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Perhaps you’re in a tight spot financially and could use some extra cash, whether it be for a vacation or to pay for your child’s volleyball league. Maybe money is just tight.
I’ve been there, and though you might not want to commit to a second full-time job, there are a lot of other ways you can make money on the side.
Read below to help brainstorm for ideas, and look at the pros and cons before you try out something you might not enjoy. It’s such a joy when your side hustle is something you love doing with a passion!
Table of Contents
1. Advertising on Your Car
-
Advertising on Your Car
- Pros: You get paid to drive and do what you normally do - drive.
- Cons: Socially, you may not enjoy having an advertisement on your car.
- How Much You Can Make:
$100 - $400 per month
- How to Begin:
Sign up with a car wrap advertising company.
- The Fun Part:
You can make money without putting in much effort.
You can get paid while going about your regular tasks if you sign up with a car wrap advertising company.
In order to make money, you need to be someone who drives around and gains a good amount of miles on your car regularly.
Your earnings depend on how much you drive, the type of car you drive, and the size of your ad.
2. Afterschool Programs
-
Afterschool Programs
- Pros: You get to spend hours with children.
- Cons: You have to spend time with children.
- How Much You Can Make:
$17/hour (for tutors)
- How to Begin:
Look into getting a proper license for your area.
- The Fun Part:
Relive your childhood by playing games with kids and doing art projects like finger painting.
There is always a need for afterschool programs. With the rising costs of living, more and more parents need to work, which means that their kids need a place to go after school.
Depending on your love for children, you may or may not thoroughly enjoy this.
If you can offer tutoring services or art lessons, the parents enjoy putting their kids in afterschool programs that are more beneficial than not.
Usually the programs are geared towards pre-K to lower elementary school kids, as older kids can usually stay home without supervision.
Since proper licensing can vary from location to location, look at your local area and their regulations for afterschool programs. You might be granted funding from your government for your program for snacks and art supplies.
3. Airbnb Host
-
Airbnb Host
- Pros: Your property gains value as renters pay off your mortgage.
- Cons: People can trash your place or steal items. Especially if your location is far from your home, it can be a pain to deal with.
- How Much You Can Make:
$200 - $10,000 per month
- How to Begin:
Sign up with Airbnb to host your home.
- The Fun Part:
You can meet new guests and/or have extra income with little effort.
If you have an extra room in your house or you own extra property, one source of extra income could be to rent out your home.
Airbnb protects you with $1M liability insurance, $1M damage protection, deep cleaning protection, and so forth. People might damage your property by throwing parties, breaking items, or stealing things.
However, there is nothing like having guests pay for your mortgage as your property appreciates. Read here to find out more information on how to become an Airbnb host.
4. Babysitting
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Babysitting
- Pros: Whether you are young and energetic or an old empty nester, you might find joy spending time with kids.
- Cons: Sometimes you see troubling patterns in how the parents raise their kids.
- How Much You Can Make:
$21/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Let your friends know that you are free to babysit or market yourself on social media.
- The Fun Part:
You get to cuddle with babies and play with kids.
There is always a need for babysitters. Parents have to work in order to support their families, and before kids are mature, it isnโt safe to leave them at home. Parents also need date nights. If you love children, this will be a fun gig for you.
โI absolutely love caring for babies and toddlers!โ โ Hayley Silverman, nanny in Santa Clarita, California
Sometimes the gig is just staying in the house while the children sleep.
Sometimes you see parents doing things that can cause you concern; for example, some kids have a diet that entirely consists of chips; other times, parents let their kids get away with everything.
When children have no discipline, the gig becomes tiring quickly.
On the whole, when you have adorable children, the gig is absolutely enjoyable.
5. Be an Extra in Movies
-
Be an Extra in Movies
- Pros: You can network and be a part of the film industry without a lot of extra stress.
- Cons: A lot of times you are on the set for several hours and have to deal with parking difficulties.
- How Much You Can Make:
$13/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Begin by making a profile on websites like ExtrasAccess, and they start sending you job listings via email.
- The Fun Part:
You get to be on television and in movies!
All movies and television shows need extras in the background. Whether a scene is being filmed on the street or in a high school, they need more people walking around than the main actors.
Youโre probably going to be responsible for your own hair and makeup; you need to be ready to spend the whole day on the set. Most of the time, no phones are allowed on set, so bring something to do.
If youโre lucky, youโll get a speaking part or a casting director will notice you for future gigs.
6. Blogging
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Blogging
- Pros: You get to be your own boss and have a flexible schedule.
- Cons: In order to make a lot of money from it, you need to gain a large following.
- How Much You Can Make:
$0 - $1 million+
- How to Begin:
Read up on how to create a successful blog or take a course.
- The Fun Part:
You can make money quietly at home while sharing information you feel passionate about.
If you want to make money from blogging, have expertise on a particular subject, are ready to write content, and commit to a long-term game, blogging will be a great side gig for you.
There is a lot of competition in blogging, so in order to earn money from blogging, you do need to be patient and willing to create a lot of content without earning any money at first.
You can tune into a blogging online course to learn about how to earn money, how to gain affiliate links, how to join ad networks, learn about SEOs, and how to advertise products such as mugs and clothing.
Even this blog youโre reading, MoneyDoneRight, brings in some income!
7. Bookkeeper
-
Bookkeeper
- Pros: You can work remotely with flexible hours.
- Cons: You donโt get to interact much with others, but this might be a pro for you.
- How Much You Can Make:
$20/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Though it would help, you donโt need to have a degree in accounting. You just need a strong attention to detail.
- The Fun Part:
You can make money at home without office drama.
Bookkeepers keep track of the financial flow of a companyโs finances. If you have a strong eye for detail and the ability to multitask, this is a good side gig for you. You can also work for multiple businesses at the same time.
Your hours are flexible and you can work from home. If you enjoy numbers and detective work, itโs a great opportunity to use those skills.
"You get to help others who want to run a business but donโt understand the numbers โ helping them to do what they thrive at, while you do what you are good at!โ โ Lori Wellons, bookkeeper and head of training for UniFi
You do have to spend a lot of time at your computer, and you donโt get to interact with people much, but some people enjoy the solitude and lack of office drama.
8. Brand Ambassador
-
Brand Ambassador
- Pros: You can make easy money and earn free products by agreeing to be a brand ambassador.
- Cons: Your followers notice that youโre trying to sell them stuff and dislike it.
- How Much You Can Make:
$0 - $4,000 per contract (depending on the number of followers you have)
- How to Begin:
Post regularly and have a public account. Gain followers.
- The Fun Part:
You get free boxes of fun stuff, like makeup, food, or new shoes!
You might be pretty nifty at social media and have thousands of followers. Companies will pay you to advertise for them โ whether it be a food company or a makeup company.
Some brand ambassadors get paid thousands of dollars, but others are simply offered free products.
You post on social media or customer review sites and wear promotional clothing items or stickers.
The company is paying you for advertising. The more influence you have, the more a company will pay you to say good things about them.
9. Caregiver
-
Caregiver
- Pros: If you enjoy caring for the elderly, this job can be fulfilling.
- Cons: You need to have a lot of patience when working with the elderly, especially those with Alzheimerโs or dementia.
- How Much You Can Make:
$17/hour
- How to Begin:
You can try volunteering at charity organizations to give free caregiving services and see how you like it. To pursue it for a side hustle, get a CNA license.
- The Fun Part:
You might enjoy the slow pace and wisdom of the elderly, while being a nurturing figure.
Some caregivers are needed during the day, but if you want this for a side gig, night shifts are also high in demand.
My friend needed a caregiver for her grandmother in the middle of the night, who only woke 1-2 times. If you did a gig like this, you would get paid for every hour they sleep.
Other times, your job would consist of driving the elderly to appointments or keeping them company during the day. Sometimes they need assistance with hygiene and getting dressed.
