Summer Side Hustles

Summer is ideal for unwinding and earning on the side. These flexible summer side hustles offer a simple way to earn extra money with very little upfront cost. So, if you're planning a trip, looking forward to some summer events, tackling debt, or just want extra cash, there's something here to fit your schedule and goals.

The profitability of a side hustle largely depends on your skills, time commitment, and market demand. Here are several high-earning opportunities:

Overall, the average side hustle income in 2024 was approximately $891 per month, with millennials leading at an average of $1,129. Notably, 9% of side hustlers reported earning over $2,000 monthly. 

These figures underscore the potential of side hustles to significantly supplement income, especially when aligned with one's skills and market opportunities.

Here are the most in-demand, beginner-friendly summer side hustles to help you get started quickly and make the most out of your summer months:

Creative work thrives in the summer when businesses, bloggers, and individuals often seek fresh, seasonal content and design. If you're a writer, designer, or photographer, you can tap into a consistent stream of freelance work that allows you to overtake projects remotely and during flexible hours. These gigs are ideal for those looking to grow their portfolio or turn a hobby into income.

In this gig economy, freelance writing remains one of the most versatile and profitable side hustles or full-time jobs. You can hone your writing skills by creating blog posts, product descriptions, newsletters, or even social media content for large or small businesses. Sites like ProBlogger and Freelancer list remote writing jobs you can do from anywhere.

Building a niche can also help you stand out, it might be finance, wellness, tech, or lifestyle content. Many clients are looking for specialists who understand their market, meaning you’ll gain repeat clients and will be able to charge higher rates over time.

If you're skilled with Canva, Adobe Illustrator, or Photoshop, you can create logos, social media graphics, or business branding packages. Start promoting your work on Behance or Instagram, or set up gigs on Fiverr.

Many small businesses look for seasonal updates to their branding, event flyers, or even custom t-shirt designs during the summer season, making this a great season to offer your services.

Summer offers great lighting and outdoor scenes, which is perfect for event, travel, or stock photography. Sell photos on sites like Shutterstock, iStock, or Adobe Stock. You can also offer packages, including family portraits for local events like graduations, family reunions, or weddings.

If you enjoy storytelling, consider creating a photography blog or social media presence to showcase your work and attract clients.

Blogging can become a long-term income stream through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and digital products. Use tools like WordPress and Google AdSense to monetize.

Pick a niche that aligns with your passion projects, such as travel, parenting, or fitness. Consistent content and SEO optimization will help you build traffic and generate income through various monetization channels.

Summer is definitely a perfect time to turn your academic strengths into income. With students out of school, there is a high demand for tutoring in subjects like math, science, and reading. If you're a teacher, college student, or someone with strong subject matter expertise, these tutoring and teaching gigs provide structured schedules and help you earn some extra money.

If you're good at math, languages, or science, offer tutoring via platforms like Wyzant or Chegg Tutors. Rates vary, but you can earn $20–50/hour or more depending on your expertise.

You can tutor students from all over the world from the comfort of your home. Summer school and test prep courses increase demand during this season.

Local schools, churches, and community centers often run summer programs. These gigs may involve teaching art, music, science, or sports and provide a steady schedule and pay.

Teaching summer schools and camps as a camp counselor or a teacher is also a great and fun way to gain experience working with kids or teens, especially if you're considering a future career in education.

Care-based side hustles offer consistent income and the chance to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Whether you’re watching children, pets, or homes, these roles are in high demand over the summer. If you're dependable and enjoy caring for others, this category is full of rewarding options.

Babysitting is a classic summer side hustle that helps you get paid well and is always in demand. Use apps like Care.com to find families in your area. Rates vary from $15–25/hour.

You can increase your value by offering extras like light housework or tutoring, especially for working parents needing flexible care options.

With more people traveling, pet care services see a spike in summer. So, if you love animals and have some free time, join pet-sitting platforms like Rover or Wag to find pet owners and take care of their furry friends. Walking and sitting jobs often pay $20–30 per session.

So, building trust and receiving positive reviews on these platforms can help you find clients more easily, leading to repeat pet sitting opportunities and long-term income.

