As kids grow up and turn into teenagers, they have to learn how to earn money through work and not just from an allowance. So, how could a 12-year-old make money? Although you need to have a certain age for some jobs, there are some ways that teens can gain money from simple jobs that do not require a certificate.
These can go from simple housework jobs to helping out in the family business, but the important thing is that the teenager can work legally. On top of that, it is really good for them to start working on something to learn about responsibility, work ethics, and compromise.
Once they start earning their first bucks, they will surely want to get more into this world and maybe develop new skills that will help them once they go to college or business jobs. Some of these jobs for 12-year-old are perfect paths for them to grow up and earn their own money.
Fifteen Jobs a 12-Year-Old Can Do to Earn Money
These jobs do not require as much labor as normal jobs in the industry. However, these can serve as stepping stones for teens who want to start getting into jobs and change their mentality.
But as we said before, these jobs must follow the laws. For example, can a 12-year-old work at McDonald’s or a fast food restaurant? No, depending on each’s store policy, there is a minimum age restriction to work there and in this case, is normally between 14 and 16 years old.
Still, there are other alternatives for teenagers, some of which have to utilize their talents for various tasks. These jobs are:
Washing cars
If you have experience washing your parent’s car, then why not try to go around your neighborhood and ask if anyone needs their car to be cleaned? It is a simple job that only requires the owner’s consent.
You will need some cleaning supplies like a sponge, a cleaning solution, and a pair of towels. After that, ask the owner to use their garden hose, and you are good to go.
Depending on the state of the car, you should ask for a reasonable amount of money. Consider how dirty is the vehicle, the size, or if you are going to clean inside too. You can ask between $5 and $20.
Lawn mowing and cleaning the garden
Another job you can do is lawn mowing the garden of neighbors. You will need to borrow their lawn mower, or if your parents have one then ask for permission to borrow it (you need to know how to use one before you want to do this job).
There are other things that you can do in a garden if you cannot mow the lawn, like pulling weeds, planting flowers, watering plants, or anything that the owner wants with the garden. We recommend that you charge per hour.
Walking dogs
It is a great job for 12-year-olds and they could do it within their neighborhood. However, you need to make sure that you can manage the pet; some dogs can move a lot or are hard to control during walks if you don’t look familiar to them.
Normally, you need to fit your schedule with the owner so that you can walk them without worrying about school. On top of that, you should charge per hour of walk, and also the number of dogs.
If you cannot find someone in your neighborhood who want your services, then luckily there are some apps for dogwalkers that you can download on your phone.
You can find requests from people near you and all the details about the walk, but you have to read the requirements for opening an account first.
Delivering newspaper
One of the oldest jobs for teenagers. This job requires you to deliver newspapers to different subscribers of your assigned route. Depending on where you are doing this, you will require a work permit.
Once you have your route, you can either deliver the newspaper by walking or on a bicycle. This job can be done in the morning, and even though most pieces of media are now digital, you can still find jobs delivering newspapers.
Sell your craftwork
If you have a talent for craftsmanship, then you should try to sell it to people. It is a good way to become an entrepreneur, and you can create your products with different materials. For example, if you are good at knitting or painting, you can accept commissions from possible customers.
You can advertise your work through social media with pictures of your creations. The process can be slow at first, but you will have all of your free time for this job. On top of that, you can set up the price you want depending on the difficulty of the craft.
As a 12-year-old, you can learn numerous things and acquire skills that can serve you. Creativity is essential if you want to come up with new things to craft, and if you are stuck, find inspiration from other artists and learn from different tutorials to improve.
Sell your unused things
And speaking of selling, if there are objects that you no longer use or desire to have, then you could sell them at a garage sale or online. This is not exactly a job, since you are going to run out of items to sell, but it helps to learn about negotiation.
There are multiple online platforms that you can use to sell your objects, for instance, Facebook marketplace or eBay are good options, but make sure to avoid scammers.
Become a tutor
A 12-year-old teenager does learn a lot of things at school, and they can use that to their advantage. Becoming a tutor for friends or children can be an excellent job since you use the knowledge of your school subjects.
For example, if you have great mathematical and arithmetical skills, then help people who require assistance with this subject. You can charge per hour and plan a schedule for the classes, and at the same time, you get to practice how to teach properly.
Babysit
Taking care of children while their parents are at work can be a lucrative job too. Depending on the number of children and age, you can charge per hour a reasonable amount between $10 and $25.
It can be fun to play with children, but you must also attend to their needs according to the parents’ requirements. For instance, if they need to take medicine at a certain hour, or if they need help to go to the bathroom, you have to stay put to make sure the kids are fine.
However, if you live in Illinois, Maryland, or Oregon, then you will not have a chance to be a babysitter. In these states, it is illegal to leave children of a certain age alone or with the supervision of minors.
Photographer
With a camera or a phone, you can take pictures of people and get some money out of it. You will need to learn some tips first, like the best angle, position, lighting, and others. Even better, you can get a polaroid camera and offer pictures in instant film.
Another alternative is to take pictures of the environment and popular photos to sell them online as stock photos. With a bunch of pictures, you can make a library on Shutterstock or Getty images, but you will need the supervision of your parents.
Sell homemade desserts
If you have a knack for cooking desserts, then use your baking skills to sell around your neighborhood. With the assistance of your parents, prepare some cookies, brownies, ice cream, cupcakes, or whatever you know how to cook.
After that, grab a tray and start knocking on doors for people to buy you some. With time, people will know that you make incredible candies and desserts, and they will certainly call you asking for more, on which you can start to accept preorders.
Seasonal jobs
Similar to cleaning gardens, you can clean your neighbor’s porches during the seasons. You cannot imagine how tiresome it is for an adult to shovel all the snow accumulated on their porch, or maybe gather up all the fallen leaves around the house.
You will get some cash if you ask if they need their porch cleaned, you will mostly need a broom, a rake, and a shovel. The only downside is that these jobs are available during autumn and winter, so if right now is spring, you will have to wait a couple of months.
Window washing
12-year-olds can also clean windows from houses and sometimes retail stores. It is a quick and easy job, and it just requires cleaning appliances. It is important that you ask first, especially if you are dealing with a store.
Become an actor
This job might be the most difficult since there is a lot of competition. Still, lots of kids can start as actors in small plays or ads, the only thing you have to do is apply for it.
You will not get paid a lot of cash in your first acting job, but with time and practice, you will find more options that offer more money. Who knows, maybe you will be lucky enough to land a job for a big movie or TV series.
Do voice acting
Similar to the former job, you can also try to do voice acting for money. You will only need to train your voice, like how to modulate your tone, match the rhythm of scenes, etc. It is recommended that you do courses to improve and get a job in the media industry.
Build up a portfolio of some examples showing what you can offer. You can voiceover preexisting characters to show your adaptability to different genres.
Use Fiverr
Fiverr is an online platform for people who want to sell their services to people. It is great to start your entrepreneurship; you will need to set up an account and determine what it is that you want to do.
You can accept painting commissions or offer your voice acting skills, the choices are endless. The best thing is that you get to work for people all around the world, that is, if they choose to pay for your service.
It is never too early to start getting a job
Many people believe that they need to go to college and get a degree in order to get a job, but that is not the case. Sure, you need to follow the labor law, but you can get started with these simple jobs if you are a 12 years old teenager.
Working can be helpful to know which things you like and don’t about your jobs. If you are not into gardening, then walk another route like craftsmanship. With the support of your family and friends, you can earn some bucks during your school years.