Looking for some ideas on how to make money as a kid? Believe it or not, there are dozens of ways kids can earn money of their own.
Kids or teens who earn their own cash can use that money to save for college, for their first car, or for any other money goal they might have.
If you work hard enough at these or other ideas, you might be able to make $1,000 or more in no time. To help you find the best way to make money for you, I have divided this article into four different categories:
- Making money online
- Working with your hands
- Providing a service
- Selling stuff
Use one or more of these ideas to earn cash for all of your financial goals.
Ways Kids Can Make Money Online
You’ve got lots of options if you’re a kid who wants to make money online. Here are some of our favorites.
1. Retail Arbitrage
Retail arbitrage is the practice of buying stuff for cheap and then selling it for a higher price. As a kid, there are lots of ways you can find stuff to buy for cheap and sell for more:
- Find stuff on Craigslist (check out the free section)
- Get stuff at garage sales (and make a lower offer if you can)
- Look for stuff on Facebook Marketplace
- Ask family members for items they don’t want that you can sell
After you find the items you want to sell, you can list them for sale on a site like Craigslist. Be sure to have a parent or guardian along when you find a buyer for an item.
2. Selling Crafts or Craft Supplies
Sites such as Etsy let you sell crafts you make on your own, vintage items (anything over 20 years old) or craft supplies such as beads, yarn, etc.
If you have a talent for knitting or making some other kind of craft, you can sell what you make. You can also search garage sales for vintage items and then resell them on Etsy.
Some people sell printable pictures on Etsy, too. Another option is to sell some type of craft supply on Etsy. Check out the Etsy website for ideas on what you could sell.
3. Taking Surveys
Have you heard of sites such as Swagbucks? Swagbucks allows kids as young as 13 to get paid for taking surveys and other tasks. Each time you take a survey through Swagbucks, Swagbucks will reward you with points.
Then, you can use your points to get PayPal cash or gift cards from your favorite stores and restaurants. You can also earn Swagbucks points by playing games, searching the net, and shopping online.
4. Be a Social Media Influencer
Kids of any age can become money-making social media influencers if they’ve got the right stuff.
Followers are important: People can start making money on Instagram when they have as little as 1,000 followers.
You can make money with affiliate links for products or services that you share on your account.
Or you can make money by working with brand names. Some influencers make money on Instagram and other sites by partnering with specific brands.
Other social media influencers make money by sharing makeup or fashion tips, exercise videos, and more, and then linking to those products with affiliate links.
If you’ve got an engaging personality and have valuable or fun information to share, this could be your path to earning your own cash.
5. Use Your Graphic Design Skills
Do you have a gift for thinking up great t-shirt design ideas? Websites like CafePress and Redbubble will let you submit designs for t-shirts and other items.
Then, they’ll sell those designs on shirts, coffee mugs, and other items. They take care of production, shipping, and customer service.
All you have to do is upload your great designs and then market them on social media.
6. Start a Blog
Did you know it only takes about ten minutes to get a blog started and running? With your parents’ permission, you could start your own blog and make money online.
If you have knowledgeable ideas or opinions to share or an idea to help create a community of people who want to learn or share, starting a blog might be a good way to go.
For instance, you could start a blog and talk about:
- The latest fashion or music trends
- “How to” stuff, such as studying or creating something
- An advice blog
- A blog sharing what you know about a particular subject
Or other ideas. Then, you can work on growing your blog’s audience and earning money via advertising and affiliate links to products and services.
If this sounds appealing to you, come up with some ideas and talk to your parents.
7. Work on Fiverr
Fiverr is a website where people offer services for $5 or more. If you have some creative talents, you might be able to earn some money on Fiverr.
Services people offer on Fiverr include:
- Singing or writing songs
- Writing poems
- Drawing animals, pets, or people
- Creating logo designs
And other services. If you have talents or skills that could fit into the Fiverr community, talk with your parents about creating your own Fiverr profile.
8. Sell Your Photos
Did you know that you can make money as a kid by selling your photos? Sites such as Shutterstock advertise photos that companies can use for their websites.
