Perhaps you are saving up for Reading Festival tickets or planning a future friend group holiday. Either way, it is always nice to have some extra cash during the summer months. If you are looking for some simple ways to earn money this summer, read on!
- Gardening and watering
One job that’s perfect if you have lots of neighbours is gardening, specifically watering. You can get paid for a whole hour of work when all you’re doing is standing with a hose in the same spot for twenty minutes. If you are close with your neighbours, they may give you access to their garden while they are away. This means you can set up a sprinkler, relax for half an hour, then return to turn it off. You aren’t likely to make insane amounts of money, but for the minimal effort this takes, it is a great side hustle.
2. Babysitting
Babysitting is a great way to earn money. Jobs are often several hours long, allowing you to earn a decent amount in just one night. The best way to go about babysitting is to talk to your neighbours. If you have a road or building group chat, ask your parents to send a message to advertise your services. Babysitting is great because if you do well at your first job, parents may recommend you and you will get even more business. If it’s your first time, don’t overestimate your skills and be clear with the parents how much experience you have. Keep in mind parents want their kids to be safe, so if you are below Year 11, you may not be able to babysit your neighbours’ children.
3. Dog walking
If your neighbours have dogs, reaching out to them and offering to walk their dog is a great way to make money and have fun. If you have a dog of your own, you have perfect experience and will likely be hired on the spot. In the summer months this is a great side hustle as owners are often busy. Remember to prioritise keeping dogs safe and hydrated.
4. Car washing
While most people tend to visit professional car washes, if you have generous neighbours who admire your entrepreneurship then you may have a chance working as a car washer. As with babysitting, don’t oversell yourself. Car washing requires some technique and you can’t be haphazard with it. Try practicing on your own car first.
5. Helping the elderly
If you have elderly or less-mobile neighbours, you can offer to pick up their weekly shop or do simple errands like taking out their bins and collecting dry cleaning. Especially in the heat, this job is probably appreciated a lot by elderly people who don’t want to spend excessive time outdoors during summer. If you do this, do not exploit your elderly neighbours and overcharge them for your services.
6. Online options
If you want to stay inside, don’t have neighbours, or aren’t in the mood to talk to people, fear not. There are plenty online side hustle options. Firstly, listing all your old clothes on Vinted is very convenient and easy. If you want to go the extra mile, you could visit a car boot sale early in the morning and buy cheap items to re-sell at a higher price on Vinted. This is often a bit risky, as it isn’t guaranteed to be sold. If you are creative, you could try and sell some of your own things on Vinted, such as handmade scrunchies. You can even sell items like badges, friendship bracelets, and art prints, provided you have the equipment to produce all of this.
Getting experience earning money is an amazing way to spend your summer. Some top tips for having a side hustle are: make the most of your family’s connections to gain reliable clients, be honest and open with any adults you work for and always put 100% effort into a job to increase your chances of being re-hired or recommended. Once the summer is over, you will have saved a lot of cash and also found out what it’s like to use your skills to your advantage. Happy summer everyone!
