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How to make money as a teenager without a job? (upto $100K a year)

How to make money as a teenager without a job

Are you a teenager looking for how to make money as a teenager without a job?

If you’re under the age of 18 and don’t have a job, then this post will help you understand where to find jobs for teens, or how to earn money online.

It will also give tips on what to do when you get your first paycheck!

You’ll want to read this article because it will give you some great ideas on how you can make money as a teen!

So read on and learn more about all the ways you can earn a little bit of extra cash while still being able to keep your parents happy.

Click here now to read our blog post on how to make money as a teenager without a job.

The post includes affiliate links.

Want to make money quickly? Here are a few platforms to earn up to $25 – $50 in a few minutes!

How to make money as a teenager without a job – Online Business

girl sitting on a bed with laptop on the lap and phone in the hand. Blog graphic on How to make money as a teenager without a job
  1. Start Dog Treat Business
  2. Sell Crafts
  3. Sell Photos
  4. Blogging
  5. YouTube
  6. Podcast
  7. Sell your skill
  8. Affiliate Marketing
  9. Sell on Etsy
  10. Sell on eBay
  11. Flip items on eBay
  12. Freelancing

Also read:

how to make money as a teenager without a job – Side Jobs

  1. Walk the dogs
  2. Babysit
  3. Take up odd jobs
  4. Become a tutor
  5. Flip items on eBay
  6. Take up micro jobs
  7. Use freelancing sites

how to make money as a teenager without a job – Other ideas

  1. Sell old stuff
  2. Rent out stuff
  3. Sell snacks at school
  4. Sell other things at school
  5. Sell old video games or board games
  6. Get paid to share the link
  7. Participate in paid focus groups
  8. Enter sweepstakes and contests
  9. Invest the money you already have

How to make money as a teenager without a job – Online Business

Start Dog Treat Business

If you have an interest in baking (well, after watching Kids Baking Championship the other day, I know how wonderful kids can be), start your own dog treat business!

It all starts with purchasing the ingredients, preparing the treats, and packaging it for sale. A good idea would be to print out labels that fit with your brands theme.

This will help brand your company when clients are checking out your website or shopping on Instagram.

So remember – you can either create a simple website to sell your homemade treats or just rely on social media accounts, especially Instagram.

You must remember to have a steady supply of treats so that orders can be fulfilled promptly. However, you don’t want to create an excess amount of inventory since the extras will just go to waste.

After making a sale, send out the product as soon as possible and always maintain good customer service.

This is of course for older teenagers or teenagers who have the help of their guardians.

Steps in short to start your dog treat business:

Step 1: Research your market and what your target audience wants to buy.

Step 2: Finalise your recipe and what you’re going to bake

Step 3: Draw a detailed business plan which includes the place, investment, suppliers for all the ingredients you need to make homemade dog treats, total cost, profit margin etc

Step 4: Finalise branding, packaging and naming your business.

Step 5: Market, Market and Market.

Pay Potential: As a full-time dog treat business operating from your home, you can earn between $5,000 – $8,000 per month

If you are serious about this teen job, you have to (have to!) check this out.

Sell Crafts Online

If you are artsy,  you can sell your crafts online!  It could be anything from a painting to a piece of pottery you made.

Creating the product is only half the battle however since websites like Etsy offer their own space for selling creations.

Pro tip: Take advantage of holidays. For example, make christmas crafts or sell valentine crafts. They always sell like hot cakes.

Once you have decide the crafts you want to sell, your next step would be to advertise your business on social media where you have thousands of potential customers that are looking for new products to buy.

Make sure to take great product photos and write interesting product descriptions (with keywords) to reel in potential buyers.

Pay Potential: Check out Jennifer Maker, a crafts blogger who makes over $200k a month with her business. However, she does not only sell crafts and have a few online businesses. If you are selling only crafts, you can expect to make $1000-3000 a month.

Make money with print on demand business

There are two ways to start your own print on demand business

  • First, start your own brand with your own e-commerce website
  • Second, work with third party companies that pay you royalty for your designs

I recommend you NOT start with the first option. It is always better to use websites that already have an established audience interested in buying print on demand products.

Many websites offer a print-on-demand service where they create custom products for their customers by using your designs. This is a great way to keep costs low while making money.

