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27 Best Second Jobs (Make Extra $1000 a Month)

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Written by: Kate Starr
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Best Second Jobs

DoorDash

DoorDash logo

Earn $25 per hour plus keep 100% of your tips (4000 cities in USA)

You can use any mode of transportation: your car, bicycle or motorcycle

You have the freedom to pick and choose which orders you want to accept

GoPuff

GoPuff logo

Experienced delivery drivers can earn up to $21 per hour ($13 on average)

Choose when you want to work based on your schedule in 1000 cities

Delivery snacks, drinks, grocery, quick meals, cleaning supplies and more

Grubhub

Grubhub logo

Make around $12 per hour + tips and create your own flexible schedule

No resume, interview or delivery experience required, and no dress code

Cash your earnings out up to $500 a day (free for Chase Bank customers)

27 Platforms for Second Job

Online Survey Taker With Branded Surveys


Branded Surveys Summary

  • $1 sign up bonus
  • Earn $0.50-$5 on average per survey
  • Average survey length is 15 min
  • Pays by bank transfer, PayPal & gift cards
  • Cash out from $5
  • Bonuses available for daily survey takers
branded surveys earnings

Working as an online survey taker is one of the best second jobs you can do if you want something simple to fit your other commitments. There are many sites for this type of work, with one of the best survey platforms being Branded Surveys.

You take a simple survey that lasts a few minutes and typically earn between $0.50 and $5 per survey. You can then redeem your earnings for cash via a Paypal transfer or gift card. The platform has a low minimum withdrawal threshold of just $5.

How much can you earn as an online survey taker?

The flexibility makes it a great side hustle option for anyone. Most online survey takers with Branded Surveys can earn up to $5 or more per hour.

Delivery Driver With DoorDash


DoorDash Summary

  • Flexible working hours
  • Earn up to $25 per hour + tips
  • No experience or training required
  • Daily payments available
  • Special perks and rewards for drivers
  • 10% cash back on gas surcharges

Our Experience and Earnings with DoorDash

How DoorDash Works

Food delivery platforms such as DoorDash have sprung up to cater to people who want food delivered directly to their homes. Becoming a food delivery driver with DoorDash is one of the best second jobs to earn an income.

To become a DoorDash delivery driver, you need to:

  • Be at least 18 years old.
  • Pass a background check
  • Have access to an insured vehicle 
  • Own a smartphone to run the app

How much can you earn as a DoorDash delivery driver?

You can earn up to $25 hourly plus tips as a delivery driver with DoorDash. Plus, you get to keep 100% of all tips you get from customers.

It is easy to earn extra cash as a delivery driver. However, remember to factor in your expenses, including vehicle insurance, fuel, and wear and tear before you decide to work this side gig.

Consultant on ZipRecruiter


ZipRecruiter Summary

  • Top-rated app and job search engine
  • Simple, 1-tap job application process
  • Over 30 different job categories
  • More than 7.5 million jobs posted each day

The consultant job may seem vague, but it can be an excellent way to use your relevant skills to make extra money. A consultant is an expert with relevant skills and experience who provides advisory services to businesses in virtually any industry. Some excellent examples of consulting jobs include:

  • Financial consultants
  • Fitness consultants
  • IT consultants
  • Marketing consultants 
  • and many more

ZipRecruiter is one of the best platforms to look for consultant jobs. Since consultants typically do not work regular hours, it could be a great flexible second job option if you have some free time.

How much can you earn as a consultant on ZipRecruiter?

Depending on what industry or niche you are an expert in and which city you stay in, you could earn up to $100 or more per hour for your advice.

Personal Shopper With Instacart


Instacart Summary

  • 2 different types of work available
  • Earn up to $10 per full-service order
  • Get $10 for each friend you refer
  • Work as much or as little as you want

Instacart is an on-demand, same-day grocery delivery service. If you have access to an insured vehicle, one of the best second jobs you can get is as a personal shopper with Instacart.

As an Instacart full-service shopper, your job involves visiting grocery stores to purchase groceries based on customers’ orders. Once you have purchased the groceries, you deliver them to the customers’ homes to complete the order.

