Making money as a kid comes down to two things: finding something people will pay for, and getting a parent to help with the parts you can’t do yet. You probably can’t get hired anywhere until you’re older, but you can sell, save and run small projects of your own right now.
Here are 10 ideas that work for kids. Some will earn you a little cash this weekend. Others build up slowly. Read through them with a parent and pick the one that fits you best.
1. Make a Deal for “Extra” Chores
Most families have regular chores that kids just do, like making your bed or clearing your plate. Don’t ask to get paid for those. Instead, ask your parents for a list of bigger jobs they’d normally put off or pay someone else to do.
Think cleaning out the garage, washing the inside of the car, organizing the pantry or scrubbing the patio furniture before summer. Agree on a price for each job before you start, and do it well enough that they’ll want to hire you again.
This is the fastest way for younger kids to start earning, because your first customer already lives with you.
2. Sell Things You’ve Outgrown
Look around your room. Old toys, clothes that don’t fit, video games you finished, books you read in third grade. Those things are worth money to somebody.
Kids’ resale stores like Once Upon a Child buy gently used clothes, toys and gear for cash on the spot. You can also hold a yard sale or ask a parent to post bigger items, like a bike or a game console, on Facebook Marketplace for you.
Get permission first, especially for anything your parents paid a lot for. And clean things up before you sell them. A toy that looks new sells faster and for more.
3. Grow and Sell Houseplants From Cuttings
Some houseplants are incredibly easy to multiply. Pothos, spider plants and many succulents grow new roots from a simple cutting placed in water or soil. One healthy plant can turn into a dozen small ones in a couple of months.
Put the baby plants in small cups or cheap pots, add a label with the plant’s name and care tips, and sell them to neighbors, family friends or at a table during a yard sale. Plants make easy gifts, so they sell well around Mother’s Day, teacher appreciation week, and the holidays.
Start with plants your family already has, so the only thing you spend is some soil and pots.
4. Find and Sell Lost Golf Balls
Golfers lose a lot of balls in ponds, tall grass and the woods around courses. Used golf balls in good shape sell for a decent price, often by the dozen.
The big rule here is permission. Golf courses are private property, so never go looking without asking. Some courses will say no. Others might let you search the edges of the course when it’s closed, and some driving ranges have their own deals.
Once you’ve collected a bunch, wash them, sort them by brand and condition, and sell them in egg cartons by the dozen to golfers you know or with a parent’s help online.
5. Start a Neighborhood Newsletter
Here’s an idea most kids never think of. Write a one-page newsletter for your street or building with local news: new neighbors, lost pets, upcoming yard sales, a kid of the month, a photo of somebody’s amazing Halloween decorations.
The money comes from two places. Neighbors can pay a small amount for a monthly copy, and local businesses, like a pizza place or a hair salon, can pay to put a small ad in it.
You’ll practice writing, interviewing people and selling, all at once. A parent can help you print copies and talk to the businesses.
6. Wash Windows on the Ground Floor
Clean windows make a house look great, but most people hate washing them. A bucket, a squeegee, a spray bottle and some microfiber cloths are all you need.
Stick to ground-floor windows you can reach standing on the ground. No ladders. Offer to do the outside of windows, the inside, or both, and charge per window or per house.
This works best in spring and early fall, when people are already doing big cleanups.
7. Enter Contests That Pay
Schools, libraries, local newspapers and community groups often run contests for kids with cash, gift cards or savings bonds as prizes. Spelling bees, art contests, essay contests, science fairs and photography competitions all count.
You won’t win every time, but the skills you build are real, and a win looks great on a résumé later. Ask your school librarian or a teacher what contests are open for your grade, and check the rules carefully. Most need a parent’s permission to enter.
8. Run a Yard Sale for Your Neighbors
If your family is already planning a yard sale, offer to run a bigger one for the whole street. You do the organizing: making signs, setting up tables, pricing things and handling the money. Neighbors bring their stuff and pay you a small percentage of what sells, or a flat fee.
It’s a lot of work for one Saturday, but you can earn more in a day than with most other ideas on this list. Have an adult help with the cash or digital payments, and check whether your town needs a permit for yard sales.
9. Be a Moving Day Helper
When a family on your street is moving, there’s always too much to do. You can help pack books into boxes, wrap dishes in paper, label boxes by room, or keep their little kids busy while the adults lift the heavy stuff.
Leave the couches and dressers to the grown-ups. Your job is the hundred small tasks nobody has time for. Families are usually happy to pay, and they might hand you things they don’t want to move, which you can sell.
10. Make Your Money Earn Money
Once you’ve earned something, don’t spend it all. Ask a parent to help you open a high-yield savings account for kids. Many banks offer them, and your money earns interest just for sitting there.
The amount won’t be huge at first. But watching your balance grow without doing anything teaches you the most important money lesson there is: money you save can work for you. Some kids also set a rule, like saving half of everything they earn, to make the habit automatic.
How to Make Money Fast as a Kid
If you need cash this week, these three are the quickest:
- Sell something you’ve outgrown to a resale store or at a yard sale.
- Ask your parents for a paid “extra” chore you can finish this weekend.
- Offer window washing or a moving day hand to a neighbor you already know.
None of these will make you rich overnight, but each one can put real money in your pocket within a few days.
A Few Rules for Every Kid With a Side Hustle
Always tell a parent where you’re going and who you’re working for. Only work for people your family knows. Agree on the price before you start. And keep a simple record of what you earn, what you spend and what you save.
If you’re 12 and want more ideas, our list of jobs for 12-year-olds has 10 more, from youth sports refereeing to gift wrapping. Teens can also try these 7 ways to earn money as a teenager.
How to Make Money as a Kid: FAQ
Paid extra chores at home and selling things you’ve outgrown. You don’t need customers, tools or permission from anyone except your parents.
It’s harder than it looks. Most websites and apps that pay, including YouTube, require users to be at least 13, and many require 18. Younger kids should only try online projects with a parent who manages the account.
There’s no perfect number, but saving at least half of what you earn is a strong habit to build early. Pick a goal, like a new bike or video game, and save toward it.