20 Second Jobs To Boost Your Income

Getting a second job means a little extra cash in your pocket for a rainy day.

If you are considering a second job, we have 20 jobs that can boost your income and tips on how to get these jobs.

Key Takeaways:

• When looking for a second job, consider if you have enough time for the job, how it would interfere with your day job, and why you want a second job.

• There are plenty of second jobs out there, and many that can be done from home.

• The internet has opened up many different opportunities to find a second job and made it easier than ever to work around your day job.

Why Get a Second Job

A second job, a side hustle, a new gig, added income – whatever you call it, you want one. Second jobs are almost essential in this economy. People are struggling to recover or stay on top financially. It’s not an ideal time for many, but it might just be a perfect time to get a second job.

The good news is there are a lot of second jobs out there, and they can be found in some very interesting areas. In the past, a second job meant working in a restaurant, a bar, or in retail. Those are still really great ways to earn extra money and a good starting place for a new gig.

20 of the Best Second Job Ideas

If you’re going to do this and dive into a new job, then you want to do it right and get one of the best second jobs out there. If you did your soul-searching, then you know what your priorities are, and that will help you determine what the best options for you are.

But these job ideas might make your work search easier:

1. Driver

   Average Yearly Salary: $29,000

   There are so many driving options out there: DoorDash, Lyft, Uber, CitizenShopper, Amazon Flex, and on and on and on. If you have a car, a good driving record, and some free time, then you’re ready to earn some extra money.

   Not only do you get paid, but there are often tips involved.

   Find Driver jobs near me

2. Waitress/waiter

   Average Yearly Salary: $20,000

   A favorite standby job for many people. Once you know how to do it, it becomes second nature, and this is where you can really rake in some tips.

   This is one of those classic second job options for a reason, it’s usually easy to find work, and it’s flexible enough to work around your schedule. You can even trade shifts with other workers if you have a conflict. Not many jobs have that much flexibility.

   Find Waitress/waiter jobs near me

3. Bartender

   Average Yearly Salary: $22,000

   This job often goes hand-in-hand with being a waiter or a waitress, but both bars and restaurants are awesome places to look for a little extra income.

   In fact, it can be so lucrative that people hold onto a shift for years and years after getting a professional job, just because they love the tips.

   Find Bartender jobs near me

4. Freelance business

   Average Yearly Salary: $55,020

   Have a skill? Then why not create your own little business and start selling your talent. While most people think of a freelance writer, there are a ton of freelance jobs out there.

   Freelance babysitter, dog walker, handyman, lawn care, etc.: All of these jobs are basically a freelance business.

   Find Freelance business jobs near me

5. Online publishing freelance

   Average Yearly Salary: NA

   Speaking of freelance, the publishing industry thrives on freelancers. If you want to focus on getting freelance work in the writing, editing, graphic design space, then several websites can help you get gigs.

   Look into Upwork, Fiverr, Editorr, FlexJobs, LinkedIn, and others. It seems like a new one crops up every few months, and it’s worth setting up profiles on many of them.

6. Childcare Care Worker

   Average Yearly Salary: $24,000

   There are a lot of people who are struggling to make ends meet and care for their children. If your schedule works with theirs and you love hanging out with kids, this can be an ideal situation for everyone involved – including the kids.

   Find Childcare Care Worker jobs near me

7. Data Entry Clerk

   Average Yearly Salary: $28,000

   Online data entry is a fantastic second job for a lot of people. You typically get to work from home, on your own schedule, and make a decent wage doing it. The one thing to keep in mind is that this is where you can run into a lot of scams.

   Unfortunately, there are job predators out there. Never pay to get the training for a job; this is usually the sign of a scam. Also, research the company online. Look for legit reviews to see if the company is real or not.

   Find Data Entry Clerk jobs near me

8. Tutor

   Average Yearly Salary: $33,000

   If you’re a whiz at math or have other scholastic skills, why not share them. Even teaching colloquial English can be a job. Look for tutoring work that fits your abilities and earn while you teach.

   Find Tutor jobs near me

9. Ecommerce Specialist

   Average Yearly Salary: $48,000

   Have a crafty mind and some talented fingers – why not make some money? Why punch a clock and work for someone else? If you can turn your talent into a money-making venture, we highly suggest doing it.

   This is a win/win situation. For some people, coming home after a long day of work and knitting or painting is just the thing they need to feel zen in their lives. But you only need so many sweaters or paintings in your life.

   It’s time to start selling your stuff on Etsy. What could be better than a money-making hobby?

   Find Ecommerce Specialist jobs near me

10. Mystery shopper

    Average Yearly Salary: $51,000

    Yep, you can find a job working as a mystery shopper or a secret shopper. Basically, you get paid to go to a business and act like a regular customer. The catch is that you’re really reviewing them without their knowledge.

    Let’s say you snag a job as a secret shopper for Marriot Hotels. They’ll pay you to stay at one of their resorts, and you report back on the service, the cleanliness, the amenities, and anything else they’re interested in.

    They also pay for your hotel stay, so it’s like getting paid to go on a free vacation.

    Find Mystery shopper jobs near me

11. Online surveys

    Average Yearly Salary: NA

    These jobs don’t pay much, but then again, they’re not asking for much. If you have a little free time here and there, fill out some online surveys and make some extra spending money. It’s that easy.

