by Leslie Campos

Many teachers across the U.S. can’t make ends meet on their salary alone, so it’s common for them to take on a second job, especially when summer rolls around and they don’t have a steady income. It can be stressful to try to secure another job that has flexible hours, especially if you’re a parent and have a family to provide for, and when money issues arise, they can cause stress, anxiety, and depression. 

Fortunately, there are several side gigs these days that are perfect for teachers, whether they need short-term work or something they can hold onto year-round. Some of these can be done from the comfort of your own home, and many of them will allow you to set your own hours (or are flexible enough that you won’t be pressed for time). Think it sounds too good to be true? Keep reading for some great tips on how to find a side gig that meets your needs and will allow you to earn extra cash no matter what time of year it is. 

Put Your STEM Skills to Work

If you’ve been the go-to STEM leader at your school, it’s easy to parlay some of those skills into freelance or part-time work. Plenty of businesses have side-gig opportunities for teachers with coding skills.

Freelance Writer

Teachers have a lot of natural talents, including grammar skills and writing. Look online to see if there are any freelance positions that need to be filled with magazines or blogs; if you’re knowledgeable about a certain subject, you might be interested in starting your own blog and monetizing it with ads. This can take a little while to generate income, however, so keep that in mind and have another job waiting in the wings. If you’re going to be working from home, it’s important to maximize your productivity by creating a distraction-free workspace.

Tutoring

Tutoring as a side gig is perfect for a number of reasons, including the fact that it can be done at any time of year. You can set your own price, set your own hours, and take on as many or as few jobs as you need at a time. Also, it can be done from the comfort of your own home in many cases. Talk to your students’ parents and let them know you are available for tutoring; many would love to have your services but aren’t even aware that they’re available. You can also advertise on social media, which will allow you to take on only clients you know or branch out and find new customers. 

Tour Guide

Depending on where you live, there may be dozens of opportunities as a tour guide nearby. Museums, aquariums, airports, and historic sites often need knowledgeable employees who can take a small group of people and inform them on the exhibits. This is a great part-time job that can be done pretty much any time of year, and if you’re a history buff, you’ll even have some fun 

while you do it.

Sell Your Lesson Plans

If you’ve got a great lesson plan, consider sharing it with others by selling it on a site like Teachers Pay Teachers. Not only will you help fellow educators, you can make extra cash for your creativity. If you make up a few plans, you can sell these throughout the year. 

Get In on the Sharing Economy

The sharing economy is huge these days, and you can find something that works for you by doing a little research online. Whether you want to earn extra cash by driving for a company like Uber or Lyft or you want to rent out your home on Airbnb, there are several opportunities to use your social skills and make some money. Click here for more ideas.

Taking Your Business Setup to the Next Level

Now that you’ve fleshed out your new business venture, it’s time to register it with your state to form a Legal Business Entity. Choosing an entity type shouldn’t be taken lightly as each entity type has a number of considerations. In addition to the various pros and cons, the amount of time it takes to complete the process of creating a legal business entity also varies by entity type. For example, forming an LLC is often more flexible than a traditional corporation, and although it varies by state, can be completed in around 5 steps.

Finding the perfect year-round side gig may take some time, but be patient. Build up your social media presence so that when you do find a job, you can find support from your friends and loved ones and possibly even find jobs. With a good plan, you can earn some extra cash in no time.

Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay