How to Make Money as a Teenager: 20 Jobs for 13–18 Year Olds

As a teen, there are undoubtedly things you want to buy that your parents don’t want to cover. The teen years are the perfect time to start working, helping you to gain valuable experience, acquire new skills, and make money in the process.

When you make money as a teenager, you learn how finances work and how to manage your money well. When you know firsthand the amount of work that went into the money for a particular purchase, you can better value which purchases are worth it.

Thankfully, there is no shortage of jobs for 13 to 18 year olds. We’ve outlined 20 ways to make money as a teenager below.

20 Jobs for 13–18 Year Olds

1. Dog walker: This is an easy way to make money in your local neighborhood. If you sign up a few neighbors, you can walk two to three dogs at once, increasing your hourly rate substantially. Just make sure the dogs get along beforehand.
   
   
2. Pet sitter: For smaller pets, like rabbits or even cats, you may only need to check in on them once per day, whereas you’ll probably stay at the house with dogs. In some cases, you may have pets stay at your place. Most pet sitters charge a daily or per-visit rate.
   
   
3. Referee or umpire: Sports leagues for younger kids need officials to call games. If you played soccer, baseball, basketball, or any other sport with a league in your town, you’re likely familiar enough with the rules to officiate.
   
   
4. Landscape worker: Teens mowing lawns is a time-honored tradition. You can step it up a notch and complement lawn-mowing with some other landscaping maintenance, such as trimming bushes, watering plants, and tending to soil.
   
   
5. Car washer: This is another service that might appeal to your direct neighbors. Take your car-washing supplies over to their house, or set up a washing station in front of your parents’ house or apartment building. Don’t forget to address the car’s interior by wiping it down and vacuuming.
   
   
6. Babysitter: If you build a relationship with your neighbor’s kids or the kids of your parents’ friends, the kids will be very excited to have you babysit. Younger teens can start out as “parent helpers,” where they help out the parent with tasks instead of watching the kids on their own. Older teens can even sign up on childcare service sites, like UrbanSitter or Care.com.
   
   
7. Camp counselor: While summer is the time when the demand for camp counselors is highest, camps also take place during other school breaks like winter break and spring break. Full counselors often need to be at least 16 years old, but many camps have counselor-in-training (CIT) programs for younger teens.
   
   
8. Personal assistant: Chances are busy people in your life could use some help. Whether it involves buying gifts online for birthday parties, wrapping presents, filling the car with gas, or doing other miscellaneous errands, a job as a personal assistant can be a pretty good gig. Hourly rates will be higher for older teens who drive.
   
9. Lifeguard: It’s pretty simple to get your lifeguard certification. It generally involves a 1-day course. You’ll also need your CPR certification, which is another 2-hour course. It’s a seasonal job that works well for older teens.
   
   
10. Crafting: If you’re crafty, you can create things and sell them on Etsy. Jewelry, t-shirts, painted picture frames, crocheted scarfs, and personalized printed items can all be sold in an online shop.
    
    
11. Receptionist: Local businesses may need someone to answer phones a few days a week. This job can help to build your communication skills. You’ll just need basic training on the company’s phone system.
    
    
12. Clerical worker: From opening mail and scheduling meetings to filing and data entry, inquire if local businesses need any clerical assistance. This could be an ongoing job or seasonal if they need more help during busier times.
    
    
13. Survey participant: You can get paid to complete surveys. Set up an account with Survey Junkie and earn rewards for completing surveys. You can then cash out your reward points for gift cards or cash.
    
14. Tutor: Help younger children with their schoolwork, helping them to build up their skills. Choose a subject in which you excel, such as math or reading, and advertise your services in local community groups or schools.
    
15. Housecleaner: This is another service you can market to your direct neighbors. Make flyers and give them out to all houses on your street, or if you live in an apartment building, place them in the lobby. You can often make $50 to $100 in a few hours.
    
    
16. Social media manager: Chances are you know your way around Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Let your social media skills work for you by helping local businesses with their social media profiles. This will often involve posting regularly and responding to comments.
    
    
17. Blogger: Choose a topic that interests you — like mystery novels, video games, karate, or fashion — and create a blog about it. If you love the topic, writing about it will come easier. Once you build an audience, you can begin to monetize your blog by adding advertising to it.
    
    
18. Retail associate: Work in a local store, selling merchandise and helping customers. Retail jobs make great seasonal jobs for teens since they are short-term positions that stores staff during busy times. Many stores also hire older teens for long-term, part-time positions.
    
    
19. Food service worker: Whether you work at a fast-food restaurant, café, diner, or upscale restaurant, there is no shortage of food service jobs that work for teens. You can take orders, prep food, package the orders, clean, or stock the supply room.
    
    
20. Personal tech support: Younger people just tend to be good at technology. You can make some extra money helping older people in your life with their technology problems. This may involve setting up their new computers, problem-solving issues on their smartphones, or fixing network issues at their homes. Once you help one person successfully, they’ll likely refer you to their friends.

Applying for Jobs

While you may not have direct work experience, highlight some of your skills and strengths on your resume or job application. You can also list notable school achievements and participation in school-based clubs.

Put flyers up in your neighborhood, including in building lobbies or local businesses. Make sure to ask the owner before you leave your flyers there.

You can also post about your services in neighborhood groups, like local Facebook groups or Nextdoor.

Manage Your Money

Once you’re bringing in money, it’s important to learn how to manage it well.  

Current offers a Visa debit card that is designed to help teens learn to manage their finances. Parents can help manage the account, giving them visibility into overall spending and money management while teens learn how to spend and save responsibly.


References

Advice for Teenagers Looking for Summer Jobs. (June 2019). The New York Times.

The Luckiest Workers in America? Teenagers. (May 2021). The New York Times.

Current is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Member FDIC.