Reaching the age of 13 often brings a desire for financial independence and the opportunity to earn personal spending money. While formal employment is generally inaccessible due to legal restrictions, many avenues exist for young entrepreneurs. This guide focuses on safe, informal, and service-based opportunities that allow teenagers to gain valuable experience while adhering to all necessary regulations.
Understanding Child Labor Laws for 13-Year-Olds
The journey toward earning money begins with understanding the legal framework governing youth employment in the United States. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) generally prohibits 13-year-olds from working in most non-agricultural, industrial, or mining settings. This legislation establishes rules for hours, occupations, and working conditions designed to protect the health and educational opportunities of minors. Consequently, getting hired by a typical retail store or restaurant is usually not permitted until age 14, or often 16 for certain roles.
The FLSA provides specific exemptions that allow for certain types of employment at age 13. These exceptions include delivering newspapers, working in theatrical or motion picture productions, and performing work for a parent who owns a business. When working for a parent, the job must be non-hazardous and not involve manufacturing, mining, or other prohibited occupations. State-level labor laws frequently impose more restrictive rules than the federal government, making it necessary to check local regulations before beginning any venture.
Best Types of Informal Jobs for Teenagers Under 16
Neighborhood Service Jobs
Offering services to neighbors is the most common and accessible entry point for a 13-year-old entrepreneur. Pet sitting and dog walking are high-demand services that build trust and require reliable scheduling. A dog walk typically lasts 20 to 30 minutes, while pet sitting includes feeding, refreshing water, and providing playtime for small animals. These tasks teach responsibility and adherence to a client’s specific instructions.
Yard work provides another excellent opportunity for earning money, especially during seasonal changes. Tasks such as raking leaves or shoveling snow are physically demanding but financially rewarding. Teenagers can also offer non-motorized lawn care, including weeding garden beds, watering plants, or pushing a manual reel mower. Avoid using power equipment like gas-powered lawnmowers or leaf blowers due to safety and legal restrictions.
Running small errands for elderly or busy neighbors is a valuable service that demonstrates trustworthiness. This might involve walking to a local post office, picking up light groceries, or retrieving packages from a porch. House sitting for vacationing families involves collecting mail and bringing in trash bins, which should be done with direct parental oversight and client communication.
Creative and Skill-Based Services
Leveraging academic strengths through tutoring younger children is a way to earn money using existing knowledge. A 13-year-old can assist elementary school students with basic reading comprehension, foundational math skills, or general homework organization. This work requires patience and the ability to explain concepts clearly, often taking place in a safe, public location or under parental supervision.
Providing basic tech support to older adults is a highly valued service. This can involve setting up new smartphones or tablets, organizing digital photos, or teaching fundamental skills like video calling or using email. Teenagers can also turn hobbies into income by selling handmade crafts, such as custom jewelry, greeting cards, or small-batch baked goods sold at local community events or to neighbors.
Family Business Assistance
Working for a business entirely owned and operated by one’s parents represents the most common form of formal employment available at this age. This arrangement is explicitly allowed under federal law, provided the work is non-hazardous. Appropriate tasks include general office work, filing, organizing inventory, or performing light cleanup duties.
Even when working for a parent, safety regulations regarding hazardous machinery or environments must be strictly maintained. This work provides an introduction to the structured environment of a small business and the concepts of payroll and formal scheduling.
Structuring Your Services and Setting Prices
Transitioning from a casual chore to a professional service requires defining a clear scope of work for every job. Before accepting a task, clearly outline what is included, such as specifying that “dog walking” covers 30 minutes and includes fresh water but not brushing. Writing down a simple agreement helps manage client expectations and prevents misunderstandings.
Reliability and commitment form the foundation of any successful service business. Establishing a reliable schedule means showing up on time, communicating delays immediately, and completing the work as promised. Consistency leads directly to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
Calculating an appropriate rate involves researching what similar local services typically charge. For recurring tasks like tutoring or dog walking, an hourly rate, often ranging from $10 to $20 depending on the area and complexity, is standard. Simpler, one-off tasks like snow shoveling or window washing are better suited for a flat project fee, which provides the client with a predictable cost.
When setting a project fee, estimate the time required and then apply your desired hourly rate to that estimate, adding a small margin for unexpected delays. Communicating the value proposition—the quality, reliability, and convenience you provide—helps justify the chosen price. Always discuss and agree upon the final price with the client before the work begins.
Marketing Yourself Safely and Effectively
Successful marketing for a young service provider relies heavily on leveraging trusted neighborhood networks. The most effective method is simple word-of-mouth, where satisfied clients recommend your services to their friends and neighbors. This organic growth builds a client base founded on trust and positive performance.
Creating simple, professional flyers that clearly list the services offered and include a parent’s contact information is an effective strategy. These flyers can be distributed safely to houses on your immediate street or posted on authorized community bulletin boards. Ensure that no personal contact information, such as a personal phone number or email, is listed for the teenager.
Many neighborhoods utilize closed social media groups or digital platforms for community communication, which can be an excellent place to advertise. Any advertisement placed on these platforms must be posted directly by a parent, who can manage initial inquiries and vet potential clients. This step ensures that all early communication is handled by a trusted adult.
Parental involvement in the marketing and client acquisition process is a fundamental safety protocol. Parents must screen every potential client, manage all scheduling, and be aware of the location and duration of every job. The parent should be the primary contact for initial inquiries and scheduling confirmations, maintaining a barrier between the minor and unknown individuals.
Establishing clear safety protocols is paramount, especially when working in a client’s home or yard. Never enter a client’s home alone, and always ensure a parent knows exactly where you are and when you are expected to return.
Handling Payments and Basic Finances
Once the work is complete, receiving payment should be handled professionally, often through cash or a simple digital transfer managed by a parent. Tracking every dollar earned is a foundational financial habit that provides a clear picture of business performance. A simple ledger or spreadsheet can be used to log the date, the client, the service provided, and the amount received.
Beyond tracking income, learning to manage the money earned involves establishing a basic budget for saving, spending, and giving. Financial experts often suggest dividing earnings into these three categories to promote balanced financial discipline. Designating a portion for saving, perhaps toward a long-term goal, teaches the power of deferred gratification.
For secure storage and to prepare for future financial life, a parent can help open a joint or custodial bank account. This allows the teenager to deposit earnings safely and learn how bank accounts and debit cards operate under adult supervision. While earnings from informal jobs are usually below the threshold for federal tax reporting, keeping accurate records is advisable should the business grow substantially.