15 Best Under the Table Jobs

If you’re looking to earn a little extra money or make some money without reporting it to the government, this is called working under the table. It’s also called unreported employment, being paid cash-in-hand, or sometimes it’s called moonlighting.

But the term moonlighting may also refer to a second job where your employment is legit, and you report your wages.

It is important to note that when you’re paid cash or under the table, that means taxes are not reported when you get paid, but you are legally required to report your income and pay those taxes when tax time rolls around. It is a federal crime not to report your earned income, and there could be future implications for not doing so.

There can be some benefit to having a number of these under-the-table jobs like flexibility, creativity, and working with different people and in different markets. They also can let you make the most of your skills and further develop your interests. Let’s take a look at some great jobs you can work under the table.

DETAILED LIST OF THE 15 BEST UNDER THE TABLE JOBS

Tutor

Average Annual Salary: $33,000

Helping students learn a subject is a great way to share your knowledge and skills and earn a little extra cash on the side. It’s also one of those jobs where you get to make your own hours. This means you can work a day job and then fill in a couple of hours at night tutoring.

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Baby Sitter

Average Annual Salary: $20,000

If you love working with children, then you might want to give babysitting a try. There are some great programs out there that will teach youngsters how to be better babysitters and when they’ve finished the program, they will receive a certificate.

This can help them become more marketable and get them the good babysitting jobs that they want. It’s a great job opportunity for a teen who is looking for a little extra spending money.

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Lawn care worker

Average Annual Salary: $28,000

Setting up a little side business, doing lawn mowing, tree trimming, weeding, and other lawn maintenance tasks can be a great way to make extra cash. There are a lot of people who don’t have the time to take care of their own lawns, who would simply rather not do it, or who want to help someone who is trying to start their own business out.

Whatever the reason they want you, you can reap the rewards of working outside, setting your own hours, and having some work freedom and flexibility.

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Painter

Average Annual Salary: $31,000

Painting houses can be a great way to make some extra cash, and it’s a skill that can be learned by anyone. You can paint rooms inside of a house, paint the outside of a house, paint fences or decks – there are a lot of places in and around homes and businesses that need regular touch-ups.

The equipment isn’t very expensive, so you can get started pretty quickly. The most important thing is to be very careful about not getting paint where it isn’t supposed to be.

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Dog walker/Pet sitter

Average Annual Salary: $20,000

Pets are their parent’s fur babies, and many of those pet parents want the very best for their four-legged friends. This means they’re happy to pay someone to help out and take their dogs for a walk, play with their critters, feed them when they can’t, clean litter boxes, and all sorts of routine care needs.

Whether the family is going on a trip or they need you daily, this can be a great gig for someone who loves animals.

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Snow removal

Average Hourly Wage: N/A

If you’re a teen looking for a little spending money, then grab your shovel and start going door-to-door as soon as the snow starts falling. If you live in a snowy climate, this is a great way to earn some money and get some exercise.

The odds are that your neighbors would much rather pay you a little bit to shovel their driveway and sidewalk than brave the elements themselves. If you’re industrious, you can create a little business and set up a list of clients for those snowy days.
House cleaner

Average Annual Salary: $23,000

Cleaning is a great way to earn a little extra money. The supplies are inexpensive, so you can go out and start your business right away.

The next step is obviously finding customers, but that shouldn’t be too difficult since many people don’t like to clean or they’d love to have someone they can call for special occasions when they need an extra hand.

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Handyman

Average Annual Salary: $50,000

If you’re one of those people who is good at fixing things, then you can turn that into a very lucrative side business. You just need to work on getting the word out and start lining up your regular and not-so-regular clients.

If you’re not quite great at fixing things, but you’re strong and have some skills, then maybe you want to focus on doing some odd jobs.

Not everyone needs skilled help; some people simply need their gutters cleaned, they need some furniture moved, maybe they’d rather hire someone to put together their new IKEA product. Whatever the job is, you can step in and help and get paid for it.

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Personal assistant

Average Annual Salary: $38,000

Many executives and celebrities have personal assistants that help them do just about everything, from shopping to sending thank you cards. Whatever they don’t want to do or don’t have the time to do, you can do it.

Now you might not have access to a lot of celebrities or top tier executives, but you can advertise online and see if you can get a few local people who would love to have someone help them out, especially busy parents who work and don’t have the time to do it all.

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Auto mechanic

Average Annual Salary: $36,000

A lot of auto mechanics find that they inadvertently fall into the under-the-table business. Typically, they have a friend or a family member who asks them if they will do a favor and look at their car or help them with their car.

Eventually, this turns into a whole side business, but that makes sense, right? You should get paid for your skills, and you can’t spend all your time helping people for free, so why not have a little side business doing auto repairs for people.

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Reseller

Average Hourly Wage: N/A

This is a job that the internet has transformed. If you’re one of those people who is great at finding deals or who is especially skilled at couponing, then this could be a side gig for you to take advantage of.

