Make Extra Cash

28 Simple Online Jobs for Teens That’ll Earn Them Real Money

Updated on April 5, 2022 Updated on April 5, 2022
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    Many of us had high school jobs whether we babysat on weekends or worked in a store or restaurant after school. Those sound old-fashioned to today’s teens. These days they’re turning to the internet to make money. Forget the job boards. Let us help you with the job search. We tracked 28 awesome online jobs for teens that will make you some extra cash.

    How Can Teens Make Money Online?

    Most American teens can’t wait to get their driver’s license as soon as they could but today’s teens are different. Young people are not getting driver’s licenses so much anymore. In fact, no one is.

    According to a study by Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, the percentage of people with a driver’s license has been decreasing steadily since 1983.

    In 2014, just 24.5 percent of 16-year-olds had a license, a 47-percent decrease from 1983, when 46.2 percent did.

    And this report from StreetsBlog shows Americans, in general, are poised to drive less in 2020 with the average age of new car buyers being 53 years old.

    That is one reason teens are turning to online work, they don’t need to drive or someone to drive them. The other is the same reason many adults use the internet to make money online, the flexibility.

    A traditional after-school job has set hours but working online presents job opportunities that allow anyone to work according to their own schedule and work at home.

    You might notice that most of these jobs have something in common; they pay via PayPal. A parent can set up a PayPal Student Account for a child aged 13 or older. The parent doesn’t need a PayPal account of their own to do so but it does make the process easier.

    Survey Sites

  1. Survey Junkie
  2. Survey Junkie is an online community and survey site that provides feedback to consumer research companies. That input is then used to improve products and services sold to consumers.

    You earn points for answering surveys; one point is equivalent to one cent. Most surveys are worth between 100-200 points and take between 5-20 minutes to complete.

    The points you earn will turn into cash via PayPal or gift cards. There is a minimum of $10 to cash out, and since most surveys are worth between 100-200 points, it doesn’t take long to reach that threshold. We did a full review of Survey Junkie.

    Is it Worth it? Yes! If you are survey savvy, Survey Junkie is an easy way to make some passive income and is our favorite survey company. If you take half a dozen or so surveys a day which takes about an hour, you can make $5-12.

    Survey Junkie

    Want to get paid for your opinion? Survey Junkie lets you share yours to help brands deliver better products and services. After creating your profile, they'll start matching you to online surveys you can take anywhere.

  3. Jingit
  4. Taking surveys online or through your smartphone can be an easy way to put together some spending money. With Jingit you can get money for answering surveys, shopping, checking in at local stores and more. Your time is worth something more than just virtual currencies or points so Jingit offers direct deposit into an existing bank account.

  5. The Harris Poll
  6. The Harris Poll is a survey company that influences important decision-makers in government, corporations, and non-profit organizations with your unique insight. The Harris Poll is one of the oldest and most prestigious e-polls in the world.

    By participating, you’ll not only have your say in matters that affect you, you’ll also be able to see the results from the surveys you complete. You can then compare your opinions and experiences to people who are like, and unlike, you.

  7. Toluna
  8. What if you had the power to get your friends and family the products and services they deserve? You’re not satisfied with your mobile data plan or maybe your daily coffee is always only half full? With Toluna, you don’t just vent to your friends; tell the companies, tell other consumers, tell everyone.

    By participating in daily lotteries you can earn points that can be redeemed for rewards of your choice!

  9. Ipsos
  10. Ipsos is an online market research firm and survey panel. You earn points when you complete surveys. One point is equivalent to one cent, so 100 points equal $1. Each survey is worth between 10-100 points.

    You can redeem as few as 500 points for cash via PayPal which takes a few weeks or almost instantly via gift cards at places like Target, Amazon, and Starbucks.

    Is it Worth it? No. The site only sends out about four surveys per month. There are more available on the site, but they are not updated very often.

  11. TeenEyes
  12. TeenEyes is an online market research firm. The site is used by companies that provide services and products geared towards teens like music and clothing. You can earn money by doing tasks like taking surveys, product testing and participating in focus groups.

    For each task you complete, you earn points, and tasks are usually worth between 200-2,000 points each. One point is equivalent to one cent. Points can be cashed out after reaching $10 (1,000 points) for cash which is paid via check.

    Is it Worth it? No. While you can earn a lot of points per survey; the site only sends out one or two per month.

  13. instaGC
  14. instaGC isn’t just a survey company, they also pay users to watch videos, test mobile apps, and shop. You earn points for each task, and one point is equivalent to one cent. Each task is worth between 10-100 points.

