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How To Make Money as a 13 Year Old (21 Easy Ways)

How to Make Money as a 13 Year Old

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One of the major markers of growth as a teenager is the need for independence. Maybe you’ve already noticed the signs in your teenager.

They’ve started thinking about how to make money as a 13 year old, so they can begin saving or have money to spend on a day trip with friends.

It’s important to encourage your child in their path to financial independence. Financial literacy is a critical skill to have in life, and it’s never too early to learn.

Finding a job for your teen might be easier said than done. That’s why we’ve done the work for you. Here are 21 easy ways to make money as a 13 year old.

Can 13 Year Olds Work Legally?

Before you learn how to make money as a 13 year old, is it even legal? 

There are strict federal labor laws that restrict certain types of jobs for children under the age of 16. These laws are in place to protect children from exploitation and potential danger.

While your 13 year old may be restricted from working traditional jobs and have restrictions on their work hours, there are specific jobs your teen can legally do in their spare time.

How To Find Jobs for 13 Year Olds

With all the restrictions around working under the age of 16, it might be challenging to find a job. However, you can use these tips to help your teen find a job:

  • Ask family, friends, and neighbors: The easiest way to find odd jobs for your teen is to ask your friends and neighbors if they need any services. Jobs like raking leaves, dog walking, and shoveling snow can be a great start.
  • Look online: Nowadays, there are many money-making opportunities online, and you can quickly sign up your child for an app or website with odd jobs.
  • Create opportunities at home: You can create jobs for your child to help them gain experience and a work ethic to prepare them to work for others.

How To Make Money as a 13 Year Old

There are several ways to earn money as a 13 year old, from odd jobs at home to apps and websites that pay for simple tasks. Here are 21 easy jobs for 13 year olds.

jobs for 13 year olds

1. Start a YouTube Channel

YouTube is an excellent avenue for making money online as a 13 year old. Many kids on YouTube earn up to thousands of dollars for their videos. 

Your kid can start sharing educational information like how-to videos or your favorite video game cheats.

Once they have a sizeable number of subscribers who view the videos, they’ll earn money through sponsorships or affiliate marketing.

2. Start a Blog

Blogging is another great way to make money online as a 13 year old. You can help set up your teen’s blog by paying for hosting and domain names.

There are several inexpensive hosting companies you can choose from. The best thing about starting a blog is that your teen can blog about anything.

From book and movie reviews to information on your favorite hobbies, it’s easy to find like-minded people.

With considerable blog traffic, they can start making money from display ads, affiliate marketing, or selling products.

3. Become a Virtual Assistant

Your teen can offer virtual assistant services online to busy professionals or small businesses near you. 

Some of the duties they can do include writing social media posts, data entry, setting meeting reminders, and more.

Some of the skills needed to become an effective virtual assistant are:

  • Communication skills
  • Organizational skills
  • Computer and internet skills
  • Good time management

These valuable skills will help your child as they grow older.

4. Social Media Management

If you’re worried about how much time your teen spends on social media, you can put their skills to good use. Most teens nowadays are more informed about social media than their parents. 

You can find small businesses near you that need social media management services. Your teen will be in charge of posting videos, writing posts, and engaging with other social media users on behalf of the business. 

It’s important to note that not all social media pages are best suited for kids. Be sure to search for teen-friendly pages that won’t impact your child negatively.

With enough experience, they can start advertising their services on freelance sites like Fiverr and Upwork.

5. Open an Etsy Store

Etsy is one of the best platforms for selling handmade items. 

If your teen shows interest in arts and crafts, you can help them design and sell their creations. Items like homemade candles, jewelry, paintings, customized t-shirts, and key chains are popular on the platform.

You can support your teen by opening an account for them, registering the details, and handling matters like advertising and posting.

6. Test Websites

The average teen is incredibly tech-savvy, so your child may be interested in testing the basic functioning of websites. 

Several apps and sites pay users to test websites, so you can help get your kid signed up. Some of the sites that will pay your teen to test websites include:

  • PlaytestCloud
  • UserTesting
  • Userlytics
  • Tester Work
  • TestingTime
  • Checkealos

If your teen is interested in technology and knows how to code, they can use their knowledge to build websites for businesses or individuals.

7. Design Graphics

If your teen is particularly gifted in tech, they can help companies design their graphics. This is one of the lucrative side hustles ideal for kids with a flair for design.

Design sites such as Canva offer a great opportunity for your kid to learn and grow in their craft. Your teen can use the site to create high-quality graphics even without prior experience.

Once they have mastered the art, they can expand their business by advertising the services on Fiverr and other freelance sites.

How To Earn Money as a 13 Year Old at Home

Jobs for 10 Year Olds

8. Cleaning and Organizing

While you don’t have to pay your kids to do regular house chores, you can assign them bigger cleaning and organizing duties and pay them for the service.

You can pay your teen to do jobs you’d typically pay for, like cleaning the windows, car, or gutters. 

They can also help declutter by organizing shelves and drawers, cleaning the garage, and putting away stuff neatly. 

9. Babysitting

Babysitting is one of the best jobs for 13-year-olds. If your teen is mature and responsible, they can be trusted to look after a baby. 

Of course, they should know the basics of caring for a baby, like feeding and diaper changing. 

They can start by babysitting with adult supervision. Sometimes the parents just need someone to entertain the child while they do other things.

As they gain experience, they can be left alone with the baby.

10. Pet Care

If your teen loves animals, pet care will interest them. 

They can start by pet sitting and dog walking for too-busy neighbors. Pet sitting involves caring for the pet while the owner is away and doesn’t require much. 