If you would like to be a skilled caregiver and get paid, then you would need CNA training, which is relatively cheap and takes about one month long. You can usually find a CNA training course at your local college or American Red Cross.
10. Carpet Cleaning
-
Carpet Cleaning
- Pros: You can make your own hours and can work alone.
- Cons: Buying your equipment at the beginning can get expensive.
- How Much You Can Make:
$19.16/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Buy carpet cleaning equipment. Begin to market yourself.
- The Fun Part:
You can exercise while you work.
Carpet cleaning can be a good side gig for people who donโt mind physical movement. It can be exhausting, but you can charge quite a bit per square foot.
Start up can be expensive, depending on how expensive your machinery is; you may want to invest in equipment insurance. You will also need a way to transport your machinery.
You will need to market yourself, as you need new clients every day to keep a steady income.
11. Computer Services
-
Computer Services
- Pros: You can usually make a good amount of money, even as a side gig.
- Cons: You have to deal with people who are angry and stressed out because their computers arenโt working.
- How Much You Can Make:
$22.94 per hour for IT support
- How to Begin:
Get education in computers or engineering.
- The Fun Part:
You can feel like a superhero to someone's distress.
There isnโt a shortage of baby boomers and Gen Xers who donโt know how to run a computer. Elderly people need help setting up their televisions and Wi-Fi. Others donโt know how to upgrade their computers.
In order to do this as a side gig, get some additional education in computer science or engineering. Also, gain professional experience. IT certification helps to open up more doors.
You do have to work alone and often with stressed out clients who are panicking about their computers.
If you are young, even without education, you might be surprised to see how much you naturally know about computers compared to elderly generations who need your help.
12. Cottage Home Food Business
-
Cottage Home Food Business
- Pros: If youโre baking for yourself, itโs easy to mass produce and make money on the side. Itโs also wonderful to bless other people with yummy food.
- Cons: As with any business, you have to jump through legal hoops and deal with customers.
- How Much You Can Make:
$10 - $100 per item sold
- How to Begin:
Begin by spreading the word among family and friends and through social media.
- The Fun Part:
You can share your love for food with others. It feels like giving out gifts for your job!
If you are particularly skilled at making food items, check with your state laws to see what you can sell legally from your own kitchen with a cottage food license. Here are some items you might want to sell:
Things to Sell With Cottage Food licenses:
- Cakes
- Cookies
- Pies
- Breads
- Jams and jellies
- Dry cake and cookie mixes
- Dry nut mixes
- Dry cereals
- Granola
- Popcorn
With a Cottage Food license, your breads cannot have cream, custard, or meat fillings, nor can you sell anything that needs refrigeration.
Look into your state laws to get a valid business license, zoning clearance, and a Cottage Food license.
13. Crafter
-
Crafter
- Pros: If you have a handcrafting hobby that you enjoy during your leisure time, you can bring in extra income while relaxing.
- Cons: Sometimes dealing with cranky customers, mailing, and returns can be a headache, so you can hire Amazon FBA to take care of this stress for you.
- How Much You Can Make:
$5 - $200 depending on the item you sell
- How to Begin:
Begin by making your craft.
- The Fun Part:
You can unwind from a stressful day while making money.
If you find it leisurely to craft when you have free time, you can easily turn it into a side business.
Here are some crafts that people enjoy selling:
- Printables
- Bath bombs
- Knitted scarfs or berets
- Candles
- Skincare
- Soap
- Apparel
- Jewelry
- Journals
- Mugs
- Pretty stationary
- Woodwork
- Pottery
- Food
- Art
On Etsy or Amazon Handmade, you can sell your crafts with small service fees. Amazon Handmade also has Amazon FBA if you want someone else to take care of shipping or customer care issues. You can focus on your craft and let Amazon FBA deal with the rest.
14. Dance Instructor
-
Dance Instructor
- Pros: You get paid to exercise!
- Cons: You have to pay a monthly subscription to keep your teaching license active.
- How Much You Can Make:
$17/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Attain the skills and certification to be a dance instructor and then apply for jobs.
- The Fun Part:
If you love to dance, you don't have to pay money at a club. Instead, let people pay you to dance and meet people!
If you enjoy dancing and would love to teach it as a side job, you can get paid to do something you love so much. Modern, jazz, tap, and ballet are a few various forms of dancing you might love.
โYou get to meet a variety of people so itโs great for your social life.โ โ Nikary Plaza who teaches Zumba at Crunch Fitness in Santa Clarita
The negative is that you donโt get paid for your practice hours, but if you consider that more work out time for yourself, then you might not mind.
You also have to pay a monthly subscription to keep your certified dance teaching license active.
15. DJ
-
DJ
- Pros: You get to have fun and work with music and people.
- Cons: Youโre usually working evenings and weekends, but thatโs what a side gig is. Start up can be expensive.
- How Much You Can Make:
$50 - $100 per hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Buy your DJ equipment and learn to work it.
- The Fun Part:
People light up when they hear a song they love, and the joy of getting a crowd up on their feet and dancing with happiness is high.
Being a DJ can be an excellent side gig; you can bring in a lot of extra money. If you love music and working with people, youโll have a lot of fun with this.
Buying DJ hardware and sound equipment can be expensive. Youโll have to invest in music; learn DJ skills like mixing, EQing, phrasing, and beatmatching.
If you want to gig at weddings, you should feel comfortable speaking into a microphone and hyping up a crowd.
Youโll usually be in charge of shipping all your equipment and setting up; while you’re hard at work, if you throw in a photo booth, youโll make even more easy money.
16. Dog Walker or Dog Sitter
-
Dog Walker or Dog Sitter
- Pros: If you love animals, you can earn money taking them along on a walk. If dog sitting, you can enjoy their company while you get other work done.
- Cons: Dogs have their own personalities and some will destroy your property or fight with other dogs. Some dogs shed quite a large amount of fur.
- How Much You Can Make:
$17/hour
- How to Begin:
You can either start your own business or get hired by another company.
- The Fun Part:
You can keep winning with this job because it takes little effort and you get to love on some adorable furry ones while making money.
If you love spending time with dogs, you can make extra money while you exercise or work from home.
Dog owners pay to make sure their dogs are in good hands when they go on vacation or go to work. Many dog owners donโt have the energy or the capability to walk their dogs every day.
You can spread your business through word of mouth. You can also list your service on neighborhood apps, Facebook neighborhood groups, Rover, or Wag.
Be sure to meet your client and the dog before committing. You donโt want a dog who will destroy your property or who is stronger than you.
You need to be able to control the dog on walks or you (and other people) can get injured. Also, some dogs will shed quite a bit, so you need to be a little relaxed with fur.
17. Donate Plasma
-
Donate Plasma
- Pros: You can help people with serious health issues.
- Cons: You will have general fatigue and pain as you do when you donate blood.
- How Much You Can Make:
$50 - $100 per donation
- How to Begin:
Find a collection center near you. Bring your ID.
- The Fun Part:
You feel like a super hero saving lives and make money at the same time.
If you enjoy helping people as a side gig, one of the most beneficial things you can do for your community is to donate plasma. You can help people with chronic health issues.
The process usually takes a little bit longer than normal blood donation.
You may experience these symptoms:
- Pain from the needle site
- General fatigue
- Bruising
- Dizziness
Eat a healthy meal so you donโt get lightheaded.
Be aware that you will probably get an initial blood test to check you for drug use or STDs. The positive side is youโll get your health checked out at the same time.
In most states, you must be at least 18 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. To gain more information, read here.
18. DoorDash, Uber Eats, or GrubHub
-
DoorDash, Uber Eats, or GrubHub
- Pros: You can control your own hours.
- Cons: You use a lot of gas and gain a lot of wear and tear on your car.
- How Much You Can Make:
$16.50/hour plus tip
- How to Begin:
Sign up with DoorDash, Uber Eats, or GrubHub
- The Fun Part:
You get movement, no office drama, and money at the same time.
