Additional menu

Financial Wolves

Hungry to make and save money.

How to Make Money as a Kid: 38+ Fast, Easy Ways to Earn

Last Updated

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase or sign up through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclaimer for more info.

Teaching your kids about money can feel like a daunting task. The best way to help kids learn about money is by example. This is exactly how to make money as a kid to help learn managing money and financial literacy.

How to Make Money as a Kid: Fast, Easy Ways to Earn

If you are too young to have a job outside of your home, you can still make money. There are easy ways to make money as a kid.

Although it is more difficult for children to make money, a child’s age is not as much of a handicap to financial success as it once was.

Fast Ways for a Kid to Make Money

There are stories of kids with good ideas and a few lucky breaks who go on to become self-made millionaires. It’s true that not everyone can become a millionaire as a kid, but there have always been kids that make money with no experience.

Normally, a kid cannot work outside the home until they are teenagers. Fortunately, there ways for kids and young adults who have the drive and ambition to make money, sometimes a lot of it.

As a kid, having your own money is important, but there are also practical reasons for kids to find fast, easy ways to earn money.

Not all families are wealthy. A child who comes from a family with limited means will likely want to make their own money for a number of reasons.

A kid with their own money can purchase items that their family cannot afford, such as video games, brand name clothing, etc.

Tips to Consider as Kid Wanting to Make Money

There are a number of easy ways to make money as a kid, even if you are not quite a teen.

With that said, it is important to understand that no matter what type of business you start, succeeding takes work.

Even when you are out to make money as a kid, there are some business basics that will be important.

To be successful, examine your idea to see how it fits the following criteria:

  • Demand – Is there a demand for the product or service you are selling. If people don’t need your products or services, it will be difficult to make money. For example, selling hot chocolate in the summer probably wouldn’t be a good idea. There is no demand for warm drinks when it’s hot outside.
  • Setting Your Price – Know what people are willing to pay for your product or service. If other kids in the neighborhood are charging half of what you are charging to mow lawns, you will not get the business you need to be successful.
  • Advertise – Getting the word out is one of the most important elements of success with any business. If people don’t know about your product or service, they won’t know where to go when they need their lawn mowed or a fresh glass of lemonade.
  • Happy Customers – Make sure you give your customers the product or service they expect. Successful businesses have always put their customers first.
  • Profit & Loss – Examining your profits compared to your cost isn’t just for adult businesses. If you are spending more than you are making, you’ll have to find a way to switch that around. Keep in mind that the reason you are working is to make money.

Learning how to make money as a young kid is important but just as important to your business venture is parental guidance.

Parents can help their children succeed by mentoring them on some of the more complicated tasks, such as advertising and safe work conditions, as well as profit and loss.

There are a number of guides for parents who want to help their kids make money.

These guides can be helpful if a parent didn’t work to make money as a kid or if they believe that the changing times merits looking into some updated information.

See Related: Ways to Make Money at School

Fast, Easy Ways to Make Money As a Kid

Let’s get into some of our favorite methods for kids to make extra money. These methods are great for them to learn, grow and invest in themselves. Learning by experience is a great way for a child to learn about money management, success and even failures.

In this section, we will highlight some core themes that will break out the different types of money-making opportunities, including:

Let’s start with the traditional methods of money-making for children.

Traditional Methods to Make Money as a Kid

These were the traditional ways for kids to make money. You probably grew up doing one or two of these at least at some point in your life.