For dog walking, it’s important to ensure your child’s safety. They shouldn’t walk too many dogs at a time or walk dogs that are bigger than them.

11. Wash Cars

You can help your teen set up a car washing business. This is one of the easiest and most fun ways to make money, especially in the summer. 

You can have your neighbors bring their cars to your driveway for washing, or your teen could go up and down the block washing the vehicles at the owners’ home.

12. Painting

Finding painting jobs for your 13-year-old shouldn’t be hard. They can paint fences, rooms, walls, and more. 

You can start by having them practice on your fence or walls to gain the experience to do a good job. 

While painting is a lucrative side hustle, confirming whether it’s safe for your teen is important. Some paint smells may cause health problems later, so it’s good to be safe.

13. Design T-Shirts

Customized t-shirts are popular. Your child can use this side hustle to explore their creativity. 

You only need a couple of plain tees, permanent pens, and fabric paints to design t-shirts. You can also opt for iron-on transfer paper for more ease. 

Teenagers love graphic t-shirts, so your kid can sell them to their friends in school and the neighborhood.

14. Golf Caddy

If you’re a golf enthusiast or you know any friends and colleagues who are, your teen could offer golf caddy services.

It’s one of the most lucrative side hustles, although it can take a physical toll. 

For teens interested in the sport, golf caddying is one of the best ways to learn from more experienced players.

Apps for 13 Year Olds to Make Money

Teen using mobile

15. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is one of the most popular online platforms where you can earn money for completing simple tasks like taking surveys, watching ads, and playing mobile games.

You can help your teen set up their account to earn Swagbucks, which can be redeemed for cash and gift cards.

16. LifePoints

LifePoints is another great platform that rewards people for completing surveys and giving feedback and opinions on specific brands and services.

If you’ve ever used apps like Fetch Rewards, you’re probably familiar with LifePoints.

LifePoints doesn’t allow 13-year-olds on the app, but once your teen is 14, they can start using the app. 

17. Valued Opinions

Valued Opinions provides an excellent opportunity for your 13-year-old to make money by providing valuable feedback about products and services geared towards teenagers. 

You can help your teen set up their account and redeem their earnings in gift cards once they’ve made enough. 

18. Slice the Pie

Slice the Pie is a music review website where your teen can get paid to provide feedback on the tracks offered for review. 

The platform also offers items like clothing for review, so it’s a great way for your teen to have fun and make money at the same time. 

Other Jobs for 13 Year Olds to Make Money

Teen tutoring

19. Shoveling Snow

During winter, your teen can make a few extra bucks shoveling snow in the neighborhood. 

You can help set them up by advertising their services on social media before winter comes. You can spread the word by printing posters and putting them up for your neighbors to see.

20. Yard Work

Yard work is one of the most lucrative jobs for teens. 

Your friends and neighbors will not object to having your child help mow the grass, rake leaves, and blow leaves, especially if they’re too busy. 

After working for a few clients, this can be a regular gig where your teen works every weekend or at the end of the month.

21. Tutoring

If your teen is academically gifted, they can help their colleagues or younger kids who struggle with specific subjects. 

It’s advisable to narrow the tutoring down to the subjects your teen excels at to avoid frustration. 

Tips for 13 Year Olds to Make Money Fast

Now that you know the different ways your 13-year-old can make money, here are some tips to help them rake in more cash.

  • Create a schedule: Making money is important, but not at the expense of school or extra-curricular activities. Your teen should only work during their free time. Avoid over-scheduling them so they don’t end up burnt out.
  • Practice online safety: If your child has to work online, ensure they’re well-trained on online security and keep a watchful eye on who they interact with.
  • Use your connections: You can help market your teen’s business or services by connecting them with friends or colleagues needing the product or service. This will help them grow as they gain more experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 13 Old Enough To Get a Job?

According to FLSA laws, 14 years is the minimum employment age, and there are restrictions on the number of hours worked by minors under 16.

Still, there are several part-time jobs that 13 year olds can do without a problem.

How Do You Start Hustling at 13?

The best way to start hustling at 13 is to offer services at home and in the neighborhood.

You can do odd jobs like babysitting, plant sitting, dog walking, or lawn mowing. You can also look up online jobs for teens.

What Jobs Can You Get At 13?

Some of the most popular jobs for 13 year olds are babysitting, pet sitting, lawn care, house cleaning, garage cleaning, gardening, fence painting, and more.

The law restricts minors under 16 from working specific jobs, but working odd jobs shouldn’t be a problem.

How Can a 13 Year Old Make Money Without Working?

The best way to make money without working is to use rewards sites that pay you to complete simple tasks like answering surveys, watching videos, and shopping online.

How Can a 13 Year Old Make $300?

Web designing and coding are some of the most lucrative jobs for teens. Offering these services on freelance sites like Fiverr and Upwork is the best way to connect with clients.

How Can a 13 Year Old Make $1000?

Making $1,000 as a teenager is impossible, but it’ll take some time. The best way to make this amount of money as a teen is through social media.

They can become an influencer on YouTube or TikTok.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways to make money as a13-year-old, as we’ve covered in this post. All it takes is a little creative thinking and patience. 

Your teen making money from a young age helps them understand how to manage money at a young age and sets them up for more responsibility in adulthood.

As your teen learns the ropes, it’s important to support them in every way possible to help them grow and ensure their safety.

Happy job search for your teen!

Want more jobs for teens? Check out:

Lydia is a personal finance expert and the founder of Sproutinue, a personal finance site helping you find legit ways to make money, save money, and achieve financial freedom. She has been featured on various major financial publications, including Investopedia, Business Insider, GoBankingRates, and more.

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