We know that everyone wants a job, even teenagers. At the age of thirteen, you crave that little bit of extra independence. Maybe you want to earn a little bit more but are unsure how to do so.
After all, it’s more difficult to find jobs for 13-year-olds than it is for 16-year-olds.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of possible ways a teenager can earn money. Of course, please remember that you will need to ask for your parent or guardian’s permission for many of these jobs.
There are so many ways a teenager can make money. We recommend checking for summer and winter jobs that your child could do.
However, they may find something online to help them get some extra cash.
However, all of these jobs will require parental permission. However, you should also consider that 13-year-olds shouldn’t be looking for full-time or part-time work; these are just ways to get a little pocket money.
None of these should be treated as full-time jobs, as 13-year-olds should be allowed to choose how to earn extra money.
Online Jobs for 13-Year-Olds?
It’s easier than ever to make money online, and while you need to ask for permission, there’s plenty to do.
After all, everything is available on the internet, and it’s even easier for kids to learn new skills to help them in the future. Let’s take a look at some of the ways we can help you earn some extra money.
Become An Online Tutor
If you excel academically, it might be good for you to become an online tutor.
The best thing about this is that you’ll most likely be familiar with the subject material your prospective student would be learning. Many parents use these services to find a tutor to help their child improve in school.
Of course, you’ll need to ensure you know what you’re talking about. You might be an excellent online tutor if you’ve ever helped anyone out with homework before.
Being an online tutor shows that you’re patient and able to explain in a way that helps others. You can become an online tutor in any subject you’re proficient in, so whether you’re good at math or music, there’s something for you to teach.
All you need to do to become an online tutor is have a computer with good internet and a webcam. But the real key to succeeding is knowing how to explain the concepts your student needs to learn.
So, provide some examples, such as a whiteboard or a digital notebook. You can also provide tutorial services locally and offer to help out younger kids or struggling students in the neighborhood.
Remember to keep your options open regarding how you want to tutor. Your success is determined by how many students you have and how much time you have to tutor. But, you could earn a reasonable $15 to $30 per hour, depending on how good you are.
Begin Blogging
We would recommend beginning your own blog if you have a passion for writing.
If you’re aiming to write in the future, having a blog is a great way to showcase your portfolio. You can blog about any topic, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, why not share your thoughts on it?
Blogging isn’t necessarily easy. When you start one, you may find that you’re not getting much of an audience at first.
But don’t be alarmed! We know that it takes time for a blog to gain traction, but after a short time, you should be able to gather an audience. Once that happens, you’ll be able to monetize your blog.
Beginning a blog isn’t only about writing, but it’s about the design too. You can create custom themes or designs that work for you. The good news is that most website platforms have these pre-made.
Ideally, you should aim to go with a site like WordPress when you’re starting out, as you’ll be able to manage everything from there.
If you want to make your own site, you should go with a hosting platform, as it will be easier for you to make money from there.
By making a blog, you’re showing that you’re willing to promote your own work. It shows that you have your own little enterprise.
So long as you promote it in the right places, you’ll get more web traffic in no time. Then, when that happens, just install some ads and work on affiliating your blog with the products related to your service.
Build A YouTube Channel
Do you have a passion for video editing and creation? Maybe you have a good sense of humor about different subjects. Much like beginning a blog, you could always build your own YouTube channel.
Making a YouTube channel is easy, but it’s more difficult to build up a following. However, if you have a passion for what you’re doing, then you could get quite a number of followers.
In a way, building a YouTube channel is like making your own blog. You’ll find that it takes more time, so you should base your channel on something you like.
We’ve seen many channels start off based on parodies of favorite shows, animations, and even video game playthroughs. You could even make video essays based on subjects you’re interested in.
Think about things that you’re good at and things that you enjoy. You can always mix them together.
Depending on what you want to do, you may need to find some kind of video editing software, but you should be able to with ease. After all, you can always invest in something better when you start earning.
Once you’ve built up your audience and gained enough viewers and subscribers, you can make money from ad revenue.
You can even partner with different affiliate programs and find sponsors who are interested in your work. However, you shouldn’t expect this to happen quickly, as it takes a lot of hard work and luck to build a YouTube channel.
Do Art Commissions
If you have a talent for art, you might be able to do art commissions. There’s a large market for artists doing commissions on the web. It’s a great way to earn some extra money and also a way to improve your art at the same time.
Of course, keep in mind that this will only work if you have an audience. If you do art regularly, post some of your work online. You could put this on social media or add it to your blog if you have one.