Resellers buy items at really great prices, then they turn around and sell them at a higher rate. It’s that simple, and you can do it at several different online outlets. Turn your love of shopping and grabbing a great deal into a cottage business of your own.
Musician

Average Annual Salary: $67,000

Can you play the piano, sing, or play the guitar? Having a musical talent can easily be turned into a side gig if you’re willing to perform at private events, local venues, parties, and any other place where someone wants to hire you.

This can be a fantastic way to make money, and it also gives you the opportunity to showcase your skills. Maybe you’ll just play little events or, perhaps, you’ll form a band, and you’ll get discovered and become the next big musical sensation. It could happen; all you have to do is get started and see where this under-the-table gig takes you.

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Party planner

Average Annual Salary: $34,000

Love to organize events, come up with creative ideas, help people have their special day? Being a part-time party planner might be just the job for you.

The best thing is that many of these big events happen on weekends or evenings. That means you can still work a regular 9-5 job and have time when you’re off work to put together a party of the century.

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Bookkeeper

Average Annual Salary: $38,000

People can actually take their accounting skills and use them to make some side cash while helping out small businesses. Fractional workers are people who work a little bit for one company, a little for another, and might even have a few more jobs they juggle.

They take their specialty and share it with several different companies, working only a fraction of their day for each client. If you’re a good bookkeeper or accountant, there are a lot of small businesses that can use your know-how, but they don’t need you on a regular basis.

This is why being a fractional worker, working under the table, can be a great side hustle.

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Sell Your Skills

Average Hourly Wage: N/A

If you’re crafty, you can bake, you sew – any skills you have, there’s a good chance that someone would be happy to pay you to do it or to buy your stuff. Make the most of your talents by bringing them to craft fairs, selling them online, going door-to-door and leaving flyers, and cold-calling people.

Your skills could easily turn into some extra cash, and who knows, maybe it could lead to bigger and better things, like your own business one day. What could be better than doing the things you love to do and making money at it.

Under the Table Jobs FAQs

How do I find under-the-table jobs?

The best way to find under-the-table jobs is by applying for jobs that commonly pay their employees using this system. Once you know the jobs that often pay their employees under the table, applying to these positions can increase your chances of getting paid this way.

Some examples of jobs that commonly pay under the table are:
- Babysitting
- Snow removal
- House cleaning
- Waitressing
- Assistant work
- Bookkeeping
- Painting
Jobs that tend to fall into the gig economy category will often pay in cash under the table. After you’ve found a job option that’s suited to under-the-table work, you can hit the ground running on trying to get hired for an actual role.

Even if an employer doesn’t state right off the bat that they’re going to be paying under the table, there’s still a chance that you can be paid this way.
How do I ask for payment under the table?

You ask for under-the-table payment by mentioning how you’ll be paid in an interview. If the interviewer doesn’t come right out and say that you’ll be paid off the books, you do have the option to pry further and say that you prefer to be paid in cash. However, it isn’t recommended.

Being paid under the table is a grey area in the professional world. It can be a big turn-off for an employer if you’re asking to be paid this way, so it’s best just to go searching for a different position if you aren’t offered to receive under-the-table compensation.

Alternatively, suppose you’re going for a job on a gig-to-gig basis with various clients, like babysitting or house cleaning. In that case, they’ll probably be a little more understanding of wanting to keep things off the books than a traditional employer.
Is under the table work legal?

No, under the table work is not legal because it’s considered tax evasion. By definition, getting paid under the table is when an employee works and receives cash, but they don’t claim this income on their taxes. The IRS requires that all employees and self-employed individuals pay taxes on the money they earn.

On the flip side, it’s legal to get paid in cash as long as you’re still claiming this money on your taxes.

With that being said, working an under-the-table job doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to get thrown in jail right away, and it’s still a fairly common practice in specific industries. The 13-year-old who babysits their neighbor’s children after school probably isn’t going to get audited for their minimal earnings.

Even so, it’s always possible. That’s something to keep in mind before you go searching for under-the-table employment.
Does getting paid under the table count as being self-employed?

No, getting paid under the table doesn’t necessarily count as being self-employed. Getting paid under the table often means you’re counted as self-employed, but that isn’t always the case.

For example, a person who has their own tiny house painting business and gets paid in cash by their clients is considered self-employed. However, a waitress that works for a small-business restaurant but gets paid in cash is still technically an employee. It depends on the situation.

When you’re getting paid in cash from your job and tax season rolls around, it’s best to consult a tax professional who knows the details of the system. Otherwise, you run the risk of messing something up and getting in trouble with the IRS.
What are the pros and cons of being paid under the table?

The biggest con of being paid under the table is that the employer and employee commit a crime, which means the job can get shut down or worse.

On top of this, you’re not receiving any benefits like insurance and social security when you’re getting paid under the table. After all, being paid under the table means you’re not an employee on paper.

Alternatively, the big pro of being paid under the table is that you can receive your income in cash off the books and avoid paying taxes on it. There’s no tax record when you’re paid under the table. This is a prominent item in the pro column for some people, but it’s still tax fraud, even on a small scale.

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Kristin Kizer

Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.

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