    Points can be cashed out starting at just 100 points ($1) and can be redeemed for gift cards at places like Walmart or Amazon or as cash paid via PayPal, Bitcoin, or a Visa debit card.

    online jobs for teens videos

    Is it Worth it? Yes, because there are a few different ways to earn points. If you run out of online surveys, you can watch some videos. If you run out of videos, you can test apps.

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    Sell Your Skills

  15. Fiverr
  16. Fiverr is a freelancing site that lets people post their services for $5 a job and often more. There are all kinds of jobs posted some are more entry-level easy online jobs, some need a little more effort.

    Some examples are online marketing, affiliate marketing, freelance writing, virtual assistant, graphic designer, managing social media accounts and SEO services among them.

    You create a profile with a list of services you can provide and choose a price for them from $5-995. Fiverr pays via PayPal, and they keep less 20% of every job you complete.

    Is it Worth it? Yes, much like the resale sites, freelancing sites can become a full time paying gig. If you’re skilled, online clients sometimes refer real-world clients to you, and you can build a solid regular, client base with Fiverr.

    fiverr

    Sell your skills and get paid using Fiverr's platform. It's free to join, has no subscription cost, and has over 200 marketable service categories. Create a gig, do the work, and earn money.

  17. The Forum Wheel
  18. Like to post on internet forums? Now you can get paid to do it. The Forum Wheel is paid by site owners to get people to post comments and drive discussions on their forums and blogs.

    You are required to submit ten test posts to make sure you have good writing skills. For each post, you will earn one credit, and one credit is equivalent to $0.05. The more active you are, the higher level you can achieve and each level rewards you with extra money for each post.

    There is no minimum for payout, and you’re paid via PayPal.

    Is it Worth it? Yes, once you achieve a higher level. At the top level, level 10, you earn $0.50 per post which isn’t bad for doing what you might already be doing on a forum like Reddit for free.

  19. Freelancer
  20. Freelancer is similar to Upwork but allows younger freelances to join. You can post your profile and browse available jobs which range from designing t-shirts to designing apps to managing social media accounts.

    Once the client pays for the work, you can withdraw your earnings to your PayPal account, bank account or have them wire transferred. The fee schedule is here.

  21. Upwork
  22. There are all kinds of jobs on Upwork, everything from writing to voice-overs. You can create a profile with examples of your work. Clients can see your profile and approach you, and you can bid on jobs.

    If your portfolio is thin, low ball some bids to establish a body of work and ratings from happy clients.

    The client pays Upwork and Upwork transfers the money to your bank or PayPal account. The fee schedule is here.

    Sell Your Stuff

  23. eBay
  24. You must be 18 or older to make an account buy minors are permitted to use an adult’s account. You can sell almost anything on eBay, clothes, books, old toys, things most teens have. Check out thrift stores and garage sales for things you can re-sell. Set the price you want, or auction it by setting a starting bid price.

    eBay will help you price out shipping costs, and you can choose to include that in the price of your item and offer it with free shipping. Part of having good user feedback is prompt shipping so be sure to stay on top of your orders.

    There are several ways you can be paid after eBay sales.

    There are also several types and level of commission that eBay takes as their cut of each transaction.

    Is it Worth it? Yes, for all of these resale sites. For many people, these things start out as a way to make a little extra money online, but once they get the hang of it, it can start earning money without the hassle of a 9-5 job.

  25. Etsy
  26. You can open an Etsy shop if you’re under 18 with parental consent. Etsy is great for creatively minded teens. You can sell nearly anything on Etsy, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, drawings.

    Much like Poshmark and eBay, you set the price for your items. Once the item ships, you are paid via PayPal. You can see the fees Etsy charges here. Amazon Handmade is also a great place to sell.

    Is it Worth it? Yes! You can hone your skills while still a kid and turn this into a full-time gig as an adult.

  27. Depop
  28. Depop is an app that you can use to set up an online storefront to sell clothing and other fashion items. It works much the same way Poshmark and eBay work.

    You are paid by the buyers, and the money goes to your PayPal account. Depop takes 10% commission from each sale.

  29. Poshmark
  30. Poshmark doesn’t have a set minimum age. It’s according to each state’s legal age of consent. In the US, that ranges from 16-18. Selling used clothing is a great way for teens to make money because they’re always outgrowing things.

    Once you run out of things, you can sell stuff you buy at places like thrift stores or yard sales. Poshmark is an online platform to sell used clothing.

    You set the prices for your items. If you’re unsure what to charge you can look for similar things on the site and price your’s based on that.