You could do art commissions, such as portraits or even fan art for different shows. You can set your own rates and choose what you want to draw. Depending on how you draw, you could build an audience and open up commission slots at different times of the year.
While you won’t make money straight away, you can always make money out of drawing characters you love.
Do Music Reviews
If you have a passion for music, you could consider reviewing music on Slice the Pie. On this site, you review new songs before they’re even released.
That doesn’t mean you can just type that the song is nice, but a chance to share detailed reviews of songs. The better a review you write, the more you earn from Slice the Pie.
They won’t just pay you in coupons either, but they’ll pay you in cash to review these songs.
You can even get a little bit extra by referring friends. Of course, Slice the Pie will pay between $0.02 and $0.20 per review, with some including a $0.10 bonus.
However, you can earn more based on your Star rating, which is all about your reviews’ reliability. Just keep in mind that you’ll only get a little bit extra through this, and it will take time. But once you reach $10, you’ll be able to withdraw it through PayPal.
Become A Virtual Assistant
Have you considered becoming a virtual assistant? Many virtual assistants may work for small businesses, bloggers, or social media influencers.
The whole part of this role is essentially becoming an online office assistant. You’ll find that you’re often in charge of helping with social media posts, responding to emails, or even doing graphic design for the company.
If you want to become a virtual assistant, you’ll need to be organized. You’ll also need excellent written and verbal communication skills. You might be the best person to talk to, but we think it’s best if you know how to multitask successfully.
In fact, becoming a virtual assistant may be better for the more tech-savvy teenagers. You’ll find that becoming a virtual assistant will also be great for giving you more experience.
You’ll need to find where to go to become a virtual assistant. Take a look around and find out if there’s anyone who needs a virtual assistant. You might be able to find someone who you follow online or a local business that could do with some assistance.
The most important thing about becoming a virtual assistant is knowing how everything works. Ideally, you should aim to do this for either a family business or a family friend if you want to do this.
Design Logos
If you’re passionate about graphic design, you may find that you could make a bit of extra cash by designing logos. Designing logos is a bit different from working on art commissions, mostly because you’re working for someone’s specific brand.
The good news about this job is that you can easily do it from home and create your own little portfolio of work to show your skills.
There may be some small businesses looking for logos, and if so, you’ll be able to show them what you can do.
Of course, to make up your own portfolio, you’ll need to do some research first.
Take a look at the most popular logo designs and create your own logos for some made-up businesses or even different blogs. You don’t need official logos to show that you know how to design your own.
If you want to be a successful logo designer, you’ll need to be creative, have excellent design skills, and have a knowledge of different software programs.
Ideally, you should have some knowledge of branding and marketing, but you can easily look at free courses online for those.
Make Your Own Items and Sell Them on Etsy
To tie into art commissions, have you considered selling some of your crafts and artwork on Etsy? You might be able to make your own jewelry or craft some niche handmade gifts. All you need to do is make an Etsy account and start listing.
If you have one particular item that you want to sell, you should take a photo of it. Especially if you think you have a market for it.
Make sure the photo is well-lit, and then you can take a photo of it from different angles. Include detailed descriptions of your product, and ensure that they know what it is made of.
You should always make sure you’re charging a reasonable price if you’re selling on Etsy. Just ensure that you make the money you spend on supplies back and an hourly wage for the product.
Don’t forget that you’ll also need shipping supplies or charge shipping costs. You can either charge for these separately or include them in the charges.
Of course, crafting and selling items on Etsy isn’t the only thing that an Etsy seller does. Ideally, you need to know how to stay organized so that all your items go out on time.
You’ll also need excellent communication skills to interact with customers. Ultimately, you’ll need to promote yourself online, too, so knowledge of social media is a must.
Sell Stuff On eBay
Do you have some old belongings you don’t want anymore? If so, then I may have a solution for you. Consider selling some of your old items on eBay. You never know how much you can get for them, and you might find some neat vintage items.
If you don’t have much value, you could always get some cheap stuff from a garage sale to sell again on eBay.
All you need to do to sell on eBay is make an account. Then post photos of the items you want to sell and ensure they’re in clear lighting. Describe what you’re selling with a good, detailed description.
As you can set your own price for the items you’re selling, make sure they’re reasonable. You don’t want to charge extortionate rates for anything. While you should charge more than you paid, you don’t want to go much higher.
Don’t forget that you’ll also need to ship the items out too. When you do that, factor in shipping costs when you consider the price of the item. You don’t want to pay more for shipping than you did for the item you bought.
