How to Make Use of Weekends to Make Some Money

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Everybody wants to make money, infact the internet is filled with a million ways to make money. However, one challenge you must face is trying to combine your fulltime job with a weekend side hustle.

The good news is that there are a ton of random things you can do on the weekends to supplement your present income if you don’t have the time to get a regular, more conventional second job.

Get creative and think about how you can use skills you already have to make the most of any spare time you have. It can be easy to take your skills for granted.

For example, you might be really organized. Well, you could use that skill to help someone manage their email inbox and charge for being a virtual assistant. This article will present you with different opportunities to make money during the weekends.

How Can You Make Money on Saturday and Sunday?
What Are The Best Weekend Jobs
What Are The Highest Paying Side Jobs

How Can You Make Money on Saturday and Sunday?

1. Ask for Overtime

Ask your employer if there is any work that can be done over the weekend. Taking inventory, cleaning the office, or catching up on work tasks may be legitimate reasons for you to earn extra cash on your days off.

2. Babysit

Couples that want to hit the town over the weekend will appreciate your ability to babysit. Let your friends and neighbors know you are available but be sure to mention the rate per hour you expect so no one misunderstands your offer.

3. Clean Out Your Basement

There may be a lot of useless stuff in your basement, attic, or closets that are actually treasures to someone else. Yard sale what you no longer want over the course of a weekend. Whatever is left, add to Craigslist.

4. Clean Out Someone Else’s Basement

Offer cleaning services for someone else. Advertise through word of mouth and be sure to check in with elderly neighbors that may not be able to get the work done themselves.

5. Tutor Students

If you have an aptitude for school work, offer to tutor your friend’s kids for an hourly rate.

6. Sell Your Yard Work Skills

Since summer will be here before we know it… If you have a lawn mower, take it for a walk around your neighborhood to see if anyone needs help. Landscaping skills also are marketable especially during the fall when the leaves are everywhere.

7. Doggie Sit

People that work weekends or those going away may need someone to care for the animals. You can charge for the different services you offer including feeding, walking, cleaning cages, or administering medications.

8. House Sit

People going away for an extended period of time may need some house sitting services including mail retrieval, watering plants, turning on/off lights, and maintaining the lawn.

9. Host a Garage Sale

Collect your unused items and sell them from your garage.

10. Become a Craft Vendor

If you have a talent for making creative things, sell your wares at festivals, fairs, farmer’s markets or on Etsy.

11. Become a Direct Sales Vendor

There are many companies that utilize direct sales personnel (think Avon) to sell their products. Sign up as a consultant and host weekend parties to earn extra income with flexible hours.

12. Do Data Entry

There are job opportunities that allow you to do data entry or transcription work from home in your spare time. Just make sure the company you sign up with is legit. Check with the Better Business Bureau first or look for company complaints online that warn of scams.

13. Care for the Elderly

Many families rely on outside help to care for elderly loved ones. Provided they don’t need medical assistance from a licensed nurse, you could provide services like cooking, cleaning, and errand-running.

14. Donate Plasma

There are organizations that pay money for your donations of plasma. Check with your local hospital if you’re not sure where the locations are in your community. Other opportunities for biological donations are also available for consideration.

15. Recycle

Grab a trash bag and collect cans and glass bottles for recycling. Clean out your own recyclables and then hit local parks and other public areas to add to your collection.

16. Blog for Others

There are job opportunities available through Craigslist and other sites where companies will pay for fresh content on their blogs.

17. Fix Stuff

If you have a knack and knowledge about handyman skills, find jobs you can work on over a weekend.

18. Be a Photographer

If you have a way with the camera, offer to take family pictures for friends and family. Word can spread until you get some regular weekend work. Charge a little less than the competition.

19. Get Your Money Back

If you come across clothing or other items that still have the tags on them, take them back to the store for a refund. Even if you get store credit, it’s better than nothing.

20. Deliver the Newspaper

Contact your local newspaper and ask about delivery positions for weekends only. Some locations may rely on extra help for delivery of Sunday’s larger edition.

21. Clear the Sidewalks

If you live in a climate where snow happens, get out your shovel and find out who needs help in your area. Charge a few bucks for clearing the snow and provide your contact number to your new customers for the next snow storm.

