How To Make Money In The Summer

Summer is the perfect time to spend with your kids and family. But if you take a closer look at your finances, you’ll realize that you spend more during summer than other seasons. 

The kids want to go hiking while your extended family plans a get-together in a different state.  

At this rate, you’ll need to sacrifice almost two months’ paycheck to give everyone the perfect vacation experience. 

But what if I told you you could cover these expenses without leaving a dent in your pocket? Numerous summer jobs let you work from anywhere, even the beach!

And you don’t have to do it alone. There are plenty of side hustles for teens, too! This is the perfect time to empower your kid beyond traditional gigs like slicing burgers and scooping ice cream all summer. 

In this post, I’ll offer detailed insights into how to make money in the summer. Finding a flexible side gig for you or your kid is within reach. 

How To Make Money in The Summer 

There are many ways to make money in the summer, online and in-person. 

Traveling during the summer shouldn’t deter you from making an income. There are numerous online options like taking surveys, flipping digital products, and print-on-demand. 

However, if you plan to stay in your neighborhood this season, you can try pet-sitting, babysitting, and house-sitting gigs. 

Here’s a detailed list of side gigs that let you make money in the summer:

1. Sell Printables 

Printables are gaining popularity, and if you have something that fixes your target audience’s problems, you can sell printables to make money in the summer.

Some common ideas include:

• Recipes 
• Summer activity planners 
• Coloring pages 
• Outdoor games 
• Packing lists 
• Summer bucket lists 

But how do you make them and tap into the vast market? If this question is in your mind, the E-Printables free workshop by Gold City Ventures is precisely what you need!

The course walks you through the basics of selling printables on Etsy, including leveraging platforms like Canva to make eye-catching designs. 

Printables usually sell in bundles at $10-$50. However, you can increase your income with higher quality.

2. Answering Surveys 

Do you often offer unsolicited reviews about products and current affairs to your friends and family?

What if I told you you could get paid for it? Survey apps pay you to give product feedback and share your opinion on entertainment, healthcare, politics, and lifestyle.  

Companies and brands hire these market research companies for insight into consumer behavior, which helps them improve their products. 

Here are some of the highest-paying survey sites out there:

• YouGov: Surveys contain about 20-30 questions and take about 20 minutes to fill. You’ll earn 20-100 points per survey. The withdrawal minimum is 55,000 points. 
• Opinion Outpost: This platform lets you make money online by answering surveys, watching ads, and testing products.
• SayMore: Here’s another legit survey site that pays between $1-$2 per survey.
• Prime Opinion: According to their website, Prime Opinion pays 150% more than similar survey sites.  
• Toluna: Besides surveys, Toluna offers rewards for playing mobile games. 
• Branded Surveys: This is among the leading survey sites in the market research field. You’ll earn $1-$5 per survey, and the withdrawal threshold is $5. 

Typically, survey sites reward you in points redeemable for PayPal cash, bank transfers, or gift cards to merchants like Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

However, they don’t pay much but are an excellent way to get free money to offset small bills.

3. Proofreading  

Proofreading is the best option if you always cringe when people make grammatical errors in speech and writing. 

It entails reviewing documents to correct grammar, syntax, and spelling errors. You can proofread books, academic papers, social media, and blog posts.

You don’t need an educational background to work as a proofreader, but having a background in your language is an added advantage.

Proofreaders typically earn $24-$35 hourly. And if you want to earn even more, consider taking a proofreading course. Join Proofread Anywhere free workshop.

4. GPT Sites 

These work similarly to paid survey sites but offer more earning opportunities. 

For instance, you can make money by playing mobile games, answering emails, shopping, and sharing your location data. 

Sounds great to you? Here are some excellent GPT sites you can explore:

• Kashkick: This platform is famous for offering cashback to shoppers, but you can also make money by playing games, testing apps, and completing surveys.
• Mistplay: Do you spend lots of your time gaming? Mistplay has a great game collection worth exploring. The cash is the icing on the cake!
• JustPlay: Similar to Mistplay. It also has a game collection worth checking out if you’re an avid gamer. 
• Swagbucks: This is a prominent player in the Gpt industry. It rewards you for watching videos, playing games, answering surveys, and online shopping. 
• InboxDollars: Similar to Swagbucks. It also offers numerous earning opportunities. 
• MyPoints: Like the sites already covered, MyPoints pays you to play games, watch videos, and read emails. You can cash out at $3 for gift cards and $25 for PayPal.

5. Become a Virtual Assistant 

Working as a virtual assistant is another way to make money in the summer. I like this job because it pays well and is location-independent. 

