Are you a teen looking to make some extra money? Here are some ways that you can!

First, let me introduce myself.  I’m Corinne, and although I’m not a teen anymore, I was a very financially driven teen, and always had 2-3 jobs (or hustles) at a time.  I got my first job when I was 9 and was hooked on earning money ever since!  It is my passion here at Hustle For The Paper to help others achieve their goals through side hustles, money management, debt payoff, and wealth building.

Here are some ways that I earned money as a teen, and some new methods that I have found to work for others:

1. Dog-sitting.  Well, any kind of pet-sitting really.  I would watch my neighbor’s dog while he was on vacation and make a good chunk of cash.  All I had to do was go over twice a day, make sure he had food and water, let him out, and I opted to hang out with him for a few minutes for some play time. It was a great way to test the waters of being an adult.

1. Selling crafts.  If you are able to make something that others would pay for, then you should absolutely sell it!  Depending on where you live, you could very easily find a craft show to set up at, or you could try setting up an e-commerce store on Etsy.  You will need someone at least 18 years of age to be the owner of the account, but as long as you are at least 13, Etsy permits you to sell on their platform.

1. Making things to sell at school events.  When I was in high school, some people made school spirit type things and sell them at band concerts, sporting events, and any other school function really.  You could make headbands and hair ties, t shirts, bags, jewelry, the list goes on and on.  At a band concert I was in once, one woman made little bears holding all of the different instruments. Some schools might even let you hold a bake sale.  Make sure you ask ahead of time.

1. Sell clothes on Poshmark.  This wasn’t around when I was a teen, but if it were, I would have been rolling in cash!  I use Poshmark now and make almost $1,000 a month, and that is only working on it part-time.  You could start off by selling clothes that you don’t wear anymore, and then work toward reselling like I do.  You could hit up thrift stores, garage sales, or ask for donations.  The best part is that it is for all ages and genders! You don’t have to be a girl to sell on Poshmark, there are many men (and even kids!) who do quite well on the app as well.  If you decide to go this route and want more information, send me an email and I’ll help you get started.  Make sure to use the code SALTYSHREDS for $5.00 off of your first purchase.

1. Become a tutor.  If you are boss at any particular subject, sell your services to those struggling. You could even give music lessons or help someone get better at a sport.  Make sure you set a price for a certain amount of time.  For example, you could charge $15 per hour for trumpet lessons. Of course, you could adjust the details as needed.

1. Become a lifeguard.  I became a lifeguard at 15 and worked as one for a couple summers before becoming an adult.  You will have to get certified by the American Red Cross, but the training is easy and fun. The minimum age to become a lifeguard is 15.

1. Recycling.  In some states you can earn money by recycling.  When I lived in California, I would make $20-70 each time I went to the recycling center.  I saved bottles and cans from classmates, grabbed ones I found on the ground, and took the ones from my house. It’s great for the environment, and your wallet.

1. Babysit. If you are good with kids, you could make a killing as a babysitter. You could charge more if you are CPR certified, and if the kids are well-behaved or preoccupied, you could multitask by studying, getting homework done, or working on one of your other side-hustles (*cough* Poshmark *cough*). You would need to make sure and find out about any allergies, what they are and are not allowed to do, what time bedtime is, and any other house rules.  Always make sure the house is picked up when the parents return home (unless it was trashed before you got there), and don’t ever go into areas of the home that do not pertain to your job at hand. 

1. Start a YouTube channel.  This one is getting big.  You won’t make a lot of money right off the bat, but once you hit 1,000 subscribers you could start monetizing (making money from ads). Come up with a niche, whether it be makeup, reviews, lessons in a particular subject, crafts, hauls, the possibilities are endless really.

1. Start a blog.  Again, this will take a little bit of time, but once you have a successful blog going, you could start earning tons of money! Click the link below to start.

Now that you have a few more ideas on how to make some money as a teen, go out there and hustle, baby! The money is out there waiting for you 🙂