – both online and in-person – that can help gain you important hard and soft skills for life, all while some extra cash for saving, spending, or even investing! In this article I’ll go over the best ways to make money online for teens as well as the best in-person side hustles.
Read on to learn about the best side hustles for teens.
Why You Should Consider a Side Hustle as a Teen
Reason #1: Make Extra Cash
Before I jump into the many ways for teens to make money, let’s talk about why you should consider getting a side hustle. The first and most obvious reason: the money! If you’re like many teens, you’ve received an allowance for a number of years. That $10 or $20 was great when you were 7 or 8 years old, wasn’t it? A few extra dollars sure went a long way when you were younger. However, things have changed. Maybe you’re 15 or 16 years old and dying to upgrade to the latest iPhone, but your parents won’t pay for it. Or maybe you just want to save up some cash to go on a road trip with your friends, but your parents want you to pay your own way.
A side hustle is a great way to make some extra cash for anything you might want! Additionally, you can save up your cash for larger purchases or even start a savings account for college. It’s never too early to start good saving and investing habits.
Reason #2: Make Money On Your Own Time
Related to making extra cash is the concept of time and flexibility. While there are still a multitude of offline side hustles and part-time jobs you can undertake, the days of in-person work being mandatory to make money are long over! There are tons of online part-time jobs and side hustles you can take to make extra cash on your own time.
As a teen, your life is busy! Between getting up early in the morning for school, completing homework, doing curricular activities and making time for family and friends, it can be hard to find time for anything else. The best thing about many side hustles for teens is that they can be completed when you aren’t doing other things. For example, freelance writing jobs can be completed on your own time. Paid market research studies involve you meeting with a researcher or panel to discuss products or services at a mutually convenient time. Companies will often let you choose from a number of time slots.
Even if you choose an offline job, part-time gigs are often during the evenings or on weekends, so they typically won’t conflict with school or other commitments – so long as you plan ahead.
Reason #3: Learn Hard Skills
Aside from making money on your own time, why else should you take up a side hustle? Another obvious reason is building up your resume with useful skills! Hard skills are are any technical abilities that you can learn through education and experience. While you can learn skills through your studies, a part-time job or side hustle is a great way to learn other skills you wouldn’t learn at school.
For example, a part-time job as a cashier and prep cook at a restaurant can help you learn tons of hard skills, including:
- Numeracy through counting change and operating a cash register
- Basic cooking skills by prepping ingredients – chopping, freezing, cutting, baking
- Documentation and administrative skills – taking inventory of kitchen ingredients
- Financial management – what will you do with your paycheck – will you save it, spend it or try investing?
While you may not need or use all of these skills in your future career, learning hard skills can benefit you in your future professional and personal life. If you learn some basic cooking techniques, you can use them at the next family dinner party!
Reason #4: Learn Soft Skills
On the other hand, a part-time job not only lets you learn hard skills. When you take up a side hustle, you’ll learn soft skills that you can use in many different aspects of your life, both now and in the future. Let’s take a look at the cashier and prep cook example again. If you take up this job and do well, you’ll develop tons of soft skills, including:
- Time management learned through managing multiple tasks at once
- Interpersonal skills developed by interacting with customers and colleagues
- Customer service skills learned by managing customer queries and issues
In short, no matter what side hustle you take up, you’ll learn valuable skills!
Which Side Hustle is Best for Me?
You’ve decided that you want to pursue a side hustle in your spare time. Where do you begin? Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices? If so, you aren’t alone. There are an endless amount of ways to make money in your spare time. If you’re still unsure about whether to take up an online or in-person side hustle or don’t feel strongly for one or the other, choose a gig based on your interests. Additionally, you’ll need to determine whether or not you have the capacity (resources) to take up either an online or in-person side hustle. For example, do you have access to a private space or are you able to drive your parents’ car regularly? Below are the considerations you’ll need to make when either taking up an online or in-person side hustle.