22. Sell Your Garden Wares

If you enjoy gardening but harvest more than you can eat, set up a stand on the side of the road or at the local farmer’s market to sell what you grow. Starter flowers are also a good choice.

23. Detail Cars

If you have a good vacuum and cleaning supplies, offer car cleaning services at your neighbor’s homes.

24. Become a Bookkeeper

If you are good with numbers, find small business owners that would like to outsource their bookkeeping tasks to someone else. Keep everything nice and organized for tax time.

25. Teach a Class

If you have a skill, talent, or education in an area, you can host a class at the local community center. Charge a few dollars for admission and teach crafts, knitting, scrapbooking, yoga, computer skills, or a foreign language.

26. Try Catering Opportunities

Many catering companies are busiest on the weekends and will accept temporary workers as wait staff and bartenders without the employment commitment

27. Sing It

If you have vocal skills and musical abilities, book weekend gigs at bars, hotels, or anywhere that pays singers, piano players, and other entertainment for a few hours of work.

28. Be a Model

If you live by art schools, find out if they need models for their drawing and painting classes. Photographers may also need live models for weekend shoots. Don’t worry about looking like Gisele to get work. Many photographers like everyday, real, people in their photographs

29. Capitalize on Events

If you live near large events that are scheduled on weekends, make your property a parking lot and sell spaces to drivers. When I went to Sturgis, South Dakota for the bike rally years ago they whole city was renting out portions of their yards for camping!

30. Rent Out Your House

If you live in a tourist area, consider leaving your home for the weekend and rent it out to someone else. Even if you don’t live in a tourist area you can rent out your home. Check out Airbnb if you’re interested in that.

What Are The Best Weekend Jobs

There are many reasons to look for a weekend job, either instead of or in addition to traditional 9-to-5 employment.

For example, some individuals need to supplement the income from their Monday through Friday position. Other workers with children have a partner who is available on the weekend to care for their children, giving them availability to work.

Students with heavy class schedules during the week may choose to allocate weekend hours to paid employment. Still, other workers prefer to schedule their working hours on the weekend, freeing up weekdays for other activities.

Some jobs are available for weekend work because you can set your own schedule. For others, there is a demand for employees who are available to work a weekend schedule.

The emergence of the freelance “gig” economy, remote/work-from-home options, and on-demand jobs offer a broad range of opportunities to concentrate work at the weekend voluntarily.

These opportunities are available at a variety of skill and education levels. Other major areas of opportunity include industries like hospitality, retail, travel, and real estate that experience peak demand at the weekend.

Here’s a look at some of the best jobs for people who want to work weekends, including a job description and earnings potential.

1. Rideshare Driver

Driving for a service like Uber or Lyft enables an individual to work whenever they want, including just on weekends. Weekends are a time when potential customers want rides to entertainment and shopping venues like restaurants, bars, theaters, and malls. Many drivers work for multiple services to expand their earning opportunities.

Rideshare drivers need to be good drivers and must own a vehicle in good working condition. Per The Street, rideshare drivers earn between $8.55 and $11.77 an hour.

2. Retail Sales Worker

Stores in many areas experience peak volume of shoppers on the weekend when they allocate staffing more extensively. Retail sales clerks (and other personnel who stock and organize merchandise) need strong customer service skills and attention to detail to process transactions accurately. Retail positions require staff to spend long hours on their feet.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), retail sales workers earned median pay of $11.63 an hour in May 2018, when the BLS estimated that there were 4,768,900 retail sales jobs.

3. eBay/Amazon Seller

eBay sellers and Amazon sellers have the flexibility to focus most of their efforts on promoting products at the weekend.

They may need to respond to some buyers during the week, but uploading listings, packaging and mailing orders can be done on the weekend. eBay and Amazon keep 10% to 15% of the proceeds from sales. Make sure you sign up to sell as an individual on Amazon to avoid a monthly fee.

According to Webretailer.com, 34.3% of eBay sellers make under $10,000 per year, versus only 9% of Amazon sellers, and 3.9% of eBay sellers make over a million dollars per year, versus 16.7% of Amazon sellers.

