Need some extra money, but already have a full-time job? Don’t forget about the weekends. They have plenty of extra hours if you are willing to work a bit more to make money on weekends. That is the great thing about weekend gigs. They can supplement your regular income in a great way, but be aware that if you give yourself no time off while working 7 days a week, you are bound to get stressed out.
However, if you balance things right and you are ok with the extra work, here are a few great ideas that can help you make money on weekends.
How to make money on weekends
1. Lawn care service:
Starting a lawn care business on the weekends can be a great way to make extra money. You will need to invest in some basic equipment such as a lawn mower, edger, and trimmer. You can also offer additional services such as fertilizing, weed control, and leaf removal to make your business stand out. To find clients, you can advertise in local newspapers, on social media, or by going door to door in your neighborhood.
2. Event planning:
If you have a knack for organization and an eye for detail, you might enjoy starting an event planning business on the weekends. You can help people plan everything from birthday parties to corporate events. Some tasks you might take on as an event planner include finding venues, coordinating vendors, and managing budgets. To find clients, you can advertise your services online, network with local event venues, and join professional organizations in your field.
3. Home repair and renovation:
If you have experience in home repair and renovation, you could start a business on the weekends to help people fix up their homes. Some services you might offer include painting, carpentry, and minor electrical and plumbing repairs. To find clients, you can advertise your services online, in local newspapers, and by networking with real estate agents and property management companies.
4. Pet sitting:
If you love animals and have some experience caring for them, you might enjoy starting a pet sitting business on the weekends. You can offer to watch people’s pets while they are away, either in your own home or in the pet owner’s home. To find clients, you can advertise your services online, in local newspapers, and by networking with veterinarians and pet stores.
5. Online tutoring:
With more and more students turning to online learning, there is a growing demand for online tutors. You can offer your tutoring services on the weekends to help students succeed in their studies. To find clients, you can advertise your services online, in local newspapers, and by networking with schools and educational organizations.
6. Personal chef:
If you love cooking and have a passion for trying out new recipes, you might enjoy starting a personal chef business on the weekends. You can offer to cook meals for people in their homes, either for a single occasion or on a regular basis. To find clients, you can advertise your services online, in local newspapers, and by networking with catering companies and event venues.
7. Handyman/handywoman service:
If you have a knack for fixing things around the house, you could start a handyman or handywoman service on the weekends. You can offer services such as home repairs, appliance installation, and furniture assembly. To find clients, you can advertise your services online, in local newspapers, and by networking with real estate agents and property management companies.
8. Photographer:
If you have a passion for photography, you could start a business offering your services on the weekends. You could do everything from wedding photography to family portraits. To find clients, you can advertise your services online, in local newspapers, and by networking with event planners and wedding coordinators.
9. Landscaping:
If you enjoy working outdoors and have a green thumb, you might consider starting a landscaping business on the weekends. You could offer services such as lawn care, planting, and garden design. To find clients, you can advertise your services online, in local newspapers, and by networking with real estate agents and property management companies.
10. Mobile car repair:
If you have experience in automotive repair, you could start a business on the weekends offering mobile car repair services. You can offer to come to people’s homes or workplaces to diagnose and fix car problems, saving them the hassle of having to bring their cars to a repair shop.
11. Mobile car washing and detailing:
If you enjoy working with cars and have a knack for cleaning, you might consider starting a mobile car washing and detailing business. You can offer your services at people’s homes or workplaces on the weekends.
12. Mobile hair styling and makeup services:
If you have experience in hair styling and makeup, you could start a business offering your services on the weekends. You can offer to come to people’s homes or workplaces to do their hair and makeup for special occasions or just for a change.
13. Personal trainer or fitness instructor:
If you have a passion for fitness and love helping others, you might consider starting a business as a personal trainer or fitness instructor on the weekends. You can offer one-on-one training sessions or group fitness classes.
