Weekend Side Hustles: How To Earn Income on the Weekend

Answering surveys

If you’re looking for an easy, flexible side gig you can do at home, answering surveys is a great place to start. There are a number of websites—like Survey Junkie or Inbox Dollars—where brands post surveys seeking consumer feedback in exchange for a small payment. It’s win-win: they get valuable insights and you earn money online from the comfort of your couch.

Babysitting or nannying

If you enjoy being around kids or live in an area with many younger children, offer babysitting or nannying services to give local parents a well-deserved break. Babysitting jobs generally don’t have particular requirements, though CPR and first aid certifications, as well as experience with kids, are a good idea. Organizations like Sittercity and Care.com can help you get started.

Bartending or serving

Bars and restaurants can be great weekend side gigs because their peak hours fall outside the usual 9-to-5, Monday-to-Friday grind—they need staff specifically in the evenings and on weekends. If you can mix a mean cocktail and thrive in a fast-paced environment, look for restaurants in your area that might be hiring.

Being a notary public

Notary signing agents are officials who witness and sign specific important documents, like real estate documents, wills, and new passport applications. Although there are some upfront start-up costs (including an exam and filing fees), becoming a notary public can be lucrative—according to the National Notary Association, 43% of part-time, self-employed notaries earn at least $500 a month, and almost 30% earn more than $1,000.

Bookkeeping

If you have math skills or enjoy working with numbers, offer part-time bookkeeping services to small businesses that need help managing their books. This is especially feasible if you have experience in bookkeeping for your own business.

Delivering food

Food and grocery delivery is a flexible side hustle that lets you get out and about. It typically involves picking up the food at the restaurant or doing personal shopping at the grocery store, then dropping off the goods at the buyer’s home for a wage plus tips. All you need to deliver food is a valid driver’s license and a car (or, in some areas, a bicycle or moped).

DJing

If you enjoy mixing music and working events, advertise your services to event planners or local clubs to work as a weekend DJ for parties, weddings, and more. Be aware that DJing requires equipment, including a set of turntables or CDJs, a mixer, headphones, and a sound system, for which you may also need storage space. (Learn about using copyright-protected materials through resources like ASCAP.)

Dog walking or pet sitting

If you like working with animals or live in an area with many pet owners, you can make decent money (and be your own boss) as a dog walker or pet sitter. You can also try pet sitting as a full-time business. Visit clients’ homes to pet sit or use your own home as a day care where pet owners can drop off their animals.

Teaching English

English teachers are in high demand in many parts of the world, and with the rise of telecommuting, you can work as an English teacher from home. There are a number of English programs that connect native English speakers with students, including VIPKid, Preply, and Cambly. Be aware that many programs require a TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) or teaching certification, which can take time and money depending on the program.

Fitness training

If you enjoy working out or have special expertise, like yoga or spin cycling, sign up to teach classes at a local gym or online. Fitness teaching is convenient because it typically follows a set schedule, meaning you know exactly when you’ll be working and for how long. Note that most gyms require a certificate from the American Council on Exercise or other accredited institution.

Gardening

Many homeowners don’t want to spend their weekends caring for their lawns or gardens, so advertise your services as a lawn maintenance worker and get paid to do the work for them. Providing mowing and gardening services can come with upfront costs—for one, you need a lawn mower and a way to transport it to clients’ homes—but after these investments, you can look for clients who need yard work throughout the growing season and find regular, reliable income.

Giving tours

If you have good communication skills and live in an area that attracts many tourists, offer your services as a tour guide to share your local expertise. Your tours can be of general interest—showing visitors the must-see spots—or you can get more niche and offer tours around your interests, like coffee shops, historical sites, or fine art.

Graphic design

If you have creative skills with graphic design tools like Adobe Illustrator or Canva, look for freelance work designing anything from posters to logos to ads. Potential clients will want to see what you can do, so put together a portfolio of previous projects or produce a few work samples.

Home staging

When someone wants to sell their house, they must make it as tidy and beautiful as possible to attract potential buyers. If you have a knack for decluttering and interior design, advertise your services as a freelance home stager to local real estate agents, who can connect you with sellers getting their houses ready for the market.