How much can you earn as a personal shopper with Instacart?

Each order you complete will pay you between $7 and $10. You can also boost your earnings by providing good customer service since you will keep 100% of all the tips you receive.

Customer Service Agent With FlexJobs


FlexJobs Summary

  • Jobs in over 50 categories available
  • Members get exclusive deals and discounts
  • All jobs are guaranteed to be legit
  • Get access to 4 job search resources

Working as a customer service agent is a remote opportunity that may be one of the best second-career jobs on our list. The job scope involves providing useful information to customers who need help with various questions or concerns about products and services. 

This type of work is paid by the hour; some companies even pay a bonus to workers working at peak times. In certain cases, commissions may be available for upselling to a customer on the phone. 

One of the best places to look for customer service agent jobs is FlexJobs. The platform is a leading employment portal and job listing website specializing in flexible work, such as remote work.

How much can you earn as a customer service agent with FlexJobs?

As a remote customer service agent, you can expect to earn around $14 per hour.

Cleaner With JobGet


Working as a cleaner is one of the best second jobs and is a popular way to make extra cash. Many people are too busy to clean and thus hire cleaners to help them complete various tasks, including: 

  • Washing
  • Sweeping
  • Vacuuming
  • Dusting
  • Washing dishes
  • Wiping down counters
  • Drying clothes

If you can clean houses well, finding work as a cleaner is easy, especially on the top job listing portals such as JobGet. You can even develop this side gig into a full-time business with enough demand from regular clients.

How much can you earn as a cleaner with JobGet?

Most cleaning jobs on the platform pay around $13 per hour for house cleaning services. Alternatively, you can also try starting a local cleaning business to increase your potential earnings. As a business owner, you take on more risk, but you also get the potential to earn huge profits.

Rideshare Driver With Uber or Lyft


Lyft Summary

  • Your working hours are up to you
  • Instant payment with the Lyft debit card
  • 3 different ways to earn more money
  • 3rd party liability insurance offered

Becoming a rideshare driver is one of the best second jobs you can get. As a rideshare driver, you ferry passengers from one location to another.

Lyft is one of the most popular ridesharing platforms in the USA.

To become a Lyft driver, you must:

  • Be at least 21 years old, 
  • Pass a background check
  • Have in-state car insurance 
  • Provide a social security number to get paid

Your earning potential as a Lyft driver is similar to that of an Uber driver. Overall, your final decision between the two platforms should depend on which is more popular in your local area. Your earnings will largely depend on your area’s demand for rideshare services.

Pet Sitter With Rover


Working as a pet sitter to earn extra money may be one of animal lovers’ best second career jobs.

One of the best platforms to look for pet-sitting jobs is Rover. Rover connects pet owners that need sitting and walking services with people that can provide them. 

To sign up, you will need the following:

  • A smartphone to run the app
  • A profile on the platform
  • Pass a background check. 
  • To be at least 18 years old

As a pet sitter, you may be asked to supply periodic reports for pet owners to know how their pets enjoy their walks or playtime. 

How much can you earn as a pet sitter with Rover?

The exact salary will vary depending on the demand and supply in your area. Generally, a Rover worker can earn between $400 and $1,000 per month, depending on how much they work.

Freelance Writer With Upwork


If you have good writing skills and are willing to put in the effort to develop your talents, you could work as a freelance writer on Upwork.

Becoming a freelance writer is one of the best second jobs since it has a high potential to earn money. However, it may be hard to get started, and you need a portfolio. Nonetheless, once you establish a reputation for quality and reliability within your chosen niche, you can build a solid client base and get regular work. 

For example, if you excel at writing in a formal style, you can earn a good living by writing technical content or white papers.

How much can you earn as a freelance writer on Upwork?

A new writer on Upwork can generally expect to earn around $15 per hour. As you gain experience, you can earn up to $100 per hour or more.

Mystery Shopper With Field Agent


Mystery shoppers visit businesses in person or online to evaluate them anonymously. They then provide feedback that businesses can then use to improve their products.