14. Mobile massage therapy:
If you are trained in massage therapy, you could start a business offering your services on the weekends. You can offer to come to people’s homes or workplaces to provide massages, either for relaxation or therapeutic purposes.
15. Graphic design:
If you have a talent for design and enjoy creating graphics, you might consider starting a business as a graphic designer on the weekends. You can offer your services to help people create marketing materials, websites, and other visual content.
16. Mobile pet grooming:
If you love animals and have experience grooming them, you could start a mobile pet grooming business on the weekends. You can offer to come to people’s homes to groom their pets, saving them the hassle of transporting their pets to a grooming salon.
17. Home cleaning service:
If you have a talent for cleaning and organization, you could start a home cleaning business on the weekends. You can offer to help people tidy up and deep clean their homes, either on a regular basis or as a one-time service.
18. Personal stylist:
If you have an eye for fashion and enjoy helping others put together stylish outfits, you might consider starting a business as a personal stylist on the weekends. You can offer your services to help people choose clothing and accessories for various occasions.
19. Dog Walker
If you love dogs, or even if you are tolerant of them, a gig as a weekend dog walker is one of the least expensive and easiest ideas for a solid weekend business. Everyone can hook up a dog to a leash, and walk them outside for a bit. Who does this serve, you may be curious to know.
As is apparent, dog owners span a wide variety of people with varying schedules, lifestyles, and personalities. Some people, for various reasons, cannot or do not want to walk their dogs, and would be happy to pay someone else to do so. For instance, someone who works very long hours, and just needs to rest on their weekends may not have the energy or willpower to spend time with their dog outside. That’s where you devote your free time to helping them out.
You are rightly curious as to how one drums up a client list for this type of business. It’s a basic guerilla marketing approach: print fliers, hand them out locally, or put them on job boards or cafes that are friendly to small business ads. You can also approach dog owners and have a conversation with them or knock on a few doors and see what’s out there.
Wait! what if something bad happened to the dog while I’m walking him? well, don’t worry Vetster will connects you to thousands of licensed veterinary professionals ready to provide online pet care through video, chat and voice-enabled appointments 24/7.
20. Pet Boarding
Many people do not have a choice but to leave their animals while they head off to work or on trips. If you are an animal lover, you can offer to board their pets and take care of them while the owner is unavailable. Some people take their pets on short trips with them, but others want to travel on their own, so they look for trusted pet boarders to take care of their animals in the interim. Many of these short getaways tend to happen on weekends, so those are a perfect time to offer pet boarding services.
Some pet boarders are open to taking care of any pet, while others are more selective about their animal guests. Some will only accept animals that can generally get along, such as cats and dogs. However, in order to start such a business, you will need ample space in your home and yard so that the animals have ample room to sleep and play. You will also need some essential grooming equipment that will vary based on the animals you temporarily accommodate.
You can also surprise the Pet owner with a subscription service delivered to his doorstep monthly containing all natural treats and chews and 2 original toys with BarkBox
21. Personal Stylist
Another great gig is to become a personal stylist, which is a great job for those who have a knack for that line of work. The great thing is that a personal stylist can choose the clientele they work with. So where is the pool of clients? Actually, they are all around you. They may be high-profile celebs, working-class women, or high society figures. Perhaps these people don’t need a hairdo daily, but they might occasionally require one.
Should you choose to become a personal stylist, you won’t need a lot of your own equipment since your clients likely already have the tools you will need to help them. You just need to show up at their place and help using their own tools. You might be thinking that there is no chance in this line of work of landing a high-profile client, but you would be mistaken. Simply advertising on Facebook while gearing the ads toward women in affluent areas can land you multiple jobs.
22. Podcasting
Many people want to have an online presence to convey their strong messaging prowess, but they are not comfortable appearing in front of a camera. Luckily, there is another option: podcasting. When people hear the idea, however, they begin to think about the tons of money they need to spend on fancy studio equipment and get turned off from the idea.
