Balancing schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and a social life can be challenging as a high school student. Despite these demands, many teens look for opportunities to earn extra money, whether it’s saving for college, a big purchase, or just to have some extra money in their pockets. Some of the most effective and easy ways to make money while still in school include doing yard work, tutoring, freelancing, part-time jobs, and many others.
Why might making money and saving it at a young age be so important? Well, UnitedWayNCA, an organization focused on creating a more equitable future, recommends making money at a young age in order to help them “-avoid the cycle of debt and economic insecurity that plagues many Americans well into adulthood, giving them the foundation to build a secure financial future.” Other sources include
One of the most common ways to make it as a student is a simple afterschool job. Can be anything from mowing lawns to working on construction sites. In Illinois, 15 is the age required to legally get paid for a job.The paycheck for these kinds of jobs are usually minimum wage or less. Minimum wage can vary depending on the state you are in. For example, Illinois’ minimum wage per hour is $15. In order to get a part time job, you need to be over the age of 15 and have enough free time after school days and on the weekends for a business to pick you up as a worker. Once you find a job that fits your schedule and hopefully fits what you want to do in your free time, you’ll need to apply. Applying requires a couple things, and some jobs require more than others. You’ll need to create a resume, prepare for interviews, prepare documents such as your birth certificate and social security, and apply.
Another simple and common way to make easy money is doing yard work. Yardwork can range from picking up things in the yard to tidy up a yard, to plowing a snow filled driveway. There are so many good things about this job. Clients usually become returning clients, so a steady income is pretty easy to build. Additionally, running a yard work business will develop much needed life skills and build relationships with your local people.
Using skills to your advantage is another great way to make some cash. Students with a skill for making arts and crafts could put their hands to use and make decorations to sell locally. Students with high grades could tutor other students for a small fee. The same thing would go for sports, where the team captain or most skilled player could give a newer player lessons for a small price. In order to find out your skills to use, you first have to find what you’re good at. Next, figure out a way to advertise your skills to your audience. This could be a simple post on your Snapchat story, a formal email, a flier, or even bringing it up in a conversation with someone. Finally, put your skill to use and start making some money.
Kids that have lots of stuff lying around their rooms could simply put things in a box and take it to a consignment store. Or, if they want to take it to the next level, they could try reselling each item individually for a bigger paycheck. Or, the level even further beyond that, they could buy other used or new items and resell them for more. Buying and reselling can be a tough market sometimes, but it pays off heartily when you make the right moves. Facebook Marketplace is the most commonly used market for buying used items and reselling them. Ebay and Craigslist are the best alternatives to Marketplace, but many trusted sources encourage Marketplace for its reliability and good prices.
Mr. Buckley, a teacher at the Rochester High School, is a knowledgeable money saver. In order to make money in high school, Mr. Buckley said “I worked with my friends at a variety of different places. As well as I worked with my mom at different places. I also worked as an office temp making $16 an hour.” Buckley’s best advice for a student wanting to make some money is to “Get a job. Work local. Coco blue, Razzos, Mockingbird bakery, Nesty’s. Work locally.” He says that the skills required to take a job at a young age are Responsibility., time management, creativity, and having a high work ethic.”
In conclusion, yardwork, tutoring, freelancing, and part-time jobs are some of the most effective ways to make money as a high school student. All of these ways of making money don’t just build financial freedom, but also many other life skills that will be needed in adulthood.