If you upload a photo to the site and a user purchases the rights to use it, you’ll earn a small commission. The more photos you upload, the more chances you have to earn cash.
The most popular stock photos depict people doing normal, everyday things.
For instance, you could take a picture of your family playing a game or having a picnic.
9. Start a YouTube Channel
You can also start a YouTube channel to make money as a kid. For instance, 7-year-old Ryan makes millions from YouTube by publishing his toy reviews.
When you have a YouTube channel and a lot of viewers/subscribers, companies will pay you to play ads on your videos. The more subscribers you have, the more money you can earn.
If you have great information to share–or if you have the ability to make people laugh, this might be a great way for you to earn some cash.
10. Create a Course
Do you have a skill or talent that you can teach others? Why not share your wisdom on Udemy? Udemy helps you create and sell courses to earn money.
You can create courses on music, academics, health & fitness, and more. When you finish your course, you can market it to get sales. Then, you’ll earn a commission for each sale.
Next, let’s talk about ways to make money working with your hands.
Work With Your Hands
There are several ways you can earn some cash if you’re willing to put in some physical work. Here are some ideas.
11. Painting
This is something I did as a kid. My mom and I worked together to paint apartments for a small rental property company. I had to work hard to learn to paint neatly.
But once I did, we made some pretty good cash. He paid us each $10 an hour, and that was a lot of money at my age!
You could offer to paint interiors or exteriors of homes if you are good at painting. Or you could advertise in your neighborhood to paint wood fences.
12. Do Miscellaneous Tasks
Another way to make money with your hands is to offer to do miscellaneous tasks for family members, friends, and neighbors.
You might find a customer who needs help with fixing a leaky faucet or maybe someone needs help hanging pictures. Advertise your services by delivering flyers to neighbors and see what kind of offers you get.
13. Recycle Aluminum
Recycling aluminum is another way to make money. You could collect your own soda cans and ask neighbors if you can have theirs as well.
You’d need a parent’s help to deliver the aluminum to the recycling center. However, if you could collect enough, you could make a decent amount of cash in just one day.
14. Work as a Farmhand
If you live in or near a rural area, you could try working as a farmhand.
Farmhands do a variety of tasks such as:
- Feeding farm animals
- Clean up after animals
- Plant and maintain crops
- Miscellaneous farm chores
This is a dirty job–wear your worst jeans and prepare to work hard!
15. Clean Campers
Every Sunday afternoon, campers everywhere come home after a fun weekend of camping. And they bring dirty campers with them.
If you have neighbors with campers, you could offer to clean, wipe down and vacuum the interior of the camper for them.
16. Do Yard Work
How about offering to do yard work for neighbors? You could help them by mowing lawns, raking leaves, shoveling snow, and more.
You could even weed their gardens or trim bushes in the yard. Be sure to have some tools for doing yard work, or ask people if you can use theirs.
17. Water Plants
Another idea is to offer to water peoples’ plants while they’re away for work or vacation. You’d just get a key to their house and water their plants on a schedule they provide for you.
18. Wash Cars
How about starting a mobile car washing business? You could bring your soap, bucket, rags, and window cleaner and use the customer’s hose and water.
Bring a hand-held vacuum if you have one. Earn extra money by offering to wash bikes too. Make sure to do the insides of cars first and then wash the outside.
That way, you won’t track water into the interior.
Provide A Service as A Kid
Another way you can make money if you’re a kid is to provide a service. Here are some ideas for services you can provide.
19. Hold a Day Camp for Kids
In summertime or on spring or winter break, parents are often looking for something for their younger kids to do while they’re at work.
You could offer to hold a day camp for one day or more during the week.
Some ideas to entertain the kids:
- Art projects
- Outdoor games
- Indoor games
- Watching a movie
- Craft projects
- Science experiments
And more. Keep kids entertained with fun stuff to do and give parents peace of mind.
