introduction

Would you believe me if I said you could get paid to watch Netflix movies? Well, don’t because it’s a scam. And yet, when you type in ways for teens to Students Really Make Money, that’s the first thing that comes up. Here are two reality checks that other creators will not tell you.

First, if someone’s telling you that you can make five figures a month doing 15 minutes of work a day, they are lying. Even if it’s true, by the time those secrets reach you, it’s already too late because everyone’s doing it. So, your chances of success are slim to none.

Two, if you’re on social media and you hear a creator boast about the fact that they earn X amount of money a month, but to know how they did it, you have to buy their course — just know that they’ve earned most of their money by selling courses, not doing any of the jobs that the courses advertise.

There are real ways to earn passive income as a student. And so, in this video, I’ll give you five non-scammy side hustles to actually earn income. I’ll even give you free guides, steps, and testimonials from people who have actually succeeded in doing those side hustles. So, watch till the end so you don’t miss out on any free resources. Let’s go.

Freelancing: A Legit Way to Earn as a Student

First, let’s start with freelancing. I’ll break down what freelancing is, give you real ideas to try, how to get clients, and tell you what actually makes someone stand out — coming from someone who actually hires freelancers all the time for my YouTube channel.

Freelancing is about selling a skill that you’re good at on your own terms. You pick your hours, your clients, your projects — and yes, you can do all of this in your pajamas. The best part is that you’re getting paid for something you already know how to do. Since you set your own hours, it will not disrupt your studies.

I have proof. My Malaysian friend Ryan does copywriting and he charges about 1,200 USD per project — and he’s a full-time student. Writing, designing, organizing, cleaning, whatever your skill is, someone out there needs it and will pay you for it.

Freelancing Ideas You Can Try

Are you addicted to social media? If you said no, you’re lying. When we think about jobs in social media, we automatically think about video editing and being a manager for content creators. But YouTubers alone need scriptwriters, personal assistants to handle PR and emails, and thumbnail designers.

Did you know many commentary channels actually hire researchers? Vloggers need cameramen and editors. TikTokers who post daily love help with weekly content plans — you could even give them video ideas with appropriate trending sounds. If you’re already on TikTok 24/7, you’re basically doing the job unpaid.

Feel free to screenshot, but if you’re bilingual, you can try these jobs. And if you’re good at writing, you can try these jobs. If you’re stuck, type this prompt into ChatGBT and see what ideas it gives you.

How Much You Can Actually Earn

People don’t realize how much money freelancing can bring in. Let’s do the math using this Etsy shop as an example: 34,000 sales. If the average price is $20, that’s $920,000.

For students, something like 4,000 sales in one year — $57,000 USD — is more realistic. You can do this even if your artistic skills don’t surpass stickman level.

Where to Get Hired as a Freelancer

Here are the main platforms you can start with. Feel free to screenshot.

You can get clients organically, but my friend Ryan says:
“If I could do things differently, I’d relentlessly respond to job postings on marketplaces like LinkedIn and Upwork, as well as sending cold pitches to any brand I come across online.”

95% will ignore you, but that 5% makes the difference. Be proactive via DMs or emails.

How to Reach Out Properly

I get messages daily from people wanting to work with me, and most do it wrong. So please:

• At least follow me.

• In one DM/email, I should immediately know who you are, what you do, and how you can help.

I even made a free document for LinkedIn resume and portfolio tips. Payment is: subscribe, like, then DM me the words side hustle.

The Challenges of Freelancing

Freelancing is competitive. Ryan started at 12 with no money for courses, so he read successful works of high-profile copywriters — these are the people he recommends, including himself.

Don’t stress if you’re not an expert. Just improve weekly.

Subscribe if you’re enjoying this video so far. I also have a detailed video on creating an outstanding portfolio — go watch it.

Starting a Business Without Going Broke

I’ll tell you the pros and cons, smartest ways to begin, tools you need, and mistakes I made. Free resources included.

At 17, I started a phone case business. I didn’t sell out — most people don’t. Only successful sellers post online. Most teens don’t have the budget or space for inventory. If I could redo it, I’d start with something less risky, like print-on-demand.

How Print-on-Demand Works

Platforms like Printify make products after someone orders. They handle printing, packing, and shipping. No startup capital needed. With over 1,500 products, you’ll find something to sell.

Upload your design, connect to Etsy, Shopify, TikTok Shop — and you’re in business.

Shipping is a nightmare, trust me (my sister-in-law runs a sauce company). As a busy student, POD lets you focus on studying.

If you’re serious, Printify Premium is $29/mo but gives $20 off per item, meaning more profit.

Free Tools You Need

1. Canva – for mockups, posts, business cards.

2. Procreate – for drawings and thumbnails.

3. ChatVT – for product descriptions, SEO, names, captions.

The free document I mentioned also contains a business guide — follow the instructions to get it.

Online Tutoring

This is one of the easiest ways for students to earn. You don’t need perfect grades — I tutored 7-year-olds at daycare as my first job. Students prefer someone close to their level.

How to Get Students

• Start with warm connections

• Tell your teachers

• Message family/friends on WhatsApp or WeChat

• Use Facebook community groups

• Ask first students for testimonials

My friend Afra charges $100/hr and built a tutoring business that turned over 5 million a year.

Selling Your Notes

This is how I earned my first $10,000. Many students lack time to make notes — even I buy notes in university.

I scanned handwritten notes using CamScanner (pay to remove watermark), added my own watermark, uploaded to Google Drive (restricted), and promoted in Facebook groups. Teachers helped spread the word.

You can also sell notes on various platforms — screenshot these. You can even turn notes into physical books using Printify.

Disclaimer: Check school policy first.