Perhaps you enjoy working alone and donโt want to deal with office drama. You also want to work during off hours. Delivering food is a good way to benefit from all of that.
Pros
- You arenโt stuck in an office chair. You move around and get some exercise.
- You work alone and set your own hours.
- Usually customers give a nice tip.
- During certain times, the companies offer bonuses.
Cons
- The companies do not help you with mileage
To learn more about food delivery, grocery delivery, and package delivery jobs available, read here.
19. Doula
-
Doula
- Pros: You can pace yourself with the number of clients you want to take on. You can make extra money without being locked into a full-time job.
- Cons: Being a doula is not a 9 to 5 p.m. predictable job. You can be called in the middle of the night or in the middle of your childโs birthday party.
- How Much You Can Make:
$1,700 - $2,000 per birth (includes prenatal appointments to see if youโre a good fit with your patient)
- How to Begin:
Contact a school like Dona International and begin your training process.
- The Fun Part:
You get to witness the birth of a human!
If you treasure the birthing process, you can get certified at places like Dona International, where they train doulas to work with the birthing mothers.
You get business training, classes on lactation, and do a lot of reading and writing on subjects like postpartum depression. A doctor and midwife need to sign off on your certification.
You would have prenatal appointments with your clients where you listen to their vision for birth and encourage their birth plan dreams.
Sometimes women are in and out of labor in five hours, but other times, it takes women several hours to give birth.
You can partner with another doula, so if two mothers give birth at the same time, you have a back up ready.
20. Farmhand
-
Farmhand
- Pros: There are always crops to be picked and seeds to plant.
- Cons: It is hard labor being in the fields and in the sun.
- How Much You Can Make:
$16.62 per hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Contact your local farm or look on local job boards.
- The Fun Part:
You can enjoy nature.
Every farm needs hands to help โ whether it be picking fruit or milking cows. You might surprise them and know how to handle farm equipment and tractor trailers.
Every farm needs to move their animals and fix fences. Being outdoors might be a joy for you; and how wonderful would it be to see the birth of a baby animal!
21. Fill out Surveys
-
Fill out Surveys
- Pros: You can do this during your spare time โ in line at stores or while going to the bathroom.
- Cons: It doesnโt pay much.
- How Much You Can Make:
50 cents to $2 for each survey
- How to Begin:
Register with an online survey company.
- The Fun Part:
You gain the satisfaction of monetizing the smaller moments of your day.
If you want to maximize every minute of your free time in a monetary way, you can fill out surveys whenever you have some down time, like during a break from work.
Companies pay you for your consumer opinion because theyโre doing market research. This could range from giving your opinion on a product to stating your thoughts on a commercial.
Begin by registering with an online survey provider. Theyโll want to know your demographics and information.
The more you fit the demographics they need, the more surveys youโll receive. For instance, theyโll only send geriatric product surveys out to older people.
22. Freelance Writer
-
Freelance Writer
- Pros: You can work remotely and at whatever hours youโd like to.
- Cons: If you need human interaction, you might not get much when youโre writing.
- How Much You Can Make:
$25/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Look on job websites for writing jobs.
- The Fun Part:
The art of communicating in effective, creative ways is always enjoyable.
Perhaps you find English and grammar easy. You can become a content writer or a copywriter!
Look on Fivver on possible gigs, or write your own self-published books.
Buy a Writerโs Market to learn how to write query letters, find agents, and submit your work to competitions; look for newspapers, magazines, and publishing companies that want submissions. Write greetings for cards or jokes for magazines.
Look into copywriting workshops and learn to advertise with your writing.
23. Hair Stylist
-
Hair Stylist
- Pros: You can be with people all day and become friends with your clients.
- Cons: You are on your feet all day and if youโre feeling introverted for a day, you donโt have a choice to hide away from people.
- How Much You Can Make:
$18/hour plus tip (national average)
- How to Begin:
Look into cosmetology programs near you so you can learn to cut, color, and style hair. Get a license to practice in your state.
- The Fun Part:
The enjoyment of having friends and clients come to you and beautifying them so they feel attractive is always a plus.
If you enjoy being able to beautify other people by doing their hair, being a hairstylist is an excellent job for you. You get to choose your own hours and run your own business.
โItโs great developing relationships with clients,โ says Brooke Ciuffitelli from Evolve Hair and Nail Spa in Newhall, CA. โItโs a great creative outlet and you get to do what you love. People are happy to be there.โ
Listening skills are vital for being a hairstylist because you have to know exactly what your client wants done.
You also have to be flexible with last minute changes in your clientsโ schedules. Also, with the joys of running your own business comes the stress of running your own business.
Get a license to practice in your state and renew it every few years.
24. Handyman Services
-
Handyman Services
- Pros: You will be helping people with things they canโt do on their own. You set your own flexible hours.
- Cons: All the cons of running a private business come with being a handyman.
- How Much You Can Make:
$24.47/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Learn the skills you need to be a qualified handyman.
- The Fun Part:
Your job changes from day to day so you never get bored, and so do the clientele.
If you naturally know how to fix broken drawers, install garbage disposal systems, and put chandeliers in ceilings, thereโs a plethora of people who will pay you for your help.
Your natural contractor skills can also grow in vocational schools where you learn more about plumbing, electrical, and/or HVAC.
The cons of being a handyman are the same cons as anyone running a private business โ e.g. you need to bill on your own and be your own secretary.
25. Housesitter
-
Housesitter
- Pros: You can travel and see other homes while getting paid.
- Cons: If you house-sit a lot, you might have the same cons as businessmen who travel a lot โ travel fatigue. Also, it is during the holidays and summer months that most housesitters are in demand, so you'll miss your own holidays and summer.
- How Much You Can Make:
$12 - $16 per hour
- How to Begin:
Sign up with a house sitting agency.
- The Fun Part:
Travel around the world rent-free. You also meet some wonderful furry pets!
If you enjoy traveling, visiting homes, and have a remote job, house sitting might be a fun side gig for you!
Most people want a house sitter for their pet, so you do have to be pet friendly. Youโll need to make a good first impression and references help a lot.
Welcome the owners back with a clean house; make their bed with freshly cleaned sheets.
For more information, read here.
26. Influencer
-
Influencer
- Pros: You can be part of a supportive community and connect with a lot of people you normally wouldnโt have connected with.
- Cons: Thereโs a demand to create content every day.
- How Much You Can Make:
$40K - $100K for 10,000 to 50,000 followers
- How to Begin:
Start developing a following and make entertaining or informative content. Post regularly.
- The Fun Part:
It's fun being in the spotlight and trying new things.
Perhaps you donโt mind being in the spotlight. Perhaps itโs fun for you to share your thoughts on recipes or fashion with other people all over the world.
โItโs such an amazing and supportive community. And I get a creative outlet to share my recipes,โ shares influencer Chef Rosie Godycki.
After you gain a good amount of followers by posting informative and entertaining content regularly; learn how algorithms work for social media and YouTube.
For instance, the best times to post are between 2 and 3 p.m. Other good times are Wednesdays 11 a.m. and Fridays 10 a.m. Short entertaining reels are great for creating engagement.
Controversy over your post can be one of the greatest blessings as it skyrockets your algorithm.
27. Interior Decorator
-
Interior Decorator
- Pros: You can help people find their vision of what theyโd love their home to look like.
- Cons: Sometimes you have to sell products to your own clients when they have doubts about how itโs going to help them achieve their goal.
- How Much You Can Make:
$19.06/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Begin helping to decorate your friendsโ homes and see if you have a gift in interior decorating.
- The Fun Part:
Tap into your creative and artistic side and have fun beautifying someone's home!
Some people have a natural eye for beauty and know how to decorate a home in the most eye-catching way. If this is you, this will be an easy and fun side gig for you.
