Are you among 36% of people who are looking for a side hustle idea to work this summer?
Summer is ideally the perfect time during the year when we think of making extra cash and look for side hustle ideas.
Here are a few interesting things I thought to share with you as to why summer is considered “THE TIME” to start a side hustle (results from a poll of 1000 Americans):
- Summer is 26% expensive in terms of average spending accumulated across all seasons (2018 data).
- Nearly 48% of people expect to rely on credit card debt to cover their expenses which are “EXTRA”.
- 28% of people want to start a side hustle to cover their expenses for the summer season.
This brings us directly to the topic, i.e. Side Hustles for Summer.
Here’s what you can expect to find for each side hustle idea:
- What is the side hustle all about?
- How much money can you make from the side hustle?
- Success Story for the side hustle (if any)
Hope you find it valuable! Let’s start with the first side hustle🔥
In this Guide
List of Side Hustle Ideas to start this Summer
Here’s a quick summary of the 7 side hustle ideas to kickstart for this summer:
| Side Hustle | Revenue Potential |
| Washing Cars | $2000 per month |
| Destination Wedding Guitarist | $3500 per wedding |
| Dog Sitter | $30 – $50 per visit |
| Building websites for small businesses | $80 – $120 per website |
| Vending Machine | $800 – $1300 per month (1 vending machine) |
| Lifeguard | $13 – $18 per hour |
| Babysitter or Nanny care | Up to $35 per hour |
How about we begin the list of cleaning stuff?
Washing Cars
| Revenue Potential | Investment Required | Where to Start |
| $2000 per month | $185 for equipment and supplies | TaskRabbit |
Washing cars is one of the best summer side hustle jobs for students.
Washing cars, considered a part of Car Detailing is something which you can start to do to make money during the summer season.
If you love to keep stuff clean around you, then looking for people around your locality or area can be the perfect side gig to do during the summer season.
This requires a small upfront investment of less than $200 and you are good to go.
Washing cars as a side hustle can take as low as 20 hours in a month and you can make up to $2000.
Why should you to look wash cars as a side hustle during summer?
Well, cleaning cars for money is one of the best summer side hustle ideas for a reason.
The reason is simple, as summer time approaches more people tend to go traveling as it’s vacation time.
This means people would also love to travel by their car more frequently which would need regular washing and cleaning.
Who is eligible to start washing cars as a side hustle
Anyone who loves to keep stuff clean and tidy can get into car detailing delivering a professional level of services to customers.
Teenagers can definitely try their hands washing cars as a side hustle.
How much money can you make from washing cars?
Ideally, you can expect to earn $27 – $34 per hour for washing a car (Source: TaskRabbit).
Here’s how much investment you need to make before starting a car washing side hustle:
| Equipment Required | Costs |
| Cleaning Supplies (Washing Soap) | Up to $45 |
| Pressure Washer | $100 (max) |
| Garden Hose | Up to $40 |
| Total | $180 |
Here’s a conservative estimate of how much revenue you can make from washing cars:
| No of cars | Time Required | Revenue Earnings from car washing |
| 5 cars per month | 5 – 15 Hours | $500 (at max) |
| 10 cars per month | 10 – 30 Hours | $1000 (at max) |
| 20 cars per month | 20 – 60 Hours | $2000 (at max) |
Note: You can expect to earn around $100 from washing cars
So, you can expect to make $2000 in revenue per month from washing cars if you can wash around 5 cars per week.
How to start washing cars as a side hustle during summer
Here are a few ideas on how you can look to wash cars as a side hustle during summer:
- Join local Facebook groups related to exotic cars in your area and start looking to offer services to those in need of a car wash.
- Use apps such as TaskRabbit and register as a car washer to do this part-time as a side hustle.
- Create helpful TikTok videos of YouTube shorts and add your details to help people clean their cars as well.
Note: If you are willing to move to the owner’s place and wash cars, you are more likely to find clients in the process.
Destination Wedding Guitarist
| Revenue Potential | Investment Required | Industry Size |
| $3500 per wedding | Upto $400 (including guitar) | $72 billion globally (2019 reports) |
Are you fond of listening to music and love to string chords on a guitar?
Well, here is another side hustle based exactly on your skills of playing guitar that you will love to read about or share with others.
So, if you are a man of skills in playing instruments we have a perfect summer side hustle for you.
Destination Wedding Guitarists can charge up to $3500 per wedding event and can make 6- figures in a year alone (Source: CNBC).
Here’s a complete synopsis of an episode featuring Moses Lin, who earns $175000 in a year excluding tips being a destination wedding guitarist.
But how is a wedding linked to summer?🤔
Summer is one of the most favorable seasons to be married in life.