One of the best platforms to find mystery shopper jobs is Field Agent. The platform regularly publishes local tasks you can complete earning extra cash.

Some of the tasks that you can complete to earn extra cash include:

  • Mystery shopping
  • Doing market research
  • Performing audits at retail stores
  • Checking prices at local stores
  • Taking pictures of landmarks, food, menus, and more
  • and many more

How much can you earn as a mystery shopper on Field Agent?

Completing gigs on Field Agent as a mystery shopper can earn you up to $30 per hour.

Tasker on TaskRabbit


One of the best platforms to look for local gigs is TaskRabbit.

Taskers on the platform must:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Pass an ID and background check 
  • Live is a city supported by the platform

The work that you may find on TaskRabbit can vary greatly. You could run an errand, assemble furniture, or carry out contractor work.

How much can you earn as a tasker on TaskRabbit?

Due to the wide range of jobs on the platform, it is tricky to place a dollar value on the earning potential of a tasker. Nonetheless, an average tasker tends to earn around $110 each month. You will need a US-based checking account and a valid credit card to get paid.

Note that there is a one-off $25 registration fee to join TaskRabbit.

Graphic Designer on Fiverr


Fiverr Summary

  • Set your own prices for your services
  • Choose from over 500 service categories
  • 3 different options for cashing out
  • Protection from fradulent chargebacks

If you are interested in graphic design, you could start a graphic design business to work on side projects and earn extra cash.

Many businesses need graphics, from logos and book covers to merchandise, for marketing and branding purposes. Thus, there is always a demand for talented graphic designers who deliver on time and according to instructions. 

You can start by offering your services on Fiverr at different prices for different service levels. This can also help you build a solid portfolio to show to other potential clients. 

How much can you earn as a graphic designer on Fiverr?

Every project is different, but a good graphic designer can expect to earn around $35 per hour.

Renter on FriendWithA


Many people have stuff they do not always use, which can be rented out to earn some extra income. When you rent your things out, you can offset the purchasing cost of products you want and turn it into a lucrative side gig. 

For example, you could rent out:

  • Power tools
  • Sports equipment
  • Cameras and photography equipment
  • Home appliances
  • Drones
  • Garden tools
  • and many more

One of the best platforms to rent stuff out is FriendWithA. The platform charges a low fee of just 10% each time you manage to rent your things out.

How much can you earn as a renter on FriendWithA?

Depending on the type of gear you have available to rent out, you can earn up to $1000 per month. The high earnings potential makes it one of the best second jobs you can do.

eCommerce Store Owner With BigCommerce


One of the best side hustle ideas you can do is to become an eCommerce store owner. Simply start by selecting a product or a niche of products that you want to sell. You can do a quick Google search to find out what is popular in your area.

Once you have found a product or a niche of products to sell, you can purchase a bulk order at a discount. You can sell the products at a markup on your eCommerce store to make a profit.

One of the best platforms for starting an online e-commerce store is BigCommerce. The platform provides many useful features to help beginners get started. One such feature is the user-friendly drag-and-drop website editor. This editor makes it easy for anyone to create a stunning website from scratch without coding experience.

How much can you earn as an eCommerce store owner with BigCommerce?

As an eCommerce store owner, you can enjoy profit margins of between 20% and 30% on every product you sell. If you get your inventory at a significantly lower price, you can earn more than 30% in profits.

Online Seller on eBay


eBay Summary

  • High user traffic – over 187 million users
  • No listing fees for small scale sellers
  • Promote your listing from as little as 1%
  • Quick processing time for payouts

One of the best second jobs for people wanting to make quick money is to sell items online. It is easy to start selling your stuff on eCommerce platforms like eBay. You can also resell items you have managed to purchase cheaply at a garage sale.

Alternatively, you can also do retail arbitrage on eBay. This process involves purchasing items at discounts, such as thrift stores, and reselling them online at a higher price.

It is free to list items for sale on eBay, up to your first 250 items per month. After that, there is a $0.35 listing fee per item. eBay also charges a 12.55% + $0.30 fee on most sales, with sales in some categories having different fees. Your earnings as an online seller on eBay will vary depending on the type of items you sell.