โThe thrill of transforming dull, uninteresting spaces together with the client, into cohesive, beautiful rooms that reflect their personalities and values is what authentic designers strive for. From vision to reveal, the joy of the final product is priceless.โ โ Lori Manthei from Lori Manthei Design (Instagram and FB)
The negative part is you often have to act as a therapist or salesperson as you guide clients toward the end goal. Weeding out people who donโt trust you is key before getting yourself too involved.
Sometimes you also have to deal with flakey or egotistical sub-contractors, so building a strong team is essential.
It’s fun to decorate using other people’s money โ you help to give birth to a dream that someone has and see the happiness they gain.
28. Local Tour Guide
-
Local Tour Guide
- Pros: You can be around people and show them around your area. You donโt have to stay in the office.
- Cons: Sometimes plans can fail due to no fault of your own, and you have to deal with unhappy guests.
- How Much You Can Make:
$16 per hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Plan a tour route for your own city; apply for jobs with travel agents.
- The Fun Part:
Leading people and getting looked upon as the expert in your area is a highlight; and giving your guests a fun time is rewarding!
If you communicate clearly, have a warm personality, and have a natural bent towards providing hospitality, being a local tour guide will be an easy side gig for you.
You do need to be flexible and be able to solve problems; e.g. if the restaurant failed to make your reservations, you should always have a Plan B and be able to redirect your group with a cheerful attitude.
It helps if youโre an enthusiastic story teller. You need to be on your feet for most of the time; some tour guides have mastered the art of walking backwards.
Plan tour routes that will give your guests the proper amount of rest and meals; arrange your stops so that traffic will be the least cumbersome. Pre-buy tickets to events or museums.
If you extend your skills to going abroad, you might be able to visit different locations and earn your keep for free.
29. Maid Service
-
Maid Service
- Pros: Hours are flexible.
- Cons: Sometimes it can be lonely if you donโt work with a team.
- How Much You Can Make:
$13.50/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
You can search job boards, put out an ad on social media or neighborhood apps, or get hired by a house cleaning company.
- The Fun Part:
You can get exercise while you work and spend your time without office drama.
If you donโt mind vacuuming or mopping or cleaning showers, maid service might be a great side gig for you. Some people find it relaxing to work in a solo, quiet environment while getting exercise and movement in at the same time.
โA great pro is that they will work with your schedule as a student,โ says Annie Miles who cleans homes as a side job.
If you become a full-time housekeeper for a private home or a hotel, you can even get a room for free. You can also get to exercise as you do your job.
A negative is if you have inconsiderate guests or bosses who donโt care about how much you have to clean up after them.
30. Makeup Artist
-
Makeup Artist
- Pros: If you enjoy doing makeup, itโs so much fun to beautify your friends on their special days.
- Cons: Jobs for creative makeup artists, who want to do cinema, are rare. The rest of the makeup artist jobs are usually on weekends.
- How Much You Can Make:
$31/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
You donโt necessarily have to go to cosmetology school; practice a lot on friends and learn a lot from YouTube.
- The Fun Part:
The thrill of transforming someone from their blank canvas face to a stunning beauty on their special day is priceless.
If you are skilled at doing makeup, there are many people who would love to hire you for special events like prom, family portraits, weddings.
โItโs a great creative outlet. You can choose your hours and meet people.โ โ Caroline Allec, makeup artist and owner of Blush and Braids (Instagram)
However, if youโre doing a wedding, sometimes you have to reply to texts and calls early in the morning. There’s a lot of back and forth communication and having to adjust your schedule with clients.
College students studying cinematography might also want to hire you to do special effects makeup. Doing makeup for television, theater, or funeral homes can even turn into full-time jobs.
Begin by doing your own makeup and friendsโ makeup and posting photos on social media. Once you get a portfolio started, you can promote your skill more easily.
31. Marketing Services
-
Marketing Services
- Pros: Your hours are flexible, and you can work remotely.
- Cons: Sometimes your hard work is ignored or deleted without a look.
- How Much You Can Make:
$21.57 (national average)
- How to Begin:
Figure out your niche and learn the skills to become an effective marketer.
- The Fun Part:
You can spread the good news about a business and get paid for it.
Business owners usually want to spend their time running their business; so theyโll outsource their marketing to someone else.
A lot of people are skilled at making social media posts and reels, print advertising, or composing emails, while business owners arenโt.
Marketing is a wide field, so you can work in all the realms of TV, billboards, bus advertising, influencers, emails, social media, websites, colors/fonts, graphics, photo styles, and more.
Youโll want to pick a specific niche and stick with it.
32. Masseuse
-
Masseuse
- Pros: You can help people to feel rejuvenated. You have a flexible work schedule.
- Cons: You have to be on your feet, and your hands can get tired.
- How Much You Can Make:
$20.97 per hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Start to research how to give a good massage and get one yourself!
- The Fun Part:
When people come in with pain in their bodies, and you are able to help them relax, it's very rewarding.
If you enjoy helping out people, as a masseuse, you help people relax and benefit their emotional and physical health.
The job is rather intimate and your muscles will get taxed, as well as your fingers. Youโre on your feet the whole time. Sometimes you can work really hard and only get a dissatisfied customer at the end.
For pros, you can make your own schedule. Tips are also an extra nicety.
Learn about giving massages from research and practicing on others. If you get certified, even more doors will open for you.
33. Model
-
Model
- Pros: You can make a lot of money and travel.
- Cons: Finding good representation is difficult. (If an agent wants you pay them for photos or classes, it's a scam.) The workflow is โfeast or famineโ.
- How Much You Can Make:
$20 to $20K per hour
- How to Begin:
Reach out to reputable agents in your area; see if they do an open call or allow picture submissions via email.
- The Fun Part:
You get paid to look beautiful, and sometimes you have fun gigs like getting paid to play in the ocean waves!
If you are not in the top 1% to meet the physical criteria of being a model (5’9″ or 5’10” and less than 120 lbs.), consider being a different type of model: a hand or foot model, a hair model, or a fit model. Also if you’re proportionate, consider โ plus size models are becoming in demand.
Finding good representation can be tricky because most people get tricked into paying for classes or fake representation, while being fed false hopes that they can make it as a model. A real agent won’t make any money unless you’ve booked an actual job.
Ask reputable agents in your area if they do an open call or allow picture submissions. These pictures don’t need to be professionally done. If an agent wants you to pay them for photos or classes, then run; it’s a scam.
The con is that modeling jobs are not steady. Also, depending on your personality, you might hate that you have to travel; or if you love to travel, that might be one of the best parts of the gig for you.
โYou can make a lot of money โ $10K per day!โ says former model Pam Hayashida.
If you are doing runway modeling, you will need to change your clothes several times in front of people. The pace is so fast that you need to feel comfortable being in front of people in a strapless bra and thong.
Your worth as a model can be determined by how attractive or photogenic you are. People might feel free to criticize your body or face. This can have a damaging effect on models if they canโt separate work from their own self worth.
34. Music Teacher
-
Music Teacher
- Pros: If you have a passion for music and enjoy teaching, you can have a great time sharing your passion.
- Cons: Sometimes you need to market yourself and deal with young children.
- How Much You Can Make:
$50 - $300 per hour
- How to Begin:
You can start by teaching a friend for free and see if you are a good teacher. After that, start to market yourself to friends, on social media, or get hired by music stores.
- The Fun Part:
You end up connecting with your students and seeing them thrive is an absolute joy.
I started teaching piano this year, and I was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable it was. There is always a shortage of piano teachers, so if you are skilled at teaching, then this might be a great side gig for you.
First, research the best curriculum. All the professional piano teachers I knew loved teaching out of Piano Adventure books. Faber has worked to teach kids music systematically; itโs already mapped out well for you.
Some music teachers donโt enjoy the aspect of marketing themselves to the public to get more students. They also donโt like dealing with young children. Sometimes parents come over and I have to tell them that their child is not ready to learn piano.
