How to Make Money Fast as a Kid – 17 Best Ways in 2019

Here’s the reality:

Most high-paying jobs or even entry-level jobs require you to be of a certain age, have a certain degree, among others.

That doesn’t always work in favor of kids. But the reality, it is quite important for kids to know about money, which means they sometimes need to have a job to understand the value of money.

That said, there are a lot of opportunities for them or for you (if you are a kid). That’s because, in general, becoming an entrepreneur doesn’t require you to be young or old.

If you’re wondering what jobs can 12 years old or other age groups can get, you’ll find the following jobs quite interesting.

You’ll probably even ask yourself why you haven’t thought of these before.

If you are ready to make money fast:

Read on!

How to make money fast as a kid

Since everyone has his/her own interests, I have listed numerous ways for kids to earn money that you can choose from.

Some of them only take a few hours or even minutes to get started. Some of them take a few days or even a few weeks to help kids make money fast.

FYI: If you’re a parent who wants to teach your kids about money, having them work is a good way to instill them the value and worth of money. 

Here are they:

1. Organize a garage sale

The benefits of organizing a garage sale isn’t just limited to earning money.

Not only will this gig a good way to earn cash quickly, but you’ll also be able to clean out your house. Who doesn’t love that, right?

On top of that:

You’d also be improving your skills in negotiation, communication, and business because you’re making sure you sell all your good old stuff before the day ends.

Sometimes, you may not have time to do a garage sale or don’t have enough to sell. If this is the case, you can sell your things online through Decluttr.

All you need to do is scan the barcode of your products, and you’ll immediately see the price that Declutter would be willing to pay. That’s it.

2. Take paid surveys

While survey sites typically require you to be 18 years old or over, there are sites like Swagbucks that require you to only be at least 13 years old to earn money.

Believe it or not:

If you do things online and offline like listening to music, typing for keywords, going to Google, using your apps for just doing something, you could benefit from using Swagbucks.

Why?

Because it pays you to do almost anything you normally do (that’s including taking paid surveys online).

The best part of all:

You can use Swagbucks anywhere and anytime even when you’re just at home sitting in front of your TV.

Click here to use Swagbucks for free and use it as one of the ways for kids to make money fast.

3. Use money-making apps for free

Some kids own smartphones nowadays.

If this is the case for you, you might as well earn extra money from using apps. Yes, there are money making apps that pay a lot of money.

We’re talking about the likes of Survey Junkie and MyPoints.

Are you going to become rich using these apps? Not at all. But if you’re using apps anyways, why not make money from them.

Best of all:

These apps are free to use. So, there’s not a lot of “what ifs” that you’re going to ask about them.

4. Have a lemonade stand

This is classic, and, still, one of the best ways to make money fast as a kid. This one never gets old because, frankly, who doesn’t like lemonade?

You can easily make money from this small start-up, pop-up business because the capital can be a few dollars but the profit is a lot.

Could you make $300 fast with this simple idea? Sure. There’s no limit on how much you can make especially when you’re in the right location at the right time.

Not to mention that when you have a lemonade stand, you’re teaching yourself the ins and outs of a simple product-oriented business that includes quality control, supply management, inventory, among others.

Just because it’s a one-time business idea doesn’t mean you can’t earn a lot from this.

Inspiring story: Here’s a story of how sisters are selling lemonade to pay off $41,000 lunch debt.

5. Wash cars

If you’re looking for ways to learn how to earn money as a kid, then, car washing would be a good option.

Count the number of cars in your neighborhood. That’s where your opportunity to wash their cars can come in.

A lot of people do have cars. But not a lot of them wash their cars often.

If you have time and willingness to get wet and clean somebody’s cars, then, this is the perfect way to make money fast as a kid.

You don’t need to be over 18 years old to do this. You could be 15 years old and easily do it.

I see lot of kids on the streets doing fundraising by washing cars to earn money. I admire those kids.

It’s good to see that they are trying to make extra money on the side by working for a certain cause.

There are a lot of people who would go there even though they can get their cars washed cheaper, faster, and better on professional places but they rather help out these kids.

6. Have a bake sale

Who doesn’t love baked goods especially desserts like muffins?

If you’re into baking and have time to sell, then, a bake sale is a good way to earn money fast as a kid.