It turns out the third quarter of the year (July to September) is typically the most favorable time for people to get married (more than 30%).
For any wedding, music is a must and what better can you look to do than be a guitarist at such a grand event.🎸.
What’s even better is the fact that clients can also cover your travel expenses for the wedding😇
How much money can you make from being a Destination Wedding Guitarist
As a destination wedding guitarist, you can expect to make roughly $4000 – $6000 for each wedding.
Generally, the clients do cover and pay your travel expenses and boarding as well.
The clients pay around $50 – $100 for a wedding as tips as well.
Besides this, may need to pay an assistant around $250 for a wedding.
How to start a side hustle as a destination wedding guitarist
As a wedding guitarist, your first point of contact would be preferably your friends.
Look for working in clubs, coffee shops, and local friend gatherings to start getting traction and scale from there.
Work for free with whatever opportunity comes up and promote it on social media.
Become a dogsitter for money
| Revenue Potential | Skills Required | How to Start |
| $30 – $50 per visit | Experience in dog care and medical knowledge | Rover platform |
Do you love to be in the company of dogs?
People having dogs tend to have a bigger concern especially when they are out during the day.
Summer is typically the time when pet owners are more concerned for their pets as they tend to plan for vacations.
They are on the lookout for people who can be trusted dog sitters or dog daycare providers.
This presents an excellent opportunity for people who can fit into the role of a dogsitter while the pet owners are away.
But why only dogs?
Source: iii.org
45% of the pet owners are dog owners and this is more when compared to other pets such as:
- Birds (6%)
- Fish (8%) and
- Cats (29%)
This indeed proves dogs are the best friends of humans🐶.
How much money can you make from dogsitting during summer
Experienced dog sitters typically charge around $30 – $50 per visit while beginner dog sitters can expect $15 – $20 per visit for dog care. (Source: Rover)
The factors which decide how much money you can make from dogsitting, are:
- Size of the dogs (higher the better)
- Time of visit for the dogs
- How many visits do you accept during the day (higher the better)
- The location where you provide the services etc.
Here are some of the doggy daycare rates charged per different locations in the U.S.:
| Alabama | $15 per visit |
| Louisiana | $20 per visit |
| Georgia | $16 per hour |
How to start a summer side hustle as a dog sitter
Here are a few things to take care of while looking to start off as a dogsitter:
- Register on platforms like Rover which helps people connect to pet owners looking for various services such as dog walking.
- Join pet groups related to dogs or cats and engage with people to help them out as a dog care provider.
- Seek help from friends and family members to connect with the people looking to avail your services as a dog care provider.
Related Read: 7+ platforms to make money walking dogs in 2022
Building websites for businesses
| Revenue Potential | Investment Required | How to Start |
| $80 – $120 per website | $500 – $600 (for a domain, hosting, themes, etc) | Fiverr |
What’s the first thing that every business owner needs when expanding their presence online?
A website, but it still surprises me today to hear that around 44% of businesses plan to have a website of their own (2021 data)
However, all businesses either don’t have that much time or the liking to set up their own website.
This is where a huge potential comes up for a person like you who can set up a website for them, even if you are the least tech-savvy.
Setting up a website is probably one of the easiest skills online, something that even a 13-year teen can do today.
This involves the following 2 basic steps:
- Buying a domain
- Setting up the necessary pages such as the Home page, Services page, About Us page, Contact Us page, etc.
- Installing the necessary themes, plugins, and other tools necessary to set up the website.
As such setting up websites is definitely a side hustle you can look into if you have some downtime on your hand during summer.
Who is eligible to start setting up websites as a side hustle
As we discussed earlier, here are a few things you need to know to set up a website for someone:
- Elementary level of knowledge of WordPress and Plugins
- Registration of a domain and setup
- Setting up the necessary must-have pages along with a listing of services.
How much money can you make from setting up websites?
Top-rated freelancers on Fiverr are charging $295 – $895 for a small-sized to a full-sized professional-looking website in 2022.
Usually, these are the costs associated with setting up a website:
| Buying a Domain | $2 – $20 per year |
| Setting up the Hosting | $2 – $15 per month (Shared Hosting) |
| Installing themes, plugins, and tools | $150 – $200 per year (Premium ones) |
The best feature is that most hosting plans are the only costs that cost you more while working with multiple domains.
This means you can register multiple domains onto one hosting plan for FREE.
Themes and Plugins usually have lifetime validity which can be really beneficial in the long run.
