Kids today have more options than ever to earn money starting at a young age. Thanks to technology, it is easier than ever to earn money, even from the comfort of your couch. This also increases income potential for kids as well, which makes it even more enticing. There are also still ways that kids from generations past by doing chores, recycling, among other ways to make some extra cash too.

1. Swagbucks

Now getting into more of the digital ways that kids can make money, let me introduce you to Swagbucks. When you play games or watch videos on Swagbucks, you can earn points that you are redeemable for cash or gift cards. The app offers a search function that allows you to earn points every time you do an online search, so it can be an easy way to make some extra cash while watching tv. The minimum age for Swagbucks is 13.

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2. Be a Helping Hand

If your child isn’t old enough to babysit quite yet, or maybe doesn’t want to babysit to make money, you can offer to be a helping hand for the parents instead. By being a helping hand, you can play with kids while the parents make dinner, need to work at home, or just need to do chores around the house. This can be a huge help for parents who have multiple littell runs running around but still need to get things done. Even if it’s just a few hours a week, being a helping hand for a family with a few little kids can be a great way to earn some extra cash.

3. House Sit for Neighbors

If you have neighbors or family friends that are going on a vacation, you can always offer to help them by house sitting while they are away. House sitting duties can include a number of things, like picking up mail, putting out the trash, or feeding the family pets. Sometimes it’s as easy as just stopping by once or twice a day to make sure nothing has gone wrong in their absence.

4. Water Plants

Watering plants for elderly people who live near you is a great way for kids to make some extra money. It’s quick, easy, and helps teach responsibility. This can help neighbors save time, especially if they work odd hours or a nighttime shift.

5. Walking Pets

Walking pets can be another way for younger kids to earn some money. If your neighbors get home from work late, you can always stop by after you get out of school or anytime during the summer and take them out for a walk. Another way to take pet care one step further is to feed any pets that they might have, like cats or birds. Since people see animals as an extension of their family, so they’re willing to pay to make sure they stay taken care of.

6. Recycle Cans

Recycling can be a great way to earn extra money. Just by separating out recyclables out of the normal trash, kids can make some extra cash. Things like plastic, glass, and aluminum cans can really add up when they’re taken to a recycle business, where the will pay you by the weight of the amount of recyclables you bring. Just make sure to wear old clothes, as this can get sticky in a hurry.

7. Babysitting

Babysitting another classic and is one of the best ways for older kids to make money. If you’re old enough, responsible, and don’t mind watching kids, then it’s time for you to make money babysitting. One of the nice things about babysitting is that you can do it year-round, so there isn’t any time of the year where you don’t have the potential to be earning money.  It’s definitely recommended that you learn some basics when it comes to emergency situations, such as knowing CPR. You can always take a class that offers things like this, and it can be another selling point for parents if you’re just getting started.

8. Cash Wash

Washing cars can be something that a lot of adults should do more and don’t do nearly enough. By offering to wash someone’s car a few times a month, you can make some extra cash for one or a few days of work in a month. You can also sell this business idea to potential customers by explaining that a simple car washes a few times a month can help preserve the shine and resale value if they would sell or trade it in the future. All you need to get started is a few buckets, some car wash soap, a few microfiber towels, and a car of course!

9. Mowing Lawns

Mowing lawns is another way to make some good cash while not having to work more than one or two days in a week. The hardest part of this can be getting a mower, but I’m sure if you ask your parents nicely, they’ll let you borrow theirs. This can also become more and more profitable by recruiting some friends to help you cover more ground and splitting the profits between you all.

10. Window Washer

Window washing can be a great way to help around the house and make some money at the same time. Windows can get dirty very quickly and is something that most people prefer to have cleaner and clearer rather than anything else. Cleaning windows is generally a pretty easy job to do but can be dangerous though if the house is two stories or more, so always make sure that you aren’t putting yourself at risk. Always remember to clean the windowsill as well, as these areas can accumulate a lot of dirt!

11. Ask to do More Chores

When all else fails, parents always have something else around the house that you can help out with. This can be one of the easiest ways to earn extra money as a kid. Just talk to your parents and see if you can work out a few extra chores to do for them in exchange for some more money.

This is probably one of the easiest ways to earn money as a kid. Sweeping the garage, doing the laundry, and cleaning the pool are all examples of extra chores you can do. Bottom line, there is plenty to do around the house, so you should have no problem finding more chores to do.

12. Do Yard Work

To take things one step further past doing more chores around the house, you can always offer to help out with yard work as well. Raking, removing weeds, and trimming tree branches are all great options to help out around the yard. If you or someone you know has a big yard, the options can be endless. Since most people have yards, doing yard work can be a great way to earn some money.

