CEE Standard: Earning Income
Spring is a great time for your students to step up their side-hustle game. Earning extra money means that they can save for college, a car, a fun trip with friends, have a little extra spending money in their pocket, or all of the above! Help your students brainstorm different ways they can make extra money this spring.
Your cash flow is low, and you are looking for ways to make extra money. Here are some suggestions to start. We’d love to hear some additional ones from you!
Side hustles are small jobs — usually temporary — that you do on top of your regular routine. For example, mowing lawns around your neighborhood totally counts as a great side hustle. Babysitting for your parents’ friends is another great example of how you can make quick cash without interfering with your regular activities. To help you get started, I picked the top side hustles for a teen with an already busy schedule.
1. Work a Sporting Event
No matter the season, there will always be a sporting event or two going on. Jobs like food service, security, and ticket sales are usually in the evening or on weekends, and require only a few hours’ worth of commitment. With pay around $8 to 15 an hour — depending on what you do — side hustles at sporting events hit it out of the park in potential earnings.
2. Staff a Booth
Festivals happen all throughout the year. Be on the lookout for them, especially if you’re living or attending college in a larger city. Vendors, restaurants, and event organizers are always on the lookout for extra help. And hey, if you do a good job, you might even get a part-time gig out of it going forward!
3. Be the Dancing Sign Holder
You all know that guy or girl standing on the street corner dressed in a costume and spinning a sign. You’ve probably had a good laugh at him, but you won’t be laughing when you realize he’s most likely making around $10 an hour. Tax season is a good time to get in on this or whenever you notice a new business opening in your area.
4. Start a Date-Night Babysitting Service
Years ago, I made the big bucks by putting myself out there as a last-minute, date-night babysitter. At $15 an hour — plus $4 extra if there are three or more kids — I was always answering calls from past babysitting clients and their friends. I even had profiles up on big-name childcare sites like Sittercity and Care.com. This is a great way to try your hand at being an entrepreneur — just ensure you thoroughly check out any new clients beforehand.
5. Teach a Lesson or Two
With the end of the school year coming faster than you think, freaked-out students and their parents are looking for high-quality tutors. If you’ve had straight A’s all year, hang some fliers around the library or campus, or even approach students in need directly. Rates usually go from around $20 to $80 an hour, depending on your specialty and qualifications.
6. Get in Touch With Nature
Did you know that you can make money collecting pond water or picking up duck poop? Both are actual jobs with loaded paychecks if you can find them. Biologists, researchers, and environmental groups hire students to help with their research and with monitoring wildlife.
7. Give Great Hospitality
Weddings happen on a weekly basis, especially on the weekends. Caterers and hotels will be on the lookout for reliable staff to help serve food and clean-up. Working a few nights a week for five to 10 hours could bring in hundreds of dollars. Not to mention giving up a Saturday or two for some extra moola!
8. Sell Some Treats
Selling lemonade isn’t just for kids. Hawking a product around your neighborhood — like ice cream, soda, or baked goods, to name a few options — can be just as exciting now as when you were 5 or 6. Ask a local business for space in its parking lot or fill out a vendor application for festivals and fairs. Check the food licensing for your town and then start selling. A cheap product like snow cones can bring in a significant amount of money!
- Why would a student want a part-time job or a side hustle?
- What is meant by the term side hustle?
- Other than the money you earn, what are the advantages of having a side hustle?
- Do you have a side hustle? If not, do you know others who do? What do they do?
- In your area, what side-hustle opportunities are available to you?