The seasonal peak for online sales tends to correspond with the holiday shopping season.

4. Wedding Photographer/Videographer

Weddings are mostly scheduled on weekends, so this job can be perfect for photography and videography enthusiasts. You may need to meet with prospective clients during the week, but most of the work, including building a website with portfolio samples and editing photos and videos, can be done on the weekend.

Wedding photographers and videographers can earn big bucks, with an average charge of $2,000, according to Weddingwire.com.

Most weddings are held between May and October.

5. Handywoman/Handyman

Most working families would prefer to have home repairs done at the weekend, during their off hours. Potential customers often don’t have the skills or the time to complete jobs like minor carpentry, installing light fixtures, painting, repairing drywall, or light plumbing work. The average hourly rate for handyman services is $60 to $65, according to Home Advisor.

Aspiring handywomen and handymen can build references by taking on jobs with friends and neighbors.

6. Wedding Musician or DJ

Weddings are typically weekend events, and bands can also schedule much of their practice time on the weekend. You might need to schedule some time to meet with prospective clients during the week, but most of the work can take place on the weekend.

Wedding musicians must master a broad range of tunes to satisfy diverse generational and musical tastes at weddings and parties. The average wedding band charges $4,500, according to Weddingwire.com.

7. Bartender

Bars experience high traffic levels on weekends. Sports bars are very busy around weekend sporting events like college and professional football.

Wedding and event venues will also provide weekend-based opportunities. The BLS reports that there were 644,100 bartender jobs in the U.S. economy during 2018.

Bartenders need to have knowledge regarding mixing drinks, a lively personality, good listening abilities, and customer service skills.

They earn most of their income from tips, so there is a wide range of potential compensation based on customer traffic. In Manhattan, successful bartenders can earn upwards of $500 a night.

8. Golf Caddy

Most golf courses experience high levels of weekend traffic. Caddying opportunities are mainly available during the warmer seasons in areas with temperate winter weather, but can be year-round in states like Florida and Arizona.

It helps to have first-hand knowledge of equipment and how to approach different holes. Physical stamina is required to walk courses and carry clubs.

Income for caddies varies greatly based on the level of the course and golfer, and the tips received. According to Golf Storage Guide, amateur caddies can make $20 to $30 per hour, while professional caddies can earn $45 to $50 an hour.

9. Registered Nurse

There is a high demand for nurses, particularly per diem nurses, to supplement regular staff and to work weekends. Registered nurses follow treatment plans, administer medications, treat wounds, and monitor patients’ health status.

The BLS reports that there were 3,059,800 nursing jobs in 2018, with a median annual salary of $71,730, as of May 2018. The BLS has projected registered nurse jobs to much grow faster than average through 2028.

10. Tax Preparer

Organizations like H&R Block train and hire seasonal workers to help clients to prepare tax returns. Weekends are a prime time for customers to seek tax assistance.

Tax preparers interview clients to extract information about income and expenses and seek to maximize deductions. Tax preparers consult with senior staff regarding complex tax issues.

ZipRecruiter reports an average hourly wage of $22 for seasonal tax preparers.

11. Freelance Writer/Editor

Freelance writers and editors create content for websites and compose written materials such as direct marketing pieces, business reports, and feature articles.

Editors proofread writing, correct grammar, and modify writing to enhance readability. Much of this work could be done on weekends around a worker’s or student’s weekday commitments.

Freelance writers and editors generally earn $30 to $80 per hour, depending on the type of work being completed.

12. Web Designer

Web designers analyze the needs of businesses, individuals, and other entities to represent their operations to the public through the internet. They create web pages using coding and formatting tools. Web designers incorporate content, graphics, and video into websites.

They must have a strong knowledge of desktop web authoring tools, as well as writing and graphic design skills. Some freelance designers partner with writers and graphic designers to complete projects.

Much of this development work can be conducted on the weekend, with the possible exception of some communication with prospective and ongoing clients.

According to Salary.com, web designers earn an average of $27 to $34 per hour.

13. Customer Service Representative

Customer service representatives communicate with customers over the phone or online to solve problems with products or to educate consumers about the effective use of products and services.

