You’re probably here because you’re bored, broke, or maybe you just want to buy that new skin in Fortnite without begging your parents for a credit card. It’s a classic problem. Honestly, most of the advice out there for kids is pretty garbage. You’ll see people suggesting you "start a dropshipping empire" or "invest in crypto," which is basically impossible if you’re twelve and don’t have a bank account.
Making money is hard. How to make money from home as a kid isn't about some secret button you press on your laptop. It’s about finding stuff people are too lazy to do themselves. Or stuff they don't know how to do.
Let's get real for a second. If you're under 13, the internet is kind of a minefield. COPPA (the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) makes it super difficult for companies to let you sign up for stuff. If a site says you can make $50 an hour taking surveys and you're ten years old, they are lying to you. Stop clicking those ads.
The most successful kids I’ve seen making actual cash are the ones who treat it like a tiny business, not a get-rich-quick scheme. They use their parents' accounts (with permission!) or they stick to things that don't require a legal contract.
The Digital Side: Using Your Brain (and Your Screen)
If you spend all day on your phone anyway, you might as well get paid. But you have to be smart. Most "money-making apps" are just data-harvesting machines that pay you in gift cards worth roughly three cents an hour. Don't waste your time.
Instead, look at digital services. Can you edit videos? Can you make thumbnails?
YouTube and TikTok Editing
There are thousands of creators who have great ideas but literally no patience for cutting out "umms" and "ahhs" in CapCut. If you’ve spent any time making your own TikToks, you probably have a skill that a 40-year-old business owner desperately needs. They want to be "relevant." You are the target audience.
Reach out to small YouTubers—people with maybe 5,000 to 10,000 subscribers. Don't ask for a job. Ask to edit one video for free as a trial. If it’s good, then you talk about a price. Maybe $10 a video to start. It sounds low, but if you're fast, it adds up.
Selling Art and Graphics
If you’re the kid who is always drawing in class, you should be on Canva or Procreate. People need logos for their Minecraft servers. They need custom Discord emojis. My friend's son made $200 last summer just designing "streamer overlays" for people he met on Twitch.
You don't need a fancy portfolio. Just a few examples of what you've done.
The "Old School" Home Business Reimagined
Everyone says "mow lawns." Boring. Plus, that involves leaving the house. We’re talking about how to make money from home as a kid, specifically.
What about your neighbors’ pets? Not just walking them. Think about "pet sitting" where the dog stays at your house (if your parents say yes) or you just go over to feed the cat.
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The Subscription Model for Poop
This is gross, but it works. Dog owners hate cleaning up their yards. If you offer a "Weekly Yard Refresh" where you go over every Saturday morning and clean up after their dog, you can charge $15 per visit. Get four neighbors on a subscription. That’s $60 a week for basically an hour of work.
People pay for convenience. They pay even more to avoid things that smell bad.
Reselling: The GaryVee Method (But Simplified)
You definitely have stuff in your closet you don't use. Old LEGO sets? Those are gold. Seriously, check eBay. Some retired LEGO sets sell for double their original price even if they’re used, as long as you have the instructions.
- Gather your old toys.
- Clean them. This is the most important part. Nobody wants a dusty toy.
- Take photos in natural light. Not in a dark basement.
- Have your parents list them on Facebook Marketplace or eBay.
There is a huge market for vintage electronics too. Old GameBoys, DS Lites, even those chunky iPods from 2005. Collectors want them.
High-Level Skills: Coding and Tutoring
If you're a straight-A student or a total nerd for Python, you're sitting on a goldmine. Parents will pay a lot of money for their younger kids to learn from a "cool older kid" instead of a boring adult tutor.
Roblox Scripting
Roblox isn't just a game; it's a massive economy. If you learn Luau (Roblox's coding language), you can sell scripts or assets on the Creator Store. Or, you can get hired by "studios" to help build games. Some kids are making five figures a year doing this, but it takes months of learning. It’s not an overnight thing.
Homework Help
Are you good at math? Offer to Zoom with a 3rd grader for 30 minutes to help with their multiplication tables. It’s easier than a real job. Your parents can post in local mom groups on Facebook. "Teenager available for virtual math help" usually gets replies within an hour.
Staying Safe and Legal
You have to involve your parents. There is no way around it. Most payment platforms like PayPal, Venmo, and Stripe require you to be 18. If you try to fake your age, they will eventually catch you and lock your money forever. I've seen it happen. It sucks.
Use a "Greenlight" card or a "Step" account. These are designed for kids and let your parents oversee what’s happening while giving you your own debit card.
Taxes (Yes, Really)
In the US, if you make more than $400 in a year from your own "business" (even just mowing lawns or selling art), you technically have to report it. It’s annoying. Keep a notebook. Write down what you earned and what you spent on supplies. It makes you look like a pro.
The Reality Check
Most kids quit after three days. They realize that "making money" is actually just "work."
If you want to actually succeed, you need to be consistent. Don't just send one email to a YouTuber and give up. Send ten. Don't just ask one neighbor if they need help. Ask the whole block.
The biggest mistake is overcomplicating things. You don't need a fancy website. You don't need a business card. You just need a skill and someone willing to pay for it.
Your Action Plan for This Weekend
Forget about the long-term stuff for a second. If you want to start today, do this:
- Inventory your room. Find five things you don't want. Look up their "Sold" price on eBay. Ask your parents to post them.
- Identify one digital skill. Can you use Canva? Can you edit video? Spend two hours watching tutorials to get better.
- Draft a "pitch." Write down exactly what you can do for someone and how much it costs.
- Talk to your parents. Show them you're serious. Ask them to help you set up a way to get paid.
The best way to learn how to make money from home as a kid is to just try something. Even if it fails, you learned how to talk to people and how to handle money. That’s worth more than the $20 you might make anyway.
Start small. Be annoying (in a polite way). Don't give up when the first person says no.
Immediate Next Steps
- Audit your assets: Check the "Completed Items" section on eBay for old toys or electronics you own to see their real market value.
- Skill-up: Download a free editor like DaVinci Resolve or CapCut and practice editing 60-second clips until you can do it in under 30 minutes.
- Draft your offer: Create a simple message for neighbors or family friends explaining exactly what problem you solve (e.g., "I can organize your digital photos" or "I can edit your business's Instagram Reels").
- Set up a kid-friendly bank account: Research apps like Step, Greenlight, or Copper with a parent to ensure you have a way to receive digital payments legally.