Overall, it is a very satisfying job when you hear students expressing themselves beautifully through music.
35. Notary Public
-
Notary Public
- Pros: You get to make your own schedule, get paid instantly, and help people.
- Cons: You might be asked to enter a home alone, but you can always ask to meet somewhere public if this makes you anxious.You could also get called into court if someone criminally impersonates someone else.
- How Much You Can Make:
$17.50 (national average)
- How to Begin:
Check with your state to find out their requirements.
- The Fun Part:
Everyone needs a notary public once in their life and if you are one, you can help out friends.
Becoming a notary public is generally an easy side-gig to make money part time. Youโll have to check with your state to find out their specific guidelines.
General State Guidelines
- Complete an application form
- Pay your state filing fee
- Buy notary supplies
- Possibly get educational training
The heart of a notary public is to be an impartial witness, and if you do this wrong, unfortunately, this can land you in court. Some states require a background check.
You gain much more clientele if youโre willing to travel; however, meeting strangers in their homes might make you anxious, so if this is the case, arrange a way to meet them publicly.
You can gain business by publicizing on social media. One con about being a notary public is that the salary is not regular, so keep it a side gig.
To find out more information, read here.
36. Online Real Estate Investor
-
Online Real Estate Investor
- Pros: Itโs a solid investment that will almost always pay out in the end.
- Cons: You need to have a lot of patience.
- How Much You Can Make:
8% -12% of your investment
- How to Begin:
Look into real estate investing apps.
- The Fun Part:
You can make money without much effort.
You only need $500 to become an investor.
Perhaps you want to do something with your savings besides having it sit in the bank. You can invest into real estate and have other people do your work for you. Check out these real estate investing apps.
You can begin investing in real estate with as little $500 – $1,000. Read here for more information.
37. Personal Assistant or Virtual Assistant
-
Personal Assistant or Virtual Assistant
- Pros: If communicating clearly and being helpful runs in your natural personality, this might be an easy job for you.
- Cons: You have to be patient with any personality defects that your client has, whether it be a cantankerous old woman or an impatient old man.
- How Much You Can Make:
$15 (national average)
- How to Begin:
Look on job boards for possible openings.
- The Fun Part:
You can help people by being naturally administrative.
It isnโt only the rich and famous who need personal assistants. For example, the elderly, busy executives, and real estate personnel all need personal assistants.
As a personal assistant, you need to screen phone calls, remind your client of peopleโs names, buy groceries, sometimes cook, write emails, or schedule appointments. You might have to travel with your client at times.
Look on job boards for listings. If you want to be a virtual assistant, you would do all of this remotely โ screening calls, setting appointments, working on social media content, proofreading, etc. You can work in several different industries at the same time!
38. Personal Chef
-
Personal Chef
- Pros: You can enjoy being creative in a field you enjoy and earn money. Sometimes you can get free room and board.
- Cons: At times, it can be a demanding job without a break.
- How Much You Can Make:
$15/hour
- How to Begin:
You can get certification, but itโs not necessary if by word of mouth, people are vouching for your cooking.
- The Fun Part:
You can share your love for food and create delectable meals that bring happiness to your clients.
Do people often visit your home and rave at your cooking or baking? Perhaps youโve always wanted to become a professional chef, but you didnโt like dealing with kitchen staff and the headache that it takes to run a restaurant.
A personal chef takes care of their clientsโ customary diet, shopping for them, organizing the kitchen, cooking for them, and cleaning up. Though itโs not necessary, you can join the United States Personal Chef Association and gain certification there.
If you become a personal chef of someone with an extra room, you might be able to earn free room and board as well.
39. Personal Shopper
-
Personal Shopper
- Pros: You get to work flexible hours and care for others. You also get exercise, moving around to run errands.
- Cons: If you work with the elderly, you will have to be patient.
- How Much You Can Make:
$17/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
You can begin offering your services to friends and family and develop a resume.
- The Fun Part:
When you help the elderly or disabled who can't shop for themselves, it's rewarding.
A personal shopper buys groceries and shops for their clients. If youโre great at predicting the needs of someone and you enjoy caring for other people, this might be a great side hustle for you.
You can choose to shop for the elderly. Shopping for the elderly will usually send you going to the grocery store, the pharmacy, and managing their requests and budget. This requires patience.
You can also become a personal shopper in the niche of fashion. There are a lot of people who want to keep their wardrobe up-to-date but don’t have the fashion knowledge or time to shop for clothes.
Once you begin offering your services to friends and family and do a great job, word of mouth will begin to spread, and you can charge more per client.
For more information and online sites to work for, read here.
40. Personal Trainer
-
Personal Trainer
- Pros: Help people to achieve their fitness goals by helping them plan and motivating them.
- Cons: If youโre successful with your client, you are out of a job.
- How Much You Can Make:
$10 - $30 per hour
- How to Begin:
Obtaining certification may increase your earning potential; try setting up an online presence and offer group training sessions.
- The Fun Part:
Your work pays off as your see your clients become healthier.
Some people struggle to lose weight unless they are motivated by a real live person. If youโre a person who naturally enjoys staying fit and inspiring other people, this is a great side gig for you.
Itโs naturally rewarding because you get to see your clients meet their fitness goals.
The negative: if you help your client to achieve their goal and do your job right, they no longer need you. However, word of mouth should spread and you should gain more clients.
Another con is that this side job might get harder the older you get.
If youโre interested, start working with friends or inquire about jobs at your local gym.
41. Pet Waste Removal
-
Pet Waste Removal
- Pros: You can run your own business with flexible hours. If you enjoy working alone, this could be a great gig for you.
- Cons: You have to pick up dog poop.
- How Much You Can Make:
$15 - $20 per yard
- How to Begin:
Get the word out and the business will come to you.
- The Fun Part:
You can help people who physically find it difficult to pick up poo and exercise while you make money.
Many people love their furry pets, but a lot of people donโt like going into the yard regularly to pick up their dog poo.
If they donโt pick up the dog poo, then their dog can step in their old poo and bring it into the house. Also, gardeners might end up running their mowers into their poop and spreading it in their backyard.
If you have a rake and a bucket to pick up in a yard, then people will pay you to come regularly and pick up after their dog.
Advertise on social media, especially with pet lovers; ask your local pet stores and vets if you could give flyers or cards out; put a flier up at your local dog park.
42. Photographer
-
Photographer
- Pros: If you have a love for photography, then itโs so much fun to memorialize the special moments of your friendsโ lives โ their senior portraits, weddings, and Christmas family portraits.
- Cons: Christmas time can be especially busy, trying to get everyoneโs Christmas pictures edited and finished.
- How Much You Can Make:
$15 to $40 per hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Buy a camera and learn how to work it well.
- The Fun Part:
It's fun to capture silly and endearing moments of your friends and their families.
One of the best side gigs for a stay-at-home mom is photography. You can shoot weddings, senior portraits, or family portraits and set your own hours. Your only limitation might be wanting natural light from the sun.
It will get busy especially during Christmas card season, when you need to edit the photos of your family and friends while also preparing for your own Christmas season.
You donโt have to limit yourself to taking pictures of friends and events. You can explore whatever field you enjoy: stars, nature, animals, city life, etc. You can sell your photography online.
First, buy a decent camera and learn how to work it; e.g. learn how to work aperture, shutter speed, and photo editing apps.
Offer your photography for free with friends โ senior portraits or weddings โ and then start to charge once you establish an online presence and gain inquiries.
43. Professional Organizer
-
Professional Organizer
- Pros: You get to help people transform their lives and homes in one session.
- Cons: Sometimes people donโt maintain the system that you worked hard to implement.
- How Much You Can Make:
$22 - $150 per hour, depending on your state
- How to Begin:
You can earn a CPO certification (Certified Professional Organizer certification), but it wonโt be necessary if youโre skilled and adept at creating your own clientele.
- The Fun Part:
You can help hoarders and disorganized individuals gain some sanity.