We recommend that you keep a clear line of communication open when you’re selling anything online. You’ll need to interact with a wide range of customers, and you’ll want to ensure that they’re happy with their purchase.
Ideally, you should be able to stay organized and have good written and verbal communication skills. After all, you’ll need these when writing your descriptions.
Test Apps And Websites
Another way that you can earn some extra cash is by reviewing and testing different websites and apps. Anyone can see when a website is bad, and we’ve all had the experience where you can’t find where you’re going.
But you can change this by taking part in website and app tests. These results can ensure that future websites have a good user experience and a better time for all audiences.
You don’t need to know a lot about technology to do these reviews, either. All you need to do is sign up with a reputable testing company.
Once you’ve signed up for one of these sites, you’ll need to test a site and get paid for each one. The amount you’re paid will vary, but ultimately, you will earn more.
Of course, you’ll need to keep in mind the age restrictions for these companies. So please make sure you choose one that is for those who are thirteen or older. Then, when you’re testing your website, make sure that you’re comfortable with talking about the website.
You’ll need to record what you’re doing, so although you don’t need to know everything, a basic understanding of software is preferred.
How Can A 13-Year-Old Earn Money Without A Job?
Ultimately, earning money online is about having enough experience or wanting to gain experience. We know you might not have the time to find a specific job to do online. Instead, why not find something that you can easily do while you’re not currently in school?
Become A Dog Walker
Many people have dogs, and if you love dogs, you could easily offer dog walking services in the neighborhood. Of course, you can’t just love dogs to be a dog walker. You need to be responsible and have enough energy.
You should ask your neighbors or parents if anyone is looking for help walking their dogs. If there are, then you’re in luck. If not, offer your services online in a local group.
Become A Busker
Why don’t you try busking if you have a talent for music and an acoustic guitar? You could always set up shop outside a local business or even ask if you could perform. If you’re good, you could get some change handed your way.
It’s also a great way to get more comfortable performing and an added confidence boost. All you need to do is make sure you know how to play and choose the right place. Once that’s done, all you need to do is play to the best of your abilities.
Collect Golf Balls From Outside Golf Courses
Do you live by a golf course? If you do and you also enjoy golf, why not collect lost golf balls? Many golfers will hit their balls too far into the woods or the water, so you could always offer to find them.
Many golfers are happy to pay someone to go retrieve them instead of forking out to buy more.
If you find any extra, you could even sell the ones you find. The most important factor when you’re collecting golf balls is that you’re comfortable walking a long distance.
Design And Sell Your Own T-Shirts
If you’re creative, have you considered designing and selling your own t-shirts? You could create your own designs and sell them either online or at events. In a way, designing your own T-shirts is a great way to get some extra money and build your own portfolio of work.
You can also combine this with Etsy, as you can also design and sell your T-shirts there if you want to sell them online.
Do Odd Jobs For Anyone Who Needs Them
If you’re willing to do anything, you could do a few odd jobs for people in your neighborhood. Some people need to do something specific but do not have time to do them.
If this isn’t the case, someone may need help repairing a broken item or setting up some electronic equipment.
Odd jobs are usually easy to do, and you could get some customers by posting flyers around your neighborhood. Or, you could advertise your services on a local Facebook group.
Offer To Clean Houses
You could make a pretty good amount of money just by offering to clean houses. Some people may be overwhelmed with work or their families to take the time to do some thorough cleaning.
Why don’t you offer your own services if that’s the case? You can offer to clean other people’s houses if you enjoy cleaning.
The best way for you to find clients is by posting flyers, or maybe you could talk to your family and friends. They might be able to recommend you to someone; if not, advertise your business online.
Offer To Babysit Or Pet Sit
Do you enjoy looking after kids or pets? If you’re responsible, patient, and reliable, this could be a role for you.
Ideally, if you have younger relatives or friends, you might be able to babysit them. Once you have enough experience, they may recommend you to their friends if they’re looking for a babysitter or even a pet sitter.
Offer To Housesit
Say you have some friends or family going away. They might need someone to watch the house while they’re away.
Usually, housesitting requires you to go over to the house a few times a day to ensure everything’s all good. Usually, housesitting will require you to water some plants.
Ideally, housesitting is more about keeping the property safe while the owner’s away. As you grow older, you might be able to stay there overnight.
Ideally, you should be a housesitter if you’re responsible and have common sense. After all, you need to know who to call if there’s an emergency.
