Yahoo Finance 16 Best Side Hustles for Teens To Make Money in 2023
It used to be all but mandatory for teens to get a part-time job while they were in high school or college, but today, thanks largely to the rise of internships and helicopter parenting, it’s more optional. But that doesn’t make it any less important. A bona fide side hustle can not only enable teens to make that sorely needed spending money, it allows them to save for crucial musts like college tuition and build skills and relationships that they can use to beef up their resume.
Read: How To Build Your Savings From Scratch
16 Side Hustles Teens Can Start Today
Rocking a part-time gig is educational. Kids can get a firsthand glimpse at how taxes work and what personal finance management means on a day-to-day level. The money also helps — purchasing clothes, games, Starbucks and more on their own is a great way to inform teens on how much the life they enjoy actually costs.
So, here’s a look at 16 perfect side hustles for teenagers that they can hold down while in school, or better yet, over summer break.
1. App Development for Local Businesses
“Teenagers can use their digital expertise to create straightforward smartphone apps for small local businesses like restaurants or shops,” said Vikas Kaushik, CEO at TechAhead, and an expert in the field of IT. “Features like menu browsing, online ordering or loyalty programs may be available on these apps. It’s a win-win situation because it enables kids to learn practical coding and project management skills while also assisting businesses in attracting more customers.”
2. Barista
“This is a great gig because it usually entails steady hours and in turn, steady hourly pay,” said Vicki Salemi, Monster career expert. “You can develop skills, people skills [and] attention to detail as well as how to prepare beverages which can create the foundation to return to this gig later on such as in college and beyond.”
3. Camp Counselor
“This side gig can be particularly fun if you’ve been a camper previously and now you’re getting paid to have fun at camp and lead activities,” Salemi said. “It’s a great side hustle for teens who are interested in working with groups of kids and have a passion for whatever activities you’re doing. Plus, there are a variety of camps like sports camps, academic camps, wilderness camps and more.”
4. Cashier
“Since this isn’t specific to an industry, there are typically a variety of cashier roles available after school and on weekends for teens from grocery stores to hardware stores to retail,” Salemi said. “It’s a great side hustle because it’s usually consistent hours and pay. You’ll need stamina to work on your feet while you develop strong people skills and knowledge about the store you’re working in and its services/products.”
5. Umpire/Junior Referee
“This could be a super side hustle for someone who loves sports and is knowledgeable about the rules,” Salemi said. “Becoming a junior umpire within a recreation or town league can also be another way to exercise since you typically need to be in good shape to keep up with players on the field or the court. This is also a stepping stone for a career path as a professional referee or umpire so working in this capacity can help develop valuable skills for the long term.”
6. Tutor Older People About Tech
“Teens have grown up with tech and so they’re much more familiar with it than the older generations,” said Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst with DealNews.com. “If they have a lot of patience, they can take it upon themselves to teach older people how to use different technologies. This may be as simple as how to FaceTime someone or how to handle email, but could extend to more complicated topics as well, like PC gaming.”
7. Fast-Food Worker
“Take guests’ orders, answer menu questions, prepare food, stock and store food items, clean and more,” Salemi said. “This could be a great stepping stone into the food industry as well as developing customer service skills and soft skills like developing a strong work ethic, arriving to work on time and having a positive attitude.”
8. Catering
“Part-time roles at a catering hall can be particularly fun with a variety of responsibilities from preparing food to delivering it to serving it,” Salemi said. “Requirements are a passion for food as well as being organized and detail-oriented. Once you connect with a local catering hall for a banquet role, your weekends (and some evenings) may be booked with consistent work.”
9. Outdoor Work
“Whether it’s cutting grass, washing cars, raking leaves, shoveling snow or even helping to garden, these are all great options for teens because they can typically be done on their own time,” Ramhold said. “With the exception of snow shoveling, most of these are probably tasks that can wait until a weekend, for instance. And even snow shoveling may be able to wait, or they can do it early in the morning before school if they’re able.”
