Have your parents told you it’s time to start contributing to the household bills? Or do you simply want to earn some extra money to gain some independence and stop relying on doing household chores for your allowance?
Side hustles for high schoolers are a great way to get some extra dollars in your wallet.
Don’t worry if you’re not sure where to start.
We explain 10 of the best side hustles for students that you can do in your spare time around school.
Find out how to get started and just how much cash you could make.
10 side hustles for high schoolers
How can teens make extra money on the side without getting a salaried or contracted job?
There are tons of flexible opportunities for young people to earn cash around their studies, some of which can be done without even leaving home.
Participate in online surveys
One of the best side hustles for high school students to earn money online is by sharing their thoughts and opinions via surveys.
Online surveys offer lots of variety depending on your interests, including watching videos, listening to music and online quizzes.
Swagbucks and Branded Surveys are some popular survey sites to try.
How to get started: all you need is an email address to sign up and get access to surveys.
Online surveys can be done anywhere, any time with a reliable internet connection.
How much cash you could make: you can expect to earn between $1 and $50 for each survey you complete.
Payment is usually made via cash, gift cards or a reward system.
Review websites and apps
If you spend a lot of your time on apps and websites, you can get paid to test and review websites and apps for companies who want to gain insight into their products.
How to get started: sites such as UserTesting.com look for people to give feedback about websites and apps. Simply sign up to get started.
How much cash you could make: UserTesting.com states that you can earn $10 for every 20-minute test that you complete.
If you want to boost your earning potential you can be interviewed to share more details about your findings.
Play games for cash
If you are looking for a fun side hustle and love playing games, this is the perfect option for you.
How to get started: sign up to websites such as MistPlay where you can play new mobile app games on your cell phone with friends.
How much cash you could make: the amount of money that you make on sites such as MistPlay will depend on which games you play.
After playing a game you will receive points that can be converted into cash. On MistPlay you get $5 for every 1,500 points you earn.
Start a blog
Several successful bloggers are as young as 13. Blogging is an enjoyable way for teens to make some money on the side.
How to get started: decide what your blog will be about.
If you are not sure, make a list of hobbies, passions and experiences and turn them into blog topics. It’s important to write regularly in order to keep your audience engaged and boost your followers.
How much cash you could make: your blog needs to be successful and have a significant number of followers before you can start making money.
Once your blog is established you can use affiliate marketing to earn some cash.
Provide a gardening service for your neighborhood
Everyone needs their lawn tendered regularly throughout the year or leaves raked from their driveway, making it a great opportunity for teens to earn some money.
It’s also a great business to start doing after school and at weekends.
How to get started: hand out some flyers to people in your neighborhood to start advertising your lawn care services.
You don’t need any experience as long as you know how to operate a lawnmower correctly and safely.
How much cash you could make: the amount you earn from lawn tendering will depend on the size of the garden that you are looking after.
On average, people will expect to pay between $30 and $80 for your services.
Wash vehicles
Why not set up a weekend car wash service from the comfort of your parent’s driveway?
How to get started: advertise using signs around your neighborhood and on local Facebook groups.
How much cash you could make: the price that you can charge for washing cars will depend on the type of service you offer. For example, if you provide vacuuming and waxing services, you can charge more. The average cost of a hand car wash service is around $5 to $20 per car.
Start pet sitting and dog walking
Do you love animals? Why not get paid to look after other people’s pets while they are at work or on vacation?
How to get started: due to the responsibilities involved with looking after someone else’s pets, it’s best to start small and offer your services to friends, family and neighbors.
Alternatively, you can sign up to websites such as Petsitter.com to find pet sitting jobs near you.
How much cash you could make: most pet sitters charge $19 to $50 per night.
If you are looking after multiple pets, you could charge more.
Get crafty
If your hobby is to create items or bake tasty treats, you can easily turn it into a side hustle business and start earning regular money.
For teenagers, this side hustle is a great way to use their skills and imagination to make some good bucks. Popular crafts that sell well include:
Baked goods such as brownies and cupcakes.
- Jewelry.
- T-shirts and scarves.
- Hair accessories.
- Artwork.
- Pottery.
How to get started: you can start selling your crafts at yard sales or flea markets. Once you’ve had a few satisfied customers you can start advertising your services online and taking orders.
How much cash you could make: the amount you earn from a handmade item will entirely depend on what you’re selling, however people are willing to pay more for handmade products.
Sell photos
If you have an eye for photography, websites such as istock and Shutterstock will pay you when someone downloads your photos from their site.
How to get started: sign up to one of the websites mentioned above or try an app such as Foap where you can sell your photos from your cell phone.
How much cash you could make: the more photos you upload, the more opportunities you will have to earn.
How much you make will depend on the company and the price paid by the customer for your image.
Help people move house
If you have spare time at weekends and can lift heavy furniture and boxes, helping people move house is a great way to earn some dollars for teens.
How to get started: you can either advertise your services around the neighborhood where you live or sign up with a moving service in your state who will pay you to help people move.
How much cash you could make: according to Taskrabbit.com you can $28 per hour to help someone move house.
If you want to earn more, you can expand your services to include helping to pack and unpack.
Start a side hustle today
So, what will you spend your extra cash on? Whether it’s saving for your first car or to go traveling after high school, starting a side hustle is a great way to start achieving your financial goals.
Once you’ve decided which side hustle you want to try first, you’re one step closer to financial independence.Do you want more of the latest advice on budgeting and saving? Visit our blog.