You keep an organized home; you might have even helped friends to get their clutter under control.
As a professional organizer, you can help people organize a system with short and long term organization goals, maximizing the space in their homes to its greatest efficiency.
Great people skills are necessary so you understand the priorities of how your clients want to organize their home; you also need to be able to communicate how to effectively achieve their goals in the coming years.
โYou get to help people transform their homes and lives just from one session,โ says Chantell Dennis of Simply Organized Company, โAnd as an added fun, Iโve been able to visit homes I never would have been able to before.โ
It can cost quite a bit to get supplies, pretty containers, and baskets to organize a home. Though the hourly fee isn’t outrageous, usually clients get surprised by how much the supplies cost.
Your work can also be undervalued; sometimes people donโt maintain the organization that youโve worked so hard to set up for them. But if these cons don’t dampen your joy of organizing, then don’t let them deter you!
44. Proofread and Edit
-
Proofread and Edit
- Pros: You donโt have to deal with much office drama because you work remotely. You can have flexible hours.
- Cons: You have to sometimes read horrible writing.
- How Much You Can Make:
$22.12 (national average)
- How to Begin:
Make sure you have a good command of the English language, MLA format, and AP style.
- The Fun Part:
You can earn extra money reclining in your home, doing what you might normally do - read.
Proofreading and editing is a great side gig for people who love to read, have a strong attention to detail โ grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
If this becomes a full time gig for you, you can avoid office drama by working remotely. Your schedule can be as flexible as you want.
Find a niche you have a skill at editing. You can try editing resumes or college essays and see where it takes you.
45. Read Books Online
-
Read Books Online
- Pros: You can set your own flexible hours.
- Cons: It can be tiring to talk for hours. The initial cost for a quality microphone can be expensive.
- How Much You Can Make:
$85 per hour
- How to Begin:
Buy a mic and set aside a soundproof place for you to read.
- The Fun Part:
You can enjoy reading books aloud and entertaining others.
You might have a naturally animated personality. As a homeschooler, I was surprised to find out that the thing I enjoyed doing the most was reading aloud to my children.
To begin, youโll need to invest in a quality microphone for your demos and sound quality. Youโll also have to find a corner in your house that is soundproof. You donโt want the noise of your dog or the air conditioning vent in the background.
Find a niche in the realm of books that you can become well-known in. Begin by looking up jobs on websites like Fiverr.
If you love reading books, read here to find out more side gigs you may enjoy.
46. Real Estate Agent
-
Real Estate Agent
- Pros: You get to help friends and others find their dream home while getting to have fun visiting other homes.
- Cons: You always have to be โonโ to sell your image and get new clients.
- How Much You Can Make:
1% - 6% of the home sale price
- How to Begin:
Get a real estate license.
- The Fun Part:
When escrow closes, you will have helped friends find their future home, and in turn, you'll get a nice paycheck.
Perhaps you enjoy looking at properties and the different ways that people decorate. Being a real estate agent is a great side gig: you only have to take classes for 1 to 2 months and then pass an exam to get your real estate license.
โI love helping people find their dream home; itโs fun getting to know new people and listening to what they want. I like to negotiate; Iโm there to help my clients and give them the very best service.โ โ Denise Furmidge, real estate agent.
The negative is that you always have to answer the phone, even when youโre on vacation. The positive is that you get to help people that you grow to care for.
Clients can also get very emotional when transactions fall apart, such as when an inspector finds things wrong with the house like termites, mold, or roof issues or when appraisals are below asking price.
On top of that, you have to maintain your image all the time without breaks to get new clients. But if you love doing real estate, itโs still an enjoyable gig for you. It is quite lucrative when everything goes right!
47. Resell Items in Your House
-
Resell Items in Your House
- Pros: You can bring down the level of clutter in your home while making money.
- Cons: You have to deal with strangers if you use Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, or eBay. Try to meet in public places.
- How Much You Can Make:
It depends on what you are selling and the value of it.
- How to Begin:
Before you begin to deal with shipping, you might want to start with local listings on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.
- The Fun Part:
When all is said and done, you'll have a clean home and more money in your pocket.
You might be surprised at how much items are worth within your own household.
Here are some items you can sell for money:
- Extra clothing
- Books
- Shoes
- Musical instruments
- Camping equipment
- Gently used kitchen items
- Electronics
- Video games
- Jewelry
- Household decor
You might have hundreds or thousands of dollars that you can reap.
Read here to find out more information on the best ways to sell individual items in your home.
48. Sell an Online Course
-
Sell an Online Course
- Pros: You can film once and then resell a product that youโve made.
- Cons: You donโt have much social interaction with your students to see where they need help.
- How Much You Can Make:
$50 - $250 per course sold
- How to Begin:
Begin to think about what subjects you are knowledgeable in.
- The Fun Part:
It's fun to create a lesson plan and include visuals within your video. Being in front of a camera can be exciting.
Perhaps you find yourself talking passionately about a subject often. The ideas for classes are endless.
Here are some topics you might be interested in teaching:
- Real estate
- Taxes
- How to become an influencer
- Jazz piano
- A foreign language
- How to become a creative writer
- How to do your makeup
- Investing in stocks
With the help of technology today, you can create a video of yourself teaching your subject and earn money.
Here are some steps to pursue if this is within your interests:
- Begin to think about what subjects you are knowledgeable in.
- Organize your thoughts into lesson plans and curriculum.
- Video tape yourself.
- Learn video editing skills so that your videos and audio will be eye-catching and attractive to viewers.
- Either post them on YouTube with social media advertisements OR consider selling your course to educational companies.
49. Sell Beauty Products
-
Sell Beauty Products
- Pros: You can help people gain more confidence as they beautify themselves.
- Cons: The work fluctuates, so donโt have it as your main source of income.
- How Much You Can Make:
You earn commission on what you sell, which grows in percentage the more you sell.
- How to Begin:
Buy a starter kit for the company you want to begin selling for.
- The Fun Part:
When you watch your friends transform as they use your beauty products, it's satisfying to know you helped them.
Some people are natural at selling beauty products because they themselves receive a lot of natural compliments on how attractive they are.
Companies You Can Sell For:
- Avon
- Mary Kay
- Rodan & Fields
- Other companies
โI have been able to help many individuals and their families to solve many skin problems. Iโve earned a good extra income, and I can set my own work schedule and be as flexible as needed.โ โ Hayley Silverman, representative of Rodan & Fields.
Sometimes, due to promotions, you will have to place a large chunk of orders on certain days and work a long evening here and there.
For more information on different companies you can sell beauty products from, read here.
50. Sell Plants
-
Sell Plants
- Pros: You can help people enjoy horticulture while earning some money.
- Cons: Packaging and shipping plants is always extra labor.
- How Much You Can Make:
$3 - $500 (depending on how rare your plants are)
- How to Begin:
Begin by growing plants and learning to ship them safely.
- The Fun Part:
You can share your love for your plants with others; and your stock naturally replenishes.
If you love plants and love sharing them with friends, this can turn into an enjoyable side job for you.
You can start your side hustle locally through Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and with friends.
You also donโt have to limit yourself to local sales; you can start shipping plants on eBay, OfferUp, and Etsy. You simply have to make sure your plants can breathe while shipped, so donโt bubble wrap them too tightly.
If you have a garden and an expertise in orchids, succulents, carnivorous plants, or other types of plants, you have all you need to start your business.
51. Sell Your Hair
-
Sell Your Hair
- Pros: You can earn a shocking amount of money from selling your own hair.
- Cons: In order for you to earn more for your hair, you should keep it โvirgin hairโ, so keep it away from chemicals, blow dryers, or curlers.
- How Much You Can Make:
$25 - $4,000
- How to Begin:
- The Fun Part:
Enjoy chopping off your hair and rocking a new hairstyle!
On Hairsellon, you can also see how much your hair is worth on their calculator.
