The Best Side Hustles for Teens

Side hustles are a great way for teens to top up their pocket money that fit in around their education.

You might think that they have to wait until they’re 16 to start earning money, but there’s nothing stopping anyone earning extra at any age.

Wondering what you can do as a teen to make some extra money? Or perhaps you have a teenager in your household who’s looking for some inspiration?

Here are the best side hustles for teens.

How Much Can a Teen Earn Before Paying Tax?

Before we get into the ways teenagers can make extra money, let’s talk about the tax side of things.

It’s a common misconception that under 16’s don’t have to pay tax. This is usually presumed because they don’t pay National Insurance until they’re 16.

However, tax is payable regardless of age as it is focused on earnings rather than how old you are.

Realistically though, unless your teen is a youtube sensation earning the big bucks – they’re probably not going to hit the annual Personal Allowance (£12,570 2022-23) and therefore won’t have to pay tax.

Online Side Hustles for Teens

Gone are the days where a newspaper round is the only possibility of earning extra money as a youngster.

The internet generation are tech savvy and have a wealth of side hustle opportunities right at their fingertips.

Here are some ideas of online side hustles for teens:

Selling your old stuff

If you want to dip your toe into side hustling waters, then selling your old stuff is a great place to start.

Most online selling platforms require users to be over 18, but eBay and Vinted permit users under 18 to use an adult’s account with their permission.

However, the account holder is then responsible for everything done with that account.

Reselling

Once you’ve gotten your head around selling online, reselling is a great side hustle to try.

What is reselling? Buying something and then selling it on for more to make a profit.

Charity shops and car boot sales are great places to source bargains that you can flip to make extra money.

Surveys

Surveys are a great way to make a little extra money and can be done when you have a few minutes here and there.

Most survey sites have an app, which means you can earn some extra pennies when you’re out and about from your mobile – perhaps on the school bus or hanging around between lessons.

Some platforms do have age requirements though.

Here are a few reliable sites to get you started:

• OnePoll – users must be 16 or over
• YouGov* – users must be 16 or over
• Y Live – users must be 16 or over (but must be 18 to cash out via BACS)
• OnePulse – users must be 16 or over (but cash out is only via PayPal so you’ll need permission to use an adults account)

Sell Services on Fiverr

To start selling services on Fiverr* you have to be at least 13 years old.

Fiverr is a great platform for selling your skills; good at writing? Check out this post Getting Started With Selling Writing Services On Fiverr.

It’s not just limited to writing though. For example, if you’re a design whizz you could sell custom logo and graphics creation.

Have a browse of the website and think about what skills you could sell.

Offline Side Hustles for Teens

If you prefer being out and about as opposed to being stuck on a computer, then here are some offline side hustle ideas.

Newspaper Round

I mentioned this one earlier as a throwback to pre-internet times but believe it or not, paper rounds still exist.

Once you turn 13 you’re legally allowed to do ‘light work’ which includes paper rounds.

The pay isn’t huge but for 45 minutes-1 hour a day, you can expect to earn around £4-5 an hour (£20-30 a week) which is a nice little amount for a teenager.

It does involve early mornings, carrying a weighty bag and getting out in all weathers but it’s great life experience and a first taste of earning your own money.

Go to your local newsagents and ask if they have any vacancies.

Babysitting

According to the NSPCC, there are no legal restrictions on what age a babysitter or caregiver must be to be left in charge of a child – but if the babysitter is under 16 they cannot be held responsible for anything that happens to a child whilst in their care.

Babysitting is a great way of making extra money as a teenager though – offer your services to friends and family with children.

Once you’ve gained a bit of experience, word of mouth and recommendations are great for getting you more work.

I regularly babysat for my neighbours as a teen – I’d get a few quid in my pocket to basically sit and watch TV whilst the kids were in bed sleeping – winner.

Sell your creations

If you’re crafty or have an artistic side perhaps, why not consider selling your creations?

You could create a social media account to advertise your products or sell on Etsy.

Etsy does have a minors policy, but it’s possible to sell on the platform once you turn 13 with a parent or guardian responsible for the account.

Pet Sitting/Dog Walking

Another great way to make money as a teenager is to offer pet sitting and/or dog walking services.

People often go away overnight or for a short break and leave their small pets at home – you could offer to pop in once or twice a day to feed the cat/hamster/fish etc.

Or maybe you know people in your local area with dogs who could use help walking them?

You could post your advert in local Facebook groups or offer your services directly to people you know with pets.

Do Odd Jobs

Sometimes as an adult working full-time whilst running a house and taking care of a family – it can be hard to find time to get to those odd jobs that crop up.

For a teenager, this is the perfect opportunity to earn some extra money – especially in the school holidays when you have more free time.

Ask your friends/family/neighbours if they have anything you could help out with – it could be mowing the lawn, washing their car or helping to clear out the garage.

A few hours of your time, a big help to them and cash in your pocket.

Ways for Teens to Make Extra Money

Hopefully this has given you a few ideas to make extra money as a teen… or some inspiration to pass on to the youngsters in your household.

There are obviously limits and legal restrictions to actual ‘work’ that a minor can do, but there are still plenty of opportunities both on and offline for teens to hustle some extra cash.