Teachers are an irreplaceable asset in the lives of children. You work hard day and night to mold the future of impressionable young children and push through even the hardest of times, but sometimes the income isn’t enough. So, if you’re looking for ways to earn more money, whether to save for a better retirement, pay off student loans, fund an emergency account, or just to have fun, there are many great side jobs for teachers.
You’ll find jobs that use your teaching skills or those that give your mind a break from teaching and may even offer a little fun.
Side jobs for teachers that are similar to work
Here are some great second jobs for teachers that will utilize current experience and talents to generate extra income.
1. Sell lesson plans
Lesson plans are hard work and are something some teachers don’t have the time or energy for. So if you’re a lesson plan master, sell them on sites like Teachers Pay Teachers.
You’ll make extra money every time someone buys your lesson plan, and you’ll help other stressed out and tired teachers plan a perfect school year.
2. Develop curriculum
Are you a master at creating an outstanding curriculum? Do your colleagues come to you asking for your help? You can earn extra income on the side by developing and selling the curriculum.
You can sell your curriculum strategies either by writing an e-book or on Teachers Pay Teachers.
3. Tutor students
Teachers have many opportunities to tutor. So if you want to work from home and teach English online, apply with VIPKid. You’ll teach children in China how to speak English in a one-on-one format.
The sessions are quick and created for you. There’s much less stress than making lesson plans and teaching. You just do the teaching and get paid. This can essentially be one of the most perfect second jobs for teachers!
Keep in mind, VIPKid teachers work late nights to accommodate the after-school hours in China.
So if working late at night or teaching English isn’t your passion, you can tutor online or in-person in just about any subject. Advertise your services in your area or sign up with a site like Skooli to get matched with students online.
4. Write a book
You can write a book about teaching during a pandemic, creating lesson plans, or self-care for teachers. If you use Kindle Direct Publishing, your book sells on Amazon, one of the largest platforms available today.
Another similar side gig to book writing is blogging. Rather than writing a book, you can become a blogger writing blog posts on a flexible schedule. Then monetize your blog to make some extra cash.
You can blog about teaching or any other interests you have, and it should be fairly easy to keep up with during the school year or in the summer, as you can make your own schedule.
5. Teach summer school
If you’re looking to make extra money on your months off rather than working a second job, teach summer school. The hours are much shorter, and the session itself usually only lasts a couple of weeks.
You’ll still have some free time to yourself during the summer months, but it can supplement your income.
6. Become a camp counselor
If you love kids but want a small break from teaching lessons, have fun with kids as a camp counselor. You get to go on field trips, explore, and keep kids safe while their parents are at work without the pressure of meeting specific curriculum guidelines.
It’s like the best of both worlds and one of the most popular short-term side jobs for teachers.
7. Mentor youth sports and after-school programs
Share your passion for specific sports or clubs by coaching or mentoring after-school activities. So if you were a cheerleader in high school, coach youth cheer. If you love basketball or baseball, become a youth sports coach.
There are plenty of other opportunities too, like chess teacher, art club teacher, and any other interest you can think of. So if your school doesn’t have it, ask – you never know when your school may be looking to add to their extracurricular activities.
8. Grade papers
If you don’t despise grading papers at home, get paid for it. Sites like Measurement Inc. pay teachers to score papers.
Think about the subjects you’re passionate about and can grade papers for without feeling overwhelmed, and make extra money doing what you love as a result.
Other side hustles for teachers
Maybe you want to find something outside of what you do every day. So we rounded up a great list of second jobs for teachers that are a bit outside the realm of teaching.
9. Flip items for money
Are you a bargain hunter? Do people come to you to find out where they can find the best deals? Use your skills to your advantage and flip items for money.
You buy items at a low cost and sell them online for a profit.
So if shopping is stress relieving, you’ll beat your stress and make money at the same time. Flipping items is a lucrative side hustle for teachers that is easy to start!
10. Sell things online
You never know what items you have lying around your house that someone else may want. If you aren’t into yard sales, list your items on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist and make a little money on the side.
You get to declutter your home while making money, so it’s a win-win!
11. Take surveys
Online surveys are one of the most popular side jobs for teachers because it’s in your free time. Answering surveys is a great way to make ‘fun money.’ It won’t pay your bills, but with enough consistency, your earnings can add up.
When you answer surveys, you help market research companies understand consumer trends. Sign up on sites like Swagbucks or Survey Junkie. Complete your profile and check your email often for survey opportunities.
13. Participate in focus groups
Join paid focus groups if you love sharing your opinion but would rather talk than answer written questions. These groups take more time than surveys but also pay much more.
You can get paid $100+ for a paid focus group depending on the length and whether you have to travel to it or participate online. So being part of a focus group could be a great way to meet some of your financial goals.
14. Rent out your house
If your home is empty a couple of times a year or if you have an extra room in your home you don’t mind renting out, list it on Airbnb. Renting your house out while you’re on vacation is like having someone else pay for your vacation.
You control when you list your house, for how much, and the terms of the agreement. Airbnb does all the financial work and even provides liability insurance should someone get hurt on your property.
It’s one of the best side-hustle ideas because it’s passive income. You can relax, take time off from your day job during the summer, and still make some money!
