Summer can be a long time to go without a paycheck. In my district, we are ONLY paid September-June, and although we get more per paycheck than we would otherwise, it can be challenging to budget appropriately for this time of year. Here are some easy ideas to make money during your teacher summer!
1. Drive with Uber/Lyft
The great thing about a job like this is that you can choose to work whenever you want, wherever you want, and for however long you want! My brother spent time as an UberEats delivery driver during the pandemic and LOVED having the freedom it allowed him.
Link to Uber Sign-Up: Uber Sign-Up
Link to Lyft Sign-Up: Lyft Sign Up
2. Check out babysitting, caretaking, and tutoring gigs on Care.com.
I had a FABULOUS nannying job for years that I found on Care.com. It was a family who only needed childcare during the summer breaks which lined up perfectly with my summer break. If you aren’t trying to work full-time, however, there is also an option to look for “one time only” jobs.
Here is the link to check it out!: https://www.care.com
3. Walk dogs through Rover.com
Confession: I’ve never walked dogs over the summer BUT I have had to hire dog walkers to walk my dog Louie on this website, “Rover.com.” To use it I select a person who walks in our area, send a “request” for the days I need him walked, and then send information about the dog.
I’ve used this multiple times and my favorite part is that I get picture updates of my dog on a walk. It’s so fun! And my animal-loving friends who walk dogs through Rover swear that it is their favorite side gig.
Here is the link!: https://www.rover.com
4. Advertise for tutoring in your area of expertise on Facebook.
This is probably the most well-know teacher summer gig, but it is a great way to continue using your skills in the summer and you can’t beat the money! Create a flyer (I use Canva.com!) to advertise your tutoring availability and then post on your local “town page.” You would be surprised how many parents are looking for a way to keep their kids learning during the summer, plus this is a good job to just “pick up and put down” when the time comes to re-start school again.
5. Sell old clothes on ThredUp.
I’ve sold many older pieces of clothing on ThredUp and I think it is a great program. After signing up online, you can request a “clean out kit,” which is a bag that they send you in the mail. After they send you the bag, you fill it with as many old clothes as you can fit. (Keep in mind, they ONLY take gently worn items, so throw the ones with holes/big stains AWAY!) Then, you send it back in and they sell it for you!
Pssst…. if you’re interested in buying clothes from ThredUp, here is a referral link that will get you 45% off and free shipping on your first order, plus I get a little bit of store credit ;).
Here is the referral link!: https://www.thredup.com/r/URCPQU
6. Create and sell resources on TPT!
TPT (formerly teacherspayteachers) is a website in which teachers can buy/sell resources to/from other teachers! It is easy (and currently free) to sign up and any products that you make now will continue to be listed indefinitely.
Selling on TPT can be challenging at first because there are strict copyright rules that you need to learn and follow, BUT it can be extremely rewarding. Believe it or not, this has actually been my most lucrative summer gig to date!
Here is a link to the website!: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com
7. List unwanted/unneeded items on Facebook Marketplace.
Facebook marketplace is a treasure trove of gently used items that are looking for a new home. I’ve bought AND sold on Facebook marketplace and it is a great way to clear clutter AND get a little bit of pocket cash! All you need to sell is a Facebook account and you are ready to go!
Make sure if you do sell items on FB marketplace that you are making an effort to stay SAFE! Always try to meet in a public location and bring someone along with you if possible.
8. Complete a plasma donation.
Okay hear me out on this one… If you are strapped for cash, this is a fairly quick and easy way to make money. There are some physical requirements for this, but once you are accepted all you really have to do is sit and let them do all the work. PLUS you are helping the people who really need it.
I’ve never donated plasma myself, BUT I did some researching and it seems like you get paid with a pre-paid visa gift card that can be used pretty much anywhere. Plus, there are less limits on a plasma donation than a regular blood donation so you can donate more frequently.
To donate, simply look up “plasma donations in my area” to get started. I found several within 20 minutes of my house.
9. Take advantage of those reward programs that you have been ignoring.
These days, nearly every business has some sort of “rewards” program that their customers can take advantage of. Some of these are small, like a free iced coffee from Dunkin’ or a free short hoagie from Wawa, but some of them can actually be pretty sizable. For example, last year I discovered that my health insurance had a rewards program, and for simply visiting the dentist I earned a $25 target gift card. Who would have thought!
If you are trying to take advantage of these rewards, I suggest you start with considering your most visited/used businesses and seeing if there are any rewards programs you are missing out on!
Thanks for reading!
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