You've picked a side hustle. You know what you're selling. Now comes the question that makes almost every new seller uncomfortable:
How much should you charge?
If you're still deciding what kind of side hustle to start, begin with 25 Side Hustles for Teens That Can Actually Make Money. If you've picked an idea but haven't turned it into a clear offer yet, read How to Start a Side Hustle as a Teen: From Idea to First Customer first.
Start With One Simple Rule: Don't Guess
Before you choose a price, figure out what the job actually costs you.
If You Sell a Product, Calculate Your Real Cost
Suppose you make six bracelets from $12 worth of beads and string. Your obvious materials cost is about $2 per bracelet, but you may also have packaging, payment fees, wasted materials, and tool replacement.
A useful starting formula is: materials + selling costs + value for your time + room for profit = starting price.
If You Sell a Service, Price the Result
For services, a clear package is often easier than a vague hourly promise. Examples: one exterior car wash, three captioned short-form clips, one 60-minute tutoring session, or one event flyer with two revisions.
Hourly Pricing vs. Project Pricing
Hourly pricing can work when the amount of work is hard to predict. Project pricing can work better when the result is clear. Pick the method that makes the job easiest to understand and least likely to create surprises.
Research What Similar Work Costs
Look at local prices or similar services online, but compare carefully. A professional with ten years of experience is not the same as a beginner. Being young doesn't mean your work should be practically free either.
Use a Starter Price, Not a Forever Price
Your first price is an experiment. After a few jobs, ask how long the work took, what it cost, whether the price felt worth it, and how customers reacted.
When Should You Raise Your Price?
- Your work is better or faster.
- You have happy customers and examples.
- You have more demand than you can handle.
- Your costs increased.
- Your current price no longer feels worth the work.
Don't Forget Revisions and Extra Work
For creative or custom work, state what the price includes. Example: one finished thumbnail + up to two rounds of revisions.
What About Deposits?
For tiny neighborhood jobs, deposits may be unnecessary. For custom products, larger orders, or work requiring materials up front, a deposit may make sense. If you're under 18, involve a parent or guardian when needed.
Examples
Bracelet: If a bracelet costs $2.50 in materials and packaging and takes 20 minutes to make, charging $3 leaves almost nothing for your work.
Car wash: If supplies cost little but the job takes 90 minutes, your time is the main cost.
Video editing: If three clips take two hours and you charge $10 total, you're earning about $5 per hour before any fees.
Your Price Is Part of the Experiment
You don't need a perfect price before you start. You need a number you can explain, a clear offer, and enough room to learn. Once you know what you're charging, read How to Get Your First Customers as a Teen.