Whether it’s going to school, participating in extracurriculars, or catching up on homework, teenage life can be hectic, leaving almost no time for a job. By finding great side hustles for teens in high school (or in college), it can be possible to earn some extra cash and get ahead while not overworking yourself.
Before, teenagers had to resort to simple jobs, such as flipping burgers, to make extra income. However, with the infinite potential of the internet, teens now have endless opportunities to make money.
39% of people already have a side hustle. If you are a teen and wish to make money, then it is time to consider a side hustle.
In this article, we will go over why teens should have a side hustle, as well as showcase the 15 best side hustles for teens.
Why teens should have a side hustle
In today’s fast-paced world, teens should strive to cultivate a strong work ethic and develop new skills. The most effective way to do so is to have a side hustle, which boasts numerous benefits. These include:
- Learning financial literacy – Side hustles enable teens to get firsthand experience in managing money, handling finances, understanding taxes, risk management, and more. These are all key aspects of financial literacy that can set teens up for financial success in the future.
- Fostering an entrepreneurial mindset – Cultivating an entrepreneur mindset can develop essential habits and teach lessons to teens, such as becoming a problem-solver and embracing failure.
- Earn money (obviously) – The most obvious benefit of teens having a side hustle is that it allows them to earn some extra cash. This income can be used for personal use, investing, and more.
- Learning time-management skills – Balancing school and a side hustle can teach teens how to manage their time effectively.
- Gain valuable work experience – Side hustles offer valuable work experience to teens, teaching them important lessons such as customer service, negotiation, and setting expectations for clients.
The best part? Most of them do not take up much time and are easy to do! Now, let’s look at the best side hustles for teens.
15 best side hustles for teens
Teens can base their side hustle on their skills and interests or can try something new. Here are the 15 best side hustles for teens.
- Become a freelancer
- Deliver food and groceries
- Flip items on an online marketplace
- Become a content creator
- Start tutoring
- Do lawn care
- Create products to sell on Etsy
- Take on sitting jobs
- Become a social media manager
- Become a golf caddy
- Become an umpire/referee
- Clean houses
- Develop a blog
- Become a brand ambassador
- Create an app
1. Become a freelancer
This is the most versatile side hustle for teens, as they can take on a plethora of jobs. These include freelance writing, graphic design, and coding. This can help teens build a portfolio showcasing their work.
Additionally, teens enjoy a flexible schedule, working on their terms and their hours. However, they must remember to ensure quality and performance for their clients and deliver the product or service promptly.
Teens can become a freelancer by taking on jobs around their area, or by using platforms such as Fiverr to connect with others online.
2. Deliver food and groceries
If you are old enough to have a driver’s license, then consider delivering food and/or groceries. This has become a popular and accessible side hustle for teenagers looking to earn some extra income.
Teens participating in this side hustle learn time management, navigation, adapting to new challenges, and establishing relationships with their community.
DoorDash is the most popular food delivery service, offering a chance for teens to earn money through their app. On the other hand, InstaCart allows teens to make money getting groceries for others.
3. Flip items on an online marketplace
Flipping items on an online marketplace, commonly known as reselling, involves buying goods and then selling them for a profit, typically in niche markets.
Teens who delve into reselling gain skills such as market research, sales, as well as marketing and branding. In addition, resellers must also learn how to manage a budget and keep a cash reserve.
The most popular reselling sites are eBay and Poshmark. Items can also be flipped at garage sales, pawn shops, and more.
4. Become a content creator
Content creation allows teens to express their creativity as they can make content on almost anything they want. Teens can choose from a wide array of content creation, ranging from photography to video production and more.
Whether it be starting your own YouTube channel or podcast, content creation has become an extremely popular way to make money. It can be monetized through advertisements, sponsorships, and more.
5. Start tutoring
If you excel in a particular subject, then consider starting tutoring. Tutoring is one of the most popular side hustles and has been around for many years.
Both the tutor and the student benefit from tutoring, as they both learn from each other and master their skills or knowledge on a subject. Additionally, tutoring can count as community service, which can be useful on job or college applications.
Prospective tutors can work with a local tutoring studio, meet with their clients in person, or schedule online sessions through Zoom.
