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What time is it? Summertime, it’s our vacation! I know many of you are counting down the days ‘til vacation, especially students looking to take a break from the hustle and bustle of school life. But wait, we always think about the kids and their summer vacay, what about the teachers?
What are YOUR plans this summer? Are you thinking of staying at home all day to rejuvenate? Or maybe take up hobbies that make money so you can earn a bit during the break?
If your summer consists of earning extra income, you aren’t alone! According to the RAND Corporation Survey, a whopping 66% of teachers state that their base salary may not be enough to cover their expenses. As such, many people turn to earning more from second jobs or side hustles.
Either way, the good news is that there are many side hustles from home beyond teaching that you can do. After all, teachers have a ton of valuable skills and experience that they can utilize in various jobs, including teamwork, communication, time management, creativity, leadership, and adaptability, among others, as they are nurturing and teaching learners of all ages.
Because of the diversity in skill sets and experience, teachers have the advantage of exploring different career paths, may it be in the field of writing, business, or even taking care of kids!
Wondering what summer job you should consider getting as a teacher? From using the best money-making apps to taking on remote jobs, I share interesting opportunities you may want to take on!
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1. Online Tutoring
Alright, this sounds like such an obvious choice since, as teachers, one of the best second jobs would involve teaching different topics to a diverse set of individuals!
Why diverse? Well, online tutoring jobs don’t only involve sharing your knowledge with kids, but also adults! You’ll find a lot of people working as tutors in different subjects, may it be basic mathematics to grade school, all the way to advanced calculus to college students. You can even teach English as a second language to foreigners of any age!
While there are numerous subjects you can teach, some of the higher-paying jobs include preparing students for their LSAT or GMAT. In fact, GMAT tutors can make up to $230,000 a year, so imagine what you can earn doing it over the summer!
A huge benefit to working as a tutor is that you can take on a virtual teaching setup, so instead of trudging your way to an office, you can wake up a bit later and relax before you begin work! Or even better, you can head to the beach for summer vacation and just conduct your tutoring sessions in a coworking space, so you can earn while having fun.
If you’re wondering where to start, you can find many promising tutoring jobs from platforms like Preply, Tutor.com, TutorMe, and Chegg.
2. Start A Profitable Blog
“Ling, you’re a blogger, so of course you’re going to mention how you can make extra money blogging!”
EXACTLY! I work as a full-time blogger and know how it works, which is why I’m confident that teachers will be able to earn a lot from it. That’s why if you’re looking for a job where you’re not teaching, this is perfect.
You can utilize all your skills as a teacher in blogging too!
Look at it this way, planning your subject plan is like organizing your content calendar. Teaching kiddos is just like sharing your knowledge with your blog’s followers. Writing reports is like creating your blog posts. Everything is connected and you can even talk about your life as a teacher, how to design your classroom, what to expect as a new teacher, tips to teach certain subjects, and other topics that will hook your target audience.
The pay may not be great at the start, but as you grow your followers, you can earn a lot from advertisements (AdSense is key), affiliate marketing, creating sponsored posts, and even selling digital products!
And hey, you never know where blogging can take you! I used to blog only as a side hustle, but after some time, I quit my job and turned my venture into an online business. I’m no gazillionaire, but I like to say I’m living comfortably and I hope to share my knowledge on how to make money blogging so you can do the same.
3. Freelance Writing
Love to write but don’t think you can commit to blogging just yet? Then you can work as a freelance writer!
I know teachers, especially those who specialize in English and writing, have awesome writing and storytelling skills, which is why this is one of the best work-from-home jobs during summer. But even teachers in other subjects can work in this field as well, after some writing practice or training. You can even specialize in writing about the subjects you teach!
Besides that, did you know that many freelance writing gigs are high-paying jobs? For instance, you can earn anywhere between $19 to $45 an hour working as a copywriter, which involves composing newsletters, ebooks, articles, or other polished content of specific niches. You can even become a freelance content writer, which can have you earn up to $5,000 a month or more, depending on your workload.
The best part? You’re working anytime, anywhere. Whether you want to work for the entire summer or take on a handful of gigs every few days, it’s all up to you!
