1. Introduction
Traditionally, money-making options for teenagers have included babysitting, paper routes, mowing the lawn, and other high-effort, low-paying jobs. However, in this day and age, there’s no need to resort to these jobs – with the internet at your disposal, you can work from the comfort of your own home. Check out the following ways to make money online as a teenager in 2021.
Whether you need money for entertainment or you’re saving up for college, we’ve got you covered – find out how to make money online as a teenager here.
2. The Best Online Jobs for Teenagers
Working online is convenient, offers flexibility, and can result in making a good amount of money without exerting much energy. Take advantage of the following ways to make money online.
2.1. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a survey website that lets you earn both, cash and gift cards, by taking surveys and watching videos. The minimum age to sign up is only 13, making this a great way for young teenagers to earn money online. Once enough points are earned, they can be exchanged for cash or gift cards, with cash options including PayPal. In addition to surveys and videos, Swagbucks also allows users to earn money playing games and even performing searches.
2.2. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is one of the most well-known and reliable survey websites out there and allows users to redeem points for both, gift cards and cash. Users can cash out using PayPal and have options to redeem gift cards to popular stores like Target and platforms like Amazon.
2.3. Jingit
Jingit allows teenagers to make money online by watching advertisements. It even allows you to take short surveys or scan Walmart items through the mobile app. The minimum age requirement for the website is only 13 years, but unlike some other options, Jingit has a direct deposit option for cashing out.
2.4. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is another website that pays you for more than just surveys – it allows you to earn money by playing games, performing web searches, watching advertisements, and even reading emails. Unlike the other options on this list, the payment threshold for InboxDollars is $30. However, users do have the option of choosing between cheque, direct deposit, and PayPal.
2.5. MySurvey
MySurvey is a reliable paid survey website you can use to make money online. However, it is one that younger teenagers cannot take advantage of – the minimum age required to join the website and take the surveys is 16. Like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie, MySurvey assigns points which can then be exchanged for gift cards or cash.
2.6. Slice the Pie
While another review website, Slice the Pie is uniquely suited to teenagers because of the topics it covers. These include music and clothing, with feedback helping record labels, artists, and brands make adjustments to their products as required. Payment is made through PayPal and the minimum amount required to cash out is $10. Since the number of reviews you can leave aren’t limited, you can reach this threshold easily. Additionally, because this doesn’t require much effort, it can be done in the background while you’re completing other tasks.
2.7. SameSpeak
If you’re at least 16 years old and your first language is English, you can use SameSpeak to tutor individuals and earn money. This is more lucrative than taking paid surveys since you can earn $10 per 30-minute session. You’re even provided with a syllabus and outline before the tutoring sessions, making this a relatively easy way to make money online. Once the $100 threshold has been reached, you can have your earnings transferred to your PayPal account.
2.8. MusicXray
Using MusicXray is pretty straightforward – listen to music, give feedback, and earn money. New songs are sent to you and all you have to do is listen to them for a minimum of 30 seconds before leaving a review. Because the minimum listening time is so short, you can easily do this in between other tasks.
2.9. Blogging
If you’re wondering how to make money as a teenager, consider blogging. Blogging is becoming increasingly popular because of how profitable it can be. Simply pick a niche and start writing. Enabling ads and adding affiliate links can earn you a good income. However, it’s important to remember that blogging doesn’t start paying immediately. Unlike some of the other options on the list, blogs require time and effort to maintain, and can take time to gain popularity before you can start reaping the rewards.
2.10. YouTube
Posting reviews, gaming, vlogging, or simply commenting on issues you’re passionate about are great ways of making money on YouTube. However, like with blogging, this may take time before it becomes profitable. Once you have enough views, you’ll be able to enable monetization and join YouTube’s partner program.
2.11. TikTok
If videos are your medium of choice, you can try making content on Tiktok. Short-form content is easily digestible and is extremely popular right now. With creators like Addison Rae blowing up overnight, Tiktok has a viral nature that can definitely be taken advantage of. Sign up to start creating content, build a following, and earn money on the platform!
2.12. Hubpages
Teenagers who enjoy writing can look into websites like Hubpages. However, it’s important to note that this is one of the websites that requires parental consent for users under the age of 18. Use this to launch your freelance writing career and make money from home.
2.13. Canva
Canva is a website that you can use to create designs and launch your freelance design career. Beginners can opt for the free version and then upgrade to premium if required. Because the website has thousands of templates, it makes designing much more approachable than software like Photoshop.
3. Legal, Safety, and Other Aspects
3.1. Is it legal to work online as a teenager?
While specifics differ from state to state, it is legal to work online as a teenager. However, always be sure to check out websites’ age policies beforehand to avoid wasting your time.
3.2. Do you need parental consent to work online as a teenager?
This depends on the website. Hubpages, for example, accepts teenagers under 18 but requires parental consent.
3.3. Is working online as a teenager safe?
As long as you take the proper precautions, working online as a teenager is completely safe. Keep an eye out for scams and do not trust ventures that require investing large sums of money into them. You should also be careful not to meet strangers in person – this isn’t a requirement for freelancers. Lastly, do not divulge too much personal information online. Instead of sharing your mobile phone number, opt to make calls through services like Google Voice. You can also make a separate email address for business-related matters.
3.4. How do you get paid as a teenager working online?
Most online ventures pay you through PayPal, but PayPal accounts can’t be verified if you’re under 18. To resolve this, all you need is some help from a parent or guardian to set up an account. Once this is done, you’ll be on your way to making money online.
4. Conclusion
Working as a teenager can be difficult – you have to manage academics, responsibilities at home, and more. We have kept that in mind when writing this article and have included options for those with limited time, fewer resources, etc. Hopefully, this article helps you make money from home and allows you to develop a work ethic that helps you in the years to come.
TIP
This article is part of our Online X Money project. You can find more interesting and – I hope – more helpful articles in our blog about making money online.