  • Host a Car Wash – Although automatic car washes are popular, many people still prefer to wash their cars by hand. Additionally, there are a number of people that will be more than happy to stop at a neighborhood carwash just so they can help local kids earn money. 
  • Yard Work – If you want to make money as a kid, a fast way to do this is to put the word out in your neighborhood that you are willing to do yard work. This can involve mowing lawns, raking leaves, and pulling weeds. Yard work is a great part-time job to earn extra money.
  • Clear Snow – In the winter, there are always people who want their sidewalks and driveways shoveled. In the colder months, yard work dries up. This is not a problem if you live in an area that gets a lot of snow during the winter.
  • Recycling Work – Collecting aluminum cans is among the many easy ways to make money as a kid. Not only can you recycle cans for money, but while you are collecting those cans, you are helping to keep your neighborhood clean.
  • Summer Lemonade Stand – Making money as a kid is easy if you want to run your own lemonade stand. During the summer, the kids and adults in your neighborhood are looking for something cool and refreshing to drink. The cost of starting a lemonade stand is low and the financial reward can be substantial.
  • Hot Chocolate Stand – Much like the lemonade stand, there is the potential to make a lot of money selling hot chocolate. During the winter months, people want something warm to drink. Hot chocolate is perfect.
  • Sell Toys – One of the best ways to make money as a kid is to sell your old toys. Instead of tossing those toys in the garbage you can turn them into cash. You can do this in the same way you sell lemonade in your front yard. Offer to sell toys for others in exchange for a cut of the profit.
  • Animal Sit – There are always people searching for someone willing to take care of their animals while they are away from home. If a neighbor plans to travel out of town, offer to take care of their animals while they are gone.
  • Flea Markets or Farmer’s Markets – If you are the creative type, selling your creations at markets is another way for a kid to make money with no experience.

Here are some other clear, easy ways to make money in your neighborhood.

See Related: Ways to Make Money Without a Job

Business Ideas for Fast Ways to Make Money as a Kid

If you are a creative person there are several easy ways to make money as a kid. Talented people have a world of opportunity.

Whether you like to paint, sew clothes, or play a musical instrument, there will always be a market for your talent.

A child will likely have no financial resources to get started, so these opportunities tie into ways that they likely already know or have.

Sew Your Way to Success

If you have a knack for creating products like dresses, shirts, stuffed animals, you’ll be glad to know that these are all products you can sell.

If you are good at sewing, some of the products you can make and sell include:

  • Hair Bands – These are popular with both kids and adults.
  • Stuffed Animals – Everyone loves stuffed animals and these are not as difficult to make as you might imagine. Nowadays, you can purchase kits to make a variety of stuffed animals.
  • Stuffed Animal Accessories – Along with stuffed animals, you can make accessories, such as clothes, hats, bed linens, etc.
  • Refurbish Old Clothing – With a sewing machine and some imagination, you can bring new life to old clothing. Whether you use old clothing that your family no longer needs or second-hand clothing from thrift stores and yard sales, refurbished clothing is a great product idea.
  • Design Your Own Clothing – A sewing machine is also useful if you want to design your own clothing. For those who can create unique or custom-tailored clothing, the sky is the limit.

See Related: Best Passive Income Apps to Make Money

Performing for Money

If you play a musical instrument, sing, or have a talent for drama, you can use your talent to bring make extra money. Some of the ways to make money with your talent include:

  • Performing at Special Events – Birthday parties and other special events are great for bringing in extra money if you play a musical instrument or can sing.
  • Teach Others – Give music or acting lessons to others. Sharing your talent by teaching will give you a lot of pleasure, plus some extra money.
  • Put a Band Together – If you know others who can play instruments, you can put a band together. With an entire band, not only can you play at special events for money but you can also write and record your own music. The Internet has opened up the music market, even for beginners.
  • Puppet Shows – Putting on a puppet show is a great way for a kid to earn money fast. If you are an aspiring actor, your talent can help you make money via puppet shows. The kids in your neighborhood will like your puppet shows and there is always the potential to land jobs performing at special events. You can even post your puppet shows on YouTube to earn passive income. 

See Related: Best Weekend Jobs to Make Extra Money

Make Money With Crafts

For those who love craft projects, there is no reason not to make money doing something you like. This is a great way to make money if you are an introvert. There are various ways for kids to make money selling their craft projects. 

  • Sell Holiday Ornaments & Decorations – Holiday craft projects can include everything from tree ornaments to handmade snow globes and Christmas stockings.
  • Sell Birdhouses – You can either make your birdhouses by hand or purchase kits and add decorative touches. There are a number of people willing to pay good money for a fancy birdhouse.
  • Sell Printed Items – Nowadays, it is easy to make printed items to sell online or at markets. Items you can print to sell include everything from printed t-shirts to mousepads.
  • Jewelry – This is another craft that can help kids make money from home. Jewelry can be unique and beautiful. These are both traits that people love. Make jewelry from home and sell it online or at your local Farmer’s Market. Here is a guide to selling jewelry online. 
  • Knitted Clothing – If you have a talent for knitting, there is no reason not to turn that talent into a source of income. You can knit hats, scarves, blankets, sweaters, as well as numerous other products. Sell these online, as well as to friends and neighbors. You can also sell these products at local markets, even during the summer months.
  • Decretive Storage – You can buy plain tins and decorate them with unique artwork and other embellishments. Decorative storage tins and bins sell well all year, but these sell especially well during the holiday season. Check out these other ways to earn quick cash during the holidays.

