22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time Job
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Gabrielle Olya
8 min read
Earning extra money on the side can be easy when you know what types of opportunities to look for. Whether you want to pay off student loan debt, start saving for a big-ticket purchase or build up a fund for the future, finding one of the best side jobs out there is a great way to reach your goal.
Some side jobs pay so well that you might even consider giving up your full-time job to have more time to dedicate to these gigs. It's important to note that some of these jobs might be harder to do during the pandemic but could be ones you look to take on in the future.
Sign up as a vendor with GreenPal, a lawn care service and app that CEO Bryan Clayton describes as "Uber for lawn care," and make money mowing lawns."Many of our lawn care vendors are part-timers -- some are firemen, some are teachers that use our app in the summer to make extra money; others are college students that work afternoons and weekends, and it is the perfect way for them to make extra money," Clayton said. "Our average vendor makes around $55 per hour mowing lawns on our system."
Become a TaskRabbit and earn money by completing everyday errands and tasks for people in your area. All it takes is a visit to TaskRabbit.com, where you can select tasks you are willing to accomplish. After getting matched with individuals requesting service, you can proceed to doing the job -- and getting paid.
When you pick a task, the website will show you hourly rates for the most qualified taskers. You will then be able to set your own price. All jobs require a minimum time commitment of one hour, and payments are made securely online. According to Time's profile of elite taskers, TaskRabbits have been paid up to $70 an hour to fold shirts, $65 an hour for heavy lifting and $80 for moving services.
The side gig of frequent flyer specialist is perfect for those who travel often and understand how to maximize frequent flyer miles to receive the best deals. If this sounds like you, consider using your skills to help other travelers plan their itineraries. Experienced frequent flyer specialists can charge clients up to $150 for planning just one itinerary, according to a profile of a frequent flyer specialist on Budgets Are Sexy.
With this side gig -- which typically pays $30 an hour, according to FlexJobs -- your duties can include performing bank reconciliations, payroll needs and creating financial reports. Providing bookkeeping services to more than one company at once can increase your earning potential.
If you love your city and have a passion for writing, a side gig as a city guide writer might be ideal. According to Business Insider, real estate and tourism businesses often hire local writers to craft city and neighborhood guides. As a city guide writer, you would provide a unique local perspective on the city, statistics about population demographics and insider tips for shopping, recreation, culture, entertainment, activities, public transportation and more.
Share your knowledge with the world -- remotely and on your own schedule -- by becoming an online instructor. Computer and IT skills courses are especially in demand, according to FlexJobs.
Fashionistas with an eye for current trends might be able to find side jobs as fashion consultants for high-end shoppers. Some clients are willing to pay top dollar for fashion help and will even ask their personal shoppers to select entire wardrobes for different seasons.
As a fashion consultant, you'll meet with clients to discover their likes, dislikes, personalities and style goals. According to The Art Career Project, savvy stylers can earn anywhere from $50 to $500 per hour for their work.
Licensed sign language interpreters are hired by businesses and other entities to facilitate communication for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. The average pay is $30 an hour, according to FlexJobs.
If you're a teacher looking to start a side gig outside of the classroom, consider becoming a curriculum writer. These professionals are hired to develop curricula and teaching guides. It's a gig that can pay $50 per hour, according to FlexJobs.
This gig involves conducting or teaching workshops, seminars or courses, as well as evaluating participants and developing the curricula for what you teach. According to FlexJobs, the average pay is $34 an hour.
It's possible to find executive assistant positions that are remote and part time if you already have a few years of experience under your belt, according to FlexJobs. Duties can include setting up meetings, responding to emails, tracking appointments and more.
Turn your area of expertise into extra money in your pocket with consultant work. These professionals are hired by an organization to review its processes and provide advice to improve its performance. According to FlexJobs, IT is a particularly lucrative field for consultants.
Companies and business development teams hire these specialists to find, qualify and generate leads. It's a gig that pays an average of $30 an hour, according to FlexJobs.
Knowledge of NetSuite -- a software program used by companies to manage their business processes in a single system -- can prove valuable in terms of side gig potential. NetSuite administrators can perform a number of tasks including creating custom fields, reports and KPIs; developing workflows; and designing and implementing NetSuite solutions. The average pay for this flexible job is $70 per hour, according to FlexJobs.
You don't need a full-time job to put project management skills to use. Seek out freelance positions that take advantage of these skills, such as overseeing timelines, tracking budgets and coordinating team members. You can make $65 an hour without going into an office every day, according to FlexJobs.
Taking accounting gigs can become a major moneymaker. This job will require preparing statements and audits, documenting transactions and performing end-of-month tasks.
To earn the high salary of a senior accountant, you typically need five years of experience, according to FlexJobs.
Social media has become a powerful selling tool for businesses and brands, and these companies depend on marketing specialists to make sure their social media campaigns are successful. These individuals create campaigns, develop strategies and write social media content.
These developers are responsible for maintaining and updating apps, testing automation design and troubleshooting software issues. This tech side gig pays an average of $55 an hour, according to FlexJobs.
An eye for design and a background in tech come together with this gig. Web designers will generally need knowledge of platforms such as CSS, WordPress or jQuery, according to FlexJobs.
Many individuals and businesses use WordPress for their websites, so having a mastery of the platform can make for a high-paying side job. These developers create and edit themes, set up and utilize plugins, and write code. The average pay is $45 an hour, according to FlexJobs.
Between corporate events, birthday parties and weddings, it's possible to find enough side gigs as a DJ to make a good living. Although the average salary is $42 an hour, the top 10% of DJs bring in $123 an hour, according to PayScale.
Having an eye for a bargain can make you rich as a reseller. Whether your passion is clothes, shoes or something more obscure, selling items for more than what you paid for them on eBay, Craigslist or apps like Poshmark can be a lucrative side gig.
Alexandra Marquez, a thrift store pro who resells the items she finds on Poshmark, told Business Insider that she left her $50,000-a-year corporate job at a marketing company to focus on her reselling business full time. She now makes $5,000 a month.
