Money Tools and Resources: The Best Picks for Teens, Side Hustles & Small Business Owners

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This page may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my links — at no extra cost to you. I only share tools and resources I personally use and truly recommend. You can read my full disclosure here.

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Money tools and resources can make all the difference when it comes to saving smarter, earning more, and staying organized, whether you’re a teen learning how to budget for the first time, a parent or grandparent teaching money skills, or a side hustler growing extra income.

This page is your shortcut to the most practical tools I’ve used, tested, or researched, along with trusted recommendations from entrepreneurs, educators, and creators who know what works. From beginner-friendly budgeting apps and printable savings challenges to small business and e-commerce tools, you’ll find everything you need to manage money with confidence, no matter where you are in your journey.

👉 Start with the free Teen Budget Tracker; it’s the easiest first step before diving into the rest of these tools.

💡 Tip: Bookmark this page! I update it regularly with fresh money tools and resources so you can keep working smarter, building skills, and staying motivated.

💰 Teen & Beginner-Friendly Money Tools and Resources

These tools help parents, teens, and young adults build smart money habits together, from simple budgeting apps to fun printable savings challenges. Learning about money doesn’t have to feel complicated. These beginner-friendly resources make tracking spending, saving for goals, and mastering zero-based budgeting totally doable.

Parents and grandparents will also find trusted resources like the Jump$tart Coalition, along with practical ways to teach money skills at home.

👉 First step: Download the Teen Budget Tracker (free) to give your teen confidence managing money.

  1. Chase First Banking for Teens

    My daughter has a Chase teen account, and it’s been an amazing way for her to learn how to manage her money and stick to a budget. If you’re looking for a safe, simple way to teach your teen real-life money skills, this account is a great option. They’ll get their own debit card, an easy-to-use mobile app, and helpful parental oversight—so they can build smart habits while you keep an eye on things

    Open One Now

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  2. The Smart Money App & Debit Card for Kids | Acorn Early

    Acorns Early is a simple way to help your teen start building smart money habits now. It rounds up spare change from everyday purchases and invests it automatically, so they can see their savings grow over time, teaching them that even small steps can lead to big goals.

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  3. PocketGuard: Budgeting App | Know where your money goes

    PocketGuard makes budgeting simple by showing exactly how much you can safely spend after bills and goals. It’s easy to use, secure, and helps you feel confident and in control of your money every day.

    Sign Up Now

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  4. Ramsey Press Smart Saver Bank: Teaching Kids How to Win with Money!
    $19.99 $16.40

    I’ve used the Ramsey Press Smart Saver Bank with my own kids, and it’s been a game-changer for teaching them about “spend, save, and give.” This simple three-compartment bank makes money lessons fun and practical, helping kids build smart habits they’ll carry for life.

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    11/18/2025 05:17 pm GMT
  5. Clever Fox Budget Planner & Monthly Bill Organizer With Pockets. Expense Tracker Notebook
    $34.99

    Budgeting Journal and Financial Planner Budget Book to Control Your Money.

    Large Size Large...

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    11/18/2025 03:11 pm GMT
  6. Mechanical Switch Basic 10-Digit Desktop Calculator (Pink)
    $16.99

    Bring a pop of retro charm to your workspace with the JS05 Mechanical Calculator in pink. Featuring real blue switches for that satisfying click, large, easy-to-read keys, and a tilted 10-digit LCD screen, it makes every calculation smooth and comfortable. Available in trendy colors and crafted with durable ABS materials, this calculator is both stylish and built to last—perfect for school, office, home, or business use. Plus, it comes with a 1-year quality guarantee for peace of mind.

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    11/19/2025 06:14 am GMT
  7. Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M4 chip: 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display | Midnight
    $999.00 $749.00

    The 2025 Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with the supercharged M4 chip is built for Apple Intelligence, giving you blazing speed, effortless multitasking, and all-day battery life up to 18 hours. Its brilliant 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display makes every photo, video, and detail pop, while the 12MP Center Stage camera, Spatial Audio speakers, and three-mic array ensure you always look and sound your best. Ultra-portable and stylish in Midnight, it comes with 16GB of unified memory, 256GB SSD storage, Touch ID, and all the connectivity you need with Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3.

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    11/19/2025 06:14 am GMT
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💡 Side Hustle & Earning Money Tools and Resources

Whether you’re selling crafts, offering services, or launching an online shop, these tools help you earn extra income without burnout. Perfect for teens exploring safe, creative ways to make money and for families turning hobbies into side hustles that actually grow. From tracking your first sale to saving your earnings, everything here keeps it simple and doable.