Online Side Hustles
- Whether or not you have access to a reliable internet connection and computer
- If you have a private space to work distraction-free
- Whether you prefer working online or would rather work in person with other people
In-Person Side Hustles
- If you have time to commute to an offline job rather than hopping on your computer
- Whether or not you have access to public transportation
- If you enjoy working in person more than online
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Best Online Side Hustles for Teens
How can a teenager make money online? Jobs for teens from home offer flexibility and will cut down your commuting time to almost none. All you need to do is take that 30-second walk from your bedroom to the home office! Here are the best paid online jobs for teenagers, chosen due to their flexibility and convenience.
Side Hustles for Teens to Make $100+ An Hour – Paid Market Research Studies
Paid market research studies are one of the best ways to make some spare cash on your own time. In my opinion, a paid market research study is a top best side hustles for teens due to its high payout and flexibility. What are paid studies exactly? Simply put, they’re when companies interview people to get feedback on their products and services. Online platforms, like the ones I’ll touch on below, allow companies to post opportunities. People like you apply for the studies. If you fit the demographic, the researcher may contact you and offer you an interview slot.
You’ll choose an interview slot at a time mutually convenient for both you and the researcher. During the interview, the researcher will ask you questions and may ask you to share your screen and walk them through your experiences or feelings about the product or service they want feedback on – for example, a website or software product.
Keep in mind that the minimum age to sign up for most platforms is 16. If you are under 16, please ask a parent to sign up for you and apply to studies on your behalf.
What Do I Need to Participate?
Before you decide to sign up for and participate in paid market research studies, you’ll need to ensure that you have access to the following tools:
- Quality laptop with microphone and camera
- Strong, reliable internet connection
Here are the top three platforms where teens can find paid market research studies and testing oppportunities.
1. Respondent
Respondent is one of the best paid market research platforms. You can make anywhere from $100 to $500 per hour with Respondent studies. Even on the low end, studies pay $25-50 USD for 30 minutes up to an hour of your time – that’s a good chunk of change! Respondent hosts mosly online studies, but sometimes offers in-person studies as well. Additionally, they occasionally offer quick surveys that can be completed in 10-15 minutes. They generally pay less, but they’re a great way to make a few extra dollars on your own time – no need to coordinate an interview time.
Signing Up on Respondent
To get started with Respondent, sign up using your name and email address. After you’ve verified your contact and email details, fill in some demographic info like your age, education and interests. This will help researchers determine whether your basic profile is a fit for their studies.
If you’re a teen, you may not qualify for all studies as you’ll need a valid work email address for industry-specific paid market research focus groups. However, don’t let that stop you from applying! As new studies come out all the time, Respondent is still a great way to make a few extra dollars.
If you see a study you think you’ll qualify for, fill out a screener survey. Researchers will review your screener. If you fit their profile and there are enough slots, the researchers will email you with an invitation to sign up for an interview slot. Since studies fill up on a first-come, first-serve basis, try to check your email as much as possible. One tip: keep email notifications turned on on your phone so you can sign up as soon as possible.
While the time taken to fill out screeners is unpaid, be consistent with applying keep applying and checking your email. Sooner or later, you’ll receive an invite!
2. User Interviews
Aside from Respondent, User Interviews is one of the best platforms for online paid market research studies.
User Interviews offers several types of studies:
- One-on-One Interviews: the most common and popular type. Researchers will do a video or phone call with you. You may be simply interviewed. However, sometimes, the researcher will ask you to share your screen and do a live demo of the product or service they need feedback on.
- Multi-Day Studies: interviewers will host you for multiple sessions. You’ll receive payment after you complete all required sessions – typically between 2-4.
- Focus Groups: you’ll be on a video call with 3-8 other participants. You and the other participants will take turns answering questions and providing feedback.
- Unmoderated tasks: User Interviews sometimes offers quick tasks and surveys that usually take 5-20 minutes. They pay $10-25 USD and are a great way to make money when you’re free – no need to sign up for an interview slot!
Get started on User Interviews by filling out your profile and verifying your phone number. Be sure to apply to studies daily and check your email regularly. Just like with Respondent, keep your email notifications turned on so you can sign up for any studies as soon as possible if you are selected for an interview.