13. Have a Garage Sale

While this isn’t something that you can do consistently, having a garage sale can be a great way to declutter the house and make some extra money. Go through your house and gather up things that you and your family don’t use and get them ready to sell. Then with your parents’ help, hold a garage sale. The key to this is making sure you get the word out, so put up signs on all of the busy street corners near your house.

14. Cook Home Meals

If you enjoy cooking, then you can offer to cook meals for people. As an adult, there have been plenty of nights where I don’t feel like cooking after I get home from work. While I sometimes will cave and pick up something on my way home, most of the time I still prefer the home cooked meal. While I do sometimes spend a Sunday afternoon cooking for the week ahead, it would be nice to have some fresh meals and not have to do the cooking. To get started, just find a few meals you can easily prepare well, and then find customers who want a good, home cooked meal.

15. Price Comparison Shopping

This is an idea that is a great way for kids to make money from home. A lot of adults can get pressed for any free time as life happens, and most would prefer to spend what free time they have not having to compare prices for things that they’re looking to buy. This is where you can help. Have someone tell you what they’re looking for, then you go and find the best price. You can compare major retailers online such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, and more places. Once you get the best price, report it back to your customer and get paid.

16. Make a Lemonade Stand

Some classics never go out of style. Straight out of your parent’s story, a lemonade stand is one of the first little businesses that kids think of when it comes to making money. Since it’s easy to get started it makes sense. Just go to your local store, buy some packets of lemonade mix, plastic cups, and a pitcher of water, and then set up shop by the road. You can also spruce up your standby selling small side things, like water bottles, granola bars, or even some fruit.

17. Inbox Dollars

Inbox Dollars is an app that is similar to Swagbucks in style, as the app is designed to do the same things as watch videos and play games in exchange for cash or gift cards. I would recommend that you try out both apps and see which on you like more and which one pays you more. Once you know the better option for you, then you can get to earning.

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18. Create Photo Books

Creating photo books is a great way to earn some extra cash, especially if you have some elderly people who could use your help since they aren’t very tech savvy. Everyone takes tons of digital pictures, and they tend to just sit on our phones, tablets, and computers. Creating a photo book is a great way to help bring memories to life, so people would be more than willing to pay a small fee for it.

19. Setting Up Social Media Accounts for Others

Let’s be honest, most kids today are better with social media than the average adult. Because of this, you can easily help set up accounts for both personal use and professional use and give them a few lessons in how to use their new account. By doing this, you also look more professional, which can help land you more clients down the road.

20. Running Social Media Accounts for Others

Piggy backing off the previous idea, sometimes small businesses don’t want to deal with running a social media page themselves, so they outsource the set up and management of it. That’s where you come in. By creating a few posts, liking and commenting on other posts, and growing a social media following, you can help grow their business and make some money. It’s a win-win for everyone.

21. Test Websites

There are countless websites that allow website owners to have people use and give feedback on their websites. I personally recommend UserTesting, which is one of the largest and most accredited website testers out there. They will create a job on the site asking for testers to give feedback on, and you as the tester will screen record your experience while giving feedback as you go. You will also be asked to write a review about the website once your screen recording is done.

22. Freelancing

Many popular websites out there such as Fiverr and Upwork allow people to earn money by completing various tasks. Many of the online ideas that are a part of this list could be done on these sites. One of the best things about these sites is that they can get exposure to a lot of customers beyond your neighborhood. To start, find out what you are good at and what you like to do, then search for existing jobs on a freelance site. You might need to get more exposure at first, but the longer you stay with it the more money you can make.

23. Create Videos

Have you seen the kid that makes money on YouTube reviewing toys? He is making some serious money just on those videos alone. All you need to do to get started is create some type of videos and upload them online. The best part is you can choose whatever you want to do your videos about, so the possibilities are limitless. As the videos get more and more views, you will earn some income from the ads that play and from the views you’re getting as well. This process will take time, but if you’re patient and stick with it, you can earn some serious money down the road.

24. Sell Online

If you have clothes, toys, or anything else that you don’t want, you can always sell them online using Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or any other sites.  You might need to get your parents help to get the account set and to help you ship the products as they sell. For simplicity sake, eBay is the best choice to go, as getting started is super simple and easy. If you want to branch out, however, and try a different site, go right on ahead.

25. Sell Online for Others

If you don’t have much of your own stuff to sell, you can always make money selling things online for other people. Once you get their products online, you can do the entire process from start to finish and collect a small fee. Again, eBay is a great site since it’s so well known and easy to get started, but you should do your own research to see if there are any other sites that could be better for you.

