How to get a last minute side hustle this summer

If you’ve recently strolled through the aisles at the grocery store, pumped gas, booked a vacation or hunted for a new home, you’re probably well aware that things are expensive right now. But many people are finding a way to make ends meet: side hustles. 

A third of Americans have a side gig, and the most popular reasons for getting one is to cover cost-of-living expenses or use it for discretionary spending or saving, according to a recent survey from LendingTree. There’s a wide variety of side hustles you can pick up, from grabbing a shift at a local restaurant or walking dogs to being a freelance copy editor or helping people move. If you don’t have a side gig, it’s certainly not too late to get one. In fact, the coming summer months are a great time to find some extra work. 

“Summer is a goldmine for the right hustles,” says Nick Loper, the founder of Side Hustle Nation. 

Popular summer side hustles 

There are many side hustles you can do year-round, like rideshare driving, bookkeeping or babysitting. But there are also gigs for which demand spikes in the summer, such as pool maintenance and lawn care. 

“The beauty of a lot of service-based hustles is you can be earning within a week,” Loper says. 

Part-time loan signing agents and movers can also get a lot of business during these months. 

“Summer is the hottest real estate selling season, and nearly every home sale needs a notary to verify mortgage documents. Signing agents typically earn $75-150 per appointment,” Loper says. “Along with that spike in home sales comes an increase in demand for movers.” 

On the platform Dolly, movers make an average of $50 per hour if they have a pickup, box truck, cargo van or SUV with a trailer and keep 100% of their tips, according to the website (if you don’t have a vehicle, you can still make $35 on average by lending a hand). Wedding officiating is another potential summer gig, since summer is peak wedding season. They typically charge between $200 and $450, according to Zola. There’s also pressure washing, car detailing and yard sale flipping. 

Keep in mind that recurring revenue beats one-off jobs. 

“Lawn care, pool maintenance, tutoring — these clients pay you month after month,” Loper says. “One good client in a recurring service is worth five one-time jobs.” 

How to find the right side gig 

There are plenty of options when it comes to side hustles, but that can make choosing the right one challenging. Here are five steps to get you started. 

1. Determine the types of jobs you can do. Take five minutes to write down all of the skills you have, suggests Dr. Annie Cole, founder of Money Essentials for Women and author of How 6-Figure Business Owners Attract Customers. Then, next to each skill, jot down ways you might use that skill to make money. For example, if you have strong administrative skills, you can work as an online virtual assistant. If you love pets, you can work as a local dogwalker. You may also be sitting on skills that you don’t even realize could translate into a side hustle, such as photography, teaching and physical fitness knowledge. “The question I ask people is: what do your friends and coworkers ask you for help with?” Loper says. “That's usually a clue.” 

2. Pick the best fit. Once you have your list of options, Cole recommends choosing three to five that feel most aligned with your preferences, income goals and availability. “Keep your options open and work towards a few different job types at once, seeing what works and what doesn't,” she says. “Consider blending different options to meet your income goals. You may find that you enjoy taking on multiple smaller jobs versus higher-hour roles in one category.” 

3. Find the work. Identify the platforms that could help you get this work. For instance, Rover can connect you with people looking for dog walkers and sitters while Upwork can help you get graphic design gigs. Loper says some other good starting points are GreenPal for lawn care, Wyzant or Tutor.com for tutoring, Airbnb Experiences for local touring and guided activities, and Thumbtack or Angi for general home services. Some people also flip and resell items on eBay or Facebook Marketplace or even rent out their pool with Swimply. Use your existing network, too. “Your first client is almost never a stranger,” Loper says. “Post on Facebook, text your neighbors, mention it at the next family gathering. Don't wait for a website to start selling.” 

4. Keep track of your progress. A lot of side hustlers don't actually know their effective hourly rate once you factor in driving, administrative tasks and unpaid setup time, Loper says. Track your time and raise rates sooner than feels comfortable (since there’s a good chance you’re undervaluing your work). And make note of what’s working and what’s not working, Cole says. You may find immediate interest in one surprising area but not get traction in another, or see heightened demand for a service you could learn and offer. 

5. Make the most of your money. Once you’re earning, make your money work for you by investing it or keeping it in a high-yield savings account that will generate interest. There are plenty of options, including Current’s Savings Pods, which allow you to earn up to a 4.00% annual bonus on your funds.