See Related: How to Get Free Christmas Money

Sell Your Art

If you are the artistic type, you may want to consider selling your artwork. People are always looking for unique art pieces so you might as well put yours on the market and make some money.

  • Sell on Consignment – If there are art galleries in your area, you may be able to sell your artwork on consignment.
  • Sell Paintings Online – There are a number of marketplaces online where you can sell your paintings.
  • Sell Your Ceramic Creations – If you like creating unique ceramic projects, you can also sell them in many of the same places you can sell paintings. 

I love the idea of selling things that I’ve already made. Here is a guide to how to make money on Etsy.

Make Money Selling Food

Cooking is a good way to make money. For children who like to cook, there are opportunities in the business world that includes everything from selling cupcakes or cookies via a refreshment stand or teaching others how to cook.

Some ways to turn your talent for cooking into money include:

  • Holiday Treats – Making cookies and candy to sell during the holidays. Everyone likes homemade treats for the holidays but not everyone has the time to make these treats.
  • Homemade Preserves – There is nothing quite as tasty as homemade preserves. If you have fruit trees or live near an orchard, creating these culinary delights is a great way to make money as a kid.
  • Sell Produce – If you have some extra room in your yard to plant a garden or start a greenhouse, you can sell your produce to neighbors or at the Farmer’s Markets. It is also a good idea to visit local growers to buy produce at a discount. You can then sell the produce to your neighbors.
  • An Online Cooking Blog – An online blog is a good option for kids to make money online. Parents can help their kids turn their love for writing and cooking into a moneymaking opportunity. Here’s how to come up with a blog name to get started. You can use a platform like Bluehost to get a site setup and running for only $3.95/month. They will even give you a free domain name if you use my link.

See Related: 6 Proven Ways to Get Paid to Go to School

Pet Services

Making money as a kid is easy if you like animals. Pet lovers are always looking for help with their animals.

Some of the ways to make money as a kid include:

  • A Pet Bathing Service – If you have experience in bathing animals, you can turn that experience into a pet bathing service. This will provide a good reoccurring income.
  • Cleaning Dog Messes – Although this isn’t one of the most enjoyable aspects of animal care, there are people willing to pay someone else for this service.
  • Breed Small Animals – Whether you want to breed small dogs or hamsters, there is money to be made. Animal lovers are always looking for new pets.

See Related: How to Make Money Without a Website

How to Make Money Online

The Internet has opened up a global market that can benefit kids. Making mon

There are several ways to make money online as a kid if you know how to find those opportunities.

  • Video Games – If you know anything about video game programming, you can make your own video games and sell them online. When you sell your video game creations on the Internet, there are no production or shipping costs because consumers download those games.
  • Create Video Tutorial – If you like to make video blogs or guides, YouTube provides a place to upload that content, plus you can make money from advertisers. As a kid, you can use Fiverr to do small video gig projects and start earning money right away.
  • Take Surveys – There are several companies that will pay you to take surveys. This is an easy way to make money for kids.
  • Become an Online Tutor – If you are good at something, why not turn your skill into cash. There are opportunities for tutors in math, English, Spanish, history, as well as computer coding, and reading. These are great ways for kids to learn and make money along the way.

Finding answers to how to make money as a kid isn’t nearly as difficult as it was even a few years ago. Today, there are many ways for a kid to make money, even if they are not old enough to work outside their home.

Teaching your kids about money and money management is one of the most important parenting tips to consider. It’s never too early to get started.

Related Reviews

Related Resources

Financial Wolves is a blog that provides the best ways to make money through side hustles to achieve financial freedom.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest and greatest updates.