Here in the “Garden State,” teens can obtain a working permit at the age of 14. That means when it comes to how to make money as a 14 year old in 2022, there are many ways to earn.
Although my daughter babysit before age 14, she officially started working at 14 at a frozen yogurt shop. Savings from this job made it possible for her to purchase her own car a few months before receiving her driver’s license.
Whether you are a 14 year old looking for work, or a parent looking for suggestions for your teen, we have you covered.
This article will cover both traditional and non-traditional ways for a 14 year old to make money.
How to Earn Money as a 14 Year Old
Before we dive into the list, there are a few important things to note from the U.S. Department of Labor.
1. What Hours Can a 14 Year Old Work?
To protect youth, the government has restrictions on the hours that a teenager can work. Below are the restrictions straight from the U.S. Department of Labor’s website.
You Can’t Work:
- More than 3 hours on a school day, including Friday
- More than 18 hours per week when school is in session
- More than 8 hours per day when school is not in session
- More than 40 hours per week when school is not in session
- Before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. on any day, except from June 1 through Labor Day, when nighttime work hours are extended to 9:00 p.m.
There are exceptions to these rules for teens that graduate early or teens that are involved in a work-study program. Be sure to visit the website for a full list of rules and exceptions.
2. What Jobs Are 14 Year Olds Not Allowed to Do?
In addition to time restrictions, the ways to make money as a 14 year old are also restricted.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, you can’t:
- Work in any of the Hazardous Orders or in most occupations involving transportation, construction, warehousing, communications and public utilities.
- Work in processing, mining, in any workroom or workplace where goods are manufactured or processed, in freezers, or in meat coolers.
- Operate or tend any power-driven machinery, except office machines.
- Perform any baking operations.
- Be employed in youth peddling, sign waving, or door-to-door sales activities.
- Work from ladders, scaffolds, or their substitutes.
- Be employed to catch or coop poultry.
There are exceptions for agricultural jobs, so be sure to visit the website to learn more if this is your desired field.
Is There a Minimum Wage for a 14 Year Old?
Minimum wages apply to workers of every age, including 14 year olds.
Although there is a federal minimum wage, you’ll need to check your state’s minimum wage to determine the lowest amount per hour that you are allowed to be paid.
Some states, such as Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi don’t have minimum wages, so the federal minimum wage would apply.
The U.S. Department of Labor has a search to find the minimum wage in your state. Simply click on your state from the drop-down menu to get your results.
A few examples include:
- Massachusetts: $14.25 per hour
- Missouri: $11.15 per hour
- Nevada: $9.75 per hour
- Oklahoma: $7.25 per hour
- California: $14.00 per hour
How Much Money Can a 14 Year Old Get Paid?
There is no limit to how much an employer can pay per hour; however, there is a limit on how many hours a 14 year old can work when not in school.
That means the most money a 14 year old can make is capped at the hourly wage multiplied by 40 hours.
So, if your teen was earning $11 per hour and worked 40 hours, the max he or she could earn would be $440 per week (minus taxes)
When it comes to how to make money as a teenager online, there is no income limit.
10 Ways to Make Money as a 14 Year Old (Traditional)
We’ll start off with some traditional options. The area where you live will determine which options are available to you.
Don’t forget to check out the online (non-traditional) options in the next section as well.
1. Restaurant Work
A 14 year old can apply for a job in a local restaurant. When I was a teen I served as a prep cook, buser, and waitress.
My nephew works as a dishwasher. I have several friends that were hired as hostesses, so you can try out different positions and find the one that you enjoy the most.
I loved both bussing and working as a waitress because I got both a weekly paycheck and daily cash from tips.
2. Retail
Retail is another option if you prefer working at a cash register or stocking shelves.
In my area we have a lot of souvenir and clothing shops due to being a shore town, so there are plenty of these positions available during the summer months.
Big retail stores, like Walmart, have age restrictions (must be 16), so you’ll have more luck with the Mom and Pop shops.
3. Golf Caddy 
Just like the restaurant work, you can earn a weekly salary and daily tips when landing a job as a golf caddy.
As a caddy, you carry around a golfer’s equipment, set up their golf ball, and hand them the clubs they need.