Here’s a sample rate chart of a freelancer working on Fiverr setting up a website in 2022:
| Price | $295 | $595 | $895 |
| Type of Website | Small Size Website | Medium Size Website | Large Size Website |
| Features of Website | WordPress Installation + 3 Landing Pages + Social Media + Form + Responsive Design | Responsive WordPress website Design upto 6 pages + Beautiful sliders + Social media + Form + Speed | Complete responsive website with upto 12 pages and E-commerce functionality. |
How to start setting up a website as a side hustle for the summer
Here are a few actionable steps to take when it comes to setting up a website for your side hustle:
- First obvious thing is to set up a profile at Fiverr setting up for the services you offer.
- Joining forums such as Reddit, Facebook groups, or Quora builds relationships with people offering help for setting up their site.
- A helpful idea would be looking up local businesses around you who would need help to start their own website as well.
Vending Machine
| Revenue Potential | Investment Required | Where to Start |
| $800 – $1300 per Month (1 vending machine) | $1000 – $10000 per vending machine (excludes any other costs) | Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or eBay |
How often do you feel tempted to get a bottle of coke from a vending machine, especially during Summer?
As a kid, I always was amazed by the sight of something coming out when you put money into the vending machine…😃.
Turns out, setting up your own vending machine really has a huge potential as a side hustle during summer as people tend to snack around more often and look for refreshing drinks when they are out in heat.
Marcus Gram, 31 years old is projecting a 67% higher revenue to reach $500k in 2022 over the past year from his vending machines.
Here’s a complete synopsis of this side hustle.
Let me break it down for you…
How much money can you make from a vending machine
You can expect to make around $800 – $1300 per month from a vending machine.
This depends upon several factors, such as:
- Location of the vending machine.
- How quickly do you refill the stock in the vending machine?
- Options available for food in the vending machine etc.
Here’s a quick rundown of how much profit you can make from selling a product in a vending machine:
Source: CNBC Make It
Besides the above here are some of the costs associated with buying a vending machine:
| Type of Machines | Refurbished | New |
| Classic Pepsi Machine | $1500 | $3500 |
| AMS Snack Machine | $1500 – $2000 | $5000 |
| Crane National 449 Combo Machines | $3500 | $7000 |
Vending machine businesses can have up to 50% profitability at their best.
How to start the vending machines business as a beginner
Here are the steps to start a vending machine business in 2022:
- First of all, identify the location where you can set up the vending machines.
- Source your products for the vending machines at a wholesale price to avail at the lowest cost.
- Decide if you want to purchase or buy a refurbished vending machine.
- Look for Craigslist or Facebook Groups or even eBay to buy the vending machine.
- Once you have completed all the above steps, start selling products to make money from the vending machine.
Here’s an insightful thread to follow on Twitter to know more:
Become a lifeguard
| Revenue Potential | Investment Required | Where to Start |
| $500000 a year | $270 for a course certifying as a lifeguard (36 hours course) | Local Pools or Clubs or Apply Online |
Have you ever been to a swimming pool before? If yes, how often have you seen people keeping an overwatch of activities in the pool?
Well, you can definitely fit into that role as a lifeguard and make some money on the side.
This is another perfect example of a side hustle idea for a student during summer.
Activities around the pool heighten up, especially during the hot summer season and there’s no better opportunity than to enroll as a lifeguard on duty.
More than being able to save lives around the pool, this demands physical stamina and courage.
Broadly lifeguard duty calls in for the 3 responsibilities which include:
- Keeping a watch over activities in the pool.
- Keep the pool clean and hygienic for all.
- Being polite, tactful, and helpful to deal with good public relationships with people.
Not only men but women can also benefit from the side hustle during summers and can be a lifeguard as well.
Let’s learn more…
Who is eligible to start a side hustle as a lifeguard
Let’s look at the eligibility from 2 perspectives, Requisite Qualifications, and General Requirements.
Requisite Qualifications for lifeguard
Here are the 3 general requisite qualifications necessary for being a lifeguard:
- Being a certified lifeguard.
- Obtaining a certification in CPR and AED certification.
- Getting a certificate in First Aid.
General Requirements for a lifeguard
Here are 4 general requirements to become a lifeguard:
- Be of 14 or 15 years of age.
- Swim for at least 100 yards of distance without rest (use any form of swim style to cover it).
- Pass a surface dive deep test getting a 10 pounds brick to surface without issues.
- Be able to tread across the water for up to 2 minutes without the aid of arms.
How much money can you make as a lifeguard?
Generally one can expect to have an hourly wage of $13 – $18 as a lifeguard.
This can vary according to several factors such as:
- Location of working as a lifeguard.
- Season of working as a lifeguard (summer is the best season).
- Experience of the lifeguard etc.
When it comes to having full-time employment as a lifeguard, one can earn up to $500k per year. (source: LA County Lifeguards).
But generally, we can consider an average salary for a lifeguard to be $27,400 and $35,100 per year.
Generally, the cost for a course getting certified is under $500 to get started.