Caregiver on Care.com


Working as a caregiver with a platform such as Care.com can be a very fulfilling second job and financially lucrative.

All you need to get started is to:

  • Pass an ID and background check
  • Have a recent photo 
  • Be over 18 years of age

Then, you can create a detailed profile on the website and apply for caregiver jobs.

There are many related jobs in addition to caregiving available on the platform, such as: 

  • Senior care
  • Housekeeping
  • Tutoring
  • Babysitting 
  • and many more

How much can you earn as a caregiver on Care.com?

You can earn around $10-$20 per hour based on your qualifications and work experience.

Photographer on Foap


Photography is always a popular side gig for people with an eye for a good shot and a camera. As an event photographer, you can earn money by taking photos at parties, weddings, and other events. As your reputation grows, you will find your services in higher demand.

At the same time, you can also supplement your income by selling stock photos online on Foap. Foap is a platform where users can buy and sell any photo they take. Each photo sells at $10, and the photographer gets to keep $5.

Plus, you can sell each photo as many times as you want. Thus, the platform offers a great passive income if you have several highly popular photos.

Transcriptionist on TranscribeMe


A transcriptionist listens to audio files and converts that content into a written document. As you might imagine, this role requires good typing and listening skills, which means that transcriptionists are always in demand. A transcriber is one of the best jobs for gig workers, but you will need some equipment to get started.

Many transcription companies require their transcriptionists to use a pedal and headset to control and monitor the incoming audio. You will also need a computer and a reliable internet connection. 

There are many platforms where you can get transcription gigs, with one of the best platforms to get paid to type being TranscribeMe. Working as a transcriptionist is flexible so you can do it during your free time or as a full-time job. 

How much can you earn as a transcriptionist on TranscribeMe?

As a beginner, you can expect to earn around $15 per hour, although this can rise to $30 or more per hour as you gain experience and improve your skills.

Website Tester With UserTesting


UserTesting Summary

  • Flexible work schedule
  • Work from home
  • Earn $10 to $60 per hour
  • Free to use

Testing websites may seem like a task for programmers, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Platforms such as UserTesting rely on regular people to check the functionality and user-friendliness of various websites. As a website tester, your job involves visiting websites and providing feedback on them.

The platform then uses this feedback to help businesses improve their website to become more user-friendly. Website testing for new websites also helps the developer to correct any problems before a website goes live.

How much can you earn as a website tester on UserTesting?

As a website tester, you can earn around $10 for a gig that takes around 20 minutes.

Investor With Robinhood


Most people probably do not think becoming an investor is a good second job. After all, you must spend money to make money, and the entire process can be confusing. Luckily, many investing apps can help you to make smarter investing decisions. One of the best apps for new investors to start with is Robinhood.

The platform has many helpful features, including:

  • $0 commission on trades
  • Purchase fractional shares from just $1
  • Earn 0.3% APY on your uninvested cash

You can start small with just $100 and build things up over time as you grow in confidence. Investing can be a part-time gig you can use over your entire life to build your nest egg for retirement, or it could even develop into a full-time career.

How much can you earn as an investor with Robinhood?

Your potential earnings will vary based on your initial investment, although there is the potential to earn up to 20% APY or more based on your skill level.

ESL Tutor With VIPKid


If you enjoy teaching, you can become an English as a Second Language (ESL) tutor for kids worldwide. One of the best platforms to look for ESL tutor jobs is VIPKid. The platform offers English tutoring services to kids in Asia who want to learn English from native speakers. 

Most tutoring platforms need tutors to:

  • Have experience teaching English
  • Possess formal qualifications or certifications.
  • Pass a teaching test

How much can you earn as an ESL tutor on VIPKid?

Becoming an ESL tutor is a flexible side hustle, and you can earn around $20 per hour. Plus, with time zone differences, you can even teach in the morning before your main job, making the job of an ESL tutor an early morning job.