To get started, you must be at least 18 years of age or older and pass all background checks. You can do so under the supervision of your parents.

Here are some examples of products you could sell:

  • T-shirts
  • Home decor
  • Backpacks/Lunch bags (for school)
  • Greeting cards and calendars (just an example)
  • Mugs and pillows (just an example)

You can learn more about how to make money with on-demand printing business.

Pay Potential: Michael Sek average monthly income from Print on Demand has been between $9,000 – $15,000. This was the third year of the business but you can expect to earn upto $1000-3000 a month in your first year

Sell Photos

Another money-making hobby you could consider is selling photographs. There are many sites that allow you to do this, such as:

  • Shutterstock
  • iStockPhoto
  • Dreamstime

All of these sites are great for selling photos and you get paid every time someone downloads it. So, you could make a lot of money if your photographs are appealing to buyers.

Remember, some of the best-selling photographs are those that are in high demand. Floral, landscape, and cityscape shots are always popular, but you could also photograph people, animals, or office-related things.

Just think about that your photos are special and different from others that are already being sold.

Pay Potential: You can earn approx. $0.30 and $99.50 per sale of a stock photo, but no less than $0.10. 

Blogging

You can start a blog and share your thoughts on any niche topic with the world! Not only is this a great way to express yourself, but you can also make money from it.

Some of the most popular blogging niches are:

  • Personal Finance
  • Parenting
  • Cooking
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Saving Money
  • Debt
  • Retirement
  • Decor
  • Crafts etc

There are a lot of blogging platforms out there, but I recommend only WordPress. When your blog gets enough traffic, then monetize through advertising or affiliate marketing programs. This way, you can make a steady income from your blog.

Later in your blogging journey, you can also pick up sponsorship deals.

To better understand how to monetise a blog:

Ads – Ads  are shown on your blog, and you make money every time someone clicks on it. Find out alternatives to Adsense that pay well for ads

Affiliate marketing – Affiliate marketing is when you recommend other people’s products in exchange for a percentage of the sale. Check this out to learn how to go about affiliate marketing that reaps money

Email marketing – This form of monetisation involves building your own email list and then sending them targeted emails about related topics or products. Check out this free course on how to create an attractive lead magnet

Pay Potential: With an average of 30-50k sessions a month to your blog, you can expect to make $1000 each and every month with just ads. You can expect to make about $1000 more in affiliates as well.

Ready Set Blog for traffic  It is an EXTREMELY underpriced course on how to make money with a blog for beginners. It tells you how to set up your blog, use Pinterest and implement SEO strategies. Using her tips, I have been able to rank on page 1 of Google. You can read my first income report here.

Also read: Write For A Digital Nomad Blog: Why, What & How?

YouTube

If you’re a teenager who loves making videos, then why not start a YouTube channel? Not only is it a great way to share your talent with the world, but you can also make money from it.

You can start a niche channel on anything you are good at – such as – game reviews, gaming, entertainment, cooking, fashion etc.

There are a few ways to make money from YouTube:

  • Advertising with YouTube Partner Program (YPP)
  • Sponsorship deals with your favourite brands
  • Product Placement
  • Affiliate Marketing

All of these methods are great, but advertising is the most common way to make money in the start.

Pay Potential: According to Wionews, the highest-paid YouTuber of the year is a nine-year-old boy – Ryan Kaji, who made nearly $30 million in a year by making unboxing videos of toys.

Top teen youtubers

Name of the YouTuberChannel nameEarnings
VanossGaming (Evan Fong)VanossGaming$11.5 mn
Daniel MiddletonDanTDM$12 million
Mark FischbachMarkiplier$13 million 
Anastasia Radzinskaya
Like Nastya$18 million

Podcasting

So, you love talking about your niche topic?

Well, why not start a podcast where you share your thoughts on episodes? It’s an easier way to get started than YouTube since all you need is a good microphone.

Since the barrier of entry is low, there are more podcasts out there. This means it’ll be a little harder to make money from it, but it’s not impossible.

You could sell sponsorships, advertise on your website or through the podcast itself, or even have listeners donate to your show. Just like blogging, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to making a successful podcast.

But if you’re willing to put in the effort, then you’ll be rewarded in the end.

Pay Potential: For about 10,000 downloads per podcast episode, you can make approx. $500 – $900 per episode in affiliate sales.