20. Have an Outdoor Movie Night
How about holding an outdoor movie night? If you have a projector and a large white sheet or cloth, you can show movies to neighbor kids.
Sell popcorn, soda and snacks to make even more income.
21. Babysitting
If you like taking care of kids, you could provide services as a babysitter. Babysitters often get $10 or more per hour for babysitting.
Advertise to neighbors, family members, and friends.
22. Dog Walking
Dog walking is another way to make money as a kid. You can walk several dogs together or walk one at a time–whatever each dog owner prefers.
23. Pet Sitting
Pet owners often need people to care for their pets while they’re away at work or on vacation.
Depending on the type of pet, you might be able to stop into the owner’s house once or twice a day or you might have to be there more often.
Sometimes pet owners might want you to take a pet into your home for continued care. Ask your parents for permission before agreeing to this.
24. Dog Washing
Having a mobile dog washing business is another way to make money. Carry cleaning supplies in a bucket and visit neighbors, offering to wash their dogs with their hoses and water.
25. Mother’s Helper
A mother’s helper does miscellaneous tasks for moms while they’re at home with their kids. You might be asked to clean, fold laundry, or do other tasks like read to the kids.
If you like helping people, this could be a good option for you.
26. Rent Out Your Stuff
Do you have toys or other gadgets you can rent out? Maybe you can rent out video games you own, or rent out your sporting equipment.
Spread the word to family, friends, and neighbors to make some extra cash.
27. House Cleaning
Are you good at cleaning? Many people need help cleaning their homes. You can offer to do weekly cleaning tasks for them or one-time bigger cleaning tasks.
28. Home Organization
Maybe you’re good at organization. Offer to help people organize areas like specific rooms or the basement or garage in their house.
29. Errand Runner
An errand runner helps people with a variety of errands.
You could help people with errands such as:
- Going to the grocery store
- Delivering mail to the post office
- Dropping stuff off at a nearby business or home
You could check with local businesses about running errands for them as well. Smaller businesses might be able to use your help.
30. Tutor Kids
Are you good at specific subjects in school? If so, you could earn money working as a tutor. Advertise at schools or in your neighborhood to offer tutoring services in math, reading, or other subjects.
This could be a good way to make money if you like teaching others and are patient, and are good at particular school subjects.
31. Computer/Social Media Account Setup
Are you good at tech stuff? You could advertise to help older people with computer tasks.
Maybe you could offer to help them set up their computers or do minor repairs or upgrades to their computers.
Or you could help them set up social media accounts and learn how to use them.
Items Kids Can Sell to Make Money
If you can think of items you might want to sell to make money, you can use that idea for extra income.
32. Sell Baked Goods
Do you like to bake? How about selling baked goods? You could sell near fairs during county fair time, sell to your neighbors and friends, or sell while your parents are holding a garage sale.
33. Sell at the Farmers Market
Another idea is to sell stuff at your local farmers market with your parents’ help. You could sell vegetables or fruits you grow at home. Or you could sell eggs if you have chickens.
You could even make your own jam, honey, or other food to sell there. Maybe even sell your baked goods at the farmers market.
34. Have a Garage Sale
How about having a garage sale? Offer to help your parents declutter the house and garage if you can take the unwanted stuff and have a garage sale with it.
35. Lemonade Stand
And there’s always the good old-fashioned lemonade stand. Set one up in your front yard or at a busy park and sell lemonade, soda, bottled water, and more.
Summary
There are dozens of ways you can make money as a kid. Use your talents and interests to find one or more ways to make money.
Have you ever tried any of these ideas to make money as a kid? If so, what was your experience? Feel free to share in the comments section.
Brian is a Dad, husband, and an IT professional by trade. A Personal Finance Blogger since 2013. Who, with his family, has successfully paid off over $100K worth of consumer debt. Now that Brian is debt-free, his mission is to help his three children prepare for their financial lives and educate others to achieved financial success. Brian is involved in his local community. As a Financial Committee Chair with the Board of Education of his local school district, he has helped successfully launch a K-12 financial literacy program in a six thousand student district.