Provide A Car Washing Service
You could always provide your own car washing business. Just grab a hose, some soap, and some water. Washing cars is easy, and most people don’t have time to do it themselves.
Offer your services to family and friends, and maybe even local businesses. Car dealerships may be an option to ask to see if they need assistance.
Referee Local Sports Games
Do you have a passion for sports? If there’s one in particular that you know like the back of your hand, you could offer to referee some local matches.
These wouldn’t be big matches, but you may find a local little league may be looking for a referee to keep everything running.
Ideally, you need to know the rules of the sport and have excellent communication skills. After all, you must ensure everyone sticks to the rules.
Run Some Errands Around The Neighborhood
Errands are slightly different from odd jobs, as these will typically be more urgent. You might need to pick up something for someone or deliver something to someone else. You might even need to collect someone’s shopping for them.
If you’re looking for clients, consider offering your parents the chance to have you run some more errands first. Consider approaching other family and friends to see if they need you to do anything.
So long as you do the errands in a timely and organized manner, they should be happy to recommend you.
Sell Old Belongings In A Yard Sale
A yard sale is a great option for you and your family. If you’ve got some old clothes, toys, or video games, you might be able to sell them this way.
You just need to gather up each of the items you want to sell, make sure they’re in decent condition, and put a price on them. Once you do that, put them on display around your yard, and tell everyone about the sale.
If you are doing a yard sale, just remember to have some change. After all, you want to be able to give change if your customers don’t have the exact cash.
What Are Summer Jobs That A 13-Year-Old Could Do?
While you won’t be able to have an official summer job, you may find that you can still do jobs to get some extra pocket money. Here are a series of summer jobs that we recommend that 13-year-olds could do.
Clean The Neighborhood
Although cleaning up the neighborhood isn’t glamorous, it’s a job that has to be done. If you need to, pick up some of the litter that’s on the floor.
While it’s not perfect, it’s one you could get out of the way sooner rather than later. For this job, you’ll need to go out of the way, clearing trash and any dog poop.
Clean Out Gutters
You definitely want to start cleaning out gutters at home. Ideally, you might be able to get your mom and dad to pay you for your work. Although you might not like this one if you’re afraid of heights, you will have to climb up to your roof.
You should do this under parental supervision. Depending on how comfortable you are, you might consider offering your services to your neighbors. Just don’t stray too far from home for this, as you don’t want to get hurt without a responsible adult there.
Clean Swimming Pools
Depending on where you live, you might know someone who needs to have their pool cleaned. You won’t need to bring supplies with you, and it shouldn’t take too long.
Ask your family or friends if they know anyone who needs a pool cleaner. If they do, you can easily head on over and remove any fallen leaves or bugs that have fallen inside.
Deliver Newspapers
Many people still need newspapers delivered to their homes, so why not contact a local shop about it? There may be a local business looking to deliver newspapers in your neighborhood.
If so, you could easily finish your work in the morning. You may need to wake up early to deliver the papers, but it shouldn’t be challenging.
Mow Lawns Around The Neighborhood
If you have experience using a lawnmower, you may find that you could mow some lawns. Start out with your own lawn, and get some knowledge on how to look after them.
Once you have the experience, you may be able to offer your services to neighbors. However, you will need permission from your parents to take the lawnmower from the property.
Ideally, you’ll need to have a good work ethic, as mowing lawns can be challenging and time-consuming.
Make A Window Washing Business
Feel free to grab some basic cleaning supplies and start your own window-washing business. Of course, you could always insist your family pay you for your services too. All you need is your cleaning supplies and a ladder for hard-to-reach spaces.
Once you have those, you should be good to go. However, make sure you have someone with you as a backup. You don’t want to fall from a ladder, so ensure that there’s a responsible adult near at all times.
Pull Weeds In The Neighborhood
We know that no one enjoys pulling weeds, so this is definitely a job that you could do if you wanted some extra money. To do a weeding, you only need basic gardening tools and a good pair of gloves.
Offer your services to your parents, see if they pay you, and then offer your services to your neighbors. They’ll no doubt appreciate it, especially as gardening is one of the worst parts.
Start Your Own Lemonade Stand
We know that starting your own lemonade stand is how you would make money in cartoons, but you can’t deny that you would make some extra money.
The best part about this is that lemonade will provide welcome relief for any of your neighbors when it gets hot. All you need to do is grab your ingredients, make up a sign, and set up shop.
Water Plants In The Neighborhood
If you enjoy gardening, you might consider watering plants around your neighborhood. Watering plants is easy enough, and you won’t need to buy supplies.
