If you want to know how to make money as a 15-year-old in Canada, walk right in and take a seat. Class is in session!
Finding a job is not so easy for a lot of people. So, you can imagine how much harder it is for teenagers.
Whether you’re a teenager who needs some extra bucks or a parent who wants their kid to learn about financial independence from a young age, there are several safe and ethical jobs out there.
I get how attractive the prospect of having money is as a teenager, so I don’t blame you at all if you’re a 15-year-old who wants to have the adulthood feeling. I wish I could Google how to make money as a 15-year-old when I was younger, but Google wasn’t even a thing!
Fortunately for you, you have that privilege, so read up on these money-making options I have taken my time to do research on and compile. Just for you.
How to Make Money as a 15-Year-Old
As we all know, 15-year-olds generally do not have the degrees or certifications needed to work in conventional nine-to-five jobs, but there are opportunities that abound.
Knowing how to make money as a teenager without a job that requires a blue or white-collar could also make a difference.
Keep in mind that a number of these jobs will need to get consent from parents before any agreements can be made.
The following is a list of how to make money as a 15-year-old:
1. Babysitting
This is a tried and trusted way for teens to get some money in their pockets on weekends, during holiday periods, and after school.
Teens can get up to $10 or higher for every hour they work, which isn’t a bag take home for a kid. We recommend starting with people you can trust like family and friends, then take it from there.
Babysitters who mean business may raise their game by getting gear and branding. This can lead to higher pay and people taking you seriously. Knowing essentials like CPR and how to use a first aid kit could also give you an edge.
With the supervision of a trusted person who is 18 or older, you can find babysitting jobs on websites like Babysits.ca, CanadianNanny.ca, and Care.com.
2. Pet Sitting
Some people just have a way with animals. If you are one of those people, you can turn your hobby into a legitimate way of making money.
Taking care of others’ pets in their homes is something you could do. In some cases, the owner of the pet may even let you take the fluffy and furry cutie home.
You can find pet sitting jobs at Petsitter.com and Care.com.
3. Walking Dogs
Apart from the fact that dog-walking helps you make money, it is also a chance to do some light exercise and get some fresh air. It could be a mini getaway from all the gadgets and screens of today’s world.
If you walk dogs, you can make as high as $10 for a short walk. For teenagers who are 18 or 19, you may also sign-up for Rover (a service that helps dog walkers find jobs).
4. Helping Out Seniors
This is a very valid way to make money on the side as a teen. Things you can do for them include shopping, snow shoveling, cleaning and chores, gardening, dog walking, and others.
Since senior citizens could also use your help with tech gadgets like mobile phones and laptops. If they like you, they might even give you extra money for your services.
5. Become a YouTuber
If you’ve ever wanted to know how to make money as a teenager online, better pay attention to this.
Even kids that are not up to fifteen are making big bucks from YouTube channels. If you feel have the charisma and talent to make people want to watch you, you can create a YouTube channel and monetize it.
You could be a singer, dancer, artist, or whatever people can find interesting. With Google Adsense, monetizing your content won’t be a problem.
Also, you do not have to be a viral sensation to make good money on YouTube. Just have a strong presence and you are good to go.
Related: Money Management for Teens.
6. Become a Social Media Influencer
This is yet another way to make money thanks to the power of technology. Teenagers can also be influencers on social media and make big bucks via affiliate marketing and sponsored posts. Instagram and Tik Tok are recommended.
Having a large and interactive follower base is important if you want to attract potential clients. If your page has a lot of engagement, the clients will be willing to pay you for sponsored posts because of the visibility you will offer them.
There are people who earn up to $1,000 and even more for every post they make on Instagram. So, this way of making money could bump you into the big time.
7. Work at Retail Stores
This is a tried and trusted way of making money for yourself as a teenager. If you are 16 or above, an application can be tendered by a guardian or parent (on your behalf) for the role of a cashier or an associate for retail sales.
With a job like this, you can also improve your social skills as a result of your constant interaction with different customers.
Other jobs you can get in a grocery store as a teenager include stocker, grocery bagger, or cashier.
8. House Sitting
People who want their vacant houses supervised and looked after if they intend to travel or go on vacation may ask their family and friends to play the watchguard.
If they do not want to bother their friends and family, they can hire a house sitter. That sitter could be you if you want.
Your responsibilities when they are away may include mowing the lawn, feeding pets, collecting mail, watering the garden, and other tasks.
Doing a thorough job could get you other housesitting jobs because the house owners could be impressed and recommend you to other house owners they know.
9. Food Delivery
Delivering food and groceries to people who are willing to pay is a great way to make money. However, keep in mind that most delivery services only let people who are 18 or above sign up.
Examples of food delivery services include DoorDash, Instacart, and others. With these services, you can work part-time or full-time depending on your schedule.
Related: How much do Instacart shoppers make?
10. Sell Your Photos
These days, many mobile phone cameras are awesome, so you don’t even have to have a professional camera to capture amazing images. Websites, where you can sell stock images online, include iStockphoto and Shutterstock.