The truth is a podcast can be started from a smartphone. Episodes can be recorded on the weekends, then schedule for release throughout the week. The key to podcasts is that every episode needs to offer something of value for listeners to come back for new episodes or start following. If the topic is one no one wants to listen to, not much money will be made from it.
If the podcast resonates with people, the number of listeners will grow. With time, brands will want to partner with the podcast host for sponsorship deals and it will become a platform for monetization as you promote various products as well as your own offering.
23. Online Course Creation
If you are well versed in a particular area and feel that you have sufficient knowledge to impart to others who might share those interests, you can start an online course to share those skills. When buyers encounter an online course, its creator immediately assumes a place of agency in their minds. If your course is high quality and valuable, you might find interested collaborators. You might even be invited to speak at events or attend workshops. So, its time to Turn your expertise into your own thriving business with Thinkific
You can utilize your time on the weekends to put together your course content while you work your regular day job throughout the week. You can post the course links on your social media pages and have your first few customers come from there. If your course is in the form of an ebook, you can write and market that for minimal cost.
You can also sell your course across online learning platforms like Udemy, Teachable, Kajabi, Thinkfic, and Skillshare with relative ease. These platforms get a ton of traffic, meaning that the chances of your course being found are significantly greater.
24. Become A Tour Guide
A great business idea for someone familiar with a particular area (including knowledge of the culture, history, cuisine, and so on) is to become a tour guide on the weekends. Most people travel on the weekends for vacation, and they frequently want to get the assistance of someone who knows the area. A successful tour guide has to have to be personable and entertaining in their presentations. You will also require a vehicle to maneuver around the area you are leading on the tour.
Since many visitors may be foreign, knowing at least a few foreign languages is a huge plus in this regard. You can offer your services through partnerships with various travel firms to get your foot in the door of servicing your first few clients. They will always have connections with interested tourists who they can put you in touch with too.
You can also market your touring on the internet through community posts in travel forums and digital ads. Since you are looking for this to be a weekend gig, it is important to include that they are your sole availability.
You also want to secure future business and expand your networking capability by making sure your clients can reach you in the future. Therefore, you should carry a business card that will let them contact you if they are in the area again, or even advise others of your great service.
25. Gardening
People love to keep neatly trimmed lawns, but they don’t necessarily enjoy the act of doing so themselves. They may also not have the energy, ability, or equipment to do the work either (such as in the case of those who are elderly, ill, or disabled). As a weekend gardener, you can offer your services for a fee. You can include tree and brush trimming as well.
Before your get into this weekend business though, make sure that you have the strength to undertake this venture, a means of commuting to your clients, and a truck to carry your equipment in. Alternatively, you can inquire about whether your client has a lawnmower and trim their property with their equipment when you get there.
You can promote by stopping by door-to-door of people who have lawns, especially if they are looking less than ideal. You can also use guerilla marketing by putting up flyers about your business in legally reserved areas. Additionally, you can promote your weekend business idea on Craigslist.
26. Wedding Limo Rentals
Most weddings employ limos to drive the newlyweds and their wedding parties to various locations. Since most weddings take place on Saturdays, offering a limo rental business is another great weekend business idea. In fact, there is such high demand for this service, you will likely get plenty of weekend business.
Buying a new limo will cost a lot of money, but buying a used one from American Limousine Sales or Limos For Sale can be a lot more affordable. Once purchased, clean them up, and tailor them to your business preference. There will be particular permits, many of which are dependent on where you operate, that will be required. Additionally, there will be supplemental insurance required for the limo.
The one caveat about limo rental businesses is that while it’s great as weekend work, it is far less ideal for a side job. It will be hard to land clientele regularly without the business being licensed and registered in all accordance.