If you’re wondering how to make money as a freelance writer, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to get into the industry. I recommend starting on popular freelance platforms such as UpWork, Fiverr, or Freelancer, where you can find numerous clients searching for their next writer!
4. Virtual Assistant
Woah, working as a virtual assistant? Sure, these jobs sound like awesome business ideas for stay-at-home moms and any other individual looking to work from anywhere!
But you might be surprised with how your teaching skills and experience can make you an excellent VA. You might even have an edge against the competition and land yourself a ton of remote opportunities after submitting your applications!
This is because teachers are organized, communicate well, and can easily translate complex info into something more understandable for their target audience, aka their students. All your skills as a teacher are exactly what you’ll need to work as a successful VA! Besides that, you get to gain even more skills that you can utilize once you’re back to work, may it be graphic design, writing articles, or even data entry.
A huge plus is that you have more flexibility in your schedule, giving you time to take a break when needed. For night owls, virtual assistants are great overnight remote jobs, so you can spend your waking days running errands or chilling at the beach (when you aren’t busy sleeping, haha)!
Similar to finding freelance writing gigs, platforms like UpWork, LinkedIn, or Freelancer are great areas to start in. And hey, you never know, this can be the next professional path that you’ll pursue in the long run!
5. Flipping Things
All the creative teachers who are DIY enthusiasts are going to have a field day knowing that flipping furniture and other specialty items is a fun and high-paying side gig. If you’ve been planning to experiment with your creativity skills and flip items during summer, then why not earn money out of it?
Making one man’s trash into another man’s treasure is such an exciting and fulfilling process. Not only will you be having fun with your artistry, but you’ll be reducing waste as you transform things like clothes, shoes, gym equipment, or furniture, into something more beautiful for the next person to enjoy.
Besides that, it’s also one of the best-paying side jobs for teachers as you can earn $500 to $2,500 a month, depending on what you sell and the amount of work put into it!
If you don’t know where to start, my first tip is to source zero or low-cost inventory you know will sell, such as clothes from thrift stores, or even furniture from yard sales!
As for selling your completed products, you’ll want to post your listings on platforms like eBay, Etsy, or Facebook Marketplace. Pricing may be a bit confusing at first, but try to aim for at least a 10% profit, after taking into account expenses like materials, utilities, transportation, the item you flipped, and the cost of your labor!
6. Open An Etsy Shop
Be your own boss this summer and earn money from your laptop with Etsy! The huge e-commerce platform has almost 97 million active buyers, so if you’ve got a unique product you want to share with the world, this is the place to be.
As an avid online shopper (guilty as charged), some of the things to sell on Etsy are lovely crafts and personalized products. My favorites include customized pet collars, jewelry, handmade clothes, beauty products, vintage items, and wedding products!
As you might imagine, handcrafted items are all the rage, so your cheap hobbies can end up being your income maker.
Starting your own business on Etsy isn’t a hassle either. When you already have products to sell, simply sign up for an account as a seller, input your information, and start posting your listings!
My tip is to make sure you take aesthetically pleasing photos of your products and be creative with your descriptions, being as engaging and detailed as possible. These are what rack up sales!
7. Gardening/Landscaping
Do you plan to spruce up your garden this summer? You may want to consider turning your gardening and landscaping skills into a side gig! That’s right, your green thumb is one of the best hobbies that make money.
Every summer, my entire neighborhood and I are scrambling to maintain our gardens, from tending to blooming flowers to mowing our lawns. Some people are also looking to change their garden’s appearance for better curb appeal or to impress guests during summer parties.
So as you can imagine, the demand is huge, making gardeners and landscapers some of the fun summer jobs for teachers.
Plus, if you’re wondering how to make an extra $500 a month through gardening, start by finding clients within your community. You can either talk to neighbors or post an advertisement of your services through your community’s bulletin board and social media group, if you have one.
Of course, you’ll also need to have the appropriate tools such as gloves, pruning shears, a hand trowel, hoe, spade, rake, and loppers, among others. While most homeowners may already have these ready, it’s worth being prepared if you plan to make this into your side hustle!