Sell your skill

Do you have a special talent that others would be willing to pay for?

Perhaps you’re amazing at painting, drawing, or writing. Sell your skills to people who are in need of them!

There are many websites that allow you to do this, such as Skillshare, Udemy and Coursera.

You can also reach out to your friends, relatives, and neighborhood.  Who knows, you may be able to start a small business out of it!

Pay Potential: Anywhere from $500-5000 a month and up.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a great way for teens to make money. It’s simple – you promote other people’s products and services in exchange for a commission on any sales that you generate.

There are a lot of programs out there, but I recommend Amazon Associates. It’s one of the largest affiliate networks and it’s free to join.

Once you’re approved, you can start promoting products on your website, social media channels, or even in your emails. When someone buys the product that you’ve recommended, you’ll earn a commission.

It’s a great way to make money and doesn’t require a lot of upfront investment.

Pay Potential: You can make over $500-15000 in affiliate commission depending on how you monetise different platforms.

Affiliate marketing is when you recommend other people’s products in exchange for a percentage of the sale. Check this out to learn how to go about affiliate marketing that reaps money

Sell on Etsy

If you’re creative and love making things, then selling on Etsy may be a great option for you!

Etsy is a website where people can buy and sell handmade or vintage items. It’s a great place to sell your crafts, artwork, jewellery, and more. In fact, you can find 10+ best items to sell on Etsy.

There is a registration fee of $0.20 USD with a 3.5% + 0.25 USD fee when someone buys your product. You can learn how to sell on Etsy here but if you want to get into online selling, you should check this out these best Etsy business ideas.

Pay Potential: Some of the top earning Etsy shops are CaitlynMinimalist with 80k sales, YourWeddingPlace with over 43k sales and Keptsake with 52k sales in the last 30 days.

Sell on eBay

eBay is one of the largest online marketplaces out there, so why not sell on it?

Just like Etsy, you’ll need to register for a sellers account. You can sell anything on eBay – from clothes and accessories to electronics and furniture.

It’s a great way to make some extra money, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.

Pay Potential: Melissa and Rob have been selling tems on eBay for last few years and make over $133k a year

Check out this free workshop on flipping to start smart and make money from the first project

Flip items on eBay

Flipping items on eBay and Amazon is a great way to make money as a teenager. It’s simple – you find cheap items online or offline, and then sell them for a profit on one of these marketplaces.

For example, you could find a pair of shoes for $10 online, and then sell it for $30 on eBay.

This method (also known as thrift store flipping) typically requires a lot of upfront investment, but it can be really lucrative if done correctly.

Pay Potential: Melissa and Rob have been flipping items on eBay for last few years and make over $133k a year

Check out this free workshop on flipping to start smart and make money from the first project

Freelancing

Freelancing is a great way for teens to make money. It’s simple – you offer your services to others, and they pay you for it.

There are a lot of different services that you can offer, such as writing, graphic design, programming, and more. 

The best part about freelancing is that you can find your own clients. There’s no need to go through an agency or middleman.

You can also work from home, which is a big plus.

Pay Potential:

  • Holly Johnson, a popular freelance writer, who writes for known publications makes over $200k a year. She recently launched a course where she spilled all her secrets of making money.

  • Caitlin Pyle, a popular proofreader, is known to earn $40k a year working as a proofreader part-time and have taught over 12k students make a full time living out of it.

  • Janet Shaughnessy, a highly-acclaimed transcriber with more than 10 years of professional experience, recently launched her free mini transcription course to help people learn the basics of transcription.

Check out this free workshop on freelancing

Become a social media influencer

Do you have a lot of followers on social media? If so, you could make money by becoming a social media influencer.

Social media influencers are people who have a large following on social media, and companies will pay them to promote their products and services.

You could make money by promoting products on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook.

The best part is that you don’t need any prior experience or skills.

All you need is a large following and the willingness to promote other people’s products.

Pay Potential: As a social media influencer, you can easily earn over $2000 a month with brand deals.

how to make money as a teenager without a job – Side Jobs

Walk the dogs

If you’re looking for a side job that doesn’t require a lot of work, then walking dogs may be a good option for you.

There are a lot of people who are looking for someone to walk their dog, and it’s a great way to make some extra money. You could charge per hour, or offer a package deal for a certain number of walks per week.