6. Do lawn care
Lawn care is a staple and presents an opportunity for teens to earn some cash outdoors. This side hustle will require some startup costs, as you will need to have the necessary equipment.
Lawn care often includes mowing lawns, laying mulch, and other basic maintenance. Teens can offer a variety of services, and up-charge other services as well.
This side hustle mainly takes place in the teen’s area, typically their neighborhood.
7. Create products to sell on Etsy
Etsy has become one of the most popular online marketplaces with 95 million active buyers. Teens can seize this opportunity to sell their products on the site, which can include handcrafted products and printables.
Teens can leverage their artistic talents to create enticing products to sell for a profit. Additionally, they learn the basics of e-commerce and how to create a digital storefront.
Etsy states that you must be over 18 to own an account. Therefore, this side hustle should be taken on with a parent or guardian.
8. Take on sitting jobs
Babysitting, housesitting, and petsitting. These are types of sitting jobs which require the individual to watch over and ensure the safety of the designated place or object.
This side hustle teaches responsibility, care and safety, as well as attention to detail. These types of jobs typically take place on an in-person clientele basis, which can be set up through established relationships and client outreach.
9. Become a social media manager
Most businesses aim to cater to the teenage demographic. What better way to do so than to hire a teenager to become their social media manager?
As a social media manager, you will developing strategies to increase brand awareness and customers, oversee social campaigns, produce content, and review and interpret analytics. This helps to learn the basics of digital marketing, a useful skill in today’s digital age.
This job is typically acquired through an internship, and can be found on job search sites such as LinkedIn.
10. Become a golf caddy
If you love golf, or maybe the outdoors, then becoming a golf caddy is a perfect side hustle for you. Golf caddies’ responsibilities include managing the golfer’s clubs, keeping equipment clean, making suggestions, and more.
As a caddy, teens learn patience, etiquette, and communication skills. Also, caddies get physical exercise and establish meaningful relationships with (potentially prominent) people.
Golf caddies are typically paid with an hourly wage as well as tips from the golfer(s). Caddy positions can be found online or through your local golf course.
11. Become an umpire/referee
Those with a passion for sports, and are knowledgable in a particular sport, can turn to refereeing (or umpiring). This side hustle offers a chance for teens to ensure fairness of the sport and an overall good time for those involved.
Refereeing develops essential skills such as integrity and decision-making. Similar to being a caddy, this also encourages teens to exercise as they will have to keep up with the game.
Meet with a local school or league to see if there are opportunities to become an umpire or referee.
12. Clean houses
Home owners typically do not have the time to keep up with the maintenance of their homes. Thus, they hire other individuals to ensure the cleanliness of the homes. Like lawn care, this side hustle requires some initial startup costs as you will need to purchase proper equipment.
Common tasks include trash pickup, window cleaning, vacuuming and mopping, as well as wiping down surfaces. If done right, this can be a very lucrative side hustle for teens.
This side hustle typically utilizes word-of-mouth to acquire new clients. In addition, job sites give various opportunities to individuals looking in this niche.
13. Develop a blog
In 2022, there were over 600 million blogs on the internet. As seen by this number, blogging is one of the most popular ways to make money online. It involves writing about a certain topic (or topics) in the form of blog posts that are published online.
Blogging typically requires web development, web design, and writing skills. If learned, these can be extremely useful skills that are appealing to employers.
Bloggers are rewarded with profits from advertisements, affiliate programs, and digital products.
14. Become a brand ambassador
As a brand ambassador, you are in charge of promoting a brand’s products and services. You are typically chosen if you are an influencer who has amassed a following online.
Brand ambassadors are able to share their enthusiasm and passion for a particular brand or topic. Additionally, it helps them to demonstrate professionalism and build a network.
15. Create an app
If you are skilled at coding or app development, then this can be a very lucrative side hustle that has great potential. Creating an app requires a unique idea, complete coordination, and proper development.
To stand out among the millions of apps on mobile devices, you must solve the consumer’s problem and engage them effectively. It can either be something entirely new or upgrade an existing idea.
You can choose to create an app on iOS or Android, which are the two leading mobile companies. Apps can be monetized through various methods, such as an upfront fee, subscriptions, or in-app purchases.
Teens can use this list to start their own side hustle or as inspiration for another side hustle. Whatever you choose, make sure that it works for your schedule and interests.
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