Becoming a house sitter is another great summer side hustle since it offers free accommodation and helps you get paid quite well. Duties include collecting mail, watering plants, or pet sitting. Use platforms like TrustedHousesitters.

If you're looking to travel while saving money, house sitting provides both shelter and income, especially in tourist-heavy locations.

If you prefer hands-on work and flexible hours, home and property services are perfect for summer. Warm weather and longer days make it easier to take on outdoor tasks and homeowners often seek help with maintenance, organization, and upgrades. If you're mowing lawns or helping someone move, there's plenty of opportunity for steady local gigs.

Another excellent option is mowing lawns, pulling weeds, or setting up gardens for neighbors or even family members who want to support your goal of earning extra income.Minimal equipment is required, and repeat business is common. You could charge $30–50 per job or offer package deals.

Summer is the peak season for homeowners to maintain their lawns and gardens, making it the perfect time to start offering these services.

Summer cleaning services are always in demand, especially for short-term rentals or post-event cleanups. Start offering your services on Facebook Marketplace or Nextdoor and earn $20–35/hour.

Feel free to target vacation rental hosts, small businesses or event organizers who need fast, reliable cleaning support.

Help people move homes during peak summer rental season. You don’t need a truck, just strength and reliability. Promote yourself locally or on apps like TaskRabbit.

Offering packing or unpacking assistance can help you stand out from other movers.

List your driveway, garage, or extra room on sites like Neighbor or rent your car through Turo. It’s passive income with little effort.

You can also rent bikes, tools, or even camping gear locally if you have them available.

If you own a vehicle, there are several ways to put it to work over the summer and earn some good money. If it's providing services, transporting goods, or simply advertising, your car can help you generate extra income with little added effort. These side hustles are ideal for flexible schedules and can be scaled up or down based on your availability.

Set up a mobile car wash business. Offer waterless car washes to save time and resources. Neighborhood services can earn $20–60 per vehicle.

Use eco-friendly products and offer convenience for busy homeowners to increase appeal.

Let companies pay you to place ads on your vehicle using services like Wrapify or Carvertise. Earnings range from $100–400/month.

The more you drive, the more you earn, making it perfect for rideshare or delivery drivers.

Work with Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Grubhub to earn money per delivery plus tips. It’s flexible and can fit around your existing schedule.

Peak dining hours in summer evenings and weekends means more money, especially in cities or tourist spots.

Looking to earn money from the comfort of your couch? Online and passive income streams are ideal if you prefer low-effort tasks or want to supplement other side hustles. These opportunities may not yield high income at once but can build up over time with consistency and smart strategies.

Earn small amounts in your spare time by completing surveys on survey sites like Swagbucks, InboxDollars, or JumpTask. While not high-paying, it’s easy and accessible.

Surveys are great to fill downtime between gigs or while watching TV. Accumulated over time, they can pay for small expenses or savings.

Declutter and earn by selling unused items on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or eBay. Apps like Mercari and Poshmark are great for clothes and accessories.

Summer is the perfect time for garage and yard sales, as well as farmers markets. It’s a great opportunity to explore both online and offline ways to sell items, whether it’s selling handmade crafts or unused household goods.

Use Passive Income Apps like Honeygain

Install Honeygain to earn passively by sharing unused internet bandwidth. It’s a zero-effort way to make a few extra bucks. It’s definitely not a day job, but it’s a great way to build a consistent passive income.

Other apps like Sweatcoin and Nielsen Mobile also offer small rewards for simple tasks.

With so many summer side hustle ideas available, you can pick the ones that best match your interests, time, income goals, and earn some extra cash. From hands-on jobs like lawn care and cleaning to online gigs like blogging, surveys, and tutoring, the options are nearly endless.

Start small, stay consistent, and track your progress. Consider combining two or three side hustles if you have extra hours in a day to diversify your income and find what works best. Your summer hustle could turn into a year-round income stream—or even the start of a full-fledged business with long-term earning potential.

Take advantage of longer days, flexible schedules, and seasonal demand to build something meaningful—both for your wallet and your future.