Youtuber


If you enjoy creating entertaining content, you can make good money as a YouTuber. Although it can take some time to build a viewer base, it has the potential to be one of the most rewarding second jobs.

Your YouTube channel must have 1000+ subscribers and 4,000+ viewing hours before you earn money from ads.

How much can you earn as a Youtuber?

As a YouTuber, you could earn as much as $2,000 monthly. To achieve this amount, you would need approximately 700,000 views per month spread across all your videos. Thus, it may take some time before you start earning a good income, and top YouTubers can even make millions each month.

If you consistently create popular content, your earnings are unlimited. Thus, it is important to choose a niche for your videos that you will enjoy for years.

Personal Trainer


If you have a passion for fitness, one of the best second jobs you can do is the job of a personal trainer. This job is lucrative, and you could earn up to $50 per hour by helping people reach their fitness goals. 

Getting a personal trainer certification can increase your earning potential significantly. Nonetheless, you do not necessarily need certification to get started; you can find clients using your social media profiles.

You can also ask for testimonials from free work and build your portfolio while you take an online course. This will allow you to gain experience and find clients.

Virtual Bookkeeper


If you want to work as a virtual bookkeeper, you need an eye for detail and a head for numbers. This is one of the best part-time second jobs for people who can keep track of revenues and expenses. Many older adults fall into this role naturally after years of dealing with home finances and bills. 

Working as a virtual bookkeeper is a great option if you want to work remotely and enjoy the freedom of flexible working hours. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average age of bookkeepers is just under 51, the highest of any profession. Nonetheless, bookkeeping skills can be developed at any age.

How much can you earn as a virtual bookkeeper?

A good virtual bookkeeper can expect to earn up to $17 per hour or more, and their services will always be in demand.

Real Estate Agent


Real estate agents broker the sale of houses and other properties. It is common to hear of many successful real estate agents starting part-time while working at their regular job. It is also interesting to note that many real estate agents return to a part-time role as they near retirement. 

Thus, the flexibility of a real estate agent job makes it one of the best second jobs you can get. Real estate agent earns a commission when they make a sale or if they refer someone who closes a sale later. 

How much can you earn as a real estate agent?

On average, real estate agents earn 2.5% to 3% of the sale price of a house in commission. Thus, by selling a $1 million house, a real estate agent can earn up to $30,000. The amount you can earn from referral commissions can vary.

Bartender


Bartending can be among the best second jobs in the food and beverage industry. Bars tend to require extra manpower on weekends or evenings, and if you are free during those hours, you can earn money by bartending.

Plus, bartending gigs are typically shift-based. Therefore, you can pick up shifts only when you have the time.

How much can you earn as a bartender?

A steady gig at a local restaurant typically pays $15 per hour plus tips. This makes it one of the best jobs with tips. However, if you are working at a high-profile club, you can potentially make even more. You may also enjoy other benefits, such as free entry to the club on your off days.

Store Stocker


A store stocker oversees inventory stocking and management in a department store or retail outlet.

The job scope of a store stocker includes:

  • Stocking the shelves
  • Assembling displays
  • Removing marketing displays 
  • Taking inventory

Usually, shifts are available to cover various working times, making this a fairly flexible option. You can thus pick up shifts when you can earn some extra cash.

How much can you earn as a store stocker?

A stocker generally earns around $11 per hour, although the pay can increase to $20 or more for unpopular shifts such as the graveyard shift.

Is Getting a Second Job a Good Idea?


Do you need a second job? A second job, sometimes also referred to as a “side gig” or “side hustle,” can be a good idea for several reasons. The best second jobs allow people to pursue their passion or hobby without compromising their main source of income. 

A second job will also allow you to earn more money to save for something or meet a financial obligation. Thus, if you want to earn some extra spending cash, getting a second job may be a good idea.

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Kate Starr

Dollarbreak

About the author:

Kate Starr is a personal finance, FinTech and MarTech writer. Her areas of expertise include making money, investing, and money management.

From earning money as a beginner entrepreneur to advanced investing in the stock market, Kate’s guides can help you to get more ideas on how to earn income online and increase your wealth.

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