Sunday, November 10, 2013

A Teenager’s Guide to Earning Money Online


Not all teenagers are lucky enough to get an allowance so teenagers are always on the lookout for ways to make money.  Since not all companies are receptive to hiring employees under the age of sixteen or eighteen, teenagers looking for extra pocket money are becoming increasingly creative about how to earn money.

The internet provides more than just entertainment; it is also a way for teenagers to be able to earn extra money, without having to ask their parents.  Teenagers actually have more moneymaking opportunities than they might realize online.

So what are some of the ways that teenagers can make money online?

Selling Things Online

As teenagers grow up, they grow out of their childhood toys, books and other items.  Clothing that is no longer worn, old phones, old mp3 players, video games that are no longer played, books, jewelry, old toys.  Instead of handing over these things to Goodwill or to a charity, teenagers can sell their items on Amazon or EBay and make money.  Books, electronics, CDs, old phone chargers, and even toys can all be sold on Amazon and those things and more, such as jewelry and clothing can be sold on EBay.  

Blogging

When it comes to getting advice – teens are often reluctant to go to adults because they feel they probably do not understand.  Teens seek the advice and counsel of other teens and this is why teenagers with blogs can make money.  Teenagers know exactly what other teenagers want to read and it gives them a way to interact with others who are facing the same issues that they themselves are facing.
Google AdSense is one way that bloggers can make money.  You can choose a topic and then it will link to advertisements relevant to that topic.  There are also affiliate link programs that will link to your blog and so when those links are clicked on, the blogger will make money.

The more traffic their blogs generate, the more money they can make.  Teenagers can make money by doing movie reviews, writing about relevant teen issues or even just write about their daily activities and random thoughts.  By using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, teen bloggers can get more exposure for their blogs, earning themselves more money.

Taking Surveys Online

Numerous websites offer money in exchange for taking surveys.  Sometimes it will be a check that is mailed out, sometimes it is money through PayPal and sometimes it is payment via gift cards; either way, teenagers with some extra time on their hands can take surveys online and make money.
Teenagers are a highly desired target demographic for marketing companies and for that reason, their input in valuable to marketers, and that is why online survey taking is one way that teenagers can make money. 

Here are some reliable survey sites:

·      MySurvey – With MySurvey, members can earn points for taking surveys and then redeem the points for cash.  In addition to earning points for taking surveys, they sometimes have opportunities to test products at home.  You can trade in points for cash, payable via PayPal or Prizes and the minimum payout is $10, 0r 1,150 points.
·      Global Test Market – Completed surveys earn members marketpoints which can then be redeemed for cash, in the form of a check that is mailed out.  The minimum payout is $50 or 1,000 marketpoints.
·      NPD Online Surveys - Completed surveys earn the survey taker points, which they can redeem for prizes, gift cards, and cash.  The minimum payout is $15.
·      MindsPay - With MindsPay, members can earn cash per survey, which is sent to the survey taker via PayPal.  In addition, they also pay per e-mail that is read in their system.  The minimum payout is $50.

Playing Games

For teens that are good at playing games, they can actually turn their skills and love of games into a way to earn money.  Sites like Skillville Games and Worldwinner are free to join and games can be played for prizes or cash.  To access the games with a higher chance of winning games that pay out higher, some of the sites may require members to pay.  For example, a game that costs $2.50 to play could have the potential to win $5 or more if you are the top winner against the other group of players who are playing.

Writing

There are a variety of websites that give teenagers who are interested in writing a way to freelance their writing skills and they can earn money for writing content and having it posted online. 

·     Yahoo Voices– Yahoo Voices, which used to be Associated Content, pays an upfront fee for each contribution as well as sharing revenue based on how much traffic that article generates.  You can choose what content you want to write about or you can see targeted topics.  Articles will earn you about $3-4 each and then add an additional $1-2 for traffic for articles that generate high interest.

·      Helium – Helium also pays upfront for written content in addition to royalties for traffic that the article generates and for advertisement revenues.  Helium pays about $1 per article plus traffic royalties but to earn payments you must rate articles written by others.  The real way that teenagers can make money is through their marketplace section where you can earn money by writing gigs for clients, starting at $5 and up.

Jack-of-All-Trades

With Fivver.com, teenagers can earn money in a variety of ways.  They post gigs for what they will do for $5 and then buys will purchase the gig.  Gigs on fiverr.com run the gambit from selling homemade crafts, videograms, to short how-to videos and with the variety of things that can be listed as a gig; nearly all teens can find a way to make some money through this website.

For teenagers looking for extra cash, there are a variety of reliable websites in addition to what we have already listed.  A good rule of thumb is that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.  Do your research online to verify if a site is on the up-and-up and if you have any doubts, do not use the site.  Sites usually require you to register but the reliable sites do not require you to pay to use them, so if a site is asking for payment in order for you to use it, proceed with caution. 


No comments:

Post a Comment