Wonolo
When you want to make extra money, but want something less than a second job, a side job can help provide extra income without the mental drain (or years and years of “experience required”). If you’re trying to find work and don’t know where to start, we have some great ideas for a side hustle you’ll want to check out.
We’ve compiled a list of the best side jobs along with some one-time ways to make money that don’t require any prior knowledge or experience to get started. Each side gig listed can add padding to your bank account, and even has the potential to eclipse a current full-time job. Read on to see which one fits you best.
Dog Walking Gig Work
Earning Potential: $10+ per hour
Do you love to get outside? Or maybe you just love animals? If either are true, stretch your legs and make extra money as a dog sitter. You can market yourself on your own by simple word of mouth and asking around the neighborhood if anyone needs your services. Alternatively, you can partner up with a doggy daycare or boarding facility to get clients. However you choose to structure your dog walking biz, you’ll soon be walking your way to a fatter bank account.
Be Part of a Focus Group or Research Study
Earning potential: $100+ each
Especially if you live near a university or research hospital, paid research studies can be a great way to make some extra cash. After just a few minutes on Google or searching sites like FindFocusGroups.com, you can find studies to participate in that are both safe and legitimate. Keep your eye out for calls for focus groups, including one facilitated online, which typically pay a decent flat rate for your participation.
Food Production Side Hustle
Earning potential: $10+ per hour
Food production and handling is full of great opportunities. After all, everyone has to eat! It’s also very common to find short-term jobs available in this industry, making it an ideal option for those looking to make extra money. Moreover, food production isn’t limited to just restaurants themselves. For example, many popular meal services need workers to help pick, prep, and assemble their goods. This side hustle has variety, and no two food production jobs have to look the same.
It’s important to note that while oftentimes there is no experience required for food production, some of these side jobs may have special requirements or certifications that are necessary, such as a food handlers certificate. Make sure to check all job requirements before starting to work.
Event Staffing Positions
Earning potential: $10+ per hour
Everything from concerts and festivals to corporate seminars and charity events need staff to keep the show going. Event staffing gig work can include ushering duties, working concessions, parking lot assistance, janitorial work, and more. The event space is a large field full of possibilities and plenty of chances to learn new skills while supplementing income. Give big events a chance for some big payoff.
Caterer’s Assistant
Earning Potential: $10+ per hour
Being a caterer’s assistant falls into the space between food handling and event staffing. Typical assistant positions include servers, bartenders, and generally assisting wherever catering duties are concerned. While having some experience is helpful to snag this side hustle, it is possible to get your foot in the door with a warm smile and a great attitude. Additionally, caterers often keep unconventional hours (usually weekends), which means their assistants do, too. This is an excellent opportunity if you’re looking to pick up a couple shifts to make extra money on the weekend outside your 9-5.
Delivery Driver Side Jobs
Earning potential: $10+ per hour
If you have a reliable means of transportation (and a license for a vehicle), then you’re in business. There is a wide variety of delivery driver opportunities to decide from in the current market. This gig work includes delivering restaurant food, groceries, florist orders, letters, packages, and more. Delivery jobs are a great way for those trying to find work to easily succeed in making some extra income because these jobs are so readily available. Not to mention, oftentimes you can choose your working hours. What’s more, you don;t necessarily need a car to take on delivery jobs. Many businesses have no problem giving deliveries to bike messengers. In fact, if you live in a large enough city, a bicycle is the way to go to avoid frustrating gas prices.
Rent an Extra Bed as a Side Hustle
Earning potential: $50+ per day
From an air mattress in the living room to palatial private pads, people around the world make extra money by renting out their extra space. If you have room for someone to hang their hat for the night, that’s all you need to get started. There’s no need to worry about building a website to list your space or wasting time vetting sketchy clients on Craigslist. With websites like Airbnb and Vrbo, you can list your space, attract renters, and easily see who is coming into your home.
Start a Service Business
Earning potential: $15+ per hour
If it’s a service, someone’s buying it. Why not start your own micro-business offering to wash and detail cars, mow lawns, rake leaves/ shovel snow, or any other service your neighbors might take you up on? You can set your own days and hours to some degree (you can’t shovel snow if there’s no snow on the ground, for instance) and only work in the neighborhoods you want. If you’re feeling entrepreneurial, the sky’s the limit!
Want to Find Work with Little to No Experience?
There are plenty of ways to find a side hustle. If you don’t want to try any of the gig work above, the Wonolo app is full of job postings, including some of the side jobs mentioned here and so much more. It costs nothing to sign up and can have you earning extra money on a flexible schedule that works for you. After signing up, be sure to follow Wonolo on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for all of the best tips and resources on successfully completing jobs through the platform!
*Disclaimer: the estimated pay listed above may vary depending on a number of different factors, including location. Wonolo makes no representations or guarantees regarding the accuracy of these amounts.