👉 Start with the Teen Budget Tracker to manage your income.
👉 Already brainstorming ideas? Grab the Side Hustle Checklist for safe, profitable ways to earn.

  1. Logitech for Creators Blue Microphones Yeti USB Microphone (Blackout)
    $139.99 $92.63

    Capture rich, clear audio for podcasts, online courses, or video calls. Simple plug-and-play setup makes it easy for anyone to sound professional, no tech stress required.

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    11/18/2025 03:12 pm GMT
  2. Logitech C920x HD Pro Webcam, Full HD 1080p/30fps Video, Clear Audio, HD Light Correction | Black
    $69.99 $59.99

    Crisp 1080p video and clear audio for virtual meetings, livestreams, or recording content. Easy to use so you can focus on sharing your message, not fussing with settings.

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    11/18/2025 03:12 pm GMT
  3. Fiverr Affordable Freelance Services for Small Businesses

    Fiverr is a great place to find freelancers who can help with design, writing, marketing, and more. I love that you can choose from so many talented people and get projects done quickly—perfect for small business owners who want to save time and focus on what they do best.

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  4. Upwork

    Upwork is a fantastic online spot where people who need work done and those who do the work meet up. You can find various jobs here, like number crunching, helping customers, coding, or writing. You can look for jobs to apply to or wait for someone to invite you to join their project. It's all about matching your skills with the proper gigs!

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  5. Affinity Federal Credit Union Bank

    I selected Affinity Federal Credit Union's Business Basics Checking for its low minimum balance and 200 free monthly transactions.The mobile deposit and bill pay features make managing finances on the go a breeze.With access to nearly 30,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide, I can easily access my funds wherever my business takes me.If you're looking for a business checking account that offers flexibility and support, Affinity may be a great fit

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🎨 Design & Creative Tools

Great design makes your work shine, and these tools make it easy for anyone to create beautiful graphics, marketing materials, and product designs (no fancy degree required!). Teens can use them for school projects, while parents and small business owners can design polished visuals for side hustles or Etsy shops.

👉 Pair with the Side Hustle Starter Checklist to make your designs look professional and ready to share.

  1. Kittl Easy, Professional Design Tool for Typography and Vintage Artwork

    Kittl is my go-to when I need typography-heavy designs, vintage-style artwork, or quick, high-quality templates. I use the paid version for premium fonts, advanced text effects, and high-resolution exports, which makes it easy to create professional designs for products, social media, and marketing materials in minutes. It’s a simple, powerful tool that helps me bring creative ideas to life without overcomplicating the process.

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  2. Procreate - Art is for everyone.

    Procreate proves that art is for everyone, and I’m living proof, I’m new to using it, but I’ve already started creating my own designs for stickers, mugs, stationery, and apparel. Its intuitive tools, endless brushes, and easy-to-learn interface make it perfect for beginners and experienced artists alike. Whether you’re sketching ideas, designing products, or experimenting with digital art, Procreate is a powerful creative tool for any online business.

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  3. Canva Versatile Design Platform for Social Media, Marketing, and Product Graphics

    Canva is a design tool I use almost every day to create polished graphics for social media, marketing materials, product listings, and blog posts. With its drag-and-drop editor, thousands of customizable templates, and easy brand kit features, I can design professional visuals quickly—even on busy days. Whether I’m working on Pinterest pins, Instagram posts, or product mockups, Canva makes the process fast and stress-free.

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  4. Creative Fabrica Fonts, Graphics, and Designs for My Etsy Shop

    I use Creative Fabrica to find beautiful fonts, graphics, and design elements that help me create products for my Etsy shop. From sticker templates to SVG files and digital patterns, it’s a huge time-saver and makes my designs look polished and professional. With unlimited downloads and new resources added daily, it’s one of my favorite tools and resources for online business to keep my products fresh and creative.

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  5. Cricut Design Space

    Cricut Design Space is my go-to creative tool for designing everything from labels and planner stickers to home décor and personalized gifts. It’s beginner-friendly, super fun to use, and perfect for anyone who loves crafting or wants to bring their ideas to life.

    If you’re ready to design your own projects (without stressing over complicated software), you’ll love starting with Cricut Design Space!