15. Rent out your car
It sounds strange, but people rent anything today, including personal cars. Apps like Turo make it easy.
You list your car on the days/hours it’s available, describe it, and set a price. Turo does the rest. It works great if you have a car you don’t use, too.
16. Become a delivery driver
Today you can deliver just about anything and get paid for it. There are side jobs for teachers working as couriers, food delivery drivers, or even delivering groceries.
But if you’d rather drive around people than things, drive for Uber or Lyft. With any of these side jobs, you set the hours and areas you’ll work. You can even decide which jobs you’ll pick up.
17. Try out handy work
If you’re good with your hands, offer your services to people in your area. It doesn’t have to be a skilled job like carpentry or plumbing either.
You can provide simple services like mowing lawns, pruning bushes, or shoveling snow. Advertise on Craigslist or your local area’s Facebook page and let people know you’re available.
18. Pet sit
If you love four-legged animals, help others in your area who can’t be home to take care of their pets on platforms like Rover. Since you’re a teacher, you may offer nighttime or weekend hours or spend your summer pet sitting.
You can offer to watch pets in your home, in the clients’ homes, or even offer dog walking services.
19. Housesit
Housesitter.com matches housesitters with homeowners needing the service. You’ll go through a background check to make sure you’re capable of watching the homeowner’s home, and then you set the dates you’re available and even the rates.
Housesitting is like making money while on a mini-vacation because you get to stay somewhere different while getting paid for it!
20. Become a certified fitness trainer
If you love working out, why not get certified and train others to do the same? It’s like killing two birds with one stone. You get to fulfill your passion for working out, and you’ll make money teaching others how to do it too.
There are many areas to get certified, including yoga, strength training, nutrition, and weight loss. It’s one of the best second jobs for teachers that has flexible hours and pays well!
21. Become a website tester
Just like companies need feedback on their products, they also need to know how their websites work for users.
Many companies use User Testing to hire people like you looking for side hustles to test their websites and report what you experience.
22. Start a cleaning service
Sometimes side hustles for teachers need to be something completely unrelated to teaching, and cleaning fits the bill for many.
So if cleaning feels relaxing to you, make a little side money offering cleaning services in your area. Check out our list of other domestic skills as well!
23. Offer nanny services
Becoming a nanny is one of the best side hustles for teachers because you already have experience with children.
You get to spend time with kids in a more relaxed atmosphere and shape the young children’s lives. It’s one of the best summer side jobs for teachers because you have more time to give to families.
24. Start a side job as a virtual assistant
Teachers are naturally good organizers. If you love answering emails, organizing calendars, creating social media posts, or just helping small businesses stay organized, offer your services as a virtual assistant. You can do the gig remotely, working it in your free time while earning extra money.
25. Try freelance writing as a side hustle
Freelance writing is a great side hustle for teachers because you already have good grammar and know how to write well. Why not help business owners who need the content but don’t have the time or skill?
Advertise your services on sites like Fiverr or Upwork. You set your rates and your niche, getting paid for the content you write.
26. Offer transcription services
If you have good attention to detail, consider transcription services. You transcribe what you hear into written content.
You need good grammar skills and time to listen to audio, which can sometimes be a few hours, but you’ll earn a decent side income helping companies get their spoken word into written content.
It’s an excellent side hustle for teachers because some companies let you choose your own hours.
27. Sell your photography
Do you have a knack for taking amazing photographs? Sell them on sites like Shutterstock and earn a small commission every time someone buys a copy of it.
You don’t have to print the pictures – you sell digital access so the buyer can do what they want with the photo, and you can sell as many copies as you want.
28. Get a side job as a bartender
Bartending is a great side hustle for teachers because it gives you an outlet to talk to adults, not just kids, all day.
Summer is the perfect time for this side job since you’re not teaching, and it’s easier to be out (and up) later at night when the money really comes in from tippers.
29. Become a barista
If you love the smell of coffee and making fun coffee drinks excites you, get a second job as a barista. Local coffee shops need people like you as an early riser since the early bird shift is usually hard to fill.
Since some companies such as Starbucks are used to college students working there, they offer flexible hours, which is why it makes our list of excellent second jobs for teachers.
30. Sell houses as a real estate agent
You don’t have to work full-time to be a real estate agent, which is why it’s one of the greatest side hustles for teachers. Since real estate agents work on 100% commission, you get out of it what you put into it.
Many teachers are real estate agents on the side, working nights or weekends and/or working more hours in the summer when the real estate industry is hot.
Working as a real estate agent can be a great way to pay your student loans down and can be a great alternative to an income-based repayment plan.
Earn more money with these great side jobs for teachers!
Second jobs for teachers don’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. There are side hustles for teachers that you can work on your own time for fun, bring in a little extra money, or just find some stress relief and joy in the tasks while earning some side cash.
Since money can be everything, a side job may be the answer if your teaching job isn’t cutting it. Make sure working a second job makes sense for you.
If you think a side hustle is the right choice for you, enroll in our free “Build your business” bundle.
Also, subscribe to the Clever Girls Know podcast and YouTube channel for great tips on ditching debt and increasing your income!