You can put your hair on sale on their website.
Virgin hair is sold for higher amounts โ hair that has not been chemically treated, dyed, straighted, curled, blow-dried, ironed, or permed. Youโll even have to stay out of chlorinated pools.
Read here for more information.
52. Server
-
Server
- Pros: You earn much more than minimum wage with tips.
- Cons: You have to be on your feet and deal with rude customers.
- How Much You Can Make:
$9 plus tip (national average)
- How to Begin:
Apply for restaurant jobs.
- The Fun Part:
You can exercise and be with people while you earn money.
Waitresses might begin with minimum pay, but once you add tip, servers can make quite a large amount per hour. Waitressing is an excellent night shift to add on after a day of sitting at a desk.
If you like to be around people and help them out, serving others might be something you enjoy. If youโre a stay at home mom, youโll enjoy being around other adults.
โItโs easy, quick money. You always leave with cash, and shifts are short. You walk a lot so itโs good exercise. Itโs usually very easy to either pick up shifts or get shifts covered if something comes up.โ โ Shayna Bray, former waitress at Salt Creek Restaurant in Santa Clarita, California
However, it can be tiring because you are on your feet the whole time. Sometimes you are working until late at night. Carrying heavy plates and trays can be hard on your back as well. Be sure to buy supportive shoes.
After you get hired at a restaurant, you get trained to memorize the menu and their ingredients and learn to work the computers.
53. Sewing Service
-
Sewing Service
- Pros: You can work indoors and comfortably.
- Cons: If you make a mistake on a garment that someone values highly, youโll be facing a very distressed, angry customer.
- How Much You Can Make:
$19.90/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Learn to sew and get further educated through your local community college or tech school.
- The Fun Part:
You can help people look the best possible in their clothes.
I once sewed a loose button for a friend, and he soon came back asking if I could fix more clothing items. People enjoy the convenience of working with tailors who are friends.
You can learn a great amount from working under a tailor or taking classes at your local community college or technical school. Practice truly does make you a better tailor.
The con is that if you mess up, youโll have to face a very distressed, upset client.
54. Sports Coach
-
Sports Coach
- Pros: You can mentor kids in a sport that you enjoy.
- Cons: You have to give up your free time, and usually the pay isnโt very much.
- How Much You Can Make:
$17 (national average)
- How to Begin:
Obtain experience by first volunteering in local park leagues.
- The Fun Part:
It's fun to participate in the community and help kids to improve in their athletic skills.
There are many adults who have a lot of knowledge in sports: some people are excellent at pitching and others excel in golf. If you enjoy mentoring other athletes, this will be a fun and rewarding side gig for you.
โA pro is that Iโm able to give back to our local community and meet other families I would not meet otherwise.โ โ Brad Silverman, coach for Santa Clarita City Youth Basketball for the past seven seasons
You can begin coaching for free and once you see your players improving, you have leverage for your prices going up.
Coaching a league requires a lot of time; organizing and leading team meetings, practices, games, and events. Most coaching is free and volunteer, but if you specialize in an area, you can become a coach that charges for private lessons.
55. Stock Market Investor
-
Stock Market Investor
- Pros: You can earn a lot of money.
- Cons: You can lose a lot of money.
- How Much You Can Make:
$1,000 on a good day
- How to Begin:
Open an investment account and deposit money.
- The Fun Part:
Though it's risky to invest, it's such a celebration when you invest in the right company and earn a lot of money.
Previous to 2022 the stock market was everyoneโs favorite game to jump into. Lately, the economy has taken a nose-dive, but there are still people who like to dabble in trading.
Stocks are time consuming. If you are looking for short term gains, you have to watch constantly. You canโt take time off; if you day trade, you need to watch patterns and research all the while, even if you donโt trade anything on that specific day.
You arenโt always right and can lose money. However, it can also be lucrative.
โI made $2,000 in a few days on an AMC options trade. It was risky and luckily, it sky-rocketed. If you want to do long-term investments, you can set it and forget it for 8-10 years. However, you might want to wait until the economy is a little better before beginning your journey.โ โ homeschool mother Esther Kyong who dabbles in day trade
People usually become profitable after 3 to 5 years of training. Before you get better, you usually have to get burned and learn to understand the trading system.
Open an investment account and deposit money. You can also learn how to get free stocks here. Read up on how to invest in the stock market so you can be rich.
56. Substitute Teacher
-
Substitute Teacher
- Pros: You can create your own schedule and work on days you are free while not having the extra responsibilities of lesson planning and attending staff meetings.
- Cons: Kids love to test their new substitute teachers by being extra disruptive.
- How Much You Can Make:
$131 per day (national average)
- How to Begin:
Contact your local school district and/or private schools near you.
- The Fun Part:
You can be around kids and enjoy them without the full stress of being a teacher.
After coronavirus, schools began to offer much more payment per day for substitute teachers.
This is an excellent side gig for people who have remote jobs or jobs with undependable schedules. You can list your days of availability on the school website, and teachers will request you when they need you.
If you do a good job, teachers will continue to request you more often. If you continue to come back, you can develop relationships with the students and inspire them to finish school with excellence.
โI can go anytime for any number of days or not take a job for weeks,โ explained Donna Hahm, substitute teacher for Hart District, โI love being with kids. I love helping them and listening to them. It's cool; the more I sub, the more I get to see the kids grow in different stages and they remember me.โ
Contact your local school district or private school and they will begin you on your path. Some require certification or a bachelorโs degree while others do not.
Pros
- You can set your own schedule.
- You donโt have to do any lesson planning or attend staff meetings.
Cons
- Depending on your school district, the pay might not be up to par.
- Some teachers donโt leave any work for the kids.
- Some teachers have horrendous class management so you are walking into a zoo.
57. Teach Students to Drive
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Teach Students to Drive
- Pros: Itโs a quick side hustle that makes a lot of money per hour.
- Cons: Sometimes you are endangered because of their bad driving.
- How Much You Can Make:
$40 - $100 per hour
- How to Begin:
Reread your stateโs driversโ handbook so you can teach students basics.
- The Fun Part:
You can take the stress away from a parent and teach a teen a life skill.
How many parents get way too stressed out teaching their kids to drive? When I taught my third teenager to drive, my eye hemorrhaged twice because my blood pressure rocketed!
It sure would be nice to have one of those cars with two sets of brakes!
If you stay relatively calm in stressful situations, this might be a fantastic side hustle for you! Read your stateโs driversโ handbook to review all the basics.
Some Things to Explain:
- How to turn lights on and off
- Dashboard basics
- Mirrors
- Windshield wipers
- Turn signals
- A/C
- Hazard lights
- Signals
- How to park
- Three point turns
- What to do when pulled over or if they get in an accident
Get the word out on social media. When you get a new student, teach them in slow progress from a parking lot to empty streets to busy intersections to the highway.
58. Thrift Store or Flea Market Flipping
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Thrift Store or Flea Market Flipping
- Pros: Itโs so much fun to find something for relatively cheap and then flip it for a large amount of money.
- Cons: You need to have storage for all the items you want to flip (and an understanding spouse).
- How Much You Can Make:
$2 - $100+ per item sold
- How to Begin:
Begin learning how to identify quality objects when you shop in thrift stores; do your research to see their market price.
- The Fun Part:
There's so much happiness and pride when you find a cheap buy and sell it for exponential amounts.
If you have a good eye for what is valuable, thrift store flipping might be the side hustle for you.
People have given donated designer brands or valuable antiques to thrift stores, and if you have the time and storage space, you can flip these items and earn money.
After thrift stores, be sure to check out garage sales. Sometimes things are listed on Craigslist, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace for cheap amounts: surfboards, guitars, cars, etc.
Research their market price and be sure to include shipping costs into your estimate on whether or not the object is worth flipping. Clean up your item as much as possible before posting a picture and selling online.
59. Transcriptionist
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Transcriptionist
- Pros: You can work remotely with flexible hours.