Hosting travelers

Online marketplace platforms that facilitate short-term rentals, like Airbnb and Vrbo, have made it easier than ever to rent out rooms or private properties without posting classified ads. If you have a spare room, offer it as-is to travelers for a simple side gig, or spruce it up to make it a luxury traveling experience. Hire someone to manage the property and clean between guests to turn this gig into a passive income stream.

Housesitting

For a low-key side hustle with a lot of leisure time, consider housesitting for people in your area going out of town. You simply visit (or stay in) their home while they’re gone—watering plants, checking the mail, or tending to their pets—and they can rest easy knowing their place is in good hands. In addition to word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, there are a number of housesitting websites—like Trusted Housesitters and MindMyHouse—where you can get started.

Mystery shopping

If you love shopping, consider becoming a mystery shopper to earn money while indulging in your favorite activity. As a mystery shopper, you visit businesses, shop as usual, and get reimbursed for your purchases. You then provide feedback through a survey that helps companies improve their customer service. Organizations like Market Force, iSecretShop, and SecretShopper simplify the sign-up process and connect you with businesses eager for insights.

Photography

There are several ways to leverage a love of photography into a successful side hustle. If you enjoy events, advertise yourself to event planners to shoot weddings, parties, sporting events, and fundraisers. If you prefer a more hands-off approach, take photos and list them on stock photo sites like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock to earn royalties from downloads.

Reselling

If you like shopping and finding great deals, turn your hobby into a hustle job by reselling your finds for a profit. Hunt for cheap items at thrift stores, garage and estate sales, on Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist, then resell them locally or online. Reselling can be lucrative if you become an expert in a particular type of good—like wool sweaters or vintage lamps—or if you have the skills to refurbish or repair things before you list them.

Rideshare driving

Driving for apps like Uber and Lyft is one of the side hustles that put the modern gig economy on the map. To become a rideshare driver, you need a valid driver’s license, an eligible four-door vehicle, and, typically, proof of insurance. Then you can sign up through an app and start giving rides.

Social media managing

Many businesses need help managing their social media profiles but can’t afford to hire someone full time. Contact businesses—local or online—to offer your help as a freelance social media manager. Strengthen your résumé by showing examples of your social media management work or sample marketing strategies you’d plan to use.

Tailoring

If you can sew, use your skills by running a weekend tailoring service from your home. Customers can drop off their ill-fitting clothes and you can charge per piece and alteration. Advertise at local dry cleaners or bridal shops to get the word out about your services.

Transcribing

Many businesses need transcription services, which involve taking a video or audio recording and turning it into clean, typed text. If you have fast typing skills and a good ear, transcription is a great way to earn some extra cash on your own schedule.

Tutoring

Was there a particular subject you excelled at in school? Do you know how to code, speak another language, or play a musical instrument? Apply your skills to tutoring students. Tutoring or music lessons can be more consistent than other side hustles since you often meet with students regularly (usually weekly or monthly). Start tutoring locally or sign up with an online service like WyzAnt or Superprof.

Virtual assistant

A virtual assistant provides remote administrative support for businesses. You might schedule meetings, enter data, or respond to emails, so being a virtual assistant requires strong communication skills, a detail-oriented mindset, and a great sense of organization. Apply to these positions through traditional job boards, or contact businesses you're connected with to see if they need any support.

Web developing

If you have skills building websites or writing back-end code, advertise your skills to new businesses that need an online presence or organizations that are due for a digital refresh. To strengthen your résumé, link to sites you’ve designed in the past or show off web development templates potential customers could use.

Writing

Many businesses need capable writers to craft written material like blog posts and guest articles that they can post on their websites or link to on social media. Excellent communication skills are essential for freelance writing, and SEO knowledge is an added bonus.

YouTube channel

If you have skills or knowledge others may be interested in, start a monetized YouTube channel to earn passive income from ad revenue. For example, if you’re handy, you could create videos on fixing household appliances.