    Check It Out

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🛒 E-Commerce & Fulfillment Tools

Selling online doesn’t have to be stressful. These e-commerce and print-on-demand resources handle fulfillment so you can focus on creating, marketing, and connecting with customers. Whether it’s a teen testing a product idea or a small business scaling up, these tools make selling feel achievable.

👉 Use the Side Hustle Checklist to choose your path, then track profits with the Teen Budget Tracker.

  1. Printify Print-on-Demand Made Simple

    I use Printify to create and sell custom products in my Etsy shop without keeping any inventory. It connects directly to Etsy, offers a huge product catalog, and works with reliable printing partners making it easy to design, list, and ship orders automatically. It’s one of my go-to tools and resources for online business because it saves me time and lets me focus on creating.

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  2. Printful High-Quality Print-on-Demand with Global Fulfillment

    Printful offers a huge variety of high-quality print-on-demand products, from apparel and accessories to home décor. It integrates seamlessly with Etsy, Shopify, and other platforms, making it easy to sell custom designs without the hassle of managing stock. While I haven’t fully put it to work yet, I’ve set up my account and love knowing I can quickly launch new products for my shop when I’m ready.

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  3. TeeLauch Unique Print-on-Demand Products

    I haven’t used TeeLauch yet, but I like that they offer unique items you don’t usually find with other print-on-demand companies, from drinkware to home goods, with Etsy and Shopify integration for easy selling.

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📈 Marketing & Growth Tools

Growth doesn’t have to be overwhelming. These tools help you plan, post, and track your content so you can grow your audience with less guesswork. Teens learning social media basics and parents running side hustles can both use these to stay consistent and see results.

👉 Start with the Teen Budget Tracker to set clear money goals before diving into growth.

  1. The Best Pinterest Marketing Tool | Tailwind

    One of my favorite Pinterest schedulers for batch-creating and scheduling pins to keep traffic flowing without daily pinning. Great for promoting blogs, Etsy listings, and seasonal products.

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  2. MailerLite - Advanced Email Marketing Made Simple

    MailerLite is the email marketing platform I use to share my free 10-Step Side Hustle Checklist and welcome new subscribers to my community. I rely on it to set up automated sequences, deliver freebies instantly, and keep my audience updated on new blog posts, tips, and product launches. Its easy-to-use tools make email marketing simple and effective, making it one of my go-to tools and resources for online business to grow my email list and connect with my audience.

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  3. Depositphotos Royalty-Free Images, Stock Photos, Videos, and Music for Blog and Pinterest Content

    Depositphotos is my go-to source for high-quality, royalty-free images that make my blog posts and Pinterest pins stand out. Having access to a huge library of professional stock photos means I can quickly find visuals that match my brand and illustrate my content beautifully—without spending hours creating my own images. It’s one of my favorite tools and resources for online business when I want to create eye-catching, click-worthy pins and blog graphics that drive more traffic.

    Check It Out

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  4. Best WordPress Hosting for SEO, Agencies & Podcasters | WPX.net

    WPX.net delivers lightning-fast, secure, and reliable WordPress hosting designed to help your site shine in search results. Perfect for SEO-focused creators, busy agencies, and passionate podcasters, WPX makes speed, uptime, and expert support a priority—so you can focus on creating and growing without the tech headaches.

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  5. Kit: Email-First Operating System for Creators (formerly ConvertKit)

    Kit is a highly recommended email platform for creators, simple to use, powerful for growing a list, and loved for building real connections.

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📜 Legal & Business Essentials

Confidence grows when you know you’re protected. These trusted resources help you safeguard your work, stay compliant, and build a strong business foundation. Perfect for parents guiding teens through their first projects or small business owners ready for their next big step.

👉 Pair with the Side Hustle Checklist so you’re starting on a solid, professional footing.

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📷 Equipment & Supplies

Clear, high-quality photos build trust and increase sales. These equipment and resource picks help you capture products in the best light, whether you’re using a smartphone or camera, no studio required.

Perfect for Etsy sellers, small business owners, and teens experimenting with crafts or online shops.

👉 Use alongside the Side Hustle Checklist to make sure your photos and products are set up for success.

  1. EMART Photography Umbrella Lighting Kit 200W 5500K Continuous Daylight Reflector Light for Studio, Portrait, and Video
    $35.99

    The EMART Photography Umbrella Lighting Kit is an essential tool for capturing bright, professional-quality photos and videos. This 200W 5500K continuous daylight reflector light provides soft, even illumination—perfect for studio photography, product shots, portraits, and video recording. Ideal for camera or video studio setups, it’s a must-have for content creators, photographers, and online business owners who want consistent, high-quality lighting for their projects.