Your duties during the summer may include:

• Planning parties 
• Making travel arrangements, like booking flights and accommodation 
• Handle summer promos 
• Provide customer support while the employer is on vacation 
• Create summer-themed social media content 

I’m sure by now you’re wondering why I’m telling you about virtual assistance when you need a quick gig that doesn’t require hard-earned skills. 

Hear me out; virtual assistance is on this list because you don’t need any educational background. 

Anyone can do this job if you have excellent attention to detail. Plus, with the internet nowadays, you can learn the basics in less than a day for free!

And if you’re thinking of turning this into a career, consider enrolling in the FullyBookedVA course.

6. Babysitting 

Another easy job you can do in the summer is babysitting. Many people travel for vacations during this time, hence the constant demand to take care of kids. 

Furthermore, it’s also an excellent opportunity for teens to make money. It involves easy tasks like playing with the kids, preparing light meals, and helping them with homework.

Babysitters earn $10-$30 hourly, but you can charge more if you’re more experienced and have additional skills like a driving license and first aid training.

You can scout for babysitting gigs within your neighborhood or on Indeed, Nina Care, or Care.com.

7. House-Sitting 

House-sitting is among my favorite part-time gigs, and I always recommend it to people looking for flexible side hustles. 

First, it offers a fantastic opportunity to get paid to travel. Imagine traveling to a place on your bucket list without spending anything on food and accommodation.

It’s the ideal situation for adventurers like me. With most people traveling for leisure during summer, there’s a high demand for house sitters. 

Your duties would include routine cleaning, watering plants, caring for pets, and collecting the mail in the owner’s absence.    

Ask your friends and family to hire you as a house sitter, or sign up on TrustedHouseSitters, House Sit Search, and MindMyHouse. Expect about $10-$30 per hour.

8. Become a Tour Guide

Do you live in a tourist-prone area? Do you understand the history of your town? If so, working as a tour guide in the summer is the perfect side hustle idea for you.

You only need to lead the tour, provide information on different tourist sites, immerse foreigners into your culture and history, and make the experience engaging. 

You’re halfway there if you have good communication and interpersonal skills. 

The average hourly rate for tour guides ranges from $28 and $37. You can find such jobs on freelance platforms like Fiver or job boards like Indeed. 

Working for tours and travel companies is also a good idea, but you may need to provide qualification documents. 

9. Photography 

Do you have a camera that’s gathering dust on a shelf in your bedroom? Or maybe you take pictures but never do anything more.

Photography is highly profitable, and there are numerous ways to monetize your talent exist. You could walk up to people on the streets, take a picture of them, and sell it to them. 

Another option is selling stock photos on sites like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Getty Images. You can license your images and earn royalties when someone downloads them. 

I like this strategy because you can venture into anything you want, from food photography to nature photography. The world is your canvas, and there’s no limit to your creativity. 

Do you prefer being on your feet to earning passive income from photography? If so, working events like weddings, baby showers, and birthday parties is a fantastic idea. 

You can earn over $200 per hour, depending on your expertise and brand recognition. Consider creating flyers and distributing them within your community to attract potential clients. 

10. Freelance Writing 

This is one of the easiest and most flexible ways to make money. Imagine writing an article while sipping a cocktail on the beach. 

Freelance writing involves working for someone else so you can express yourself and make money online without the troubles associated with running a blog or marketing your website. 

You can ghostwrite books, blog posts, or academic theses. The first step is choosing a profitable niche where you’ll easily land jobs.  

Freelance writers earn by the hour or per word. You can make over $100 hourly if you’re experienced and understand SEO well. 

Freelance writing gigs are available on freelance sites like FlexJobs, PeoplePerHour, and Fiverr.

11. Blogging 

Blogging is my favorite way to make money online, and it’s perfect for the summer. Blogging has helped me empower people by assisting them to find more ways to make money and manage their finances. 

But finance is just the tip of the iceberg. There are unlimited niches, from travel to food and health. 

The best part is there are millions of blogs today, but the industry is never saturated. The cake is big enough for everyone. 

You need only determine your passion and find ways to tailor your content to meet the needs of your target audience. 

Blogging has a high income potential. You can make upwards of thousands of dollars monthly. You can also turn it into a full-time venture once you have established yourself in the industry.

The only downside is the time and effort investment required to start a blog. You may not earn anything in the first few months, but consistency pays off in the long run.  

Once your blog is well-established, explore monetization options like affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and selling digital merchandise like ebooks. 

Start your blog with Hostinger and get a free domain name.

12. Social Media Management

Scrolling through social media is the perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon, right? You can get paid to consume social media content by managing other people’s social media accounts. 

It could be a new business selling summer-themed products. Or a social media influencer is hiring a manager.

Either way, you can leverage your services for cash. You would create summer-themed posts, engage with fans, and run social media campaigns. 

