Cash-paying jobs are a great way to help you achieve your financial goals. Thankfully, you don’t need specialized experience or a degree with most under-the-table jobs. But, you do need to remember to pay the IRS their share. If you need to pad your wallet, here are 12 awesome side gigs beginners can pursue to earn a little extra income.
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House Cleaner
If you don’t mind getting a little dirty, house cleaning is a great way to make money on the side. Many people hate cleaning their own homes, so there’s ample opportunity to be a house cleaner.
While you have to clean someone else’s dirt and grime, you don’t need many resources to start this gig. You can provide your own mop, broom, vacuum, and dusting materials, but many clients may already have most of those for you to use.
The average hourly rate for a house cleaner is $16 nationally, according to ZipRecruiter.
Babysitting
Babysitting is a classic under-the-table job to make money fast. If you love spending time with children and get good word-of-mouth advertising, this can be a worthwhile side gig.
The current average hourly rate for a babysitter is $17, according to ZipRecruiter. If you watch multiple children simultaneously, you could earn more.
Handyman Work
If you like fixing things or are good with your hands, you can make cash as a maintenance or repair worker. This can be as simple as assembling furniture or as complex as repairing electronics in a client’s home.
The site claims it has over 200 potential categories to find work for independent contractors. According to ZipRecruiter, the average hourly pay for handyman jobs is $21.
Delivery Driver
Delivering meals or groceries is one of the best side hustle ideas to pursue in the current gig economy. This opportunity is convenient for users, and independent contractors can work in their spare time to make extra cash.
Consider advertising your services on social media accounts to gain clients. If you don’t want to use this approach, you can sign up to drive with delivery apps like Instacart Shopper or Grubhub. Pay for delivery drivers varies based on things like tips and the times you deliver.
Photographer
Do you love to take pictures and have an eye for detail? If so, you can make extra income as a freelance photographer.
It is possible to find gigs with no experience, but many clients will want to see a portfolio of your work. This can include anything from taking family portraits or headshots for people who want to update their LinkedIn profiles.
If you are friends with a realtor, you can even offer to take photos of homes they are selling.
Freelance photographers can expect to earn around $28 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter.
Yard Work
If you don’t mind a little manual labor, doing yard work for people in your city is a terrific way to make money fast. According to ZipRecruiter, the average rate for a yard worker is $15 per hour.
Potential ways to earn include mowing lawns, trimming edges, raking leaves, weeding, and snow removal. The work isn’t glamorous, but if you prove yourself to be reliable and a hard worker, these gigs pay good money.
Tutor Students
Are you a teacher? Or do you have experience in a specialized area? If so, tutoring is one of the best jobs that pay cash.
The average hourly rate for a private tutor is $24, according to ZipRecruiter. Having certifications or expertise in a certain area can help you increase your rates. You can use a site like Flexjobs to find tutoring gigs or advertise your services on social media to get more clients.
Pet Sitter
Pet owners aren’t always able to get their dogs out for exercise, or they don’t want to leave their pets home alone for an extended period of time, and you can make good money fulfilling this need.
Dog walkers earn cash by taking four-legged friends out for exercise. However, that’s not the only way to make extra income with pets. You can offer additional services, such as pet grooming and boarding. It’s possible to increase dog walking earnings by exercising multiple dogs at once. The average pay for a dog walker is $14 an hour, according to ZipRecruiter. Rover is one of the best dog walking apps to use that lets clients find you.
Work Events
If you are free on many evenings or weekends, you can work as event staff to make money in your spare time.
Possible responsibilities include bartending, waiting tables, valet drivers, and more. Average rates may vary depending on the job you do. ZipRecruiter reports you should expect to earn $15 an hour if you work as event staff.
House Sitting
Watching a house is typically not physically exhaustive. You are merely there to make it look like someone is at home. Possible tasks include checking the mail, watering flowers, or taking out the trash. You stay in a client’s home when they are traveling, and you can combine it with other side hustle ideas to increase your earnings.
The average rate for a house sitter is $36 nationally, according to ZipRecruiter. However, pay can vary as many people will pay by evening.
Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is a classic way to earn extra income. There are many opportunities to make money as a freelance writer. Opportunities range from bloggers looking for extra articles to businesses that need help with content.
Depending on your experience, you can write about anything from personal finance to cooking and everything in between. The average pay for a freelance writer is $33 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter. Word of mouth and sites like LinkedIn are fantastic ways to find clients.
Help People Move
Manual labor may not be glamorous, but it can become a lucrative side gig. If you don’t mind physical activity, and can lift heavy boxes, being a house mover is a great way to earn extra spending money.
If you offer moving services on your own, you will need access to a truck. But, you can also find work on sites like Taskrabbit to find moving jobs near you.
The average pay is $16 an hour, according to ZipRecruiter. However, we know from firsthand experience you can earn much more than that.
101 Ways to Make Money on the Side
There are countless side hustle ideas you can pursue. Not everyone will be a good fit for you. Here’s an exhaustive list of options to make extra money on the side.
Ways to Make Money on the Side
11 Ways to Make Money on the Weekends
Weekends can be a fantastic time to earn extra money to reach a financial goal. Thankfully, there are plenty of gigs available.
How to Make Money on the Weekends
23 Side Hustle Apps to Make Extra Money
Earning cash on the side is a fantastic way to make ends meet. But, which opportunities will help you the most? Side hustle apps connect you with good-paying gigs in your area so you can earn money in your spare time.
Best Side Job Apps to Make Extra Money
How to Make Money Without a Job
In between jobs and need a way to supplement your income? There are plenty of ways to earn cash to tie you over.
Ways to Make Money Without a Job
How to Make Money in One Hour
Whether you need to make ends meet until payday or you want extra spending money, earning quick cash is possible. Check out these legit ways to make money in one hour.
I’m John Schmoll, a former stockbroker, MBA-grad, published finance writer, and founder of Frugal Rules.
As a veteran of the financial services industry, I’ve worked as a mutual fund administrator, banker, and stockbroker and was Series 7 and 63-licensed, but I left all that behind in 2012 to help people learn how to manage their money.
My goal is to help you gain the knowledge you need to become financially independent with personally-tested financial tools and money-saving solutions.
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