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Starting a business is no small feat. But if you find yourself needing some extra cash or looking to develop new skills, a weekend side hustle might be the perfect solution. Here's a look at some of the best side hustles and business ideas tailored for small business owners and how they can benefit you.
Why even consider a weekend side hustle?
Before we get into specific ideas, let's talk about why you might want to consider starting a weekend side hustle.
Earn extra money: Who doesn't like a little extra cash? Whether it's to boost your savings or treat yourself, a side hustle can provide a financial cushion.
Pay off debt: Use your weekend earnings to chip away at loans or credit card debt, giving you more financial freedom and security in the long term.
Improve your time management skills: Balancing a side hustle with your main business or career can teach you effective time management skills. Just make sure not to let it overwhelm you or distract you from your main source of income.
Develop new skills: Many side hustles offer the chance to learn something new, making you more versatile and valuable as an employee and business owner.
Build more confidence: Successfully managing multiple income streams can boost your confidence in your ability to handle complex tasks. Being an entrepreneur can also help you develop new skills that will not only build your confidence but other important skills as well.
Improve your work ethic: The discipline needed for a side hustle can spill over into your main business, improving overall productivity.
Still not sure which business idea is best for you? Weigh your options with the Wix Business Launcher, which uses AI to match you with the right business idea based on your skills and goals. The Wix Business Launcher equips you with market research, earnings strategies and a launch kit for every idea, so you can get started with confidence.
10 weekend side hustles to consider
01. Answering surveys
Let's break down what answering surveys as a side hustle involves. For example, you can register with websites and apps to complete surveys in return for cash, rewards points and gift cards. Sites such as Swagbucks, Survey Junkie and InboxDollars are all well-known paid survey platforms.
Once you're signed up to a survey platform, you'll receive invitations to participate in surveys. These surveys cover a wide range of topics, from consumer products to political opinions.
After you've completed a survey, you'll typically earn points, cash, or gift cards depending on the site you're using. Most survey sites allow you to redeem your earnings once you reach a certain threshold. You can often choose from various payment options, such as PayPal, gift cards or even charitable donations.
Pros:
Easy to start
No special skills required
Cons:
Can be time-consuming
Can take time to build up earnings
Some survey sites pay very little
Avoid scams, never pay upfront to join a survey program
02. Coaching
Coaching is a process where you guide and support someone to achieve their goals, overcome challenges and reach their full potential. You do this by asking insightful questions, offering encouragement, providing feedback and creating a safe space for growth.
When it comes to starting coaching as a viable weekend side hustle you'll first need to decide on your coaching niche. Ask yourself, what are you passionate about? What skills and experiences do you have that could help others? Some examples to consider are:
Life coaching: Help people with personal growth, goal setting, relationship building and overall well-being. This is one of the most popular and well-known types of coaching.
Business coaching: Guide entrepreneurs and business owners on strategies, marketing, sales and team management. This can be a very profitable form of coaching, especially if you secure long-term contracts with large companies.
Career coaching: Assist individuals in defining their career goals, exploring job opportunities and navigating career transitions. You can work with a wide range of clients, from young adults just starting out in the job market, to mid-life professionals looking to switch careers.
Health and wellness coaching: Support people with their fitness, nutrition, stress management or sleep goals.
Financial coaching: Give guidance on budgeting, investing, debt management and financial planning to individuals or business owners.
Learn more: How to start a consulting business
If you're looking to get into coaching as a weekend or part-time side hustle you can learn coaching techniques through online courses, workshops or certifications. Resources include:
International Coach Federation (ICF)
The Coaches Training Institute (CTI)
The Co-Active Training Institute (CTI)
It's worth creating a consulting website or online portfolio in order to showcase your experience and gain new clients. Include testimonials and feedback from clients you've coached in the past (whether it's personal or professional). Add case studies demonstrating how you've helped clients achieve their goals. You can also consider offering a free initial consultation for potential clients to experience your coaching style before they commit to paid sessions.
Pros:
Apply your expertise to a side hustle
High earning potential
Cons:
Requires strong communication skills
May need certification which can be an investment both in terms of time and money
03. Dog walking and sitting
If you're looking to turn a love for dogs into a successful weekend side hustle you'll need to understand basic dog commands (sit, stay, come), leash handling and dog body language. You don't necessarily need to be a professional dog trainer but you should combine a love for dogs with experience of working with them as you'll be entrusted with the well-being of someone's furry friend, so reliability, responsibility and a strong sense of pet safety are crucial. It's a good idea to get pet sitter insurance and bonding to protect yourself and the pets you care for.