You can try and check:

  • Pawshake
  • Rover 
  • WagWalking
  • Fetch Pet Care
  • The Spruce Pets 

Pay Potential: According to Wag, the average pay for an hour is $24 an hour.

Pet sitting

Another option is pet sitting. This is similar to walking dogs, but you’ll be taking care of the animals while their owners are away.

You can charge by the hour or by the day, and you may be able to find clients through word-of-mouth or online.

Pay Potential: The average pay (at the lower end) is $75 a day to keep the pets.

Deliver food

If you’re looking for a job that require you to leave your house, then delivering food may be a good option for you.

There are a number of services that allow you to do this, such as DoorDash and UberEATS.

You can deliver food from restaurants in your area, and you’ll get paid for it. That said, you should be old enough to be able to work with these platforms.

Pay Potential: The average pay for food delivery is about $12-15 an hour.

Tutor students

If you’re good at a particular subject, then you could tutor students and make money from it. There are a number of services out there that allow you to do this, such as VIPkid and Chegg.

You can set your own rates, and you may be able to find students through word-of-mouth or online.

Pay Potential: The average pay for tutoring is $20+/hr.

Babysit

Another option is babysitting. This is a great way to make money, and you can often find clients through word-of-mouth.

You can charge by the hour, or offer a package deal for a certain number of hours per week.

You can find babysitting jobs on:

Care:

Care.com is one of the leading sites that offer legitimate caregiving jobs and babysitter jobs.

There are many kinds of caregiving options available like pet sitting, babysitting, elderly sitting, daycare services, home cleaning, and so on.

You will need to create an account and submit all your details before accepting a job.

Sitter City:

On Sitter City, you can earn by working as a night babysitter, after-school sitter, new mother’s helper, daytime babysitters, last-minute sitters, and so on.

They offer weekend babysitting jobs, part-time and full-time babysitter jobs that pay up to $15 an hour.

You need to create a free account with a complete profile before applying for the job.

You can earn by working as a night babysitter, after-school sitter, new mother’s helper, daytime babysitters, last-minute sitters, and so on.

Pay Potential: The average pay for babysitting is $10-15/hr

Take up odd jobs

If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money, then you could take up odd jobs.

There are a number of websites that allow you to do this, such as Fiverr, UpWork,  Craigslist, and TaskRabbit.

You can offer any of the following or more services:

  • Mowing lawns, 
  • cleaning houses, 
  • Yard work,
  • help with grocery shopping, 
  • dropping off, or
  • picking up dry cleaning

Pay Potential: By taking up odd jobs regularly, you can make approx. $500-1000 a month.

Take up micro jobs

Another option is taking up micro-jobs. You can find these online, like on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk – you’ll receive instructions on what to do, and you get paid for it.

These typically pay less but they don’t require much time.

It’s a great way to make some extra cash without committing too much time or effort into it.

You can also find other similar websites like Amazon mTurk.

Pay Potential: You can earn $10 to $15/hour on average.

Use freelancing sites to find jobs

You can also make money by using freelancing sites like Upwork and Fiverr. With these sites, clients post projects that you could bid on.

Then, if you win the project, you’ll get paid for completing it within a certain timeframe. With these platforms, there’s no need to set up your own website or deal with client acquisition.

You just need to create an account and then wait until someone posts a job that fits your skill set and interests – then you can apply and get paid once the project is done!

Pay Potential: You can earn $10 to $35/hour on average depending on your skills.

Check out this free workshop on freelancing

how to make money as a teenager without a job – Other ideas

Sell old stuff

If you have old or used items that you don’t need anymore, then one option is to sell them.

You can use sites like Craigslist and Offerup to do this. You’ll get more money if you’re selling top products, such as iPhones and high-end clothes.

If you were to sell old clothes, you can also use

  • The popularity of Depop has grown dramatically due to its ability to sell second-hand clothing. You must be at least 18 years old to create a Depop account, but you may do so while under parental supervision. 
  • Decluttr is another popular platform to sell second-hand cell phones, CDs/DVDs, gaming tech, Lego, and books.

Pay Potential: You can earn $100-500 depending on the old things you have to sell.

Rent out stuff

Another option is to rent out your own stuff that you don’t use anymore.

