Do you love the idea of finding side jobs that pay cash but feel like you don’t have the time to earn additional income? If your evenings are busy, there are dozens of ways you can make money on the weekends.
You don’t need any special skills to work these jobs and earn supplemental income.
It’s even possible to set your own work schedule instead of getting stuck with an undesirable shift.
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What Jobs Can I Do on Weekends to Make Money?
Thanks to side hustles, it is relatively simple to find weekend jobs to supplement your income. Since you’re an independent contractor, you can try several platforms to find the best opportunities.
Here are 11 top ways to make money on the weekend.
1. Deliver Meals
Driving for delivery apps is a popular way to earn extra cash. This side gig can be more lucrative than you’d expect since you can earn tips plus the basic delivery pay.
DoorDash is one of the best food delivery app side jobs because they tend to have more restaurant partners and customer demand.
The app is also more likely to be active in smaller towns where other apps may not have a presence. Dasher pay varies depending on numerous factors, including tips.
To work with DoorDash, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a valid driver’s license
- Own a smartphone (iPhone or Android)
- Have reliable transportation and vehicle insurance
- Pass a criminal record check
If you meet these general qualifications and have verified you meet your local eligibility requirements, you can sign up to become a driver.
After passing the background check, you can claim delivery requests and make money on the side.
You may not like this position if you don’t want to deliver restaurant food.
*Related: If you’re looking for other courier jobs, read our guide on food delivery jobs like Uber Eats to find additional earning opportunities.
Some potential negatives include having to keep meals warm and waiting for restaurants to finish preparing orders after the scheduled pickup time.
Overall, delivering meals is one of the top ways to make money on the weekends.
Read our review of the DoorDash driver app to learn more.
If you want to increase potential gigs, driving with Uber Eats is a terrific complement to DoorDash. The app has many of the same requirements and is available nationwide.
2. Grocery Shopping
Not a fan of delivering meals? Consider delivering groceries as a potential weekend side job instead.
If you don’t mind shopping for groceries, you can become a shopper for Instacart.
You can earn $15-$20 an hour when you include tips.
Most of the opportunities are for full-time shoppers. You will need a vehicle since you shop for the order then deliver it to the customer’s front door.
*Related: Looking for ways to earn money working for a delivery service? Read our Shipt Shopper review to learn how you can earn $20+ per hour delivering groceries.*
Shoppers must be at least 18 years old and need to be able to lift up to 40 pounds. You will also want to be familiar with picking fresh produce to complete orders accurately.
Read our guide on Instacart Shopper to learn more about how the platform works and its requirements.
The platform isn’t the only option to deliver groceries. Read our guide on other jobs like Instacart Shopper to maximize earnings.
3. Walk Dogs or Pet Sit
If you love animals, pet sitting and dog walking are lucrative side hustle ideas. You can care for pets while the owners are at work or traveling.
The Rover app lets you earn between $15 and $20 an hour. You can earn more by caring for multiple pets in your own home.
The app lets you choose the types of pets you’re willing to care for and the dates you can work. Pet owners will send you requests that you can approve or reject.
You can advertise these pet care services:
- Overnight dog and cat boarding
- Dog walking
- Doggy daycare
- House sitting and drop-ins
Rover claims sitters can earn $1,000+ per month. If you love animals, this can be a fun way to earn cash on the weekends. Read our review of the top dog walking apps to make money on the side.
If you’re looking for side hustles that pay weekly near you, other than on-demand job, Steady is a terrific option. The free app helps you identify opportunities in your area, and the company claims users earn $5,500 per year, on average, through the platform.
4. Start a Blog
If you enjoy writing or making graphics and videos, you can start a blog to make extra cash.
There are numerous ways to earn money as a blogger. Those include:
- Affiliate marketing
- Selling you products or services
- Writing sponsored posts
- Email marketing
For the first few months, new blogs might only earn small amounts of money. But, in time, you can earn several hundred or even $1,000+ per month with an established blog.
