Enterprising Ways a Teen Can Make Extra Money

If you are a teenager, there will come a time when you need a little bit of cash. Perhaps you want to buy yourself a computer game or some new clothes, want to go out to an event with your friends, or want to start filling a savings account to help pay for university without running up too much debt. How can you start earning money for the things that you need when you are a teen?

Some older teenagers will have a job, but most workplaces will not hire staff unless they are at least 16. This doesn’t help a 13 or 14 year old who wants to make some money of their own! However, there are lots of enterprising opportunities available for a young teenager to start earning money if you put yourself out there!

Here are a few ideas of how teenagers can make some extra money:

Babysitting

If you are responsible and good with children, many parents would be happy for you to take care of their kids while they get some chores done, go to work, or go out to an event. Babysitting usually make at least minimum wage, depending on the particular situation, and all you need to do is have fun with the little ones, help them brush their teeth, read them stories and put them to bed.

To get a babysitting job, post flyers in your local area about your babysitting skills and ask everyone you know to pass on your contact information to parents through word of mouth. Babysitting is lots of fun, and if you are planning on working with children in the future at a nursery or a school, it is great experience.  

House Sitting

When your neighbors go on holiday, they might want someone to feed their pets, take in their mail, water their plants, and check on their house every now and then. You can let people in your neighborhood know that you are available to provide this service, and that they can trust you to provide them with peace of mind.

Dog Walking

Many people own a dog but are sometimes too busy to give it as much exercise as it needs. If you love animals you can offer your services as a dog walker. If you can manage walking several dogs at one time, you can earn quite a bit of money for each walk. Hanging out and playing fetch in the park and going for nice walks on a sunny day is a very fun way to earn some money.

Image by Clara S. via Flickr

Yard Work

Many people just don’t have time to mow their grass, tend to their garden, rake their leaves, or do other garden maintenance. Some people have time, but are not physically able to do the work or don’t enjoy doing it. If you want to make quite a bit of money, you can get your hands dirty making someone’s garden look gorgeous.

If you are a teen who wants to get to work, here are some enterprising ways that you can start earning some money!