Typically, bake sales are good when there’s a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Or you can sell those at the farmer’s market. People are willing to pay for your baked goods especially when you made them, and when they taste good.

You could also sell your baked goods at a local business fair or a craft shows.

In short, there are several places where you can sell those quickly.

7. Babysit

If you’re old enough and are responsible enough to babysit, then, babysitting could help you make $1000 fast in a few weeks or months.

There are several ways you can go about getting people to give you the opportunity to babysit their kids. One of the best ways is by asking your family members like aunts and uncles if you could babysit your baby cousins.

You could even ask your parents if you could look after your little brothers or sisters for a fee.

Believe it or not:

They will be more than willing to allow you.

Babysitting is such a big responsibility. But it pays a lot, too. As a fact, babysitters get paid around $15/hour.

Just because you get money from doing it does not mean you just do it. As a babysitter, you will be responsible for overseeing the kid, following the baby’s parents’ directions, etc.

If you want to know how to make money as a kid, one great way is to do babysitting.

8. Tutor other kids

There is money in tutoring.

If you are great in school and great in subjects like Algebra and Calculus and some other classes, you can always tutor your friends for a fee.

You can even tutor other kids in your neighboorhood even when they’re not your friends.

It’s one of the best ways for kids to earn money fast.

You may want to pitch such an idea to your friends’ parents. They’d be willing to listen and consider your proposal. As a parent, I want the best for my kid. As such, if someone is offering such services, I’d be willing to consider it.

9. Sell your crafts

Kids nowadays are very crafty and handy.

If you have the skills or talents and are able to produce great products, you can sell those to some online platforms like Etsy to earn extra money.

You’ll never know if this passion could turn into profit and into a big business.

But aside from those, there are other benefits to be had with this idea.

You can improve your time management skills because you would have to insert creating crafts into your schedule on top of your school and other duties.

10. Sell items you no longer use

As you grow, you will always have things that you will no longer use.

Instead of keeping them in the attic or putting them in the trash, you could always sell them.

You can either sell them online via eBay or Amazon or the likes. Or you could sell them at a consignment shop.

You can also sell them through Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, which are by far the best platforms to sell locally.

You’ll find that someone will always find your old stuff useful, and will buy them at reasonable prices. That’s how to make money as a kid.

11. Mow the lawn of your neighbors

While this job is usually done in the spring and summer seasons, this job can be profitable.

All you need are cleaning tools like a lawnmower, rake, and a trimmer. If your parents have these tools, just borrow those from them, and you are set.

If you do your parents’ lawn for quite some time, then, you already have the experience to do it on your neighbor’s lawn or someone else’s you know.

That’s a good way on how to earn money as a kid.

Go around your neighborhood, and kindly ask people if they are willing to pay a fee for you to mow their lawns.

You’ll be surprised that a lot of people are very receptive to this just because there are not so many young kids nowadays who’d be willing to put time away from watching or doing something not so-valuable for this kind of job.

Check out here to find out how much you can get paid for mowing the laws. 

Other ways on how to make money as a kid

Here are some of the other ways to earn money fast as a kid. Some of them are easy and some require you to put more time and effort.

Here are they:

12. Start a T-shirt business

Have you seen those funny, comical shirts that people wear? That could be something you can make and sell.

You could sell your T-shirt to online platforms such as the Etsy shop, Cafepress, or even your local markets.

One caution though is to be aware that not all of those who sell T-shirts will make a lot of money.

Just remember that a lot of companies (big or small) and even individuals sell shirts online. You need to make sure that what you are selling is unique and that there’s a market for it.

13. Water plants for the elders

Let’s face it:

A lot of people don’t have time to water their plants or aren’t always in the mood to water them. That’s where you come in.

It’s a great way to make extra cash especially in a neighborhood where the standard is high for keeping the exterior of the house.

Imagine this, if you live in a neighborhood with 20 houses, and you can get 10 houses for a side job with a fee of even let’s say $3. That’s $30 right there.

14. Groom and brush dogs

Pets look nice when they are cleaned and groom. It’s probably one of the best ways for kids to make money fast.

Sure, some people are too busy to do it every day – some dogs do require that – especially if we are talking about long, hairy dogs.

