How to Make Money as a Teen
Every 'make money as a teen' list stops at getting the cash. Here are the ways to earn — plus the step that actually changes your life: investing a slice of it.
Key takeaways
- The fastest options are local services you can start this week: lawn care, babysitting, pet-sitting, car washing, tutoring.
- More scalable: reselling, freelancing a skill like design or video editing, or making content — a long game, not a quick payday.
- The step most lists skip is investing a slice of it, where a teen's time turns earnings into real wealth.
There are a hundred "how to make money as a teen" lists out there, and most of them stop at the fun part — getting the cash. This one goes one step further, to the part that actually changes your life: what you do with it. First, though, the ways to make it.
Local services — the fastest cash
The classic teen money-makers still work because people always need them, and you can start this week with almost no money (younger sibling? here's how to make money as a kid):
- Lawn care and yard work (mowing, edging, leaf and snow removal)
- Babysitting and pet-sitting / dog-walking
- Car washing and detailing
- Tutoring younger kids in a subject you're good at
Turn one of these into a real little business and it's more than pocket money — it's a story and a skill. Just ask Zane, who built Zane's Lawn Care and invests hundreds a month.
Online and skills-based — scalable income
- Reselling — thrift flips, sneakers, trading cards, marketplace arbitrage
- Freelancing a skill — graphic design, video editing, writing, simple coding
- Making content — if you're good at it, though treat it as a long game, not a quick payday
A traditional job
Once you're old enough (often 16, sometimes 14–15 with restrictions), a part-time job at a store, restaurant, or local business is steady, reliable income — and it comes with a paycheck that counts as earned income, which matters a lot for the next part.
The step every list skips: keep some of it working for you
Here's what separates a teen who makes money from one who builds money: investing a slice of it. And you have a superpower an adult would kill for — time. Money you invest as a teen has decades to compound, so even a small piece of every paycheck or mowing job can grow into a genuinely life-changing amount.
Even better: the money you earn (from a job or your own hustle) unlocks a custodial Roth IRA — where it grows completely tax-free for life. That's the single smartest home for a teen's earnings. Ready to set it up? Here's how to start investing as a teenager.
MemoryBank is an education and display tool, not a broker or a financial advisor — this is about the habits, not specific investments.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best ways for a teen to make money?
The fastest are local services you can start this week — lawn care, babysitting, pet-sitting, car washing, tutoring. More scalable options include reselling, freelancing a skill (design, editing, writing, coding), and, once you're old enough, a part-time job. Turning a service into a small business, like a lawn-care hustle, can earn the most and teach the most.
How can a teenager make money online?
Realistic online options for teens include reselling (thrift flips, sneakers, trading cards), freelancing a skill such as graphic design, video editing, writing, or simple coding, and creating content — though content is a long game rather than a quick payday. Skills-based freelancing tends to pay the most, the soonest.
What should I do with the money I make as a teen?
Spend some, sure — but invest a slice of it, because that's what turns earning into wealth. Money invested as a teen has decades to compound. If the money is earned from a job or business, a custodial Roth IRA lets it grow completely tax-free for life, which is the smartest home for a teen's earnings.
Why does earned income matter for a teen?
Because earned income — wages from a job or profit from your own business — is what makes you eligible to fund a Roth IRA. So the money you make isn't just spending money; it's the key that unlocks one of the best wealth-building accounts there is, at the age when it has the most time to grow.
How much money can a teenager make?
It varies widely by what you do and how much you hustle — a few local clients can add up quickly, and a real small business can earn more than most part-time jobs. The bigger point isn't the amount; it's what you do with it. Invested young, even modest earnings compound into a large head start.
What to do this week
- Pick one money-maker you can start now — a service, a skill, or a job application.
- Make your first dollar, and keep simple records of what you earn.
- Decide on a split — even setting aside 10–20% to invest builds the habit that matters most.
- Open a custodial account with a parent and put that slice to work — then watch it grow in MemoryBank.
Written by Josh Ackerman
Founder of MemoryBank. A computer scientist and M.B.A. with 20+ years of investing and technology experience, Josh built the first MemoryBank in his basement so his three kids could watch their own accounts grow. More about Josh →
See it in one place
MemoryBank shows your kid's UTMA, 529, Roth IRA, brokerage, and savings in one place — across every institution — and explains their accounts and how investing works in age-appropriate terms they actually understand.
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MemoryBank is a display and education tool, not a financial advisor. Nothing here is investment, tax, or legal advice. Verify program details with the IRS, your tax advisor, or a licensed financial professional before making decisions.