Technical support workers educate users regarding the use of computer, software, and related products and services. Customer service representatives need to be patient with disgruntled customers and have strong listening, verbal communication, and problem-solving skills.

Weekends are a peak time for consumers to receive support regarding products and services.

The BLS reports that customer service representatives earned a median hourly wage of $16.23 as of May 2018.

14. Graphic Designer

Graphic designers create visual aspects of web pages, brochures, logos, packaging, advertisements, reports, and presentations. They translate the ideas of clients into viable designs.

Graphic designers must possess creative abilities, aesthetic sensibility, and have expertise working with desktop design programs. Web development and writing skills are helpful if the designer is working without partners.

Freelance designers carry out much of the design work completed in the U.S., especially projects for individuals and small businesses. Designers can work from home and carry out most aspects of projects on the weekend.

The BLS reports that graphic designers earned a median hourly wage of $24.21 as of May 2018.

15. Ski Instructor

Ski resorts experience peak traffic on weekends and need an expanded roster of instructors to meet demand. Ski instructors assess skiers’ abilities and explain and demonstrate an appropriate technique to enhance performance.

They must be patient, socially engaging, and have strong communication skills. Knowledge of first aid is helpful. Ski instructors typically have advanced expertise as a skier, and certification may be required.

Ski instructors typically earn between $15 and $20 per hour based on their level of expertise, according to Snow Skool

What Are The Highest Paying Side Jobs

Do you know that you can earn upto $1000 in your side job? Well, after interviewing several people who did it, it’s safe to say that many people can. With the right combination of skill, marketing, and elbow grease, you can land a $1,000-per-month side gig.

Based on interviews with real people with side gigs, we also suggest side gigs where you can earn at least $25 per hour, which makes $1,000 per month achievable in many cases.

Freelance Writing

Whether you read articles about finance, weightlifting, cooking, or art history, someone had to write the article. Some online writers write as a hobby, and don’t earn much (or anything) from their writing.

However, plenty of sites hire freelance writers to produce compelling written content for their audiences.

As a freelance writer, you might also write newsletters, magazine or newspaper articles, technical manuals (for software or machinery), white papers, or even “website copy” which is just the words on a company’s website.

Freelance writers build up their client base in a variety of ways, but the most important factor for writers is to have a portfolio of articles in a specific niche.

Valerie Rind, a corporate lawyer by day and a freelance writer on the side explains, “You can’t get a writing gig without experience, and you can’t get experience without an established portfolio. I knew an editor at a reputable publication and we agreed that I would write an article for free. Once I had an article with a byline, it gave me a small amount of credibility. After that, I never wrote for exposure.”

A common method for building up a portfolio is to start a blog, and then reach out to other (slightly larger) bloggers to request a guest post on their site. Another method that people commonly use is creating a free portfolio on a site like Contently.

Once you have established some credibility, you have to start pitching your services. Rind recommends, “Sell yourself with confidence, even if your experience is a bit thin.”

When you find someone who is interested in your writing, you’ll need to talk rates. Rates for articles vary widely by niche, and by the budget of the company hiring you.

A blog site will generally pay anywhere from $30 to $200 per article (depending on the niche and your experience). Other sites, including media sites or large company sites can often afford to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars per article.

Finding clients (especially higher-paying clients) is the key to earning $1,000 or more each month.

Digital Marketing

When someone says they are a digital marketer, it could mean that they post ads on their personal Facebook page. It could also mean that they are a skilled web designer who optimizes web pages.

However, most people who make money on the side as digital marketers help small business owners enhance their digital presence.

If you’re interested in becoming a digital marketer, you can pick up a lot of the skills by starting your own blog, and learning through trial and error. However, if you’re more interested in expediting the process, we recommend taking a digital marketing course.

Providing Virtual Assistant Services

Virtual assistants provide digital support (including web support, digital marketing services, and more) to bloggers and other business owners. A virtual assistant can be a jack-of-all-trades or extremely specialized. Their job is to make the lives of other business owners easier and better.

Many virtual assistants work with just a few clients, so their time commitment is relatively small. An example of this is one virtual assistant that responds to customer inquiries and complaints for a small retailer that lists products on Amazon. In general, she works no more than four hours per week.

