10 Freelance Jobs for Teens That Earn Real Money

Being a teenager is hard. You have to earn good grades in school, participate in extracurricular activities (sports, band, clubs, etc.), deal with dating issues, and also try to figure out what you are going to do with the rest of your life. On top of all of this, you may also want to work a part-time job to earn some spending money.

No pressure at all.

But what if you want something different than working a job at your local fast food restaurant? What if you are looking for some opportunities to earn more than minimum wage?

Thankfully, you do have options.

Let’s take a look at the top freelance jobs for teens. I’ve also included a couple of hourly jobs in this list due to their unique qualities.

1. Flip Used Stuff for Profit

Did you know that many people earn full-time livings buying used items from flea markets, thrift stores, yard sales, and then reselling them for a profit on eBay? It’s true. Many people don’t know how much their items are worth when they list them for sale, and if you learn to identify the bargains, you can flip those items on eBay for a nice profit.

I consider this opportunity to be one of the best for teens there is because of the profit potential. It’s important to point out that I’m not referring to buying things for $5 and then reselling them for $20. You would have to sell too many things to make money like that. I’m talking about buying things for $20 that you can sell for $100, or buying things for $50 that you can sell for $200 – $500.

Do you see how it’s possible to make good money doing this?

This is such a great opportunity that many teens may be able to earn more money by flipping used items than they could by working part-time jobs somewhere. You can do this of the evenings, weekends, or whenever you have free time.

As a teenager, you may have to borrow some money from your parents to get started, but it only takes a few good flips before you’ll have enough seed money to continue doing this on your own.

If you would like to learn more about this incredible opportunity, you should definitely check out Flipper University. This online course teaches you everything you need to know about the flipping business. It covers how to identify great bargains, sourcing items online (Craigslist, OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, etc.), listing your items on eBay, and many other things.

Many people enjoy flipping so much that they make a career out of it. Rob and Melissa Stephenson, the couple behind the course, are full-time flippers and earn six-figures each year from flipping things they find in their community – no college degree required!

Check out the free Flipper University webinar to learn more about flipping things for profit.

2. Mow Lawns

Mowing lawns is one of the most popular ways for teens to earn money there is. And the best thing about this job is that you don’t have to talk to anyone while you are working. Since most lawnmowers are loud, most won’t try to talk to you anyway.

Mowing lawns can also be surprisingly lucrative. On an hourly basis, it tends to pay much higher than fast food and retail work. Depending on your schedule, you may be able to mow of the evenings or weekends, making this a highly-flexibly way to earn money.

You can potentially land lawn mowing work by going door-to-door and asking if anyone needs help with their lawns. Don’t feel discouraged if you hear “no” a lot. It’s a numbers game. The more you market your services, the greater your chances are of landing work. Also, if someone declines your services, ask them for a referral. That person may know someone who could use a good lawn care professional.

In addition to mowing lawns, you can also offer other lawn care services like cutting weeds, trimming bushes, landscaping, and other things.

3. Do Odd Jobs

Are you good at fixing things? Maybe you do a really good job of painting walls, fences, and other things around the house. If so, you may be able to earn some money by doing odd jobs for people in your neighborhood.

People need things done around their homes all the time, and many of these things can be done by teens. Walls and doors need to be painted, walkways need to be cleaned with high-pressure washers, windows need to be washed, and there are many other possibilities.

This is an opportunity you can do in addition to mowing lawns and other landscaping tasks. When prospecting for mowing jobs, for example, you can also ask potential clients if they need anything else done around the house. You never know unless you ask.

4. Clean Houses

Many people work long hours, and the last thing they want to do on their days off is clean their homes. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, cleaning houses is a great way to earn some extra money.

House cleaning can be lucrative depending on the size of the home and the neighborhood it’s located in. A large home in a fancy neighborhood, for example, will probably pay much more than a small home in a middle-class community.

If you decide this is something you want to try, your clients may let you use their cleaning supplies. It may also be possible that you will have to buy some or all of your cleaning supplies and bring them to each home that you clean.

5. Clean Vehicles

Similar to cleaning homes, many people also prefer to hire someone to clean their vehicles. Most people don’t consider cleaning a vehicle to be any fun, and it’s something that can take several hours, depending on how much work a vehicle needs (wash, wax, clean the interior).

