KEY POINTS
- About 60% of Americans are planning at least one trip this summer, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
- At least 2.6 million weddings are set to take place in 2022, according to The Knot.
- Capitalize on these trends by picking up side gigs pet sitting, giving tours of your hometown, renting out your car, or throwing a themed dinner party.
As Americans adapt to life alongside the coronavirus, many people have gone back to doing their favorite leisure activities, like travel. About 60% of Americans are planning at least one trip this summer, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
Big celebrations are back, too, as people feel more and more comfortable convening. At least 2.6 million weddings are set to take place in 2022, according to The Knot — and summer is typically peak season. Last year, 80% of all weddings took place between May and October.
If you’re looking for a side hustle this summer, either of these trends could provide opportunities to make some extra cash. “Weddings and travel are giant this year,” says Kathy Kristof, founder and editor of Sidehusl.com, of where you could find opportunities for gigs.
Here are four summer 2022 side hustles to consider.
Pet sit
Lots of people who have animals are going away for days or weeks at a time this summer, and “everybody needs a pet sitter,” says Kristof.
If you love hanging out with dogs, cats, birds, lizards, or any other animal, consider offering your pet sitting services on sites like Rover, Nextdoor, and Care.com. You can choose to stay at someone’s house overnight, have their pets come stay with you, or just drop in to spend a few hours with them or take them out on a walk.
Pet sitters earn an average of $12 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter. Long Island-based Daniel Simms makes $5,000 to $9,000 per month watching dogs at his home.
Give tours in your hometown
If you love your hometown and know all of its stories, consider giving tours to those dropping in for a visit through sites like Viator and ToursByLocals.
“You basically do tours of your local community,” says Kristof. “You make up the tour, you price it, you decide how many people you can take, etc. And you can make a lot.” A ghost and pub tour in Savannah, Georgia, is currently going for about $36 per person on Viator, and a Seattle sightseeing and dinner tour is going for about $400 for up to three people on ToursByLocals.
Viator takes 20% of your earnings, says Kristof, and ToursByLocals takes 25%, according to Sidehuslt.com.
Rent out your car
Whether those coming in from out of town are there for the local attractions or to attend a wedding celebration, some may need to be able to drive. Demand for rental cars has grown as people resume traveling, but supply chain shortages has meant rental companies are still struggling to get new cars for their fleet.
“If you have a spare car” or aren’t always using yours, says Kristof, “you can rent it out through Turo.”
The site enables you to decide both the rental fee for your car and a comfortable schedule for people to use it. Depending on the protection plan you choose, you could earn between 60% and 90% of your trip price.
On average, those renting out one car make about $10,500 per year, according to the site.
Host a party
If you love to host and are keen to show out-of-towners a unique culinary experience, consider signing up to do so on EatWith.
“You essentially have dinner parties at your house,” says Kristof, adding that it’s a great way to make money because, “You decide what you’re offering, when you’re offering, how you’re offering.” You can decide on theme, number of courses, how you’d like to prepare them, and so on.
A 2.5-hour, three-course Venezuelan dinner in New York City is currently going for $84 per guest, for example, and a 2-hour Cajun and Creole brunch cooking class in New Orleans is currently going for $180 per guest.
Though guests cover the cost of site fees, keep in mind the price of the food and beverages you’ll be serving as you figure out how to price your event.
