It is not unusual for teachers to take on multiple jobs outside of teaching. We are multi-talented people, creative, and underpaid. The hours we put in (well beyond our contract hours) seems to never to match our paychecks.
Many teachers like myself pursue an advance degree and take on student loan debt just to earn a couple more thousands a year. I have tried different side hustles to supplement my income. I enjoy finding fun ways to earn side money.
Here are side hustles that you can do after school and/or during the weekends, holiday breaks, and the summer.
In-Person side hustles:
Private tutor– This has been my side hustle for years long before I was even a full-time teacher. I worked for a local company and also tutored independently. Tutoring can be done in-person or online. Summertime is a great time to offer your services to families. Remember not to underestimate your value. What makes you unique? Think about your educational background and experience and set your rate accordingly.
Door Dash/ Uber Eats/ Instacart delivery driver– My dear friend who works in Human Resources makes $25k/year as an UberEats driver on the weekends.
Furniture flipper– If you have a knack for painting and fixing up furniture, you can flip antique furniture for high profit. (This is a nod to the Furniture Flipping Teacher. She restored furniture and flipped them for a profit to pay off her student loan debt completely.)
Reseller– If flipping furniture is not your thing or too much of a beast to tackle, start by selling things from your home first. Do you love garage sales and thrift stores? Buy low and sell high on platforms including eBay, Amazon, Mercari, PoshMark, Depop. I started selling textbooks and miscellaneous things on eBay over 10+ years ago.
Doggy daycare– Do you love dogs and have a huge backyard? You can host dogs on the weekends (and during your breaks and holidays) to give pet parents a break.
Rent Your Pool– One of the perks of being a teacher are those 2 months of summer break. Do you have a pool and enjoy hosting? Consider renting out your pool for an hourly rate via Swimply.
Work in Your Pajamas side hustles:
Online ESL teacher– The online English as a second language world has grown expeditiously in the last 5 years since I started. Companies from all over the world are seeking certified teachers to teach children and adults. Many companies provide their own curriculum.
Online professor– With a master’s degree (and sometimes a bachelor’s degree,) you can teach online at a community college or university. Depending on the university, courses will either be asynchronous; participation at anytime on the university’s learning management system (LMS) or synchronous; participation is live at a specific time via Zoom, etc.
Test scorer– You have taken endless amounts of tests in your schooling especially while earning your teaching credential. See what it’s like to be on the other side. Pearson is seeking scorers in various subjects.
Teachers Pay Teachers seller– Many teachers enjoy making supplemental curriculum for their classroom including worksheets, games, assessments, etc. Share your lessons with other teachers. Many teachers have built 6+ figure incomes selling their content on the platform (as well as through their own online stores.)
YouTube Content Creator– I have always said that YouTube is my professional development. You can share what you do in your classroom or create content based on one of your other passions.
Etsy seller– Etsy is a great platform for artistic teachers to sell their physical or digital products.
Volunteer instructor at the University of the People– UoPeople is a non-profit online university that offers a tuition-free education. Students from all over the world attend UoPeople. To keep their tuition-free model, instructors work as volunteers. Instructors receive an honorarium after the term ends. UoPeople also offer other volunteer positions as well as paid jobs that are remote too.
What is your side hustle?