12. Odd jobs

    Average Yearly Salary: N/A

    You can go out and find those jobs by yourself; apps like Next-door make it easy to advertise your services locally.

    Or you can sign up for TaskRabbit or another website that connects workers with jobs. It can be something like mounting a TV or regular lawn care. Whatever it is, you pick the jobs that fit your skills and interests.

13. Customer service representative

    Average Yearly Salary: $29,000

    More and more companies are offering online chat customer service features to their e-commerce websites. This is great because it boosts sales and business, but it also means they need people to work customer service. The great thing is you can do this from home.

    Think of it as the retail clerk in a store 20 years ago; now you’re a customer service agent on the computer helping online customers.

    Find Customer service representative jobs near me

14. Rent your space

    Average Yearly Salary: N/A

    This is truly an out-of-the-box second job. But if you have a home with extra rooms, why not offer them up as Airbnb options? If you don’t like the idea of many different people coming to your home, you could rent the space to a long-term tenant.

15. Micro jobs

    Average Yearly Salary: N/A

    This is a relatively new concept. Micro jobs are short, one-off gigs that you do a little bit for a short time, and boom, you’ve got some money. Usually, they’re task-oriented, and once you’re done, that’s it.

    But if you do it well and work with your contacts, you might be able to earn their repeat business. You can find these short task jobs online.

16. Donate plasma

    Average Yearly Salary: N/A

    Let’s face it; there’s a virus out there that’s causing people to get really sick. You can donate plasma and help them survive, and you can make some extra money doing it. It also doesn’t take a lot of time out of your schedule.

    Add to that the feeling you’ll have, knowing you’re doing a good deed, and this seems like something everyone should be doing.

17. Research studies

    Average Yearly Salary: N/A

    Do you have a local medical school or some research facilities near you? They’re often looking for people to participate in studies. Don’t want to be a human guinea pig? That’s okay, you can work as a part of a focus group for a marketing company.

18. Event Specialist

    Average Yearly Salary: $37,000

    Local hotels or stadiums are always looking for event staff. You can work security, maintenance, sell snacks, take tickets, etc. Not only is this fun work, but you might be able to see a play, a sporting event, or even a concert for free.

    Find Event Specialist jobs near me

19. Fitness Trainer

    Average Yearly Salary: $41,000

    You love your gym addiction, but it’s hard to pay for. The perfect solution is to get a part-time job in the gym. Then your membership is free, and you get paid for the hours you’re there – what a great way to cut down your expenses and make money.

    Find Fitness trainer jobs near me

20. Blogging

    Average Yearly Salary: N/A

    If you are passionate and knowledgeable about a topic, start a blog about it. On the blog you are able to use ads and links to generate an income. This would a great option for anyone who loves to write and likes spending time online.

Tips for Finding the Right Second Job

You know how miserable you feel when you hate your job. While a second job typically won’t be as big a part of your life, even a few hours a week of a job you hate can make it hard to go to work. That’s why finding the right job fit is critical.

The good news is that you can focus on fun, income, or learning a new skill with a second job. Whatever it is that inspires you most. Your side hustle can become your favorite part of the day if you do it right.

• How much time do you have? Be honest with yourself, or you’re going to hate your schedule in the long run. Take a typical week and figure out how much extra time you have for more work. Don’t forget that you’re going to need to sleep, commute, eat, run errands, and you’ll still want some downtime.

  If you find that you are stretched pretty thin with your work/life balance already – don’t despair. There are still part-time jobs you can get that will work with your schedule. But maybe it’s time to ask yourself if your primary job is the right one for you. For some people, a second job isn’t the answer. The answer is a better primary job.

• What do you bring to the job? Do you have the skills necessary to do the job? What training will it require? Your skill set could actually be the key to getting the gig you want. If you’re a talented graphic artist, this can be your ticket to a little freelance business making extra income on the side.

  What if you’ve always wanted to be a bartender and you have nights and weekends free. It seems like an easy fit. But you don’t have a bartender’s license, and you don’t know how to mix a cosmopolitan to save your life.

  A course and some studying and you could be on your way. Knowing what your skills are and what the job needs are significant steps to landing the position you want.

• What is your day job? So, you have a “real” job or a career that takes up most of your time. It’s also what supplies most of your income, so this is a priority for you. This means that your weekend job or nighttime gig can’t interfere and cause you to do poorly or even lose your regular job.

  Make sure you’re putting your regular work and work schedule at the top of your priority list when you’re considering a second job. Making extra money is great, but if it costs you your primary income, you’re going to be in trouble.

• Why do you want a second job? Are you looking for extra cash, experience, new connections, something to do with your time, etc.? There are so many reasons for getting a new gig.

  We’re focusing on helping you find a way to make money here, but that might not be your priority. To find the right job fit, you need to understand your true motivations.

So, you can see that the key to finding a second job that fits your life, your time, your interests, and even your financial requirements comes down to you. A bit of soul searching and inner reflection goes a long way toward finding happiness in the long run.

Go for it, ask yourself the hard questions, and use that knowledge to get out there and make some extra money.

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.