20 Side Jobs You Can Do for Extra Money Now

For some people, a side job is a second job they do for a few hours every week to help make ends meet. For others, it's a job they only do occasionally to be able to afford large purchases, perhaps a new appliance or a vacation.

But with millions of Americans struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic, many people may increasingly turn to side jobs — sometimes referred to as side gigs or freelance jobs — as a primary way to make money. “If the past is any indicator, it is likely that a healthy amount of freelance jobs will continue to be available across industries and career levels, despite the economic downturn,” says Sara Sutton, CEO and founder of FlexJobs, a job-search website that specializes in positions that offer flexible hours and work-from-home opportunities.

FlexJobs recently combed through its current job postings to identify which side jobs are offering the best opportunities now. The positions range from tutoring and teaching to administrative work and accounting. Clicking on the job titles in the list below, which is based on FlexJobs research, will take you to the page of currently available job postings for that position, either on FlexJobs or the AARP Job Board. Note that job openings on FlexJobs can be viewed for free, but a paid membership is required to apply. There is no fee to use the AARP Job Board. The average hourly wage for each position in this list was calculated by PayScale.

1. Bookkeeper

Average hourly wage: $17/hr

This field job, helping businesses keep track of their revenues and expenses, is a popular choice for older adults who are looking for flexible hours and opportunities to work remotely. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median age for all bookkeepers in 2019 was 50.9 years old, one the highest among all professions.

2. Customer Service Representative

Average hourly wage: $14/hr

These jobs require you to field phone call from customers who need assistance with products or services they have purchased. Most of the necessary training is provided by the employer and, in many cases, employees can work from home.

3. Proofreader

Average hourly wage: $18/hr

You may have an eye for detail and strong English grammar skills, but those may not be enough to help you land one of these jobs. Why not? Proofreading positions often specifically are for helping with translating text from one language to another. In July, FlexJobs posted openings for proofreaders who speak Thai, Swedish, Polish and Japanese, among other languages. If you're fluent in a foreign language, this could be the perfect side gig for you.

4. Social Media Manager

Average hourly wage: $16/hr

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are one of the primary ways that businesses speak directly with their customers and others. Social media managers play the role of go-betweens, distilling their employers’ message into a pithy post that attracts enough likes and shares to go viral.

5. Transcriber

Average hourly wage: $15/hr

You'll need good listening skills for these jobs, which require you to listen to recordings of legal proceedings or other conversations — such as students’ reading assignments — and then type them accurately into documents that can be read by others. Companies also sometimes hire transcriptionists part-time to help put captions on the videos they create for the internet.

6. Tutor

Average hourly wage: $18/hr

If you have experience teaching or mastery of a particular field — especially one that is science- or math-related — you can earn extra income tutoring students. Your skills might be particularly valuable this fall, as families and schools navigate the challenges of learning during a pandemic, when not all students may be able to be on campus five days a week.

7. Virtual Assistant

Average hourly wage: $16/hr

If you have ever been employed as an administrative assistant, these positions let you use those skills while working remotely with flexible hours. Job responsibilities will vary, but you should be comfortable using software such as Microsoft Office, PowerPoint and QuickBooks, for example. Most employers also will want candidates who have at least one or two years of experience.

8. Consultant

Average hourly wage: $59/hr

Here's your opportunity to share your expertise without necessarily needing to commute to the office every day. Perhaps the most in-demand field for freelance consultants is information technology specialists. But the July job postings on FlexJobs showed companies also seeking consultants in fields such as education and nursing.

9. Editor

Average hourly wage: $20/hr

Most of the positions available in this field involve producing articles for various websites. The editor typically is responsible for assigning story ideas and polishing up the writers’ articles for publication. Previous editing experience is required in most cases, but almost all of these positions can be done while working from home.