UserTesting
While Respondent and User Interviews entail interviews and surveys about products and surveys, UserTesting is a platform where you test out a website or app and provide live feedback. Typically, you’ll record your voice and screen as you walk through a website or app. Sometimes, you may also be asked to record your face in addition to your voice so researchers can understand your emotions as you complete tests. You’ll say your thoughts out loud about how you feel about the app and how you go about completing any tasks you’re asked to do.
For example, you may be asked to navigate to a specific tab or section of a website. Researchers want you to think your thoughts out loud including what you’re doing and how you feel about the navigation and features of the product or website.
How Much do UserTesting Studies Pay?
Shorter tests pay $3-5 USD and usually take 5-10 minutes to finish. Longer tests pay $10 USD and can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes, depending on the study.
When you complete UserTesting studies, be sure to follow all instructions. If you are asked to record your voice, be sure to speak slowly and clearly. Speak your thoughts out loud, and don’t be afraid to give your honest (yet polite!) feedback. Companies want to hear both the good and bad about their app, website or product, so if you provide honest feedback on what can be improved, they’ll be able to make an even better version.
How to Receive Study Invitations and Participate in UserTesting
Once you’ve filled out your profile, wait for study invitations to pop up on your screen. Keep the UserTesting website tab open so you can apply to screeners as soon as you receive a notification. Only apply to studies if you can complete the test right then and there. If you aren’t ready to do the test, click the ‘Decline’ button.
If you complete studies in a noisy environment or those where you can’t try your best, researchers may give you low ratings (companies rate participants’ feedback on a scale of 1-5 for the quality of their feedback). Low ratings impact your ability to receive future study invitations.
Live Interviews on UserTesting
In addition to unmoderated studies, UserTesting sometimes offers live video interviews. Just like Respondent and User Interviews, you’ll chat with the researcher via video or audio call at a mutually convenient time. Studies usually pay $30 USD for 30 minutes and $60 USD for an hour.
How Do I Get Paid on UserTesting?
After completing a study, your study will upload to the platform. Upon approval by the researcher, the payment will sit as ‘pending.’ After 7 days, you’ll receive the funds in your PayPal account. Be sure to have a valid PayPal profile! If researchers aren’t satisfied with your study, they can request to rescind your payment, so always be sure to try your best.
How Can I Get More Study and Survey Invitations?
To get the most opportunities, apply to studies 3 times a day – at breakfast, after lunch and after dinner is ideal. Ideally, choose the same time every day so you build good habits. When you apply for studies consistently multiple times a day, your study will likely be closer to the virtual top of the researcher’s application pile.
Additionally, be sure to connect your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles. On Respondent, there is an option to add a video introduction, so be sure to complete this. A more complete profile will help researchers understand who you are and have an easier time determining whether or not you’re suited to their studies.
Paid Online Surveys
SurveyJunkie
Want another easy way to make some spare cash online? Online part time jobs for teens aren’t limited to working for an hourly wage at a designated time. Taking surveys online is a great way to make a few extra dollars in your spare time. SurveyJunkie offers hundreds of surveys about your everyday routines including shopping, hobbies and more.
While SurveyJunkie isn’t a steady income stream nor can it compare to the money you’d make at a regular job, if you check the platform and complete surveys every day, you can make anywhere from $5-10 per week. Perfect to cover your weekly Starbucks run!
Online Tutoring
Online tutoring is another one of the best side hustles for teenagers. It’s especially well-suited to teens who enjoy meeting new people and helping others. To be an online tutor, you’ll need to possess the following qualities:
Patient
To be an online tutor, you’ll need to be patient. Students may not understand the concepts right away and you’ll need to meet them where they’re at. Additionally, you’ll need to keep cool if a student gets frustrated when they aren’t grasping something.
Flexible
Students also have busy lives and may want you to meet at a different time or cancel the lesson altogether. While this may be frustrating, it’s reality. However, you’ll want to set boundaries as well. Make sure to ask for payment for the first few lessons upfront and only offer lessons during certain time slots so you don’t spend hours coordinating lesson re-scheduling and end up losing money.