13. Sell Crafts on Etsy 

Still looking for a way to make money in the summer? Etsy is well-known as a marketplace for crafts. 

Whether you enjoy scrapbooking, woodworking, or making jewelry from epoxy resin, Etsy is the ideal place to showcase your products. 

Start by signing up and creating an SEO-optimized profile to attract customers. 

From there, determine pricing, take high-quality photos, and list your products. Note that Etsy charges $0.20 per listing. 

Next, market your products on social media and wait for clients to reach out. Some summer crafts that sell well on Etsy include the following:

• Party supplies
• Outdoor Decor 
• Nature-themed decor 
• Bath products 
• Beach wraps 
• Beach accessories like sun hats and sunglasses 

Extra Reading – How To Make Money on Etsy

 14. Declutter Your Space for Cash 

If you’re not busy during the summer, it can be the perfect time to declutter your home. 

I’m often attached to stuff, so getting rid of my items isn’t my go-to money-making venture. However, having more things than you need may be detrimental mentally. 

If you have many items you no longer use, consider decluttering for good mental health and making your space more organized and peaceful.  

But is there a market for used products? If so, which ones should you sell and where? 

The best part about this option is there’s a massive demand for second-hand products, especially if the newer ones are more expensive. 

Even better is if you have summer-specific items, like:

• Gardening tools 
• Outdoor games 
• Outdoor furniture 
• Travel memorabilia 
• Appliances like popsicle molds

You can run a garage sale or list your items on seller sites like Poshmark, Mercari, and eBay. Remember to post clear photos and add detailed descriptions to appeal to customers. 

15. Rent Out Your Extra Space 

With the summer looming, many people need affordable accommodation in their travel destinations. If you have an extra room, renting it out on Airbnb is superb. 

You only need to revamp and furnish the room to give it a cozy look. Next, take clear, high-quality photos of the space and list them on Airbnb. 

Remember to describe the space and location so potential clients know what they’re signing up for. Also, include the pricing in your listing. 

Depending on your space’s size, quality, and locat, you can earn $50- $200 per nightion. 

16. Teach in a Summer School 

Parents often enroll their kids in summer programs to help them catch up with school work or empower them to explore their hobbies.

If you like working with kids, you can apply for a teaching position in a summer school. This option gives you a chance to choose your interests. 

For instance, you can teach at a sports summer camp if you enjoy sports or tutor languages. 

You can also explore other ways to make money as a teacher during summer.

17. Online Tutoring 

If you don’t like the idea of a physical summer school, online tutoring is another way to leverage your teaching skills for extra cash from the comfort of your home. 

If you’re an expert in a particular subject, you can take up this job even without a degree. Foreign languages are the most common, but you can leverage your science and math prowess. 

Online tutoring isn’t limited to kids. You can also teach adults various skills like graphic design, financial literacy, and computer skills. 

According to ZipRecruiter, the average hourly pay for online tutors is $19. You can find tutoring jobs on Indeed, Tutor.com, and Chegg.

18. Delivery Driving  

Do you have a driver’s license and enjoy driving at different times of the day? If so, working as a delivery driver is an excellent way to make money in the summer. 

Even if you don’t have a car, you can hire one or use a bike or scooter. 

You can earn between $15 and $30 per delivery and more in tips if you’re fast and have excellent customer service. 

The following driving apps are worth exploring:

• DoorDash: This is among the most renowned delivery apps in the US. The pay range is $15-$30 per hour. 
• Uber Eats: Similar to DoorDash, you can deliver by bicycle or motorcycle. The pay range is $15-$25 hourly. 
• Walmart Spark: This platform pays you to deliver groceries to Walmart customers.
• Instacart: This platform pays you to shop and deliver groceries to people within your town. The pay ranges from $20-$30 per hour, and you keep 100% of tips. 
• Amazon Flex: Earn $18-$25 hourly for delivering Amazon packages. 

 19. Do Odd Jobs 

The last way to make money in the summer is by doing odd jobs in your area. Some common ones include:

• Cleaning houses 
• Window cleaning 
• Moving furniture 
• Running errands 
• Lawn mowing 

You can ask friends or family members if they need help with such tasks. Alternatively, consider signing up on TaskRabbit, a site that connects employers to employees nationwide.

With TaskRabbit, you can set your rates and working schedule. However, you must submit business verifications and pay a $25 registration fee.

Overall, it’s an excellent place to find gigs that don’t require experience or expertise. Most let you learn on the job.

Final Thoughts 

Now that you have ideas for making money in the summer, it’s time to hit the ground running. Most of these jobs are easy to acquire, and there are options to keep your teenager busy. 

If you have the skillset, nothing should stop you from making extra cash to boost your income. With the right strategies and commitment, you could turn these side hustle ideas into full-time ventures.