Washing, waxing and cleaning a vehicle’s interiors can pay very well. Some auto detailing companies charge $100 or more to do all three. Be sure to check around to see what others charge to price your services to be competitive.

As a vehicle cleaner, you could arrange to clean vehicles at people’s homes or you could have clients drop their vehicles off at your home.

6. Movie Theater Attendant

Working at a movie theater is another great opportunity for teens. While this is a traditional job and not a freelance opportunity, it’s worth mentioning because of the benefits of working for a movie theater. You may get to work the cameras and other equipment. How cool is that?

There are many benefits to working in a movie theater. For example, depending on where you work, you may get to see all of the first-run showings for free. You may even get to take home some free popcorn at the end of the night (otherwise it just gets thrown in the trash).

7. Working Online for U-Haul

Nearly everyone has either heard of U-Haul or used the company’s services. It’s a well-known company that serves customers all across the nation.

The great thing about U-Haul is that it uses a small army of customer service representatives who work remotely. As long as you have a good internet connection, headset, and computer, and you are at least 16 years old (yes, the company hires teens for these positions), then this is an opportunity worth considering.

Because this is a remote position, you can take your work with you wherever you go. This means you could go on vacation, for example, and work from your hotel room.

An important thing to consider with this job is that this is an hourly position and your hours will most likely be fixed. Because of this, it could conflict with some school or extracurricular activities.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any information on what this opportunity pays.

8. Pet Sitter and Animal Boarder

Are you someone who loves animals? If so, being a pet sitter or animal boarder is something you should consider if you have social anxiety. You don’t have to worry about making conversation with the animals you take care of – unless you just want to.

Many people need the services of a pet boarder to watch their fur babies while they are away on vacation, for a business meeting, or for some other reason. Also, some people need pet sitters just for a few hours, for example, like while they are shopping, at a doctor’s office, and for many other reasons.

There are many ways you can advertise your services as a pet sitter. You could list your services on Craigslist, for example. You can also post a flier on a bulletin board at a grocery store or laundry mat. There’s also word of mouth – don’t forget to tell everyone about your services.

Another way to attract and land clients is to list your pet sitting services on Rover. This is a website that connects those needing someone to watch their pets with those who are local to them who are available to pet sit. A negative thing about Rover is that you do need to be at least 18 years old to use the website’s services.

If you do decide to board animals overnight, you’ll need a place with a lot of room for them. This may not be a good option if you live in an apartment or condo. You will also need to keep a supply of food on hand, and you will need to spend plenty of time with the animals you board – pets need a lot of attention to be happy.

Depending on where you live, there may also be some local zoning issues and regulations to adhere to. Be sure to check with your local government to make sure you abide by all laws and regulations in your pet sitting and boarding business.

9. Tutor Students

Are you really good at a particular subject? Maybe you can solve quadratic equations in your sleep. Or maybe you know every single rule of English grammar ever written. Or perhaps you’ve been playing the piano since you were five.

Whatever subject it is that you excel at, you may be able to earn some extra money by tutoring others. While this job does require interacting with other people, you usually only have to interact with only one person at a time – which some who have social anxiety find acceptable.

If you tutor students, you could tutor them at your home, at their home, or perhaps at a public library. You can charge by the hour for your services or charge a flat fee for each lesson.

10. Walk Dogs

Similar to offering your services as a pet sitter or pet boarder, you can also offer your services as a dog walker. In fact, this is something you may be able to combine with other pet care services.

This is probably an opportunity that is best suited for those who live in an urban setting. People with dogs who live in a rural setting typically don’t need the services of a dog walker.

As a dog walker, you will be required to walk dogs to make sure they do their business and then also make sure that no animal waste is left behind. You can schedule to walk one dog at a time, but in some cases, you may be able to walk multiple dogs at a time to increase your earnings.

Many Great Opportunities

Just because you’re a teen who doesn’t feel comfortable being around a lot of people, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t opportunities for you to earn money. As this article demonstrates, there are plenty of jobs that don’t require being around too many people.

Some of these opportunities are traditional jobs, like the position with U-Haul, while others require you to strike out on your own as a business owner. You never know, you may enjoy your new business so much that you end up turning it into a full-time career after high school.