Make Money As a Kid from Your Computer

Do you need some extra pocket cash, but aren’t all that interested in mowing lawns or flipping burgers? If you have a computer, an internet connection, and some free time, you can start earning money doing the things you love without having to leave your house. From playing games to publishing stories, making money on your computer is easier than you might think, especially for kids.

Steps

Selling Your Stuff and Your Time

1. Sell your old toys, games, and other items online. You may no longer be interested in the previous version of a popular game, those building block sets meant for “little” kids, or last year’s must-have Christmas toy that’s still in the box. But odds are someone else is.
   • With an adult’s assistance, set up an account on one of the many auction or direct-seller sites. You probably won’t break the bank, but you may be surprised by how much people are willing to pay for good-condition items.
   • If you have older relatives or people without the time or computer skills to sell their stuff online, you can also offer to do it for them — for a reasonable cut of the profits.
   • Make sure you can always deliver on what you sell. Don’t exaggerate the quality or condition of your items, and ship them out properly and on time. Otherwise your career in sales likely won’t last long.
2. Review products online. People love to be able to scour product reviews before buying online, and companies love receiving favorable reviews. Done smartly, you can earn some extra cash legitimately by writing reviews.
   • There are plenty of product review schemes and scams to watch out for, however. A large number of websites offer to pay for product reviews, and many seem to come and go out of business quickly. You can opt to work through affiliate programs run by large companies like Amazon (https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/), which may offer you some more confidence in its legitimacy and stability.
   • A better avenue may be to review products for independent, ad-supported sites that compensate you for your work. For instance, there are sites that review children’s books that pay a small amount for accepted reviews.
3. Complete online surveys. This is another area where there is legitimate money available, but also a lot of scams and fraudulent sites. Consult with a knowledgeable adult before getting involved in any pay-for-survey schemes.
   • Like most things in life, if it seems too easy to make money doing something, the odds are good that there is something wrong with the scheme.
   • Research legitimate survey sites that will pay you a small amount (as in pennies) for completed surveys. You’re not going to pay for your first car this way, but you may have a bit extra pocket change.
4. Pass on deals too good to be true. If not already made clear here, the internet is full of money-making schemes that are actually money-taking scams.
   • You may be wise enough to know that those spam emails offering ways to make $10,000 per month from your home computer are fraudulent, but other scams can seem more legitimate. It is always smart to have someone you trust (and who is experienced with computers and the internet) to advise you.
   • You’ll hear people talk about making money by selling your progress in an online game (letting others skip ahead by paying you to do the work, essentially), or by selling virtual items or characters for real money. Such plans usually violate the terms and conditions of the games, however, and can cost you your access. They can also cost you time and money, as there is no way to ensure that you will be paid.

Monetizing Your Talents

1. Upload videos that showcase your skills. Everyone is good at something, from playing guitar to giving relationship advice to executing practical jokes. Whatever your talent may be, there are likely people willing to pay — or at least click on ads — to enjoy watching it.
   • To drive traffic to your content, you’ll probably either have to provide something unique, or something common done exceptionally well.
   • If you establish a Partner account on YouTube, for instance, you can earn some money for the advertising displayed with your uploads. This will require an adult’s permission and account, however.
2. Stream your gameplay. If you want to blow the mind of an adult who hasn’t kept up with computer games since the days of the Oregon Trail on an Apple II-e, tell them some young people make thousands of dollars per month just by letting others watch them play.
   • You can earn money with gameplay streaming on sites like YouTube or Twitch (Amazon), for example. To build a following, however, you need to not only be good at the game, but also adept at sharing insights and interacting with your fans.
3. Create a blog or podcast. If you have a gift for gab and a welcoming voice, or have a knack for the written word, one of these options may be a good way for you to make a few bucks online.
   • Once again, sponsors and especially advertising are the key ways to raise funds from blogs or podcasts. Programs like Google AdSense (https://www.google.com/adsense/start/), for instance, will utilize space on your webpage for targeted advertising and send a bit of money your way.
4. Make music or books for sale. The internet allows anyone to bypass book publishers and record companies, and the only real barrier to making some money is the quality of what you produce.
   • You can sell songs of your own creation on iTunes, and self-publish stories or books at the Amazon Kindle store, to mention two popular avenues.
   • While it’s more likely you’ll never make a penny than it is you’ll achieve fame and fortune, at the very least you’ll have a good creative outlet for your talents.

Sharing Your Tech Savvy

1. Set up computers and other equipment for novices. If your grandmother or neighbor doesn’t know Spotify from a spotted owl, but finally wants to join that Facebook thing or pay bills with the computer, they are probably willing to pay a little for your expertise.
   • There’s no reason to price-gouge Granny, of course, but most people, even family members, are probably happy to pay a little for help in setting up a new computer or wi-fi network.
2. Provide tutoring, repairs, or tech support. Most computer novices would also probably prefer to pay a little for help from someone they know and can deal with in person, rather than rely on phone calls or online chats and tutorials.
   • Don’t get in over your head, however. If you don’t know how to help with a problem, say so and advise that the person get in touch with customer service or tech support.
   • It can be frustrating to attempt to tutor someone who knows very little about a product or skill that seems second nature to you. Be patient, and think about all the things your favorite uncle has taught you before scoffing at his lack of a clue about how to fix his router or sell his baseball cards.
3. Digitize, convert, or print materials for others. Sometimes it isn’t even a question of knowledge, but of time. If you have it, and others don’t, you may be able to make some money doing some computer “grunt-work” for them. For example:
   • Digitize boxes of old photos or scan documents for a relative or neighbor.
   • Edit and upload or order prints for someone who has a camera card full of photos and no idea how (or time) to do anything with them.
   • Convert home movies to DVD, or even edit scattered videos and photos (such as from a wedding) into a movie everyone will appreciate.
   • Design and/or print photos, logos, designs, banners, invitations, flyers, and so on for others.
4. Design or set up websites. Maybe your friend’s Mom is starting a small business and wants a web presence, or a neighbor wants to know how to utilize various social media platforms so he can keep in touch with his grown children.
   • Once again, work according to your skill level. Don’t promise a fully-functional, professional website if you don’t know how to make one.
   • If, however, you can set up a site that draws in page views and ad revenue, maybe you can negotiate for a piece of the profits.

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Sources and Citations

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