- Cons: Sometimes you canโt understand what people are saying.
- How Much You Can Make:
$18.84/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Be able to type fast โ like 70 words per minute.
- The Fun Part:
You can make money in the quiet of your home and help people out.
Sometimes itโs hard to read doctorsโ writing, but if someone can type out what theyโre saying, doctors can spend their time with patients, while you transcribe for them. Surprisingly, many intelligent people struggle with grammar and writing.
You need to have good listening skills as you type out what you hear in live audio files.
Not only can you do this in the medical field, but you can also do it in many other fields, such as the legal field.
There is software to help you along.
60. Translator
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Translator
- Pros: You are helping people by helping them communicate with others.
- Cons: Sometimes higher vocabulary, such as medical terms, are needed.
- How Much You Can Make:
$15 - $40 per hour
- How to Begin:
Study your second language extensively, so you donโt make a serious blunder that could affect someoneโs life.
- The Fun Part:
You can help people in the hospital or in other dire situations to communicate.
Becoming a translator is an easy side gig for people with first generation families.
Hospitals, government officials, business places, and police stations all need translators to help them out. The tricky part is that you will have to learn some difficult terms to translate effectively, especially in a hospital.
Market yourself as a contractor and let your local spots know youโre available.
Getting a certification in translation opens even more doors.
61. Tutor
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Tutor
- Pros: You can enjoy teaching a student about a subject youโre passionate about.
- Cons: Usually your hourly wage is cut in half when you consider the time preparation takes.
- How Much You Can Make:
$25 - $125 per hour
- How to Begin:
You can browse job boards, apply to local tutoring academies, post your availability on neighborhood tutoring apps, or publicize through social media and your friends.
- The Fun Part:
Connecting with a younger person and helping them with a subject they struggle with is so rewarding.
If youโre a clear communicator, youโre probably also gifted at teaching.
Here are some subjects that kids need tutors for:
- A foreign language
- Math
- SAT
- English as a language
- Writing
- Science
- History
- Art
- College essays
If youโre willing to work on off hours, there are a lot of international companies that would love to hire you to teach English to foreigners.
Be careful to take into account if the curriculum will be given to you or if you need to develop your own curriculum, which will take a great deal longer.
Also, will you be correcting assignments? Do the parents want the child to receive homework? Be aware that every extra hour that you spend on these items will cut into your hourly wage.
However, there is great joy when you are able to teach someone something successfully and see them improve.
I began tutoring this year. I gave an hourly rate and added $10/hour for each additional child.
The moms were incentivized to get their childrenโs friends in the class because it brought down the cost per child, the kids were happier with friends, and I got paid more for my hour with group classes.
The best part is seeing the kids excited to learn and improve.
62. Uber or Lyft Driver
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Uber or Lyft Driver
- Pros: You can work any hours and give rides to people in the direction you are traveling. Payment is instantly given.
- Cons: You have to deal with Stranger Danger.
If you have some dead time while your child is in karate, you might want to cash in on driving for Uber or Lyft.
Some requirements you need to drive:
- Meet the minimum legal age to drive in your city
- Have driven for at least one year
- A four-door car; but if you donโt have one, you can rent one from Uber
- Some documentation
Should you work for Uber or Lyft? You can compare the pros and cons here.
Pros
- You get to talk to a lot of different people that you would never meet.
- You can make money whenever you have free time, like when your child has sports practice.
- Sometimes Uber and Lyft give you incentive to drive more in spots during peak hours, so you can make double or triple the amount.
- The money is instantly given to you.
- Sometimes they give you tips.
Cons
- You put in a lot of miles and gas for driving your own car.
- You donโt know where you are going until you pick them up, so that can be stressful.
- Money isnโt as good as in the beginning when you receive bonuses.
- You can get sick of driving.
- You donโt make money while you drive to pick up someone or wait for someone to come to your car.
For more information on how you can make money with your car, read here.
63. Video Editor
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Video Editor
- Pros: You can do video editing remotely and at any time of the day. Itโs fun to be a part of the collaborative process of something amazing.
- Cons: Jobs arenโt steady so you have to work on shows you donโt enjoy.
- How Much You Can Make:
$40/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Learn to edit videos.
- The Fun Part:
It's fun to edit videos and transform a dull video to a riveting one!
Are you interested in video editing and making videos more riveting to watch?
โWhen you get to collaborate with creative people, itโs great when you complete an episode or sequence thatโs โdemo worthyโ.โ โ Ben Choo, Supervising Animatic Editor of Dreamworks
You can start working with something as simple as iMovie โ learn how to insert text and music, how to cut clips, and how to zoom in for certain shots.
This hobby can turn into a part time job if you can get a high-performance computer and excellent video editing software.
You can start with part-time gigs, like the wedding of your friend, a corporate party, or a church retreat.
The jobs arenโt always stable. Sometimes you have to work on shows you donโt enjoy. But other times, thereโs great satisfaction.
64. Voice-Over Artist
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Voice-Over Artist
- Pros: Itโs fun and you make a lot of money.
- Cons: You have to audition and often work on short notice.
- How Much You Can Make:
$30/hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Buy a studio microphone for your home. Either get an agent or check out websites with gigs.
- The Fun Part:
It's entertaining to create voices and act!
If you enjoy acting and making up silly voices, voice acting might be a great side gig for you. You can find jobs on websites like Fiverr.
โYou have fun, earn a lot of money, and have credits to your name. You also gain residuals and get to play different roles. And since you donโt have to be on camera, thereโs less pressure. You can even work from home if you have a home studio.โ โ voice actor Caleb Jeonโs mother
However, you do have to audition to book the job. For many actors, it takes several tries before they book anything. You also have to work on short notice and sometimes have to drop everything and be at the studio immediately.
Though a USB microphone is good enough, an XLR microphone is even better for the gig. Find a place to record your material that is soundproof; you donโt want to hear a noisy fan or the family chattering in the background.
65. Yard Work Service
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Yard Work Service
- Pros: If you love horticulture and being one with nature, youโll love this.
- Cons: Gardening demands a lot of physical labor and strength. You are often in the sun.
- How Much You Can Make:
$15.69 per hour (national average)
- How to Begin:
Learn about horticulture and get the word out that youโre for hire.
- The Fun Part:
You can enjoy the sunshine and being outdoors.
Yard work can take the form of gardening or mowing lawns. If you are mowing your lawn and you donโt mind mowing your neighborsโ, you can make some side money.
If youโre more of an expert at gardening and tending to fruit trees, someone would love to hire you to keep their garden beautiful and productive.
Being outdoors might be a plus for you, depending on your personality. You donโt have to sit in an office all day. And you can relax while doing work.
The negatives are that thereโs not much job security, and you might not make much.
66. Make a Rocket Ship (Humor)
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Make a Rocket Ship
- Pros: You can finally go to the bathroom without children bothering you.
- Cons: You will probably have to sacrifice your leisure time on social media and NetFlix to build it.
- How Much You Can Make:
You will initially lose investment money, but you can gain beachfront property on Mars worth billions of dollars.
- How to Begin:
YouTube
- The Fun Part:
The ability to blast yourself (or your neighbor's barking dog) into space.
Tired of the interior decorating within your four walls? Building a rocket ship might be the side hustle for you!
You too can finally experience the bliss and silence from hankering, whining children and a demanding spouse. On top of that, youโll finally find a secret place to stash your dark chocolate.
You may think that blasting into space is beyond your skills, but have you ever really put your best efforts into building a rocket ship? Skyโs the limit! (pun intended)
It might be difficult to secure a means of oxygen; a visit to grannyโs nursing home might be in order.
Author:
As a homeschooling mother of four, Christine has always had to find creative ways to make her family survive on one income, barring eating potato soup every day. She has learned to not only pounce on killer deals and optimal sales but also works plenty of side gigs to make extra money. Learn more about Christine.