How to Make Money in Your 20s? Top 10 Jobs for Young People

I'm in my late twenties, and I spend much of the past decade looking for quick ways to make money. Generally speaking, I went for jobs that are flexible and do not require experience or a car. And although that sounds like a big ask, I actually discovered a lot of great opportunities along the way. 

I now have a more traditional job, but I think all these ideas are still worth checking out for other people in their twenties who want to make money. 

10. Temp work

Being young means that you probably have more energy and a higher tolerance to instability. These are advantages in the job market, and make you especially suited to temp work.

Although this kind of work has a bad reputation, as it often means plugging into a desperate system and working late nights to help, it also has some great advantages: 

If you're interested, think about the kind of work you want to do and then look for an agency. For instance, EPIC are focused on hospitality, while Eastridge specialize in office roles. 

9. Social media management 

As a 20-year-old jobseeker, there are only a few opportunities out there where your age will be a benefit, but social media management is one of them.

Older generations expect young people to be more savvy with social media and to know what works in that space. And generally speaking, they're right. People in their 20s have grown up with social media, and that's why they dominate the industry. 

You will have a better chance of finding higher-paid work if you have experience, or even better your own channels. But there is a lot of part-time work available for social media managers, which is a good place to start. 

8. Tutoring

If you are in your twenties, you can probably still remember high school. Importantly, you are likely to be familiar with the kinds of exams that students in your area are studying for. 

Becoming a tutor for high school students is therefore a great potential gig for someone in their twenties. You should pick a subject you feel comfortable in, and you should prepare properly for every lesson by familiarizing yourself with the curriculum. 

To find students, you could advertise locally via NextDoor, or you could look online by making a profile on a platform like Wyzant. 

If you want to find older students, then teaching your native language is the way to go. 

7. Online surveys 

Market research companies are always on the lookout for individuals like you to share feedback on new products and give your opinion about major brands. There are dozens of online survey sites that can connect you with paid opportunities like this, and they provide a comfortable way to make money from home.  

For most users, surveys only provide tens or possibly hundreds a month, but if you stay consistent you can feasibly make up to $500. I suggest doing surveys in tandem with other ways to make money. For instance, paid gaming, which can also be done from your phone, but pays significantly more. 

6. Content creation

Making content online and monetizing requires hard work and a good amount of luck, but there are definitely easier ways to go about it. And it will certainly be easier to start if you are in your twenties, like most of the audience. 

For instance, you could start a faceless YouTube channel focused on Top 10 or compilation style videos. I did this using only a mic and some free video editing software (DaVinci Resolve), and I earn about $300/month from my channel, spending just one day a week on it. 

I also want to mention that content creation has been incredibly rewarding for me, and has allowed to dive even deeper into my hobbies. 

5. Child care

This is the kind of work that will be much easier to get if you present as female, but if that applies to you, then this can be a great job for someone in their twenties. Although children can be difficult, the pay is good and work is consistent. 

For those who want to find work locally, I suggest using Care, a platform for baby sitting and child minding jobs. 

If you want to travel and experience life in a new city, then you could go down the au pair route. This will normally involve being a live-in nanny, while taking lessons in the local language. The pay is low, but accommodation is covered.

4. Food delivery 

I was a food delivery rider for a number of years in my twenties, and it still stands as one of my favorite jobs.

The pay is about minimum wage, and you have to work during unsociable hours, but you get to know the city you live in better than a cab driver, you get great exercise (hours of cardio every day) and there's minimal customer interaction — podcast time! 

This kind of work is also easy to get, with companies like DoorDash and Uber Eats always on the lookout for more riders. 

3. Manual labor 

If you're in your twenties, there's a good chance you're fit enough to do manual labor. This is a great way to make decent money, completing small individual jobs, and getting paid cash in hand.

The best place to look for work like this is on odd job platforms like TaskRabbit and Airtasker.

And before you ask, no, you don't need to know any construction skills. There are plenty of contractors who simply need a spare of hands to move materials, as well as older individuals who need help with basic tasks. But of course, if you do have skills, you will find more and better paid work

2. Paid gaming 

As with online surveys, the benefits of paid gaming to someone in their twenties are obvious. You can start in five minutes and work from home, from bed even, grinding games and making money. 

You will be paid for completing individual tasks, like reaching a high level or defeating a certain boss, and when you have enough funds you can cash out your earnings in numerous ways, from PayPal to crypto and everything in between.

I have paid gaming so high in the ranking because it's better-paid than similar online work, like surveys, with the top earners on Freecash racing to make 5k each month (the first to make it to 5k wins an additional $500). 

If you try paid gaming, take your time to really explore the titles on offer before committing to one. You will spend hundreds of hours playing the game you pick, after all. 

1. Pet care 

My favorite suggestion for casual work in your 20s is pet care, because it's something almost everyone can do, the work is relaxing, and the pay can be decent. 

You can advertise your services locally by making a post on NextDoor, or you could go directly to clients via platforms like Rover and Wag! My personal advice is to start cheap, build up great reviews, and then raise your per hour rate (but you can never get too aggressive with your pricing; this is a competitive space). 

A final tip: Never accept a dog walking job, or even a drop-in visit gig, until meeting the animal. Badly behaving pets are not worth it.