So your allowance (if you get one) is not enough and you want to make more money. Don’t we all?
While some of you can’t work yet until you hit a certain age, there are still other ways to get some extra cash. There are many money making apps that can give you extra cash online. Read my wonderful list to see what kinds of jobs you can easily do!
First, a few tips:
Tip 1: Do Your Research
Doing your research is important. Nowadays, anything and everything you need more information on can be found on the Internet. Look for sites that will let you work from home or find local places that can be easily traveled to. Try to find something you can do over the weekend – as long as it doesn’t interfere with school. Be careful when looking on sites like Craigslist, though you may find something you’re interested in doing, make sure to share this information with your parents. Your safety is important, and Craigslist is full of weirdos. Better to try a site like WAHM.com, which features a lot of work at home jobs, such as blogging.
Tip 2: Keep your options open
You don’t necessarily need to stick to having only one job. You can babysit on the weekends and tutor during the day. Keep your options open and don’t be too picky either. No one said making money would be easy and sometimes you just have to sacrifice hanging out with your friends to do some chores around the house that your parents are paying you for.
Tip 3: Don’t be a quitter
So you don’t like mowing the lawn…it’s really up to you whether you want to continue doing it, but remember what you’re doing it for. If you’re really trying to save up, then you know what you need to do…don’t quit. Sure, if you really want to switch things around you can, but don’t drop something only because you’re too lazy to do it. Working hard earns great rewards – in this case you’d be earning money, which is exactly what you’re here to get.
Now let’s get to the nitty-gritty: below are some things you can do to earn money as a teen!
Any type of “Sitting”
What I mean by that is housesitting, babysitting, dogsitting, plant sitting and whatever else type of “sitting” or “watching over.” Trust me, I’m sure you have relatives or neighbors who need you to keep an eye on their house, water their plants and babysit their kids while they are out for the weekend. This is a great and easy way to earn cash!
Sell stuff online – Ebay, Amazon, Poshmark
Selling stuff online is a great way to make some extra cash. On top of that, it helps de-clutter by cleaning out your closet! Sell things you don’t need anymore. Use sites like Ebay, Amazon or Poshmark to post your items. Take clear photos of your things, write a description for your item (use some great adjectives to describe it – entice your buyers), do some research of how much your item is selling for from other sellers, and then choose your shipping methods.
Garage sales
If you don’t have the time to sell things online, a great alternative is by having a garage sale. Start gathering your things, make and post flyers around your area (careful — some places forbid this) and on Craigslist. Timing is really important! People usually go to garage sales early in the morning to get the good stuff. You know what they say, “The early bird catches the worm.” Don’t forget to also have a lot of change since people tend to pay with small bills and quarters.
Blogging
You don’t have to be a “professional” writer to blog. You can write about almost anything and there will be sites out there where you can post and gain visibility. Do your research on sites that will pay you for your creativity and thoughts. One article I’d like to share is called “20 Sites To Get Paid For Writing and Blogging.” Check it out!
Tutor/Lessons
Do you have a specific skill that you’d enjoy teaching? If so, tutoring might be for you! Whether its teaching your neighbor’s kid how to do algebra or teaching them how to play an instrument, you can easily make some money.
Background actor
Have you ever wanted to be on a TV show? Well it’s possible. You might not get to talk to the actors but you can definitely get paid to be on set as an Extra. Extras are those people in the background to help create the atmosphere or environment for the show or a particular scene. You can research places that hire background extras. You don’t need experience. If you have different skills and talents, they’ll definitely want to know that! It can be anything from juggling, riding a bike, gymnastics, playing the guitar and the list goes on. Who knows, you might become a featured extra meaning you’ll get paid a bit more than the standard rate. If you live in the Los Angeles area, try out Elite Kids Management, Kids Management or Central Casting depending on your age. You will need a parent or guardian’s permission of course.
Chores
Yes, I said it…CHORES! Simple enough right? Ask your parents and relatives if they need anything done around the house. You can wash dishes, vacuum the house, walk your neighbor’s dogs, do the laundry, throw out the trash, clean the gutters, wash the car, or teach your grandparents how to use social networking platforms like Facebook. Mowing the lawn is also an easy job to get because a lot of people own houses and believe it or not, some would rather pay people to mow their lawn instead of them doing it themselves. Take advantage of that and start asking friends, family and your neighbors!
By Kristen Marquez.
Kristen Marquez graduated with a B.A. in Cinema & Television Arts from California State, University Northridge with an emphasis in Television Production. She is a social media coordinator by day and a content creator by night. With her great imagination, she knows she will create the next big thing whether it’s a script, a product or a simple idea that will fill people’s hearts with joy and entertainment. She blogs for a hobby and loves spending time with her golden retriever Lily.