Many other VAs eventually find that being a VA is more lucrative than their day job, and quit to take their VA activities full-time.

If you’ve ever run your own website, you probably have some of the skills necessary to become a virtual assistant, and with the help of Google, you can probably figure out the rest

Photography

If you own a great camera, and you’ve developed your photography skills, you may be able to earn $1,000 or more each month while working on the side.

Dana Haynes of Raleigh, North Carolina started her first foray into paid photography by shooting friends’ weddings in college. Though she only earned $500 per wedding at first, she recommends wedding photography as a great niche for budding photographers, especially those with young and broke friends.

“Weddings are the one time your peers are willing to spend a significant amount of money for photography,” Haynes told The College Investor. She also added that most young people probably have a built-in network of friends getting married.

Years after shooting weddings, Haynes revived her photography practice after watching hours of free online courses, and photographing friends and family for free. People would share her pictures on Facebook, and she slowly got her name out.

These days, Haynes works primarily in birth photography, but as a hustler, she also photographs families, bands, marketing, headshots, and weddings on the side.

Although Haynes and many other photographers will get their start by shooting for friends or family, Haynes recommends keeping your business as professional and well-managed as possible. “You’re photographing these incredibly meaningful moments in folks’ lives.

You want to make sure you’re making contracts, managing dates/times, and keeping up with communication. You can’t compromise on the business end if you want to serve people well,” Haynes said.

Flip for a Profit

The key to earning a profit? Buy low and sell high. But is that maxim easy to put into practice? And can you earn a $1,000 per month just by buying high and selling low?

Even people with no particular expertise can scour big-box stores for items on clearance that they can sell for a profit on Amazon.

The amount of money you actually earn from retail flipping will depend a lot on how good you are at finding deals, the amount of money you have to put into your inventory, and your ability to sell items quickly.

People with expert knowledge in specific areas may actually have a leg up when working to flip items for a profit. Many mechanics will buy broken-down cars, and then sell the parts for a profit and the rest of the car for scrap pricing.

Another surprisingly lucrative field for experts is sneaker flipping. Omar of Raleigh, North Carolina is an avid sneaker collector, and rarely lets a pair go.

However, he has made up to $200 per pair of sneakers that he resells, and suspects he could earn up to $1,000 per month if he didn’t love his collection so much.

The easiest way to flip for a profit? Get your materials for free. Robert A. of Raleigh, North Carolina does landscaping work as a primary job. If he sees a pile of metal or appliances out on the curb, he’ll load up his truck and takes the metal to the recycling center to get scrap value for it.

A full truck bed usually brings $75 to $100 (or more if he has a lot of copper in the load). In a good month, he can earn up to $1,000 per month just from scrapping, though his usual take is lower.

Whether you’re flipping garbage, used clothing, sneakers, cars, or houses, buying low and selling high is a great way to earn money on the side.

To flip for a profit, you will need to know prices well, and you need to be able to take advantage of deals as they come to you. Generally, you’ll also need a vehicle to make flipping profitable.

However, with enough expertise, becoming a flipper can yield $1,000 per month on the side.

Finally

Making money on weekends through a side hustle is likely within your reach, if you’re willing to put in some time and effort on the front end.

In general, you’ll have to be willing to promote yourself, pitch prospective clients, and develop valuable skills to get started. However, once you have an established side gig, it becomes easier to keep the revenue coming in without excessive effort (aside from actually doing your job).

Side hustle require you to give up your most valuable asset (your time), so it makes sense to try to maximize your earnings from the gig.

That said, a lot of people report that their side hustle isn’t just about making extra money. Some people are building skills that are necessary for a promotion in their primary career.

Stay-at-home parents report that they love getting out of the house and using a different part of their brain. Others report that they enjoy having a paying artistic outlet, even if they earn more or have a steadier income through their day jobs.

Honestly, things like free alcohol, free bagels, and free t-shirts enticed many people to start side hustles.

No matter your motivation, starting a side gig is a great way to get ahead financially. Just be smart about starting it, so you don’t waste your time earning less than minimum wage.