The job market might be hard to deal with, especially when you’re a teenager, but, with a little determination, you can find a handful of ways to make some money. In addition to looking into your options with employers who hire teens, you should consider the opportunity to provide services on your own. No matter if you want a basic summer lifeguard job or to start your own business, explore your options in advance to find something you’ll love.
1. Babysitting
It’s one of the most common teen gigs. And rightfully so: it doesn’t require spending anything and you also help someone from your community. It’s the best option for those who are responsible and like children. Ask people with young children if they need help with their kids.
It’s a good idea to get a CPR certificate and to take basic first aid classes – this will make your employers feel more confident. Try looking for such courses in a local community center, hospitals, or Red Cross chapters. Usually, you can learn there for free or at discounted rates.
If you don’t have any experience in this field and your new clients are worrying, ask them if you can have a probation period – play with their kids when a parent is at home.
2. Do yard work
Usually, people are too busy to care about yard maintenance, but no one wants their homes to look or neglected. These people are happy to hand this work to someone else (and pay for it). The work typically includes mowing the lawn, raking leaves, trimming hedges, and so on. First, ask your family and friends, and then post some signs around the neighborhood if necessary. During winter, you can shovel sidewalks and driveways.
3. Do household chores
You’re a part of the family, so it’s only natural that you pitch in to do the chores, but you can also ask your parents to give you additional responsibilities around the house for a reasonable fee. Your parents probably have a lot of tasks and worries, and that’s why they’d appreciate your help. Negotiate your salary; you can ask half of what is paid to a professional cleaner. We’d advise you to base the rates on performance: this not only gives you the motivation to work better, but also teaches you work ethic.
4. Help an elderly person
Some senior citizens have health-related issues that fervent them from doing basic daily tasks. If you know some elderly people who live nearby, ask them if you can help them with things like getting groceries or moving furniture. It’s important to be clear about money, otherwise, they can think that you’re doing it only out of kindness. Your grandparents can help you build a client base (and also have the awkward money talk for you).
5. Walk dogs
It’s very enjoyable for most people to walk their dogs, but they’re often busy and tired. At the same time, their dogs’ welfare is crucial to them, so they don’t mind paying someone for walking their dogs. So, if you’re energetic and love dogs, and use this to earn some cash! Becoming a walker is easy now because of multiple apps for finding a job. Examples of such apps are Wag! and Rover, but you can find a lot more.
6. Be a tutor for your schoolmates
This is a great idea for strong students, but first of all, find out about your school’s rules on paid tutoring. Even If you can’t work or advertise on campus, you can work privately at a public library or at home, for example.
Or try out signing up for online services like WizIQ or Tutor Hub – they connect you to the students in need of a tutor. Some of these services require a high school diploma, but there are more flexible ones as well. Don’t give up even if you’re not a brainiac! If you’re good at playing a musical instrument, sport, or even a hobby, you can still be paid for private lessons.
7. Advertise!
No matter which job you want to do, it’s essential to get the word out if you want to earn money. Try placing a cheap ad in the newspaper or print out some flyers, but the easiest option is to advertise online. Use craigslist.org or even your personal social media page. It’ll surprise you how many people you know need help. And if your service becomes popular, you can create a separate social media account.
