As high school students, money is needed to pay for various expenses such as gas, food, clothes, etc. However, an after-school job may be too much of a time commitment, or you may simply need some extra cash for savings on top of a job! So, here is a list of realistic side hustles for high school students. 

1. Selling Clothes

If you have been wanting to clean out your closet lately, and want to make some money out of it, selling your clothes is a great way to make some extra money. You can go to stores such as Plato’s Closet, or go the online route and use apps like Mercari, Depop, or Vinted. All you have to do is upload decent photos of your item (which can be taken on your smartphone), write a detailed description including wear, any imperfections, and sizing, then list, and package and ship your item. Students can make a ton of money simply by selling outgrown or unwanted clothing.

1. Tutoring

If you have a good understanding of a certain subject and want to make some extra money off of it, you can charge people for tutoring. You get some extra money on the side, and that person gets better grades and comprehension for their classes, win-win!

1. Sell Study Guides

Do you have a skill for organizing and compiling notes? You can easily make money every time a test or quiz rolls around by turning notes, diagrams, and examples into a study guide and selling your study tools to classmates.

1. Babysitting

If you have a family friend or someone you know with kids, babysitting is a great side hustle to make some extra cash. Whether you’re driving their kids home from school, or watching them on a parent’s date night, babysitting is a laid back side hustle perfect for high school students. Depending on the needs of the family hiring you, you could babysit everyday, once a month, or anywhere in between.

1. Yard Work

Good with manual labor? Mow lawns or rake leaves in your neighborhood! Any type of yard work you’re capable of doing, offer those services to those around you. This is a hands-on way to make some extra cash while in high school.

1. Dogsit or Dog Walk

Similar to babysitting, people will pay for their dogs to be taken care of as well. If you know anyone about to go on vacation, offering to watch their dogs takes pressure off of them, earns you some money, and allows you to play with pets! Additionally, you can help people keep their dogs active by walking them for money.

1. Wash Cars

Do you have a bucket, soap, and a sponge? Then start marketing yourself and wash cars around your neighborhood. Car washing is relatively easy and inexpensive to do, so it is a good option for high school students in their free time. Additionally, you can charge people extra to do some detailing work if you have tools like a shop vac.

1. Sell Something Unique to You

If you’re artistic and happen to be good at making something such as jewelry, accessories, stickers, etc, you can use your talents to sell your work on sites such as Etsy. There are already some students at CA who do this (see article Shopping Local: CA’s Small Business Owners). This option is personalizable because you can sell whatever you’re passionate about.

No matter what you decide to do with your time, there are multitudes of options for high school side hustles outside of a traditional job. This list can be used literally, or a launch pad of inspiration for your next financial endeavor!