26. Resell Things

To continue the point above, you might have an interest in a particular area and know the value of things extremely well because of it. If you do, you can go around to secondhand stores and yard sales to find valuable items for cheap. You can then turn around and sell them for a profit. People do this all the time with video games, furniture, and plenty of other goods. Even if you don’t know that much about any one area, you can certainly learn and turn this into a great option for you down the line.

27. Run Errands

Running errands can be a good way to earn money as a kid as well. Whether it’s a quick run to the convenience store or a longer trip to the grocery store, running errands is another thing that many adults would definitely pay for since it will save them time out of their busy lives. To get started, you can ask around your neighborhood, or even put up flyers to get the word out.

28. Recycling Copper Wire

Like recycling cans, recycling copper wire is something you can do for some extra cash. There are plenty of scrap yards that collect copper wire and will pay you handsomely per pound. The prices will vary in each area, but overall, the price is still going to be high. To get started, you can go around your house and find old wires that aren’t being used. Anything from old HDMI cables, USB cables, pretty much any type of cable that you don’t use that often. Once you’ve collected everything in the house, you can even go to your neighbors and as for any unneeded cables. Once you’ve got a good amount, make your way to the local scrap yard and sell your copper wire for profit.

29. Sell Baked Goods

If you enjoy baking, why not sell your baked goods? This is something that my mom did every winter, and she always made some good amount of money just by selling her apple pies. If apple pie isn’t your thing, then you can make various treats and go door to door in your neighborhood selling them. Once you find the neighborhood favorite, you can focus on these and expand.

30. Teach Computer Programs

There are still plenty of older adults who aren’t the best with computers. Taking some time to teach them once or twice a week to do some basic things such as email, saving documents in Microsoft Word or Excel, or any type of program that they might want to use is a great way to help those in need to keep up with the same and make some cash along the way.

31. Home Decorator

Redecorating homes is something that families do fairly often. It can be anything from reorganizing a family room to helping set up holiday decorations, but this can be a great way to get a workout in while making your money. This is especially something you can do around the holiday seasons, and it’s an easy way for kids to earn money. Since holidays are throughout the year, it can be a continual business year-round, especially if you’re good at it.

32. Dog Walking

Does anyone in your neighborhood have a few dogs? If so, you can offer to walk them daily for a fee. This can be a great way to get some exercise in for both you and the dogs and is something that most adults would enjoy help with since it gives them back some time in their day. If you’re a dog lover, this is an all-around great idea for you.

33. Make Dog Treats

Going along with dog walking, making homemade dog treats is another way that you can make some money. Go online and find some easy dog treat recipes that can be made at home and are dog safe. Start with 2 or 3 different tries, and then ask some friends and neighbors if you can give their dog a treat. If the dogs like them, then you’re onto something. Make more and then start selling them to the dogs that you know already like them. You can also head to a dog park on weekends to try and sell them their too, to expand your earning potential.

34. Floor Cleaner

The job that no one wants to do. Hence, if you’re willing to clean it, you will have a great market on your hands. Hardwood floors and tile grout are the two worst that most people wouldn’t want to clean, so start with these customers first. Keep in mind, cleaning floors like tile grout takes a lot of work and is very time consuming. Because of this, you can still make some good money doing this. Just make sure to bring some headphones so you can listen to music to help pass the time.

35. Give Music Lessons

If you play one or multiple instruments, you can offer to teach others how to play. This can be a great way to earn money as a kid because music lessons through actual businesses are usually expensive. By offering a lower rate than these businesses, kids can try out an instrument without committing a lot of time or money into learning it. Not only will this help teach them, but the parents save money as well. Plus, you get to sharpen your own skills, which is never a bad thing either.

36. Tutor

This was my go-to way to make extra money in high school and college. If you’re good at a particular subject in school, or good at multiple, you might be able to tutor kids for a fee. Most kids have a weak spot in school somewhere, so being able to help them is a great selling point. Like teaching music lessons, professional tutors can be expensive, so undercharging compared to the rest of the market is a great way to secure some clients.

37. Swim Lessons

Swimming schools that offer lessons can be costly for a family. To save money, they might want to find someone who can teach their kids to swim at a lower cost than the swim school. If you’re a strong swimmer or are an aquatic athlete, you could offer swim lessons at a lower cost than these swim schools. You can have lessons lasting 30 minutes, so you can teach a few lessons a day and still have plenty of time to do other things. Just make sure to be CPR certified in case of any accidents.

