Having your own money is a major step towards becoming more responsible. It is also a great way to buy the things you want or need so that you don't have to borrow money from your parents. Finding work as a teenager can be easy if you look in the right places and have persistence.

1. Become a dog walker if you like animals. Many families who own pets, and are gone for long hours of the day, need people who can come tend to their animals. You can charge a certain rate for each visit you make, or a weekly rate. Remember to always be reliable so you can gain a great reputation and get hired by more families.

2. Babysit for family, friends, or neighbors. Let those around you know you are looking to start babysitting, and ask them to help you spread the word about your services. Make flyers that include a little bit about yourself, what type of work you are looking for, and have your contact information. To help you get more babysitting jobs, take a babysitting class at your local hospital, recreation center, or Red Cross. You will be issued a certificate that states you have been properly trained to watch over children.

Red Cross centers are the most trusted in babysitter training. More people will want to hire you if you have been trained to be safe and reliable.

3. Tutor students in subjects you're strong in. If you're good at certain school subjects, and can help others succeed, make a job out of it. Parents everywhere are looking for reliable tutors who can help their children succeed. Tutoring centers can be very costly, and many families are looking to pay less money. You can have a competitive advantage by charging less money to tutor students.

Ask for no more than $10 per session, and make sure you're teaching them correctly and patiently.

4. Give music lessons if you play an instrument. Being able to play an instrument is a very valuable skill that you can profit on by teaching others how to play. Tell your family and friends to take lessons from you, and charge an hourly rate. You can also create flyers that include your contact information and what instrument you play, so people can reach out to you.

Giving music lessons can be very lucrative because it can take many lessons to teach someone how to play an instrument.

5. Get a job at the local businesses in your town. There are many jobs in your town that you can try to work at. You can apply to be a host at a restaurant, work at a clothing retailer, or stock food at a grocery store as young as fourteen to fifteen years old depending on the place of employment. Some places will ask for a worker's permit, so be sure to have one ready.

Ask your parents, relatives, or neighbors if they need help at their work filling papers, making copies, or cleaning.

Depending on your age, there are laws that restrict you from working too many hours in a day or week. Check the US department of labor website to learn about the maximum number of hours you can work and the places you are allowed to work.

6. Get a permit to work. Work permits are free and easy to obtain. You can go to your school and ask one of the administrator's to help get you the certificate form, or you can get one online at your state's DMV website. These certificates state that you are eligible to work before you are eighteen years old.[5] Every state has different requirements but on average, if you are between the ages of fifteen to sixteen, you need a work permit.