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    11/18/2025 05:17 pm GMT
  2. BEIYANG 2-Sided Morandi Photo Backdrop Boards Durable, Waterproof, and Perfect for Product Photography
    $38.99

    I use these BEIYANG Morandi photo backdrop boards all the time, and I love how simple yet professional my pictures turn out. Each 24x24-inch board is double-sided, giving you two beautiful background options for flat lay, food, or product photography. They’re durable, waterproof, and easy to clean—making them one of my favorite tools and resources for online business when I want bright, clean, and consistent photos without a lot of setup.

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    11/18/2025 05:17 pm GMT
  3. Saneen Digital Camera 4K Photography & Video Camera for Beginners
    $149.99 $119.98

    I use this camera and absolutely love it—it’s perfect for beginners like me. The price is great, and it comes with everything you need to start your photography journey. I use it to take high-quality pictures of my products for my Etsy shop, and it’s made a huge difference in how professional my listings look. The Saneen 4K camera features a 64MP sensor, WiFi touch screen, front and rear cameras, flash, lens hood, 32GB card, and a long-lasting 3000mAh battery. Whether you’re vlogging, shooting for YouTube, or photographing products, this camera is a budget-friendly choice I definitely recommend.

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    11/18/2025 05:17 pm GMT
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📚 Learning & Education

I’m a big believer that financial growth starts with learning, and these are the courses that have truly made a difference for me. Whether it’s a teen discovering budgeting or a parent diving into marketing, these programs make new skills feel approachable and fun.

👉 Don’t forget to grab the Teen Budget Tracker, the perfect companion for learning financial confidence.

  1. Perfecting Blogging by Sophia Lee Blogging Course for Consistent, Profitable Content

    I’ve taken Sophia Lee’s Perfecting Blogging course, and it’s been a game-changer for me. Her lessons and strategies have helped me stay consistent with writing my blog articles and creating content that actually drives traffic. The course is easy to follow, packed with actionable tips, and perfect for anyone wanting to grow their blog as part of their online business. If you’re looking for tools and resources for online business that will improve your writing process and help you publish regularly, this course is one I highly recommend.

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  2. Perfecting Pinterest by Sophia Lee Pinterest Marketing Course for Bloggers and Online Business Owners

    I’ve taken Sophia Lee’s Perfecting Pinterest course, and it taught me exactly how to use Pinterest to drive consistent traffic to my blog and products. Her step-by-step strategies made Pinterest feel simple, even as a beginner, and helped me create pins that actually get clicks. This course is perfect for bloggers, Etsy sellers, and online business owners who want to use Pinterest as a powerful marketing tool. If you’re building your list of tools and resources for online business, this one is a must-have for growing your audience.

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  3. Perfecting Email by Sophia Lee Email Marketing Course for Growing Your Audience

    I’m still at the beginning of Sophia Lee’s Perfecting Email course, but I’m already learning valuable strategies for building and engaging an email list. The lessons are clear, beginner-friendly, and easy to put into action—perfect for someone like me who wants to use email marketing as a consistent way to connect with my audience and share products, tips, and freebies. It’s a great addition to my list of tools and resources for online business, and I’m excited to see the results as I work through the rest of the course.

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  4. The Dylan Jahraus Coaching Program

    The most transformative program I’ve joined for Etsy growth. Dylan teaches proven strategies for SEO, sales conversion, and scaling your shop without ads, and the community support is unmatched.

    Join Now

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  5. Baby Steps Millionaires: How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth--and How You Can Too
    $31.99 $15.94

    Baby Steps Millionaires shows how ordinary people followed Dave Ramsey’s proven plan to build extraordinary wealth. Packed with real-life stories, step-by-step guidance, and practical money principles, this book reveals how anyone can become a millionaire by taking consistent baby steps with their finances. Inspiring, straightforward, and life-changing — a must-read for anyone ready to build lasting wealth.

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    11/18/2025 03:11 pm GMT
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Ready to put these money tools and resources to work?
These tools give you practical, beginner-friendly ways to save smarter, earn more, and build confidence with money — whether you’re helping your teen, running a side hustle, or building your own financial skills.

👉 Download the free Teen Budget Tracker today, your first step to making every dollar count.