38. Birthday Party Helper

Parents tend to throw big parties for their kids’ birthdays, and many times could use some help in the planning and preparation of the event. There are a few ways that you can help out. First, you can help set up. Setting up tables, last minute clean up, or blowing up balloons are all great ways parents could use some help. You can also be there during the event to help serve food, clean up any messes, or just be an extra set of eyes to make sure nothing goes wrong.

39. Nanny

A step up from babysitting, nannying typically entails watching kids for longer durations than just a few hours, and can span for an entire day, and you might be asked  to take the kids you’re watching to different places like the movies, swimming lessons, or whatever else the parents might have scheduled. Compared to a daycare, getting a nanny for the summer months can be a great way for parents to save some money, so you could really make some good money here.

40. Help Seniors

Another way to make money as a kid is to help out seniors who can’t do things as easily as they used to. You can check in on the elderly a few times a week and see if they need anything done. It can be anything from chores, running errands, to simply just keeping them company and playing games with them for a few hours. More often than not, anything you’re willing to do to help them out is appreciated.

41. Be an Assistant

Plenty of small businesses or self-employed people tend to take on more work than they can handle. You can help by becoming an assistant. This can be great experience, since the different types of work you do will be endless. Depending on the person you’re being an assistant for, you could draft and send emails, take phone calls and messages, file paperwork, mail letters, go on supply runs, or really anything else. Pretty much anything you can do so they can focus more on their work is what you might find yourself doing.

42. Teach About Electronics

Being tech savvy can be a skill you can use to help adults learn how to use different gadgets like tables, smart phones, and smart TVs. This list is ongoing and endless since new gadgets are coming out all the time. Once you get your name out there, you can really make some extra money and turn this into almost a small business.

43. Wash Bikes

Just like washing cars for your neighbors, you can wash bikes as well. Washing a bike takes a lot less time than a car, so you could make even more money faster. You can wash even more if you find some customers who are avid bikers. The better you are, the most likely they’ll also tell their bike riding friends about you, giving you even more business. If you want to take it a step further, you can learn how to tune up bikes and offer this service as well.

44. Install Fences

If you ask most homeowners, they love the idea of a white picket fence, but they don’t always have the time, energy, or money to actually have that dream become a reality. If you’re a handy person, you can help make this dream happen for homeowners. You can also offer bundled deals where you offer to paint the fence once it’s up as well to add even more money to your pocket.

45. Shine Shoes

A classic but still relevant, shoeshines can be a good way to make a quick buck. People often get so busy that they forget the small details that make them look even more professional. Offering this service could put a little more boost in their step by making them look sharper overall.

46. Take Surveys

Like Swagbucks or using Inbox Dollars, taking surveys can be a great way to make money from home. The longer the surveys, the more money you get paid, and since it’s all your own opinions, there are no wrong answers or ways to do it. Check out Survey Junkie.

47. Start a T-Shirt Business

Do you have a creative bone that you would like to use to help make you some extra cash? If that’s the case, you should look into selling T-shirts. You can create your own designs and print your own ideas and see them come to life on shirts. You can then sell them online through places like Etsy, Redbubble, or Amazon. If you’d prefer to just keep it local, you can also sell in-person to people near you.

48. Make and Sell Decor

This is something that, like the T-shirts, is something that allows you to flex your creative genes. Decor can come in many shapes and sizes, so the options and potential are limitless. You can use any type of medium you want. Paper, wood, glass, you name it and it can probably be decor. You can sell online through any places listed above or sell locally if that’s more your style.

49. Change Oil in Cars

Going to get your oil changed in your car is one of the most dreadful processes that exists. It can be time consuming, expensive, and just something that you don’t want to sit through to get done. If you learn this skill of changing oil in cars and give the customer the idea of waiting in their own home instead of a waiting room, you can certainly land some clients. If you also charge less than the local places to have their oil changed, that never hurts your chances of landing customers either.

50. Clean the Gutters

Having dirty gutters can cost homeowners a lot of money at times if they are not cleaned out on a regular basis. You can clean them out by using a portable sprayer and your hands. This can save any homeowner a lot of money down the road, so finding clients who could use this service wouldn’t be very hard.

Final Thoughts

The ability and options to make money as a kid are limitless, especially with the advances in technology that we’ve seen in recent years. Making extra money doesn’t have to mean getting some minimum wage job that you don’t like to do and dread being at. Being a little creative in how you go about earning your money can go a long way.

Not all of the jobs on this list might not work for you, and that’s ok. However, chances are that at least a few of the ideas listed here can be things that you get started on today. The sooner you take the first steps, the sooner you can start making money. So, what are you waiting for?