Learn more: How to start a dog walking business
In order to get started with dog walking and sitting as a weekend side hustle, you'll need to come up with a catchy name for your services. Consider creating a pet website in order to showcase your services and attract new clients. You can also talk to friends, neighbors, and fellow dog lovers to advertise your services. Or post flyers at local dog parks, pet stores and community centers.
Decide on your hourly rates and the types of services you'll offer (walking, sitting, playtime). Remember to be clear about your weekend availability.
To make sure your weekend side hustle gets off on the right foot it's worth always scheduling a meet-and-greet with the dog and owner to assess compatibility and discuss care instructions. Always follow the owner's instructions carefully. This includes making sure the dog in your care has enough exercise, playtime, food, water and attention.
Communicate regularly with the owner via text or phone, especially if there are any unusual situations.
Pros:
Flexible hours
Good exercise for you as well as the dog
Cons:
Requires a love for animals and experience is a must
May have seasonal demand, or demand may be higher on weekdays when pet owners are at work
04. Freelance writer
Freelance writing is an excellent weekend side hustle. It's flexible and creative, and you can earn a decent income as a freelance writer. Here's a few tips to make it work for you:
Find your writing niche: Perhaps you're a pro at marketing, a tech guru, a foodie or a travel enthusiast. Focusing on a niche helps you attract clients who need your expertise.
Identify your writing skills: Do you excel at blog posts, website copy, social media captions, articles or something else? Hone your strengths to make a stand-out writing portfolio.
To earn money as a freelance writer, you'll need to create a writing portfolio. Include samples of your writing, whether from previous projects, blog posts and online or offline publications. You can also include your rates (or at least a range), testimonials from satisfied customers and your contact information.
Pros:
Flexibility to work from anywhere, including abroad
Opportunities to write about various topics
Cons:
Requires good writing skills
Competitive market with a lot of freelance writers offering their services
The advent of AI writing tools has cut the demand for writing
5. Rideshare driver
Ride-sharing is a popular and flexible side hustle that can fit perfectly into your weekend schedule. However, before launching your part-time career as a ride-share driver you'll want to consider the following:
You'll need a valid driver's license, a clean driving record and a car that meets the requirements of the ride-sharing platform you choose (usually a newer model in good condition).
Ride-sharing platforms conduct background checks (including criminal history and driving record checks) to ensure passenger safety. You'll need to pass all of these checks.
Make sure you have the required insurance coverage for ride-sharing, as your personal auto insurance may not cover you while driving for a ride-sharing service.
There are a number of well-known ride-sharing platforms to choose from, including Uber and Lyft. Once you've chosen your platform you'll need to go to their website or app and fill out the necessary information. Upload the required documents (driver's license, insurance, vehicle registration and anything else asked for). Allow time for the background check and wait for the approval.
The beauty of ride-sharing is that you can choose when you want to drive. Work as many or as few hours as you like, depending on your schedule and earnings goals. Consider driving during peak hours (Friday and Saturday nights, early mornings, rush hour) when demand is typically higher. Many of these peak times coincide with the weekend as well.
Pros:
Set your own hours and weekend hours tend to be the busiest
Meet new people, plenty of social interaction
Cons:
Wear and tear on your vehicle
May require background checks, special insurance and other requirements
06. Food delivery
Food delivery is a great weekend side hustle. It's flexible, relatively easy to get started and you can earn extra cash while being out and about on the road. Here's how to make it work for you.
You can choose a platform with a wide network of restaurants and a high demand for drivers. Examples include Uber Eats, Grubhub and Postmates. If your area is missing a dedicated platform, you might want to consider creating a website and establishing yourself as a food delivery platform.
Generally, for this part-time business idea, you'll need a car, scooter or bike—or you can even walk (depending on the platform and your area) to make deliveries. Make sure you have a valid driver's license and the required insurance coverage depending on your mode of transportation.
Food delivery platforms typically conduct background checks.
Pros:
Flexible schedule with busy hours usually falling on a weekend
Immediate payment
Cons:
Requires reliable transportation
Can be physically demanding
07. Blogging
Blogging can be a fantastic weekend side hustle. And it has the potential to grow into a full-time income stream, even if you start small. Here's how to make blogging work for you on the weekends.
Start off by defining your blogging niche. What are you passionate about? What do you know a lot about? Choosing that combines both your interests and knowledge will make blogging more enjoyable and engaging. It's also worth conducting some research to see if there's an audience for your chosen niche. Is there a demand for information or content within this topic?