You may even take it a step further by covering events like birthday parties, weddings, and several other events.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to know how to make money as a 15-year-old, you’ve got another valid option.
11. Sell Your Items
Do you have an old bike or PlayStation that you no longer use just catching dust? You could sell it online for some cool cash.
Generally, you can sell whatever you want. You can even sell your parents’ or siblings’ stuff with their consent.
Websites you can put these things up for sale include Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay. Make sure you are with an older person when you meet strangers who you wish to sell your stuff to.
12. Blogging
This is a very viable way to make money not just for teenagers, but for adults as well.
A blog is simply a means of writing about anything you want on the Internet. As long as you are getting clicks and views, you can monetize your writing skills. You can place adverts on your blog or even sell merchandise.
Understandably, it might take you a while to get people to know you (because there are tons of blogs out there), but you just might get it right eventually. You can use social media as a promotion tool for your blog.
13. Hand Out Flyers
There are businesses out there that will give money to people who are willing and able to hand out flyers in places with many people of interest.
If it is legal (and generally normal where you are), the work may also involve leaving flyers under windshield wipers of parked cars. So, if you’re wondering how to make money as a 15-year-old, keep this in mind.
14. Tutoring
There may be kids out there who could use some guidance and tutelage when studying a subject they struggle to wrap their heads around. This is where that big brain of yours comes into the picture.
Whatever subjects you are good at, it can be monetized as long as there are people who also need the same knowledge.
You can get in touch with parents and ask if you could be of help to their kids academically. You could even tutor adults if you’ve got the brain for it.
15. Proofreading
Ever read an article online that made you cringe because of the punctuation and grammatical errors in it? Well, you don’t have to just cringe at it. You can also make money from correcting these errors.
Proofreader jobs can be found on online platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, and others.
Proofreading is a full-time job for some adults, so you might want to take it seriously if you have lots of potential in it.
16. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is basically a website that gives free rewards. With this platform, you can make some extra money in your spare time.
Things you can do there include play games, watch video ads and get money, search for stuff online, answer surveys, and a bunch of other stuff.
If you are 13 or above, you are qualified to join for free. A $5 welcome bonus is handed to you when you sign up.
17. Using Grocery Receipt Apps
Cash back apps for groceries like Checkout 51, TopCashback, Caddle, Receipt Hog, Ibotta, and others offer you money to scan grocery receipts of yours, then upload them online.
With the help of a smartphone, you can make money with the method. The weekly app offers should determine the purchase receipts you upload.
Cashback is credited straight to your account after your purchase receipt is processed. If you want to cash out, you can do so via PayPal or cheque.
18. Play Video Games
Platforms like Mistplay can make playing video games a financially rewarding experience. You can get free gift cards from them (cards like Amazon, Visa, iTunes, PlayStation Nintendo, Google Play, and others).
Signing up is free if you are 13 or above. What’s more? You get more goodies if you successfully invite friends to join.
19. Get Paid to Walk
All those errands you run could actually fetch you some money. Just walking around could be a means of making money for you.
Platforms like Sweatcoin give you 0.95 Sweatcoin for each and every 1,000 steps you take. Also, getting friends to sign up with a referral link can get you 5 Sweatcoin. Your friends can gain knowledge of how to make money as a 15-year-old from this.
These coins can be exchanged for rewards like Apple Watches, iPhones, PayPal money, fitness classes, Yoga classes, sports gear, and other goodies. You just have to be 13 to sign up.
20. Scan Groceries
You can scan grocery items of yours for money with the help of a mobile app or a hand-held scanner.
Nielsen Homescan offers you money to scan your grocery shopping weekly in Canada. With the help of your parents, you can sign up for grocery scanning.
Conclusion of How to Make Money as a 15-Year-Old
You came here looking for how to make money as a 15-year-old, and we have shown you all the information you need.
Now, the hard part is taking action and really getting a job. But not to worry because you have your whole life ahead of you as a 15-year-old (or a teen of any age).
So, do not be discouraged if you try one job and it does not quite work out for you. You can try others, and see what suits you. You are at a stage of self-discovery, so learn the lessons and put them to good use.
Even if the job doesn’t seem like something you’d like, try it out and see if you will surprise yourself. Who knows; maybe you just might take a liking to one of them and proceed to build it into a long and fruitful career. All the best!
At Money Reverie, we know much more than how to make money as a 15-year-old. Check out these articles of ours if you also want to know how to make quick money in one day and how to make 300 dollars fast
Hi, I'm Adeola Adegoke. I am a licensed Insurance Broker in Manitoba, and I hold a master’s degree in Mathematical Sciences (with a major in Financial Modeling) from the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Tanzania.
Also, I have a second master's degree in Statistics from the University of Regina, and I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Statistics at the University of Manitoba.
The primary purpose of Money Reverie is to help everyday Canadians make better financial decisions by providing up-to-date financial news and information, reports, product reviews, and government programs.