Several of my cousins worked as golf caddies and they just loved it. It’s a great gig for teens who enjoy meeting new people.
4. Flip Garage Sale Items
When it comes to ways for a 14 year old to make money, consider a gig that is more entrepreneurial.
Since ebay allows teens to use their parents account to sell items, 14 year olds can find sellable items at garage sales and then flip them for a profit on ebay.
It’s also worth checking local thrift shops, dollar stores, and clearance racks at retail shops to find good deals.
The important thing is that you check ebay before you buy a item to make sure it’s popular and selling at a price that you can earn a profit.
5. Offer Swimming Lessons
My friend’s son worked as a lifeguard and then also taught private swimming lessons at his home.
I hired him to teach my oldest daughter how to swim before we went on our first cruise.
If you don’t have your own pool to give lessons, you may be able to organize lessons at a community pool. You’ll need to get permission to do so.
You’ll also want to make sure you’re CPR certified. You can become certified at any age. Check your local rescue squad for any upcoming classes.
6. Amusement Park
Some amusement parks may have age limits on running the mechanical rides, but there are plenty of other ways to make money as a 14 year old at the park.
A teen can run one of the many carnival games, sell tickets at the ticket booth, or hand out prizes in the arcade.
Many amusement parks also have food stands and gift shops teens can work in as well.
7. Hold a Sports Camp
If you have a love of sports, consider holding a sports camp for younger kids. Parents are always looking for daytime activities to enroll their kids in during the summer.
Start with your local recreation department to see if they would allow you to organize a camp there. If not, try your area park.
If you have a big backyard, your parents may even let you have the camp there.
8. Movie Theater
How to make money as a 14 year old? What about working in a movie theater?
You can sell the tickets or work the concession stand. There are also positions for taking the tickets and admitting customers into the show.
We have multiple movie theaters in my area and they all hire teens. As a perk, you may even get to watch a movie or two for free!
9. Receptionist 
If your looking to go into business, you may find that a receptionist position looks good on your resume. This is because receptionists have excellent people skills and are detail-oriented.
A great number of businesses use receptionists, including nail and hair salons, insurance companies, real estate offices, doctor offices and massage parlors.
10. Farm Hand
One of my daughters is not an indoor sit at a desk all day kind of girl. She thrives with outdoor jobs, such as working on a farm.
Check with your local farmers to see if they are in need of an extra set of hands. There’s always plenty to do on a farm.
You may get to feed and clean up after the animals or plant and harvest flowers or produce.
Don’t forget to look into local stables as well. My daughter loved helping out with the horses and the barn.
How Can 14 Year Olds Make Money Online (Non-Traditional)
When I was young, there was no Internet, so this wasn’t an option. Today, however, teens can take advantage of the ability to earn online.
Here’s how to make money as a teenager online:
1. Virtual Assistant
If you’re Internet savvy, consider offering your services as a virtual assistant.
For example, you could approach area businesses and offer to handle all of their social media posts. Not only is this a great way to earn money, but it’s also fun.
You can also offer other virtual assistant services, such as writing content, posting content to a blog or website or website design.
2. Create and Sell T-Shirts
While many sites require you to be 18, such as TeeSpring (Now Spring), you can create and sell t-shirts for free on Spreadshirt at age 13 or older.
In addition to t-shirts, you can put your designs on other items, like aprons and coffee mugs. Spreadshirt takes care of all the orders, product creation, and shipping.
All you have to do is make the designs and upload them into the system!
Once you reach the age of 16, you can use Redbubble. Here’s my review:
3. Watching Videos on Zoombucks
As long as you have your parent’s permission, you can make money online as a 14 year old using Zoombucks.
There are several ways to earn, including watching videos and participating in surveys.
I have a full review here:
Zoombucks Review: Can You Really Earn Money Watching Videos?
4. Create Your Own Website
You don’t have to have any special skills to create a website, which is why I highly recommend creating one.
There are many ways to earn with a website. You can promote affiliate products, sponsored content and display ads. You can even use the site to sell your own crafts.
I use Wealthy Affiliate to do this, as they not only provide training, but they also allow you to do everything in one place.
Wealthy Affiliate encourages everyone, regardless of age, to build their own empire, so even a 14 year old can use it.
