Print out some fliers with tear-away tabs that have your contact info on them, then hang them up at your local elementary school. Start with people you already know, such as friends and family members. Tell them to help spread the word of what an awesome babysitter you are.
Gather recyclable items, such as soda cans and plastic water bottles. Once you have enough to fill a trash bag, take them to a recycling center. You won’t make a ton off of this, so it’s best to sell your recyclables in large batches. This way, you’ll save a couple of trips. Ask your family and friends for their soda cans and water bottles too! This will give you more to sell back to your local recycling center.
Make fliers for your pet sitting service with tear-away tabs that contain your phone number or email. Post these in libraries or coffee shops. Earn a good reputation with dog owners by spending time at dog parks. Interact with the owners and their dogs, but also respect their space.
Offer lawn care services, such as mowing, weeding or raking. Bring your tools with you, or offer a discount for borrowing your client’s tools. Cater to the season. If it snows in your area, consider adding snow shoveling to your services. If your area has a lot of pollen, offer car washing. Look for damaged fences and offer to repair them. Fences often need repainting or straightening.
Start with the kids in your class, then use fliers or word-of-mouth to advertise your services at your school or local library. Depending on what you’re comfortable with, you can do private one-on-one sessions or small group sessions. Libraries often have special areas or rooms that you can check out for tutoring and group studying. Some schools also have tutoring centers that you can use.
Some sites will pay you to take and complete surveys, but be wary of scams if you try those. Research them online.
Offer to connect a TV to a stereo or hook up an equalizer. Train people how to set up their wireless devices and accounts, such as Roku, Apple TV, or Netflix. [6] X Research source Teach the elderly all about computers, including hardware basics, internet security, and common terms (such as cookies and phishing). [7] X Research source
Be aware that these jobs may not be permanent, and often have random schedules. Not all jobs require you to be 18. Some jobs will hire younger teens, depending on the state’s laws.
Alternatively, offer your services at school. Your classmates will always need rides to events, school, home, and extracurricular activities. If you’re driving your classmates, keep your prices reasonable. After all, they are probably in the same situation as you and don’t have a lot of cash.
Retail is a great way to get started because of the flexible scheduling. Many stores and cafes hire students and understand that they need to work around classes.
If you have your license and know the area well, delivering pizzas quickly to hungry customers is guaranteed to earn you some good tips. [9] X Research source Restaurant waiters, servers, busboys, and hosts can earn a lot via tips. Be a good server, pay attention to your customers, and they’ll likely tip you 20% of the bill. [10] X Research source Work as a golf caddy. You can make some great tips on the links, especially if you’re helping someone who has a good round. [11] X Research source
Sell your clothes online or at a yard sale. If you’re too young to open up an account on your preferred website, ask your parents if they can sell for you.
This doesn’t mean that you have to get rid of everything. If your childhood bear is still special to you, keep him! Even if he spends his days on the shelf.
On the other hand, some vintage games can fetch a lot of money. Don’t make assumptions and do your research online first. You might have some valuable treasures!
Get your family or multiple families involved in a community garage sale! This will get you more attention and customers.
Elderly people often need help. Ask your grandparents if they need anything carried or moved. Are your siblings messy? Offer to clean up their rooms for a nominal fee. Look for opportunities when your parents are overburdened. For example, if your mom wishes that she had less housework so that she could enjoy a nice day out, offer to help out for some cash.
Put up fliers on your local community center’s bulletin board. Include tear-off tabs with your phone number so that people can take your contact info with them.
Post an ad on Craigslist. Find your local city, look for the type of jobs needing help, and post an ad offering the same type of help. Alternatively, reply to the “odds and ends” jobs. Advertise on Facebook. This is also a great way to reach out to the extended family and friend list willing to support your endeavors. [13] X Research source Create a quick website and market your services. There are a variety of creative ways to use a very simple website to make money. [14] X Research source
For example, an elderly person might need help with purchasing groceries or yardwork, rather than babysitting.
Good reason – You’d like to better yourself by taking music courses at the local community college. Good reason – There is a charity 5k you’d like to sign you and your sibling up for, but you don’t have the registration funds. Bad reason – Buying a new smart-phone because you broke your current one might display a lack of responsibility. Bad reason – Paying back someone at school for something you didn’t need in the first place.