6 Side Jobs to Take Advantage of This Summer
Summer is on its way, and if you’re in college, you may find yourself with extra time to fill. Why not find a way to make extra money on the side? This could help you pay for school—and help you pay down debt when you’re finished with school. You could start looking for summer gigs now as some seasonal jobs may be starting to staff up.
You may already know about the traditional summer jobs, like lifeguard or camp counselor, but here are seven more ideas to help you make extra cash during the summer. And you don’t need to be a student for these—a side hustle could help anyone who needs a financial boost.
1. Local Tour Guide
Fancy yourself a local expert? Take advantage of the summer weather and get outside in your community by becoming a tour guide. The adventure company Backroads reported that walking and hiking tours are its fastest-growing segment, and Canada-based travel company Butterfield & Robinson has seen a 153% increase in bookings of walking trips since 2010.
Some cities have historical tours run by volunteers (who might make tips), but there are others that could offer payment. Check with your town’s tourism board or organization, historic or heritage society, or even local government to see what tours they currently offer, and if they offer paid positions to lead groups.
If your town doesn’t already offer walking tours, or if you’d like to create your own unique tour for visitors—think, art, food, beer, or music tours—there are many companies who can help connect you to tourists. For example, Airbnb offers the opportunity to host local “experiences” using their platform.
2. Moving Assistance
Summer is the most popular time for people to move, according to Moving.com. Of course, helping people move is made that much easier if you have access to a vehicle to schlep boxes and furniture. However, there are still plenty of good side jobs related to the busy moving season that don’t require a car or truck.
By signing up for a service app such as TaskRabbit, you can offer a variety of skills to those who are looking for help. If you are fairly confident in your IKEA furniture–building, and other DIY skills, you could advertise your ability to assist with assembly or hanging shelves. If you aren’t handy with a tool belt, you could make extra money on the side by painting walls.
People may also need pre- and post-move assistance, such as organizing closets or helping pack and unpack. You could even make some extra money without working for someone else—just use your extra time to clean out your own closets for a personal yard sale.
3. Catering and Clubs
Summer also brings the opportunity for more jobs outdoors, including seasonal workers at golf courses or clubs. Typically, you can find openings for food and beverage cashiers, equipment operators, recreation leaders, and maintenance.
Catering opportunities also pick up in the summer, especially since a majority of the five most popular months to get married are summer months. As long as you have a flexible schedule and are willing to work odd hours to help set up for a morning breakfast reception, or stay late for a gala dinner, taking a summer job working on a golf course or for a catering company could be a great way to make extra money on the side.
4. Summer Stock Theater
Another opportunity for good side jobs is a local theater, especially those referred to as “summer stock theaters”—ones that only run shows in the summer. Theaters can offer part-time jobs such as ushering, where you might hand out programs and help patrons find their seats. Or, you could work at the snack or merchandise counter during the performances.
So, if you’d rather work inside, likely in an air-conditioned space, and if your schedule can accommodate working in the evenings and during weekend matinees, this would be a great option. Plus, you might get to see some inspiring performances.
5. Farmers Markets and Parks
If you already have a side hustle creating things and selling them, why not check with a local farmers market to see if they will let you have a table to sell your goods?
Your parks and recreation department might also need help during the summer for landscaping and other maintenance jobs that are paid positions—as opposed to positions like sports coaching which are often volunteer.
Rather than trying to compete with teens mowing their neighbor’s lawns, if you are comfortable with a leaf blower or on a mower, working part time for a larger company might offer more stability, even if it’s just for one season.
And consider contacting any hardware or home-improvement stores near you as they staff up for their busy season. Last year, Home Depot and Lowes went on big hiring sprees to make sure they had enough staff for the spring and summer rush.
6. Dog- or House-sitter
Stretch your summer legs and sign up for a dog-walking service in your area. Many part-time or seasonal jobs pay minimum wage, which can vary greatly depending on the state, city, or county, but dog walkers or sitters often receive tips as well, making it a great job if you need some extra cash.
Walking people’s dogs can also be dependable if you work with regular clients; and you might be able to fit it into your schedule if you find a service with lots of available gigs.
Housesitters can make an average of $25 to $45 per day. Offering to housesit while other people take their summer vacations is a great way to take in extra income, especially in resort towns or tourism-heavy areas.
In some cases, they may require you to stay at their house, while others may just need you to check in regularly. Housesitting could be an alternative to dog walking or sitting for anyone who doesn’t love pets or is allergic.
What Do You Do With All the Extra Cash?
To get the most out of a summer job, true seasonal opportunities that play to your strengths could be the way to go—and making sure to have a smart plan or goal in place for the extra income is a great idea.
If you’re feeling underwater from student loan payments, you could consider putting the extra money you earn over the summer toward your student loan debt. You could potentially make your payments easier to manage by refinancing your student loans with SoFi, which could result in lower monthly payments or a better rate.
SoFi Student Loan Refinance
If you are a federal student loan borrower, you should consider all of your repayment opportunities including the opportunity to refinance your student loan debt at a lower APR or to extend your term to achieve a lower monthly payment. Please note that once you refinance federal student loans you will no longer be eligible for current or future flexible payment options available to federal loan borrowers, including but not limited to income-based repayment plans or extended repayment plans.
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