    Online clothing and fashion store through Poshmark

    The beautiful thing about Poshmark is that you can withdraw your earnings anytime you want. They will be directly deposited into your bank account, or you can request a paper check.

    For all sales under $15, Poshmark takes a flat commission of $2.95. You keep the rest. For sales of $15 or more, you keep 80% of your sale, and Poshmark’s fee is 20%.

    With some savvy, you can turn this into a part-time job or even a career.

  31. BookScouter
  32. BookScouter helps you sell textbooks and used books for the most money by comparing offers from over 35 book buyback vendors with a single search. They pride themselves in being the world’s largest textbook buyback price comparison tool. In addition to helping you get rid of your old textbooks and make good money doing it!

    Shopping

  33. Swagbucks 13+
  34. When you join Swagbucks you can get cash back when you buy online from more than 1,500 retailers including places you probably already shop like Amazon, Target, and Starbucks.

    You earn points for each dollar you spend and also get exclusive coupons and deals exclusive to Swagbucks shoppers.

    You can also get paid to play video games. You heard right. These pay-to-play online games will pay you up to 18 bucks per $1 spent on games ranging.

    Also, you can earn points when you use the Swagbucks Yahoo search engine, and when you watch exclusive videos, Swagbucks has put together. You can redeem your points for gift cards or get cash back through PayPal. We did a full review of Swagbucks.

    Is it Worth it? Yes, if you’re using it as a search engine, shopping portal or taking surveys when you’re killing time waiting at the doctor’s office or while you’re relaxing at night, it’s excellent. Why not make a little extra cash on your downtime?

    Swagbucks

    Get cash back when you buy online from more than 1,500 retailers including Amazon, Target, and Starbucks. You earn points for each dollar you spend and also get special coupons and deals exclusive to their shoppers.

  35. Shopkick
  36. Shopkick is a mobile app that lets you earn “kicks” or points for visiting, shopping in and scanning barcodes in stores like TJ Maxx, Best Buy, and Marshall’s.

    At Shopkick you earn gift cards for the kinds of everyday purchases you already make. You earn “kicks” or points for both brick and mortar and online shopping. Each kick is worth about 4/5 of a cent, so 500 kicks are equivalent to $2.

    Shopkick pays out via gift cards to places like Starbucks, Amazon, and Walmart among several others. You need a minimum of just $2 (500 kicks) to cash out.

    Is it Worth it? Yes. Not because you are going to make a fortune, none of these shopping apps can do that but because you can earn money online with Shopkick just for walking into particular stores, why not take advantage?

  37. Qmee
  38.  Qmee is a browser extension that works to help you save money when you shop online by showing you price comparisons and offering discounts. You can also earn money online by viewing ads that run when you’re doing searches.

    Once you install it, it will show ads when you use standard search engines. For each ad you watch, you’ll earn a few cents. You can also make money by taking online surveys. There is no minimum to cash out, and you can receive payment in the form of gift cards or as cash to your PayPal account.

    Is it Worth it? Probably not unless you do a lot of online shopping. The features that pay you to look at ads based on searches isn’t going to make you much money because the results are mostly for product related searches rather than informational ones. Unless we are doing a lot of research on potential purchases, this feature isn’t going to add up to much extra cash.

  39. Boostapal
  40. Boostapal is an online shopping portal. You can invite friends and family to become a booster. Each time a booster makes a purchase through the portal or buys a gift card for stores like Sears, Target, Kohl’s and others, you earn money.

    The amount you receive is a percentage of the total qualifying sales price excluding charges for shipping, handling, and tax. The money is deposited into your Boostapal account, and once you accumulate $10, you can cash it out via PayPal, check, or gift card.

    Is it Worth it? Yes but only if you have a big circle of friends and family who are willing to become your “booster.”

  41. Ibotta
  42. Ibotta is bringing coupons back in style with their app that pays you for finding deals on the items you’d typically be buying every day. Their app is free to you and that you get cash rebates right from your phone. They partner with stores all over the country to offer products and brands at discounted prices which they pay you back in cash.

    After you buy the products, you selected at any participating store redeem your rebates by taking a photo of your receipt. They will match the items you purchased to the rebates and give you the cash! Your cashback will be deposited into your Ibotta account within 48 hours. You can make $10 just for signing up.
    ibotta-mobile

    You can cash out via a PayPal or Venmo account. We did a full review of Ibotta.

    Is it Worth it? Maybe not for teens. Because a lot of the savings with Ibotta comes from shopping at grocery and drug stores, it’s not necessarily geared towards teens. If you’re a teenager, your parents are probably the ones making those kinds of purchases for you.