27. Freelance Proofreader Services
Sites like Fiverr and Upwork are rife with clients looking to have their papers, posts, articles, and even books proofread before they proceed with publishing them. Therefore, becoming a freelance proofreader is another fantastic gig idea. Of course, you must have great attention to detail if you are to be successful in this line of work and have an excellent verbal and written command of the English language. Depending on how much proofreading you will be doing, this can be a very time-consuming activity, eating up most of your weekend.
The great thing is that you get to read about interesting topics, and if you love reading in general this may not even seem like work. While you can do most of the work on weekends, if you happen to be on vacation and have some spare time, you can always do the work there too.
28. Start A Cleaning Service
Many people have very little time on their hands. Perhaps they work extensive hours or they are managing a family with young kids, so they don’t have time or energy to clean. They do, however, like to live in a clean home. Businesses are also frequently seeking regular cleaning services. The great thing about starting a cleaning service is the low start-up and operating costs.
This can be performed as a service on weekends, but also on certain nights if you have the available time to do so. You will need mops, vacuums, and various cleaning agents to get started. When starting out, it’s best to start with residential cleanings as it is easier to obtain clients.
As word of mouth about the quality of your work spreads, assuming it is positive, you might be able to also reach out into the sphere of business cleanings. If the business likes your work, they may become a repeat customer, scheduling you to come in to clean at a particular rate, rather than pay you hourly.
29. Sewing
If you have any experience as a tailor or a seamster, you can help people put together their own custom clothes or help to amend existing clothing. Men’s suit stores are always in need of adjustments to the coats and pants they sell. Many stores that sell clothes may need the service too, in order to make a sale to the customers.
Some people are dieting and their current clothes are now too loose for their bodies. They need help amending their outfits in order to not need to shop for an all-new wardrobe. These are great potential clients to consider.
Many schools require orders for school uniforms to be sewn en masse. You can also sew things other than wears like bedsheets and pillowcases. You can even sell or amend curtains for people’s homes.
30. Video Editing
With how popular YouTube and various other video streaming platforms have become, there is no shortage of those who are needed for video editing. Video editing can be tricky for a novice, not to mention time-consuming, so many YouTubers prefer that their video editing be done by a third party. That way, they can spend less time on that and more on researching content ideas for future videos.
There is also no shortage of need for the music and film industries in using video editors to edit full-length features, short films, and music videos. A lot of them seek freelancers for the job such as those found on sites like Upwork and Fiverr. To be a video editor can turn out to be quite lucrative, but it does require the knowledge of tools such as FinalCut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, Filmora, and various other editing tools.
Conclusion:
If you need extra cash and are available on weekends, think about what type of skills you have that can help you perform a service that you can manage throughout a weekend that can help you start a weekend business. If you are successful, you may find the growth of your business enough to warrant additional help. With time, a successful weekend business can turn into a full-time job, in which case you can say goodbye to the 9 to 5 and focus on your business.
Check out the list again that we provided and think about what you can do to start a business. We recommend trying the most low-cost option of being a dog walker. But if you have a particular talent or skill, don’t be shy about utilizing that for a weekend business as well.
If you are looking for ways to make money during the winter months, be sure to check out our list of the top 30 winter business ideas. From offering snow removal services to selling seasonal crafts and gifts, there are plenty of opportunities to make money during the winter. So don’t let the cold weather hold you back – read our list and get inspired to start your own winter business today!
Frequently Asked Questions:
How does one start a weekend business without needing to pay upfront costs?
Your weekend time is your time, so you should use it in the most valuable way when starting a weekend business. Think about something you love to do or enjoy doing, then about what types of service you can perform for a fee with those skills.
How does one start a weekend business?
Your weekend time is your time, so you should use it in the most valuable way when starting a weekend business. Think about something you love to do or enjoy doing, then about what types of service you can perform for a fee with those skills.
Can a weekend business make money?
Absolutely. While weekend work is unlikely to make up a salary of a full-time job, it will be a great way to handsomely supplement your income. If you have time and energy to spare over the weekend and have a good business idea, there is no reason not to try.