Our guide on how to make money blogging is a good resource for learning how to monetize a blog.
Although you won’t make quick cash with a blog, your hard work can earn recurring income as your audience grows. Consider other weekend jobs if you need money now.
With a hosting service like Bluehost, you can have your site up and running within a few minutes. This hosting service also makes it easy to create a simple portfolio and attract clients as you create high-quality content.
Starting a blog doesn’t have to take forever to set up, and you really don’t need any technical skills. It’s possible to build your site and make your first posts on the same day.
Dedicate free time on the weekends to creating content that can eventually make money. As your blog earns consistent income, you may choose to reduce your working hours and focus on other priorities.
5. Proofreading
Work-from-home jobs are another excellent option if you don’t want to use your car or find childcare on the weekends.
If you love the English language and can spot punctuation errors or grammar mistakes from a mile away, proofreading is a legitimate option to make extra money.
Best of all, you can often do it on your own time.
*Related: Are you looking for other remote job possibilities? Read our review of the 27 top ways you can make money from home with minimal specialized skills.
There are a multitude of projects that require proofreading, such as:
- Blog posts
- Ebooks
- Speeches
- Web content
- White papers
Finding clients can be done in multiple ways. For example, you can let friends know about your services or post them on Facebook Marketplace.
A great resource to help you become a successful and well-paid proofreader is Proofread Anywhere.
In this free course, Caitlin Pyle shares her tricks on attracting clients and earning good money as a proofreader. The webinar is free, so no financial commitment is necessary.
You can expect to make decent money as a proofreader, averaging $20 per hour. However, it’s possible to earn more if you specialize in technical and advanced fields.
Read our guide on how to become a proofreader to learn more about this opportunity.
6. Become a Virtual Assistant
It’s important to be strategic if you’re trying to make money on the weekends since time is limited. Working as a virtual assistant (VA) is a great way to make money on the side in your free time.
A VA is someone who assists entrepreneurs and small businesses. You don’t have to work in an office to be a VA since your work exists online.
This means that you can work from virtually anywhere. VAs can do almost anything, including:
- Email management
- Social media
- Writing
- Scheduling
The work description varies by the client and your skills. You don’t need any special skills or education to become a VA.
If you’re great at organizing and communicating, you’re already halfway to being a successful VA. Being willing to learn new skills is an excellent step as well.
If this sounds like a good option to make money on the weekends, consider the $10K VA free webinar shared by our friend Kayla Sloan. In the course Kayla shares steps you can take to become a virtual assistant.
Kayla used this process to grow her VA business to earn over $10,000 per month. If you want to work from anywhere and are well-organized, becoming a VA is one option to consider.
Our guide on how to become a virtual assistant shares helpful tips to learn where to start with this opportunity.
As a beginner VA, you can expect to earn $20+ per hour. If you learn how to specialize in a specific skill or build your skillset and sell yourself to higher income-earning clientele, you may earn $30+ per hour.
This is one of the few side jobs to make money full-time if you want to replace your current job.
7. Take Surveys
Surveys aren’t a get-rich-quick scheme, but they’re a top option to earn money this weekend. You can attempt multiple surveys each day and cash in your rewards for cash or gift cards.
Most surveys pay around $1 for up to 20 minutes of work on your phone or computer. Focused surveys can earn up to $5.
You can join multiple panels to take more surveys each day and see which platform offers the best opportunities to make cash.
There are dozens of survey sites, and you can consider these best survey sites first.
Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie lets you earn cash or gift cards with a minimum $10 balance. You can also install the SJ Pulse app to make money by sharing how often you use your internet browser.
Read our Survey Junkie review to get more details on why this site is a great way to earn extra money.
Pinecone Research
Pinecone Research pays $3 per survey no matter what survey you take. Plus, they pay via gift card, check, and PayPal with no minimum balance requirement.