Encouraging
To succeed as an online tutor, you’ll need to be encouraging. Be sure to praise students when they’re doing well. Even when they are struggling, be sure to encourage them and empathize. Learning is fun, but grasping new concepts can be challenging. Students need your positive encouragement!
What are the Best Online Tutoring Platforms?
There are several platforms where you can list your online tutoring services such as Cambly, Preply and Fiverr. These platforms are great if you want to spend less time sourcing students as they will find students for you. However, these platforms take large percentages out of your pay in the form of commission fees.
Using Facebook Marketplace to Advertise Tutoring Services
Therefore, in my opinion, the best platform to advertise your services is on Facebook Marketplace. You can set your own rate and source your own students – thus having more control over your work. First, post an ad offering online tutoring services. You can hold tutoring sessions on a platform such as Zoom. If you’re open to doing offline classes in the local neighborhood, why not hold them at the local library? Check to see if you’re allowed first!
Tips on getting and retaining clients: offer an introductory lesson for $5 and try offering group lessons for more stability with students. That way, if you have a group of 4 but 1 or 2 students cancel on a particular day, the lesson is still running. Also be sure to create a cancelation policy so you can retain money in case someone cancels on you at the last minute. You can ask students to pay upfront for a few lessons in a row as well.
Sell Digital Products Online
Are you creative and want to work from home? Why not create and sell your art online? Online side hustles for teens aren’t limited to conventional employment and tutoring. Selling prints is a great way to generate passive income. There is a lot of upfront work involved in designing art, determining advertising platforms and sorting out a merchandise platform, but once you have a steady stream of sales, most of the work is done. Here are two ideas to get you started: selling Canva templates and selling your photography prints.
Selling Canva Templates
If you want to sell Canva templates online, you’ll need to sign up for the following platforms:
- Canva account – FREE. The Pro account costs $12.99 per month or $119.99 annually. If you’re serious about making money online, Canva Pro is the best way to go. There are millions of watermark-free images and designs you’ll have access to
- WordPress site – a domain and WordPress site costs around $10 per month
- Advertising costs – market your products using Instagram or Facebook ads. Want a free option? Set up some Pinterest pins. Traffic can take a while to build up, but you can speed this up by creating pins consistently and applying to and joining boards where you post your pins regularly.
Create Products and List Them
First and foremost, choose designs you enjoy making. Additionally, check out a website like Etsy or Shopify and see what designs are selling well. If you have multiple interests, start with one design. Design Canva templates using your own ideas. There’s nothing wrong with taking inspiration from others, but don’t copy!
After you’ve created some beautiful designs, list them on a WordPress site or Etsy. While selling prints online isn’t the easiest way to make money (it can take a while to build clients and generate revenue from advertising), if you’re creative and determined, this is a great side hustle for teens! There are many teens making money online from this venture – if they can do it, why can’t you?
Sell Your Photography
If you’re a teen who loves taking photos, why not try your hand at selling prints online? Choose an online platform to upload your designs to. You can open up at Etsy photography shop or create a profile on a website like Getty Images, iStock or Unsplash.
Sell Your Clothing
Got tons of clothing in your wardrobe that either no longer fit you or you just don’t like anymore? Don’t let those clothes just sit there – try selling them! You can sell on Facebook Marketplace or hold a garage sale (with your parents’ permission). You might think that no one would want your old pink corduroy jeans, but guess what? One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. It doesn’t hurt to try selling your used goods.
Worst-case scenario, if your clothing doesn’t sell, you can donate it to your local thrift store. After you’ve cleaned your closet, why not stock up on some essentials? A minimalist capsule wardrobe is a great way to live simply and save money in the long run. Take that hard-earned cash from another side hustle and invest in quality pieces you can wear throughout the rest of high school and into college. Staples such as basic white t-shirts, a black jacket and tennis shoes are a great place to start when stocking your closet.