This is where you come in, and you can make money fast as a kid with this.

If you like dogs and are patient when it comes to taking care of them, this is a job for you.

15. Invest in penny stocks

Investing in the stock market is a serious business because it often entails you to invest money in it.

That said, there are ways to invest without putting a ton of money. It’s called penny stocks investing.

Literally, you can buy stocks for pennies. It could be a way to help you make money fast as a kid.

That said, some of the stocks on this side of the market are risky in different areas. So, be careful when investing and always review and research information before you invest.

If you get lucky, you could make even make money from these stocks.

16. Sell your art

If you are good with drawing or painting and can create a masterpiece that you call your own, you could sell that.

You can sell that to local fairs or even online to earn extra money.

You could even enter some art contests to help you get your foot in the door of art promotion. You’ll never know someone might be interested in your artwork.

17. Pet sit

If you already have a pet or two that you always look after and take care of, why not include another one from someone you know for a fee.

This could help you make money quick.

All you need to do is talk to people who might be interested in this kind of service.

You’ll be surprised that many pet owners will be more than happy to let you take care of their pets especially during vacation time than send them to vet clinics that cost a ton of money.

18. Resell free things on Craigslist

You might need a help from your parents to do this. But you can look for free things on sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craiglist and resell them after and your parents refinish or fix those things.

Believe or not:

There are people who would give out even new things for free. Some of them do this because they have to move out, may not have room for those things anymore, etc.

That’s where you come in, get them, and sell them.

I’ve personally done this before where I found a dresser for free and I refinished it and made a profit of $300 that quick.

As a parent, when kids earn money with your help, you’ll feel good knowing you help them make that happen.

19. Paint doors

Here’s the thing:

People would pay money for sometime to paint or re-paint their doors.

That’s where you can make money fast as a kid. While painting the whole house can be a money-maker, you may not necessarily have the time and willingness to spend 3 to 5 days doing it.

That’s why painting doors is a good option.

Start with your neighbors that you know. Once you get the experience, expand into other neighborhoods or ask your neighbors if they know others who would want their doors painted, too.

It never hurts to ask.

20. Run errands

Sure, a lot of adults say they’re always busy. Or at least they pretend to be.

If this is the case, you can offer your service to run errands for them. Of course, to do this, you need to be of age that you can drive.

Ask them what they need help with, where they need you to go, and what needs to be done.

This might include picking up some groceries, dropping off clothes for dry cleaning, or even doing laundry.

You’ll find that these adults can be receptive and be willing to take your offer.

The reality of how to earn money fast as a kid

If your child is young typically between the ages of 6 and 10 years old, they may not necessarily be ready for the big task of learning how to make money fast as a kid.

I mean, who can blame them? Most of them still want to play and working to earn extra money isn’t always on their top priorities.

That said, there are ways parents like us can begin to provide input on the value of work and the purpose of earning money even when they are still kids.

There are things kids can do from home to get them used to working. Doing these activities from home will benefit them later on.

Here are some ideas you can do from home for your kids:

• Shovel snow
• Pull weeds
• Wash windows
• Wash car
• Water garden
• Have a lemonade stand
• Help out with garage sales

How can older kids make money fast?

Kids who are old enough and know the value of money would be willing to do some work to earn extra cash.

For those who are high-achievers, you could think of creating a simple, small business that can be launched without putting too much effort and/or money.

A small business can help you (the kid) make money fast as a kid and could eventually become a big business.

That said, starting a business regardless of its size can sometimes be challenging.

Here are some of the things you need to answer before creating a business:

• Is your product or service in demand? Is there one in the market yet?
• Where are you putting up your business? Will it be an online business or brick-and-mortar one?
• How would you get the word out about your business?
• How would you manage income and expenses of your business?

How to earn money as a kid: Final thoughts

From taking paid online surveys to putting up a garage sale and things in-between, there are a lot of ways for kids to earn money that people tend to overlook.

Remember that it’s best to find the jobs that you are interested in doing. Just because one job makes more money than another doesn’t mean that you need to get the high-paying one.

You’ll find out that the more aligned a job is to your interest, the more-rewarding it can be for you.

Which of these jobs do you think will help you make money fast as a kid?