How to Get More Money as a Kid: Ways to Earn Cash

Earning money as a child can be a valuable experience, teaching important lessons about responsibility, the value of work, and financial planning. It provides an opportunity to understand how effort translates into earnings and helps in setting and achieving personal goals. Developing an early grasp of financial concepts can lay a strong foundation for future independence.

Earning Money at Home

One of the most accessible ways for children to begin earning money is within their own home. Many families establish a system where an allowance is tied to specific responsibilities beyond regular daily contributions. This approach helps children understand that money is earned through effort and contribution.

For instance, parents might offer payment for tasks such as deep cleaning areas of the house, extensive yard work like raking leaves or shoveling snow, or consistent pet care duties. The payment structure can vary, with some families offering a set weekly amount for completing a list of chores, similar to a salary. Other families may assign a specific monetary value to individual tasks, where simple chores could be worth around $0.50 to $2, while more demanding tasks like washing the car or mowing the lawn might earn $5 to $10 per task. Setting clear expectations about what needs to be done and the corresponding payment ensures fairness and transparency in these arrangements.

Earning Money in the Neighborhood

Opportunities to earn money often extend into the local neighborhood, allowing children to offer services or sell goods to community members. These activities provide practical experience in customer service and managing small-scale operations. Traditional services such as pet sitting, dog walking, babysitting, lawn mowing, and car washing are common avenues for earning.

For dog walking, the average hourly rate can range from $14 to $22, though walks are often shorter, around 20-30 minutes. Babysitting rates typically range from $16 to $28 per hour, though a typical range for a teenager might be $8 to $16 per hour depending on location and responsibilities. Lawn mowing services can earn $16-$65 per hour or visit, depending on the service. When offering these services, it is important to approach neighbors respectfully and professionally, perhaps by creating a simple flyer detailing services and contact information.

Beyond services, children can also generate income by selling handmade crafts, baked goods, or operating a lemonade stand. These ventures teach basic business principles, including pricing, production, and sales. While earnings from these activities might fluctuate, they offer valuable lessons in entrepreneurship and direct interaction with customers. It is important for children to keep records of their income and expenses from these activities, as income earned from self-employment, even for minors, may be subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes if it exceeds a certain threshold, such as $400 in self-employment income for the 2024 tax year.

Earning Money Online

The digital landscape offers various age-appropriate and safe avenues for children to earn money, always with careful parental oversight. Online surveys are a common option, where platforms allow teens, typically aged 13 and older with parental consent, to earn points redeemable for cash or gift cards by sharing their opinions. Popular platforms offer such opportunities.

Creating content for online platforms, such as YouTube, can also generate income, though specific age restrictions and monetization rules apply. While YouTube accounts can be created by individuals aged 13 and over, monetization through programs like Google AdSense generally requires creators to be at least 18 years old. If a minor wishes to monetize content, their channel must be linked to a parent or guardian’s approved AdSense account. Selling digital products like art or designs online is another possibility for those with artistic or technical skills, often through platforms that facilitate digital marketplaces.

Regardless of the online method, parental involvement is crucial to ensure safety, manage personal information, and navigate potential tax obligations. Income earned by a minor, whether from online activities or other sources, is generally considered their income for tax purposes, and a tax return may be required if their earned income exceeds the standard deduction amount, which was $14,600 in 2024.