8. Teach English Abroad
Here’s another amazing way to utilize your teaching skills while earning AND traveling the world this summer! Come on, think of how cool it would be to tell your students, “Oh, I spent my summer teaching English in a whole other country!” Everyone’s going to be impressed while you’re left with memories of meeting new people and exploring beautiful places.
Teaching English abroad doesn’t only have to be something for the summer. These are great jobs for retired teachers as well since it allows them to roam around the world without worrying about spending their entire savings!
Also, if you’ve been thinking of how to make $200 a day, teaching abroad is the way to go as you can make up to $6,000 a month. However, this depends on your experience and the country you teach in. For higher-paying countries, aim to apply for teaching jobs in the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Taiwan, or South Korea!
The big question: How can I get a job teaching English abroad? First, earn your TEFL certification, as most employers require this. You can then start your search for teaching programs online, with companies like Teach Away being able to connect you with institutions abroad.
9. Side Gigs
If you’re an avid reader of my blog, you probably read about my story doing DoorDash as a side hustle. While I rave about being a blogger a lot, another fun summer job is to get into different side gigs, like driving for Uber or delivering food.
You just need to install your side hustle apps, have a car (and drive it well, of course), as well as the time to fulfill orders!
When I used to do DoorDash, I liked the fact that I could control my time and the number of orders I could do per day. Plus, almost anyone can do it as long as it fits their schedule, with a lot of people working as an Uber driver or Dasher as seasonal jobs to earn during their downtime. It also gave me reasons to go out and discover new food places to try later on! The pay was great, especially since there are ways you can make more money from DoorDash, including earning incentives and their referral program.
Beyond delivering food, there are other ways you can make money with your car, such as driving for Uber and delivering groceries with Instacart! To start your side hustle during summer, you just need to install the app (may it be Instacart, Uber, or DoorDash), then sign up for an account. Once you’re in, you can start taking orders and earning!
10. Dog Walking
Fun part-time gigs do exist, and of course, it’s got something to do with cute animals!
For instance, dog walking is definitely one of the most fun jobs that pay well! I mean, wouldn’t you want to be surrounded by adorable doggies while earning money?
If you’re a dog lover like me and want a side gig you’ll always look forward to, then try to ask your community if they’re in need of a regular dog walker come summer! With people busy during summer vacation, they may need someone to take their pets out for some fun and fresh air.
It’s also your chance to get paid to walk, so you get your steps in. All the pros trump any cons here because you get to stay healthy, spend time with awesome “coworkers” (I call them paw-workers), and earn an average of $17 an hour. A triple win in my books!
Wanna make it a quadruple win? You get to decide your hours! Of course, you’ll likely need to work during the day, but you have more flexibility as to the days and times you’ll want to work.
Besides reaching out to your community, you can also take advantage of good ‘ol technology to find local pet owners in need of a dog walker. I highly recommend reputable apps like Rover and Wag! to make the search for good summer jobs even easier.
FAQs
1. What are good summer jobs for teachers?
What’s amazing about being a teacher is that you’re equipped with a ton of transferable skills, along with great experience interacting with people of all ages. You have the edge against the competition when it comes to high-paying summer jobs, like working as a freelance writer or virtual assistant. Not only do these jobs give you more freedom over your schedule, but you can earn an average of $25 an hour, even more depending on your expertise.
Another lucrative option is delving into blogging, which is a fun idea if you want to share your thoughts and tips in a specific niche (maybe in teaching)! Even when everyone’s going back to school, you can continue to earn passive income from your website thanks to AdSense or after selling digital products.
2. Which summer job pays the most?
The answer is subjective as it depends on different factors, including the job responsibilities and number of hours worked per week. However, I hear fantastic things about opening your own business, may it be an Etsy shop or flipping.
With more than 95 million active buyers on Etsy, you can grow your sales as long as you have an effective marketing campaign and a unique product people are interested in. The same goes for flipping things, as individuals can make up to $10,000 a month or more if they have the skills and are serious about flipping specialty items like sneakers, luxury bags, or furniture.
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