It’s through Wealthy Affiliate that I have this website up and running. I have tried so many other platforms, but they were too confusing and technical for me.
You can read my full review here:
Make Money With Wealthy Affiliate
5. Write Reviews
When it comes to how to make money as a 14 year old, writing reviews is a great option. There are actually several ways you can go about this.
You can get hired as a freelancer, offer to write the reviews and post them to your website, or use a site like Slice the Pie.
Slice the Pie allows users as young as 13. Users earn by listening to music or looking at clothing and then leaving a review.
This helps the creator make improvements to their songs or product listings before making them live.
Again, this is another site that makes earning fun. Payout is via PayPal (parents can set up a PayPal account for their kids) and the minimum payout is just $10.
There are other review sites out there, but proceed with caution, as many of them aren’t legit.
6. Survey Junkie
Like a few of the other online methods for earning income, Survey Junkie is easy to use.
It won’t make you rich, however, so you’ll need to do it in your free time while also doing one of the other ways to make money as a 14 year old.
As long as you are 13 and live in the United States, Canada, or Australia, you can join Survey Junkie.
From there, you can take surveys and earn points. The points can then be turned in for PayPal cash or direct deposit (US only). There’s also the option to request an e-gift card.
7. Become a Freelancer on Fiverr
If you have special talents, such as graphic design, writing, or creating social media content, you can earn on Fiverr.
I’ve used Fiverr myself for logo creation, book cover designs, and video editing.
Fiverr allows teenagers to use their platform and advertise their services. You can take on as many gigs as you want and you can complete them from the comfort of your own home.
Plus, you get to build your resume at the same time. This would look impressive to future employers, as well as potential college recruiters.
Read More: How to Be Successful at Fiverr – A Strategy That Works
8. Join Swagbucks
I’ve actually been using Swagbucks myself since 2008, and they accept teenagers as young as 13.
There are plenty of ways to earn. My two favorites are taking surveys and using the search engine.
Yes, you heard that right! I earn every time I use their search engine instead of Yahoo! or Google. It’s really that simple.
You can also earn by watching videos and we all do that anyway. Play games, refer friends – so many ways to earn.
I choose to cash out to PayPal, but you can also request an Amazon gift card.
9. TeenEyes
Both my kids were used TeenEyes when they were young (they are adults now). So it’s been around for a long time and is totally legit.
It’s the only survey site that I’m aware of that is specifically for teens. Each of the surveys on the site pays between $2 and $20.
You can cash out your earnings with as little as $10.
The site does cap out students at $600 for the year, so again, you’ll want to use this site in conjunction with a few other sites and job opportunities listed within this article.
10. Sell Books
There’s a website called Bookscouter that doesn’t have an age limit, so anyone can use the site to make money.
Once you download the app to your phone, you’ll be able to quickly check how much you can sell a book for by typing in the ISBN.
That means you can visit thrift shops and library book sales and check whether a book will earn you a profit before you buy it.
Let’s say a thrift shop is selling a book for $2 and you look the book up on Bookscout to discover someone is willing to pay $15 for it.
Then you’ll know it’s worth paying $2 for because you can go home and resell it for $15 and make $12 in profit.
The most lucrative books tend to be college textbooks and cookbooks, so keep that in mind when hunting for books to sell!
What Are the Best Jobs for a 14 Year Old?
The best jobs for a 14 year old are ones that spark their interest or allow them to develop skills that will carry over into adulthood.
No two kids are alike, so you’ll need to examine your teens likes and dislikes before helping guide them to the best job.
Teens who love spending time outside would do best offering swimming lessons, organizing a sports camp, or working as a farm hand.
14 year olds who prefer to stay indoors would do better with a job as a receptionist, retail worker, or restaurant employee.
Kids who want to build their own business should consider flipping garage sale items or looking into one of the online jobs.
How Can a Teenager Make $1,000?
A teenager can make $1,000 with almost all of the jobs listed. Since most 14 year olds start out at minimum wage, it may take around three weeks to earn this amount, even when working 40 hours.
Encourage your teen to save most of their paycheck, so that he or she can afford to purchase a car or pay for college.
One of my daughters worked at a frozen yogurt shop and saved every dime of her paychecks, but used her tips to go on outings with her friends.
