Money makes the world go ‘round, as so obviously seen today. However, jobs are scarce nowadays, especially for teenagers. So, from personal and internet research, here are some effective ways to earn money while in high school or as a side hustle.

“Sitting” something

The most common option is babysitting. All you need are two hands, time and contacts. Certain attributes, food handling and safety certifications can be very helpful in your search. Pricing will depend on the number of kids, the age(s) and any extra unexpected responsibilities (mental disabilities, chores, picking up and dropping off). If you’re not a big kid-person, there are also options like house-sitting or pet-sitting. Go knock on your neighbor’s door, ask your friends’ parents or your parents’ friends. Hopefully, if you do a good job, they will rehire you or recommend you to others. Depending on the tasks you must complete and how long your stay is, these are great ways to earn some “moolah.”

Selling your skills

If you’re crafty, allotting a bit of your time to painting, crocheting or any other crafts can prove beneficial. For any type of sale, you want to appeal to your audience. If you are selling jewelry, you will want to market to those who wear jewelry. Creating platforms such as social media accounts, Etsy shops or websites can make marketing easier and help your target audience find you. Time and materials play a part in your pricing. Find a rate that fits the difficulty of your projects. Example: A painting may be 10 dollars per hour spent but crocheting may be 15-20 dollars per hour spent. Then take into account the price of your materials. Your canvas costs 10 dollars, your yarn costs five dollars, etcetera. This sum should be reasonable to begin with and can be increased or decreased as your business grows. Some ideas to start: baked goods, jewelry, non-commissioned and commissioned art.

Tutoring

Tutoring is always a great way to earn some cash. Everyone is good at something and can help others who don’t do so well in said “something.” If you excel in English, math, arts, technology or even another language, you can reach out to fellow students or neighbors with children to see if you can be of any assistance. Granite Bay High even provides paid tutoring. You’ll need little materials: some paper, correction pens, maybe some books. It can be a learning curve but you’ll eventually get the hang of it. Pricing is similar to babysitting: age, any learning disabilities and time spent. There is also a tutoring program here at Granite Bay High that hires and pays students to help others.

Cleaning

Get those shoulders pumping by cleaning kitchens, playrooms or even cars. Plenty of families, including my own, have almost no time to even pick up their living room. You can take a step and help relieve that extra bit of stress. You don’t even have to work  outside your own family: you can clean for your grandparents or aunts and uncles. If you’re not big on being cooped up indoors, you can also wash and/or detail cars. Out of each of these, detailing will cost most to start. Stores like Autozone are great for stocking up on brushes, rags and other products.