  43. Ebates
  44. Ebates is a site that gives you cashback when you shop online. It’s not a shopping portal but an affiliate of more than 2,000 stores including Amazon, Macy’s, and Bed Bath and Beyond.

    Each store shows what percentage cashback you get when you shop with them. Your money is paid out four times a year to your PayPal account or sent by check.

    Is it Worth it? Yes, if you do a lot of online shopping, why not get some money back?

    Customer Service Rep

  45. U-Haul
  46. Several companies offer work from home customer service jobs, but U-Haul is the only one that hires people under 18. The job entails taking calls from customers to answer questions and to make reservations for trucks and storage facilities.

    You’re paid for the four weeks of training, and if you eventually become full time, you can be eligible for benefits including medical and dental insurance and a 401k. Most reps work between 25-32 hours per week.

    Is it Worth it? Yes, if you have the time. If you were able to work 25 hours, you’d make almost $200 before taxes, and as a teen with no living expenses, that’s kinda nice money.

    Review Music

  47. Slice the Pie
  48. For teens that love music, Slice the pie is a great way to make money online. You listen to a clip of music and leave a review on the website. You can also review things like fashion accessories and even commercials.

    Each review pays a few cents. Once you earn $10, you can cash out to your PayPal account.

    Is it Worth it? Yes, but not necessarily for the money, you earn. Slice the Pie is an excellent place to hone and improve your writing skills. You can then take those skills to one of the freelancing sites where you’ll earn much more.

    Review Calls

  49. Humanatic
  50. You know when you’re on a call with a company and you hear a voice telling you the call will be recorded for quality purposes? You can actually listen to calls and get paid for it through Humanatic.

    As a reviewer, you would listen carefully to a call and answer a few questions. It’s really simple and you can do it in your room! You can choose to work whatever hours you want.

    Tutor

  51. Samespeak
  52. Samespeak is a fun way to help people learn English by conversing with them through Skype. You will be given details on what things each student needs to work on, so you don’t have to come up with a lesson on your own.

    You earn $10 for every 30-minute English conversation you have with a student. Once you make $100, the money will be deposited into your PayPal account.

    Is it Worth it? Yes! Not only is it a fun way to spend time, but $10 for 30 minutes of work is excellent money.

    Online Data Entry

  53. Clickworker
  54. Clickworker is always looking for Internet users worldwide who can, for example, create or correct texts, participate in surveys or search and categorize data for us. This site hires workers for both online data entry transcription and online data entry jobs.

    Hired freelancers typically earn $9-$10 per hour. To start looking through the site’s posted jobs, you will need to fill out an online application, after which your email will be verified.

    Ride Share

  55. Uber
  56. In case you live under a rock, Uber is a ride-sharing service. Drivers use their car and can work whenever they choose.

    The hourly pay after expenses varies from city to city, but you can expect to make at least $10 an hour. In larger cities, it will often be much more and in smaller cities, possibly less.

    Payments are made via direct deposit, currently every Thursday.

    job-loss-side-hustle

    Is it Worth it? Yes! If you can work a few hours a week during peak times, you can make pretty good money driving for Uber. Do keep in mind that things like gas and maintenance are your responsibility so makes sure the math comes out in your favor.

    Don’t Spend It all in One Place

    Now that you making money, what should you do with it? What you decide can impact your entire life. We know it’s unrealistic to ask teenagers or anyone else to sock away every spent. You earned that money even if it wasn’t for doing very much and you should get to enjoy some of it.

    But if you save half of every dollar you earn, which is easy to do since you’re still living at home, you have done perhaps the most impactful thing you can do to set yourself up for a life of financial independence.

    It's not your salary that makes you rich. It's your spending habits.

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    Even better if a parent is willing to invest that money for you. Compounding interest is a magical thing, and the longer it has to work, the better. If by the time you turn 18, you have invested $1,000, when you retire at 65, getting a conservative 7% return, that $1,000 will be worth more than $24,000.

    Be smart with your money now. Develop good financial habits while you’re a teenager so the 40-year-old year you will thank 18-year-old you.

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Candice Elliott - Senior Editor Candice Elliott is a substantial contributor to Listen Money Matters. She has been a personal finance writer since 2013 and has written extensively on student loan debt, investing, and credit. She has successfully navigated these areas in her own life and knows how to help others do the same. Candice has answered thousands of questions from the LMM community and spent countless hours doing research for hundreds of personal finance articles. She happily calls New Orleans, Louisiana home-the most fun city in the world.
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