Teaching teens to save is a great way to develop good money habits. My daughter has carried this habit into adulthood.
You may want to suggest that your 14 year old save 75% of their paycheck and then put the other 25% toward activities with friends or toward a special item they’ve been wanting to purchase.
Bonus: How to Make Money as a 13 Year Old
If you’re about to turn 14 in a few months, there are still some ways you can earn as a 13 year old.
1. Babysit
My daughter was babysitting at the age of 12. Here in my county, our local hospital offers “Safe Sitter” courses for kids ages 11 to 13.
My daughter took that course and was able to watch some of my friend’s children.
2. Pet Sit/Dog Walk
My cousin’s daughter has a job feeding her neighbor’s dog and taking it for a walk each day, while the owner is away at work.
She gets paid $100 per week to do this. Take on 3 or 4 pets and you have yourself a nice weekly pay.
3. Tutoring
Are you a math whiz or a literary genius? Consider tutoring elementary-aged kids. You could even start a summer reading program and charge per child.
You can charge more per hour for individual tutoring, but you can make more per hour with a program that accepts multiple children at once.
For example, you may charge $20 per hour to tutor one student. You may also charge $10 per student for a reading program that runs 2 hours long, but accepts 10 kids.
That’s $100 in 2 hours or $50 per hour, which is more lucrative than a single tutoring job.
4. Yard Work
Advertise yard work services to your neighbors. You can shovel snow in the winter, rake leaves in the fall, mulch gardens in the spring and mow lawns in the summer.
Perhaps a neighbor needs help during planting season. Another neighbor may need some bushes trimmed back. You can charge per hour or by the job.
5. Cleaning Services
Before I was 14, I got a job cleaning campground bathrooms. The campground was within walking distance of my house and the owners were friends with my grandmother.
Consider taking on a few cleaning jobs around the neighborhood. You don’t have to stick to houses either, You can offer to clean out cars as well.
6. Face Painter
Are you artistic and good with kids? Why not offer your services as a face painter for parties, festivals and special events.
This gig is also great for teens that can make balloon animals or dress up as a child’s favorite character.
Maybe you have musical talents or the ability to wow kids with a magic show!
7. Start A YouTube Channel
YouTube allows 13 year olds to create a channel, as long as they have parental permission.
When treated like a business, YouTube can be quite profitable. Choose a niche, plan your content and produce professional-looking videos to start building an audience.
Once you reach YouTube’s required number of subscribers and watch hours, you can apply for monetization.
8. Be the Muscle
Off your muscles to anyone that needs them. Perhaps a family is moving and needs help packing up and carrying boxes.
An elderly couple may need assistance hauling their groceries from the store to the car and the car to the house.
You can charge by how big or small the job is, and although you aren’t old enough for working papers, you’ll still be able to bring in some money.
9. Hand Out Business Flyers
We live in a tourist area. Summers here are crazy. When my cousin was under 14, he would go around to all the area businesses and offer to hand out flyers for pay.
You’d be surprised how many businesses took him up on his offer. They’d give him $20 and 500 flyers and he’d go up and down the beach and hand them out.
He’d also place them on the windshield of cars in the grocery parking lot.
The genius thing about this gig is that you can get hired by 5 companies and hand out all of their flyers at once.
That means if you had 5 gigs at $20 a piece, you could earn $100 in an hour or $50 in 2 hours (depending on how long it took you to hand the flyers out).
10. Sell Your Crafts
Although you need to be at least 18 to use Etsy, you can still make your own crafts and sell them using other platforms.
You only need to be 13 to use Facebook and you can easily advertise your crafts on your own page and on Facebook’s Marketplace.
Consider getting a table at local craft shows or asking neighbors who may be having a yard sale if you can join them and set up a table for selling your crafts.
Another option is approaching local businesses and asking them to sell your crafts on consignment. I know a lot of people who have had success doing this.
In Conclusion: How to Make Money as a 14 Year Old
There are so many ways to earn money as a 14 year old, which means any teen who is ambitious and ready to earn and build their wealth can do so.
This is true whether they decide to go the traditional or non-traditional route. Heck, they can even do a combination of both!
Does your teen have a job? If so, we’d love for you to share it with us in the comments below!