Next, choose a blogging platform, like Wix which includes web hosting, advanced security features and a domain name.
You'll want to focus on the value and quality of your content while also marketing it to get it in front of readers. You can do this via SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or social media marketing.
Aim for a consistent posting schedule, even if it's just once or twice a week and at the weekends. This helps keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.
If you want to turn your blogging into a full-time business from a weekend side hustle you can consider monetizing it via affiliate marketing or display ads.
Pros:
Creative outlet while still making money
Potential for passive income if monetized
Cons:
Takes time to build an audience
Requires regular content updates, a consistent posting schedule and tracking
08. Photography
Photography is a fantastic weekend side hustle that lets you combine your passion for capturing moments with the chance to earn extra income. Here's how to make it work.
First ask, what kind of photography excites me? Is it portraits, landscapes, events, food, wildlife, real estate or something else? Alongside this develop a specific style that sets you apart from other photographers. This could be a certain lighting technique, a particular subject matter or a unique creative vision.
In order to promote your weekend side hustle you'll need to create a photography website or portfolio. Gather your strongest photos and create a professional portfolio website or online profile to showcase your skills. If you're starting out, consider organizing a few professional photoshoots with friends, family or local businesses to expand your portfolio. Reach out to other photographers, join online communities, and attend photography events to get feedback and build connections.
It's also worth promoting your work on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Flickr. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses that get to the heart of your photography and processes.
Pros:
Creative and fun
High earning potential
Cons:
Requires investment in good equipment
Competitive field
09. Virtual assistant
Virtual assistant (VA) work can be an excellent weekend side hustle, offering flexibility, variety, and the potential for a decent income. Here's how to make it work for you:
There are many different types of virtual assistant businesses ranging from administrative tasks to social media management, customer service and bookkeeping. Focus on a specific industry or area of expertise (e.g., marketing, healthcare, real estate, tech) where your skills are most valuable.
Create a virtual assistant website for your side hustle to highlight your skills and experience. Include samples of your work, including details about projects as well as client feedback.
Learn more: How to start a virtual assistant business
Then create a list of specific services you offer (e.g., email management, social media marketing, calendar scheduling, data entry, customer support, research). You can think about putting together packages with various services to suit different clients' needs and budgets.
Research industry rates and determine your hourly rate or project-based fees. Clearly outline your services, rates, availability, and communication expectations.
Pros:
Work from home (work from anywhere)
Variety of tasks and lots of different niches to specialize in
Cons:
Requires high organizational skills
May need to juggle multiple clients and demands
10. Graphic design
Graphic design is a fantastic creative side hustle that lets you turn your artistic skills into a source of income.
Start by deciding on your design niche. Is it logo design, branding, website design, social media graphics, illustrations, print materials or something else? Strive to create a unique design style that sets you apart. This could be a specific color palette, typography preference or a particular art aesthetic.
The next step is to build a portfolio to showcase your best graphic design work and range of projects. If you're starting out, create mock designs for imaginary clients to show your potential. Seek feedback from other designers, friends, or industry professionals to improve your work.
Pros:
High demand for talented graphic designers
Creative work
Cons:
Requires design skills and software expertise
Can be project-based, meaning unreliable income
How to make sure your weekend side hustle is a success
Time management
Effective time management is crucial. Use tools like calendars and task managers to keep track of your side hustle commitments without neglecting your main business or career. If you're also juggling family commitments on the weekend, you'll be even more reliant on stellar time management skills.
Skill development
Choose a side hustle that aligns with your interests or fills a skill gap. This way, you're not just earning extra money; you're also investing in your personal development. This benefit can then carry over into all areas of your life and your weekend side hustle becomes more significant in the long term than just making money.
Networking
Your side hustle can open doors to new connections and opportunities. Don't hesitate to network and collaborate, as this can benefit both your main career prospects and your side hustle.
Financial planning
Keep track of your additional income and expenses. Use financial planning tools to ensure that your side hustle is profitable and contributes positively to your financial goals. Remember to stay on top of any tax requirements in your area, and if you're not sure, check with a tax consultant or lawyer.
Weekend side hustles FAQ
What are some high-paying weekend-only side hustles that don't require long-term commitments?
1. Wedding photography
2. Event DJ services
3. Pet sitting
4. Personal chef for dinner parties
5. Pop-up food stall at events
6. Mobile car detailing
7. Airbnb experience host
9. Weekend fitness boot camps
10. Furniture flipping (buy, refurbish, sell)