You could do this with a range of things, including:

  • Books 
  • Video games
  • Sports equipment 
  • Workout equipment 

Pay Potential: You can earn $100-500 depending on the kind of items you have to rent out.

Sell snacks at school

If you’re looking for a way to make some money in school, then selling snacks is a great option.

You could sell things like candy, chips, or drinks.

Just make sure that you’re following any school rules and regulations when it comes to selling food.

Pay Potential: You can earn $100+ depending on what you’re selling

Participate in paid surveys

Another option is to participate in paid surveys. This is a great way to make money, as you can do it from the comfort of your own home.

There are a number of websites that allow you to do this, such as Survey Junkie and Swagbucks.

You’ll typically get paid for each survey that you complete, and the payouts can vary depending on the website.

Sell other things at school

You could also sell other things at school, like tickets to school events, or handmade crafts.

Just make sure that you’re following any school rules and regulations when it comes to selling things.

Pay Potential: You can earn $100+ depending on what you’re selling

Get a part-time job

If you want to make more money and don’t mind leaving your house, then getting a part-time job is a great option.

There are a number of places where you can find part-time jobs, such as:

Retail stores

Malls

Call centers

Car washes

This is just a small list – there are plenty of other places where you can find part-time work. Just do a quick search online or in your

Pay Potential: You can earn $10-17/hr which is the minimum wage.

Sell old video games or board games

If you have old video games or board games that you don’t play anymore, then one option is to sell them.

Sell things at garage sales

Another option is to hold a garage sale, where people can come and buy things from your house.

This is a great way to clear out clutter while also making some extra money.

Get paid to share the referral link

You can make some money by sharing links on social media.

There are a number of websites that will pay you for this, such as Inbox Dollars, Ibotta, Rakuten, etc.

Typically, you’ll get paid per click or per conversion.

Tips for teenage hustlers

A teenager behind a counter working on something. graphic for a blog post on How to make money as a teenager without a job

Here are some tips to keep in mind if you’re looking for ways to make money:

  • Start Now:  Don’t wait until you have a job to start making money. There are a number of ways that you can start making money without a job, so start today!

  • Be Flexible: When it comes to making money, be willing to try new things. If one method doesn’t work, then move on to the next.

  • Think Outside of the Box: Think outside of the box when it comes to making money. There are a number of ways that you can make money, so don’t limit yourself!

  • Be Nice: No matter how much money you’re going to make, being nice is always more important than trying to take shortcuts. Avoid being mean and disrespectful if at all possible.

  • Learn from your mistakes:  Everyone makes mistakes when it comes to making money, so don’t be afraid to learn from your mistakes. This will help you to improve over time!

What can you do with the money:

Save it:  One of the best things you can do with your money is to save it. This will help you to have a cushion in case of tough times in the future.

Invest it: Another option is to invest your money. This can help you to make more money over time and can be a great way to secure your financial future.

Use it to buy things you need: You can also use your money to buy things that you need, such as food, clothes, or school supplies.

Use it to have fun: Finally, you can also use your money to have some fun! This could include going out with friends, traveling, or buying something that you’ve always wanted.

FAQ’s How to make money as a teenager without a job

How can a teenager make $1000?

The best ways a teenager can make $1000 is with business ideas we have shared uptop. So your options to make money as a teen include

  • Blogging
  • YouTube
  • Flipping
  • Podcast
  • Freelancing
  • Selling on Etsy or eBay
  • Affiliate Marketing
  • Social Media Influencer

How can a 17 year old make money without a job?

The blog posts lists all the ways a 17 year old make money without a job

how can i make money at 15 without a job?

There are tonnes of ways a 15 year old teen can make money without a job. Check this out

Blog Post Conclusion: How to make money as a teenager without a job

In this post, we discussed how you can make money if you don’t have a job.

If none of these options sound like the right fit for your needs, there are always other ways to earn some extra cash. For example, consider signing up for online surveys or focus groups that pay $50+.

You could also sell unwanted clothes and books on eBay or Craigslist respectively.

Finally, one option is to work part-time at home as an independent contractor–just be sure to set clear boundaries with parents about what hours are available so they understand.

Remember that having fun while making money should never feel like drudgery; it’s just common sense. Ready to make money as a teenager without a job?

How to make money as a teenager without a job