10.Get Crafty — Possibly in the Kitchen
“If there’s a hobby they’re into, whether that’s art, crafts or even cooking, there’s a good chance they can turn it into a side gig,” said Ramhold. “It’s important to note that if it’s producing food, you’ll need to pursue the appropriate licensing so be prepared to look into cottage food laws in your state. These are generally good for teens because they can go at their own pace; for instance, they can make art or craft something and then list it online to sell it. If they’re cooking something, they can take preorders for a certain amount of time or amount of product in order to handle only what they can and not overextend themselves.”
11. Put Up Signs for Local Realtors
“These signs can be for sale signs in front of a house as well as signs on busy streets and intersections for open houses,” said Sebastian Jania, owner of Ontario Property Buyers. “This side hustle can pay quite well and teens can develop solid relationships with the realtors that can result in getting a job in the office as well.”
12. Sell Old Clothes
Austyn Malynn, a full-time student and social media intern at Allio Finance, has several side hustles she has experience with and recommends for teens. “First, I sell old clothes online on sites like Depop or Poshmark, and my best tip for you is to make sure to take quality photos,” Malynn said. “Plus if you use Depop shipping, the label is sent to you so all you have to do is post some pics and drop it off at USPS. Easy!”
13. Sell Your Creative Services
“If you have any skills or a creative hobby, look into freelancing,” suggested Malynn. “I started making concert posters and logos for friends at my university, and just by word of mouth alone, mutuals started paying me to design for them. So if you’re a musician, give music lessons. If you’re an artist, sell your designs on Etsy. If you’ve got a camera, start taking photos for events or graduation portraits.”
14. Take On Sitting Jobs
Malynn also suggested babysitting, housesitting and pet sitting as good side hustles for teens. “If you live in a residential area, you’ll definitely be able to find local Facebook groups of moms looking for babysitters or someone to water their plants while they’re on vacation,” she said. “Rover is a great website for pet-sitting. I get paid $20 an hour to push a 13-year-old dog around the neighborhood in a stroller — so trust me, it’s worth looking into.”
15. On-Demand Delivery Driver
“Yes, there’s an app for that and whether you’re delivering coffee or pizza or anything in between, delivery drivers are definitely needed,” Salemi said. “You’ll simply need a driver’s license and a good driving record, but the main reason why this is a great gig for teens is that it’s flexible. If you’re studying for the SATs, you may not have as much time to work and that’s okay; since it’s flexible, you can ramp up your hours when you have more time to work.”
16. Offer Social Media Content Creation Services
A fantastic side hustle for teens could be taking on a social media content creator role,” said Blaire Brown, founder and CEO of Visionary Advantages Brand Lab. “For teens that have an eye for photography and an understanding of trends, they could hit the gold-mine as a side hustle by reaching out to local businesses to see if they need help managing their social platforms. Since most business owners are focusing on what they do best and building sales, they don’t have the time to handle social media. A teen coming by to take photos and create content is not only helpful in their marketing strategy, but it’s also a great opportunity for the teen to make some extra money, gaining valuable work experience, building a portfolio and sparking creativity to think differently.”
FAQ
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding teen side hustles.
How can a 15-year-old make money on the side?
Most U.S. states require teenagers to be at least 16 to drive on their own without an adult in the vehicle, [20] so 15-year-olds could most easily make money on the side by doing things for people in their neighborhood or within walking distance of their home, such as outdoor work, sitting jobs, bagging groceries and giving music lessons from their home.
What side hustles can 17-year-olds do?
17-year-olds are usually able to drive on their own and are of age to be employed in many different areas, including becoming a local delivery driver, an umpire or referee, a camp counselor or a barista.
How can a 14-year-old make extra money?
14-year-olds can make extra money by doing lawn care, babysitting, dog walking, selling old clothes and tutoring.
How can a 16-year-old make money on the side?
16-year-old teens who have completed driver training and earned a license to drive on their own will have more opportunities than 14- or 15-year-olds. [20] Possible side hustles include putting out signs for a local realtor, working in fast food, being a cashier, working as a personal assistant and selling creative services.
Cynthia Measom contributed to the reporting for this article.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 16 Best Side Hustles for Teens To Make Money in 2023