Benefits of being a lifeguard
There are plenty of things you can learn as a lifeguard besides saving lives and being a savior:
- Learn about CPR and medication when in an emergency.
- Get to learn how to deal with people and ensure the safety of all.
- Test your physical strength in an open environment and in real-life scenarios.
- Get to interact and teach people how to swim and more.
How to start a side hustle as a lifeguard
Starting out as a lifeguard primarily requires you to complete courses that can help you get certified as a lifeguard.
The courses may vary depending upon where you take them, but generally, they are conducted bi-weekly or once a week for 45 days.
The classes may last for 5 – 6 hours of period for a day.
But before getting started on a course here are a few things to consider as a beginner:
- Practice in the pool beforehand testing out your strength of how you fit into the side hustle and do you enjoy doing it ot not.
- If you feel confident enough reach out to the swimming pools near your area for any requirement of a lifeguard (if any).
- Take the help of Facebook or Twitter handles to directly get across to them and get started.
Here’s a job application I found on Twitter for a lifeguard with a wage rate of $18.64 – $22.42 per hour for the Lifeguard and Head Lifeguard role.
Be a babysitter
| Revenue Potential | Investment Required | Where to Start |
| $375000 a year | Up to $95 for certification related to babysitting | Care.com |
Parents with newborn babies or toddlers vacationing and going out don’t come often.😑
Especially during the summer, when parents want to go out for trips or for a day or two they don’t have many choices left.
Luckily, one of the solutions for them is to hire a babysitter who can look after their baby while they are away.
Babysitting is one of the best summer side hustle ideas for women to earn some good hourly wages.
As a babysitter, here are some of the responsibilities you need to fulfill:
- Looking after the needs of the baby such as feeding meals at the right time.
- Giving a bath to the baby at the right time and keeping cleanliness is one of the top priorities for the baby.
- Have fun playtime with the child they need your attention.
- Helping the toddlers to study or taking them out for a stroll (after due permission from the parents).
Let’s dig more about this awesome side hustle…
Who is eligible to start babysitting as a side hustle
Anyone who has a natural inclination toward babies and gets along well playing with babies will find more success in babysitting.
This job requires patience and having on job skills such as tending to medical emergencies and being focused on the needs of the babies.
Some of the general requirements that people look upon before hiring their next babysitter are:
- Do the babysitters have a child or in fact certification to their credit
- Are the babysitter’s first-aid certified babysitters?
- Do the babysitters have a car of their own?
- Are there nursing experiences or degrees related to childcare available that is backing up a babysitter? etc.
As this is more towards tending to care for babies, women have a higher advantage over men.
Statistically speaking, 86% of the babysitters tend to be women.
How much money can you make from a babysitting side hustle
On average, a babysitter can expect to make around $15 – $20 per hour starting out.
But post-Covid, babysitters have started to charge as high as $35 per hour even as teenagers.
The business is more reliant on your network and your reputation for being a reliable and trustworthy person to do the job.
Nannies by Noa reported making 6 figures ($375k per year) from her babysitting business (as per 2019 data).
As far as the costs are concerned, babysitters need to have certifications backing them up. Generally getting certified as a babysitter can cost as high as $95.
Here’s a quick rundown of costs involved for certifications related to babysitting:
| American Red Cross Babysitting Basics | $45 for enrollment (4 hours course) |
| American Heart Association’s Heartsaver Training | $20 (for online enrollment of course) + Additional Fees for an in-person session |
| Babysitting Certification Institute | $95 for 12 months of certification and $65 for retaking certifications |
| American Red Cross Advanced Child Care Training | $45 (Unique digital certificate of completion) |
Source: Verywellfamily.com
How to start a babysitting business as a side hustle
Here are the things to keep in mind before you start a babysitting side hustle during summer:
- Look for friends and families who have kids to take care of and seek their permission to babysit on their behalf.
- Acquire certifications and any related degrees as required to showcase you have the right credentials for the job.
- Having a nursing experience really helps a lot and thus don’t try to seek any shortcuts.
- You can look for opportunities on Facebook groups, Instagram posts, TikTok, or even other platforms such as Care.com to land your first side hustle job.
Related Read: Complete Guide on how to make money with babysitting in 2022
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Final Words on Side Hustles for Summer
Starting a side hustle for summer can be a game changer for you if you decide to take action.
It does require long-term commitment and perseverance to convert your side hustle gig into a full-time income.
With AI taking over the world around us every minute, jobs won’t be the only viable source of income for us.
In fact, nearly 60% of people would end up losing jobs to machines by 2025.
Having a side hustle can be a definite answer to such a risk for us. I would love to have your feedback on your most favored side hustle from the list above.
Did you find this useful? Do share with us your thoughts on this.