However, you may need to join a waitlist until a panelist spot opens. That aside, they do often offer lucrative product tester jobs that pay $75 per item.
Read our Pinecone Research review to learn how to take advantage of this platform.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a leader in the surveys for money space, but you can earn in more ways than giving your opinion. The site has numerous ways to earn, from watching sponsored videos to reading emails.
You can earn a $10 bonus when you use their shopping portal for a qualified purchase. You can redeem earnings via gift card or PayPal cash. Read our Swagbucks review to learn more.
8. Babysitting
If you enjoy being around children and are responsible, babysitting is a classic way to make money on the weekends.
The hourly pay can be between $10 and $20 based on your location and years of experience.
You can score babysitting gigs in various ways. Typically the best way is to tell friends and family members you’re looking for babysitting jobs.
Apps like Care.com can connect you with parents needing a babysitter or a nanny. It’s free to join, and you can even list other services you provide for extra cash.
As long as you’re at least 18, have reliable transportation, and can work desirable hours, you’re bound to find a babysitting gig that lets you make money on off days.
9. Work Odd Jobs
Odd jobs can be a lucrative weekend job as people don’t have the time or ability to do certain projects.
Some examples include:
- Furniture assembly
- Landscaping
- Moving
- Repairs
- TV mounting
Depending on the complexity of the task, you can earn between $20 and $60 per hour. Of course, you must possess the skills to land the highest-paying side gigs.
Taskrabbit lets you connect with local clients who need your help with over 200 task types. You get to set your own rates and keep customer tips.
The platform lets you set your weekly availability schedule and accept same-day requests. If the odd job platform isn’t for you, read our guide on other money-making apps on to make money in your city.
10. Work Events
Many businesses and organizations have events on the weekends. Better yet, they often hire staff to work the event.
One-time events typically need additional staff to help with some of these jobs:
- Decorating
- Doorman
- Parking
- Waiting on guests
Pay can be between $15 and $20 per hour for most tasks and one of the best under the table jobs to try.
Several platforms list job opportunities on the weekends that can help you make some quick cash.
Taskrabbit lets you help at public events, birthdays, and other parties. You can create your profile to list your relevant experience and skills.
Craigslist has one-time side hustles in the “Gigs” sections. The platform is free, and the application guidelines vary by client.
Check out these sites like Taskrabbit to find more ways to make some money on the weekends.
11. Become a Photographer
Photography is another wonderful way to make extra cash on the weekends if you have the proper equipment and editing software.
Your skills can capture these special moments:
- Birthdays
- Family pictures
- Graduation
- Weddings
You can charge between $50 and $300 per hour, depending on your experience and location. Another option is to charge a flat fee for the event.
Friends and family are an excellent way to find photoshoots.
Also, consider advertising your photography business on Facebook. You can create a free business page and list your service on local groups.
Read our guide on how to start a business even if you have no ideas to identify other opportunities.
Bottom Line
Time is a limited resource, so you may not be able to consider traditional part-time jobs.
Thankfully, making extra income on the weekends is easy since side hustle apps offer competitive pay and flexible work schedules.
If you have a financial goal in mind, consider one of the above options to help boost your income.
How often do you work side gigs? What’s your biggest obstacle to making money on the side?
*Earning more on certain types of orders (ex. alcohol): Earn more per order as compared to restaurant orders. Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries you accept and complete, time of day, location, and any costs. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90 day period and includes compensation from tips, peak pay, and other incentives.
*Get paid instantly (DasherDirect): Subject to approval
*Cash out daily (Fast Pay): Fees apply
*Start Dashing today: Subject to background check and availability
*Dash anytime: Subject to availability
Kim Suazo has been a freelance writer and business owner for over four years. When she's not writing for Frugal Rules, you can find her on other publications like Chime, Discovery, and Due. She also owns her own websites The Entrepremomer and Part-Time Profit, where she teaches overworked moms how to streamline their new businesses so they can scale without a team.
