Let’s be real, no matter what demographic you land in, you probably wouldn’t turn down a quick and easy way to earn extra cash. Especially as a young person or teenager who is just getting a taste of having their own independence. Most teenagers have at least a loose understanding of the multi-faceted value of money, but more importantly, they understand the benefits of having enough money to treat themselves here and there— especially when their parents turn down that Starbucks frappuccino.
Both the internet and social media have made collecting and earning money as a side gig possible and practical. In this article, we will walk through some possible side hustles for teenagers and break down how you can get started from home today.
The word “viral” is one the new generation has grown accustomed to hearing all the time. In short, it describes when a piece of creative content spreads through various channels of social media rapidly. The nature of viral content can vary, which is a testament to the fact that just about anyone and anything has the potential to go viral. Many teenagers choose their favorite hobbies or activities and showcase them online to their friends and followers. In doing this, they are growing their online audience.
Almost all teenagers have some sort of online audience, which is why side hustles for young people can be so financially rewarding. Having said that, even if you have not been working on building up that big audience there are still other options, such as babysitting and nannying apps, tutoring apps, and click apps.
TikTok
TikTok has become arguably the most talked about social media of 2020. Its catchy audio clips, fun dance routines and entertaining challenges have caught the attention of Gen Z and even Millennials, and people across the globe are downloading it and creating original content. The primary force behind TikTok is teenagers. The latest teen who grew a substantial audience and achieved “TikTok fame” is Charli D’Amelio. Her dancing videos have gotten so popular that she was featured on the Jimmy Fallon show. Charli has proven herself to be the queen of Tiktok dance routines, and her followers love to shadow her moves and re-create videos of their own.
It is estimated that Charli D’Amelio has a net worth of 3 million dollars, and she’s only 15! That’s pretty remarkable given the youth of not only Charli, but the app itself. While not everyone will be capable of reaching the same heights, if you are motivated and creative, you have the capability of building up a following and earning some money off of Tiktok. As your following grows, you’ll gain more sponsors who will be willing to pay you in exchange for product promotion.
Another platform that has proven to be a great side hustle for college students or teenagers is Instagram. Instagram, unlike TikTok, gives you more options to showcase a variety of talents. Whether you are really good at drawing, sports, dancing, telling stories, making jokes or something as simple as sharing memes, Instagram is there to help you grow an audience of individuals who share your interests. Once your purpose and brand is established, your audience has the potential to expand in as little as a year. That’s a large enough audience for you to pick up some sponsors that will ask you to promote their services and products on your channel.
There are many teenagers making money on Instagram as we speak. James Charles, who is now 20 years old, used his hobby of creating makeup to generate millions of followers on Instagram. Now he is one of the top IG influencers. Another popular community is wellness and food bloggers. Many individuals started sharing their hobbies of cooking, fitness and recipe creation under the umbrella of “self-care” or overall wellness. These accounts became popular very rapidly and now many of these bloggers work with food labels around the world.
YouTube
YouTube has been around longer than all the other platforms mentioned—and yet, it is still a thriving marketplace. YouTube has been a reliable source of income for many people, including teenagers. No matter what your interest or a special skillset is, there is always an audience for it. A lot of consumers turn to YouTube for entertainment, but they also use the platform for tutorials, explanations, and lifestyle content. If you are able to capture people’s attention on YouTube, give them an opportunity to subscribe to your channel and like and comment on your videos. This will encourage them to come back and follow along with your content. Make sure you engage with your followers and viewers, showing you appreciate the support. On YouTube, once you have reached 4,000 hours of video views and 1,000 subscribers, you can make a lot of money off of ads alone.
Babysitting Services
Again, if you don’t have that audience yet, and you want to make money now, another great side hustle is babysitting. I know it sounds old school, but babysitting is a fun and engaging way to earn pocket money and there are exciting new ways to find clients in today’s technological era. Apps like Care.com, Sittercity, and Bambino allow you to upload a personalized profile, detail what services you offer and search for clients all from a web browser or Smartphone app. The cool thing about it is that you can be as young as 14 to join most babysitting apps. Once you sign up, someone in your area can request for various babysitting services, such as occasional sitting, recurring jobs, or summertime nannying gigs.
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Swagbucks
If you want your fingers to do the talking and working, then Swagbucks could be the ideal match for you. This online service essentially rewards its users just for being users. You can earn points, gift cards, discounts, and even cash for simple online tasks like browsing the web and participating in surveys. You can be very young and still make money with an app like Swagbucks. All you have to do is download the app and follow the instructions on the screen on how to gradually earn money. There are many other apps similar to Swagbucks, so it is best to scroll through your options on the app store to see which ones will allow you to earn the most for a few simple clicks.
Varsity Tutors
This one has an 18+ age limit, so keep that in mind as you consider your options. Virtual tutoring is an excellent side hustle for college students and Varsity Tutors is one of the most popular platforms for it. The service offers both one-one-one and group tutoring in addition to test prep, online classes, and virtual learning opportunities. As a college student, you most likely have accumulated enough knowledge to pass along to a younger person struggling with a certain school subject. If you consider yourself a math wiz, writing pro, or science guru, sign up today! It’s great way to collect some supplemental income while in college, while keeping you focused on school and involved in academics.
Twitch
Twitch allows you to grow an audience by simply playing video games and sharing an online live stream. The most successful Twitch streamers show themselves on video in addition to the live stream of the actual game. This way, they can add some color to the virtual game through facial reactions, commentary, and sometimes comedy and entertainment. Some teenage streamers have become well known, and are considered “celebrities” within the Twitch community. If you enjoy gaming and would be comfortable letting viewers follow along, video game streaming could be a great option for you. Twitch.tv is a growing platform and according to the 2020 Business of Apps report, it has up to 15 million daily users logging on. Join the masses and start streaming!
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Entrepreneurial opportunity is thriving through social media and various online platforms. It has created opportunities for today’s teenagers that those from past generations could never have dreamt of. The internet acts as a virtual library packed with tips and tools for earning money in creative ways. Hopefully this article has you on your way to start building up that income and exploring some of these rewarding side hustles for teenagers.
What other side hustles for teenagers did we miss? Let us know down in the comments.
This article originally published on GREY Journal.
to share my little side hustle – my side hustle way is passive income apps. I have honeygain app installed on my phone and laptop and it generates income just by being online. really cool and easy idea to earn. I installed using the code – SECRET5, got 5$ and then it gives me 5$ a day what I consider as a cool earnings having. good luck :)) this helped for my friends as well, so maybe you’;; find it working also
Thanks for the tip!