Best In-Person Side Hustles for Teens
Year-Round In-Person Side Hustles for Teens
Babysitting – One of the Best Classic Side Hustles for Teens
One of the top side hustles for teenagers for a reason – all parents need an occasional break, so babysitting is always in demand! If you like working with kids and know someone in the neighborhood who needs a sitter, why not ask them if you can watch their kids for the night? Babysitting is a great side hustle because most parents need childcare services in the evenings and on weekends – when you won’t be at school. After the kids you’re watching go to bed, you can do other things like completing homework or taking up another flexible side hustle such as completing online surveys!
Dog Walking
If you enjoy taking care of dogs and want to get some exercise, dog walking is a great side hustle. Why not post your services on Facebook Marketplace? You can even spend an evening walking around the neighborhood and asking those walking their dog if they need a dog walker. You can also post ads on Rover, an app for those offering and seeking dog walking services.
Pet or Plant Care
Related to dog walking, taking care of pets or plants for a few days or longer is another great option for those teens who want to make some spare cash. You can ask a neighbor who is going away if they need a cat sitter or someone to water plants. Again, this isn’t a steady, part-time income source, but it’s another great way to make some cash for that new jacket you just have to have.
Seasonal In-Person Side Hustles for Teens
Lifeguarding
If you’re 15 or 16, you can become a lifeguard in most states. Lifeguarding is a great way to get some exercise and learn responsibility. Additionally, many lifeguarding jobs are held at outdoor pools in the summer. Spending hours outside in the sunshine is an excellent way to get essential Vitamin D and boost your mood. Extroverted teens will enjoy meeting and talking with colleagues and pool guests. Lifeguard gigs are usually flexible during the school year. Depending on your location and facility, you might be able to pick up weekend shifts that don’t conflict with your school commitments.
Golf Course Jobs
If you have a golf course nearby, try applying for the many seasonal jobs available. Most golf courses require seasonal workers. Gigs include being a restaurant server, driving a food and beverage golf cart, caddying and landscaping. Working at a golf course is a great way to get exercise, work in the sunshine and maybe even hone your golfing skills!
Washing Cars
Another classic seasonal side hustle, washing cars is an ideal way to stay fit and make a few extra dollars in the spring or summer. Just like babysitting or dog walking, ask neighbors if they’re in need of someone to wash their car. Car owners will enjoy having someone come to wash their car, rather than spending time doing it themselves or taking it to the local car wash.
Raking Leaves
When the leaves turn, raking leaves is another option to make some extra cash. Raking leaves is one of the best side hustles for teens because it gets you off your computer and out into nature and exercising. You can post ads on Facebook Marketplace or simply ask nearby homeowners if they’re in need of someone to rake leaves. Raking leaves is also one of the best side hustles for students. Why? Since it’s a seasonal job, you can complete jobs before you get into the hustle and bustle of preparing and studying for midterm tests which typically happen when the snow starts arriving.
Pros and Cons of Side Hustles for Teens
There are both pros and cons to undertaking a side hustle. Weigh the benefits and drawbacks and decide if a side hustle is right for you. In my opinion, if you’re responsible, have strong time management skills and are driven, a side hustle can be easily integrated into any teen’s lifestyle.
Pros of Undertaking a Side Hustle
- Developing hard skills
- Learning soft skills
- Making some extra cash to be saved, spent or invested
Cons of Undertaking a Side Hustle
- Less time to dedicate to studies
- Potential for increased stress if the job is difficult
Conclusion – Best Side Hustles for Teens to Make Extra Cash
There are many side hustles for teens to make extra cash year round. Choose a gig that fits with your skills, interests and schedule. Why not try out more than one side hustle and see which one you like better? Many side hustles are flexible and can be done whenever you have free time.
Enjoy making money, learning important hard and soft skills and having fun doing it!
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Janita is a frugal living expert and owner of Frugal Fun Finance. With over five years of personal experience finding and trying out the best ways to make and save more money, she's eager to share her knowledge. Janita's strategies have helped her save thousands of dollars for funding investments and traveling to over 20 countries.
Janita completed training in personal finance at The University of Western Ontario and McGill University, two prestigious Canadian universities. Her expertise has been shared on GoBankingRates, Yahoo Finance, and NASDAQ.com.