All you need to do is offer your services to your family and friends and see if they could pay you to do this for them. Consider putting up some flyers to expand your reach, and you should be able to find a good number of people looking for some help.
What Are Winter Jobs A 13-Year-Old Could Do?
You might also be looking for extra pocket money around Christmas time. It’s the busiest time of the year, and you’ll find a number of people looking for help.
Depending on where you live, you could earn a little and help out with some chores. Here are some ideas of how you could earn money in winter.
Put Up Christmas Decorations
You know that everyone will be putting up Christmas decorations, so why not offer a helping hand? Even businesses may need a bit of help to get into the festive season.
Go around the neighborhood and see if there’s anyone who might benefit from your services. Even if it’s to help by putting up Christmas lights, they may appreciate the help.
Knit and Crochet Winter Goods
Depending on how much you enjoy knitting and crocheting, you may have made your own hat, scarf, or gloves. If you have experience with these, you could always knit and crochet more goods to sell either locally or online.
Many people may be thinking of knitting and crocheting handmade gifts for Christmas. As it’s getting colder, you might find that you can gather an audience. Even leading up to Christmas, you could sell these at craft fairs.
Make Your Own Hot Cocoa Stand
Nothing says winter quite like hot cocoa. So, why don’t you make your own hot cocoa stand? You could make this near your house or even offer to sell it at local events.
If there’s a Christmas market or some kind of fair, you could see if you can set up shop there. You could provide your recipe and create your own distinct hot cocoa to stand out amongst the crowd. After all, it’s cold, and everyone is looking for hot drinks in the winter season.
Offer A Gift Wrapping Service
Do you enjoy wrapping gifts? We know that not everyone does. So why don’t you offer to wrap gifts for others? If you enjoy making beautiful designs with gift wraps, you could get quite a number of clients.
Just ask around either online or door-to-door and see if anyone needs help. It might also be that some people can’t wrap gifts for other reasons, and if so, they would probably appreciate the hand. After all, you could offer cheaper services than custom wrapping options online.
Rake Leaves Off The Driveway
The one downside of fall is that there are always leaves on the driveway. It’s a job that everyone does, but not everyone wants to do it. That’s where you could come in. After all, you could get out and rake the driveway to prevent anyone from slipping and falling off leaves.
If you do that, you’re doing a favor to everyone in the neighborhood, and those in the house. Just ask around, and see if your parents may know anyone. While you’ll need a lot of energy, you should be able to get a fair number of people after your services.
Run Errands For Old Folks
Not everyone enjoys the winter, and it can be more difficult for old folks. Some old folks may struggle to go outside in the cold, especially if it’s icy and wet. That’s where you could come in. Offer your services to old folks.
You might be able to collect medicine or groceries for them, or even offer them some company. See if there are any care homes near you, or if you have any elderly neighbors. If your grandparents are getting older, see whether you could offer to do some errands for them too.
Scrape Ice And Snow Off Windshields
We get how frustrating it is to wake up and scrape ice off your windshield before you go to work. But you could help avoid this if you don’t mind getting up early to scrape the ice off cars.
It’s best to do this locally, so put some flyers out around the neighborhood and see if anyone wants you to do this. You might get regular clients who need help regularly.
Sell Your Own Baked Goods
If you enjoy baking, you might be able to bake some festive treats for the season. Whether it’s winter or fall, everyone enjoys freshly baked goods at this time of year. Make some cookies or cakes and sell them at local events.
You could even sell some from your house. Just advertise them online, and maybe see if your parents know anyone who would want some.
Shovel Snow Off The Driveway
Another job that could be done is shoveling snow off the driveway. You need to be energetic, and you’ll need to wake up early if you want to do this. But many people don’t want to have to do this.
Some businesses may need help removing snow from outside their businesses. Just ask around and see who could need some help.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, it’s not impossible for thirteen-year-olds to earn some extra cash. While they can’t legally work full-time, doing jobs around the neighborhood may help.
However, some teenagers may benefit from trying a long-term goal of succeeding online. Many teenagers are more tech-savvy than adults these days. But, if you don’t want your child online, you could suggest they do any of these jobs at home or in the neighborhood.
Remember that none of these jobs are meant to count as full-time jobs. Ideally, 13-year-olds shouldn’t be aiming to work all the time.
However, these are ideas for them to gain experience for the future or earn some extra pocket money over the summer and winter. If any of these jobs sound good to you, feel free to look into how your 13-year-old can do them.
