Last June, I found myself staring at my bank account after paying for summer camp deposits and a much-needed AC repair. The number was not pretty. I wanted to take my kiddos on a few day trips, maybe grab ice cream without flinching at the total, but my regular paycheck was already spoken for.
So I picked up two summer side hustles — ones that worked around nap schedules and scorching afternoon heat. By August, I’d stashed away an extra $1,200. Nothing life-changing, but enough to stop feeling guilty about that beach parking fee.
Whether you’re a teacher with an empty calendar, a student avoiding a boring retail job, or just someone who wants to enjoy longer days without the financial stress, these summer gigs deliver.
Table of Contents
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Smart Ways To Earn With Those Extra Daylight Hours
- 1. Online Tutoring From Your Air Conditioned Living Room
- 2. Mow Lawns (And Maybe Cry Over The Tan Lines Later)
- 3. Freelance Writing (The Side Hustle That Keeps Giving)
- 4. Serve Tables For Fast Cash (And Free Food)
- 5. Referee Kids’ Sports (Even If You Can’t Play Anymore)
- 6. Deliver For DoorDash During Peak Heat
- 7. Offer Pet Care Services (Yes, Even For Cats)
- 8. Work As A Summer Camp Counselor (And Relive Your Childhood)
- 9. Become A Tour Guide In Your Own City
- 10. Lifeguard (The Classic Summer Job For A Reason)
- 11. Work The Carnival (Yes, Really)
Smart Ways To Earn With Those Extra Daylight Hours
1. Online Tutoring From Your Air Conditioned Living Room
I’ll be honest — I assumed tutoring required a teaching degree or straight-A report cards from my own school days. Not true. One of my close friends tutors middle schoolers in basic math using nothing but Zoom and a free whiteboard app. She makes $35 an hour, works entirely from her couch, and picks her own hours.
The beauty of summer tutoring? Parents are desperate to keep their kids’ brains from turning completely to mush before September. You don’t need to be an expert — just competent in one subject or skill. Digital art, beginner Spanish, even video editing. If you know it, someone wants to learn it.
Start here: Sign up on Wyzant or Varsity Tutors, or post in local Facebook parenting groups. Charge $20–$30/hour at first, then raise your rates once you have reviews.
If you want to maximize your earnings, read our breakdown of how to build a profitable online tutoring side hustle.
2. Mow Lawns (And Maybe Cry Over The Tan Lines Later)
The summer I turned sixteen, I mowed seven lawns every week. I hated every blister and mosquito bite. But I also made $1,800 in three months — more than my friends earned at the mall food court.
Here’s what I learned: people will pay surprising amounts to not mow their own lawn. Especially in July when the heat index hits 95°. You don’t need a fancy riding mower. A basic push mower (borrow or buy used for under $100), gas can, and some determination will get you started.
Make more money: Offer add-ons like trimming bushes, pulling weeds, or power washing driveways. One lawn can turn into $60–$80 instead of $30. Knock on doors in neighborhoods with smaller yards — they’re faster to finish.
3. Freelance Writing (The Side Hustle That Keeps Giving)
Two summers ago, I landed my first paid writing gig — a $50 blog post about budgeting for Disney trips. I had zero experience and a lot of imposter syndrome. That one article led to a monthly retainer with the same client, then referrals to two more.
Freelance writing works so well for summer because it follows you anywhere. The beach, a coffee shop, your backyard hammock. All you need is a laptop and an internet connection. New writers can earn $50–$100 per article. Once you specialize in finance, health, or tech, that jumps to $200+.
Where to find work: Upwork, Fiverr, ProBlogger job board, and LinkedIn. Pitch 10–15 clients every week for your first month. Most will ignore you. The ones who respond could change your summer.
To fast-track your success, check out these high-paying freelance writing side hustles.
4. Serve Tables For Fast Cash (And Free Food)
My sister served at a seafood restaurant last summer — the kind of place where tourists ordered fried clams and asked for extra napkins constantly. Some nights she walked out with $60 in tips. Other nights, especially during July 4th week, she cleared $250 in a single shift.
Restaurants scramble to hire extra help when summer crowds arrive. The base hourly wage is usually low ($3–$5 in many states), but tips make up the difference. Aim for spots near tourist attractions, beaches, or highways. Families on vacation tip better than regulars, in my experience.
Pro tip: Learn the menu cold and smile even when you’re exhausted. Good service turns $10 tips into $20 tips. And don’t forget to claim your free shift meal — that’s dinner taken care of.
5. Referee Kids’ Sports (Even If You Can’t Play Anymore)
My neighbor referees youth soccer games on Saturday mornings. He’s in his fifties, runs about as fast as I do (which is not fast), and still earns $40 per game. He works four games every weekend during summer tournaments and makes roughly $600 a month.
Local rec leagues, church leagues, and summer camps all need referees, umpires, and scorekeepers. You don’t need to be a former athlete — just know the basic rules and show up consistently. Many leagues provide free training or certification.
Get started: Call your city’s parks and recreation department or search for “youth sports officiating [your city].” Start with younger kids’ games — less drama from parents, lower pressure, same pay.
6. Deliver For DoorDash During Peak Heat
Last July, I dashed for three hours on a random Tuesday evening. Dinner rush, 90 degrees outside, everyone ordering cold drinks and salads. I made $72 plus $18 in tips. Not bad for listening to podcasts in my air-conditioned car.
DoorDash works as a summer side hustle because demand actually increases when it’s hot out. People don’t want to cook. They don’t want to leave their AC. They want you to bring them milkshakes and sushi.
Maximize earnings: Work lunch (11 AM–1 PM) and dinner (5 PM–8 PM) rushes. Stick to areas with dense restaurants and residential neighborhoods. Run Uber Eats or Grubhub at the same time and accept whichever order comes first.
For a deeper look, see how I earned an extra $1,200 a month driving for DoorDash.
7. Offer Pet Care Services (Yes, Even For Cats)
Summer means vacations. Vacations mean pets left behind. And those pets still need walks, meals, and someone to scoop their litter boxes.
A college student in my budgeting Facebook group made $900 last June just from walking dogs and checking on cats while owners were at the beach. She charged $15 per walk (30 minutes) and $25 per overnight pet-sitting. Neighbors found her through Nextdoor and word of mouth.
Get clients fast: Post on Nextdoor, local Facebook groups, and the Nextdoor app. Offer a “summer special” — five walks for $60. Bring your own poop bags and treats. Show up on time every single visit. Pet owners talk to each other.
You can also learn more about making serious money pet sitting to expand your services.
8. Work As A Summer Camp Counselor (And Relive Your Childhood)
Confession: I was a camp counselor for three summers in college. I slept in a cabin, got poison ivy twice, and learned to tie knots I’ve never used since. I also made lifelong friends and saved enough to buy my first used car.
Most day camps and overnight camps hire seasonal counselors starting in May. Pay isn’t amazing (often minimum wage or slightly above), but many include free housing and meals if it’s an overnight camp. That means almost everything you earn goes straight into savings.
Where to look: Local YMCAs, Girl Scout or Boy Scout camps, church camps, and specialty camps (sports, art, science). Apply early — March or April — because popular camps fill up.
9. Become A Tour Guide In Your Own City
You know that random fact about the oldest building in your town? Or the best taco truck that tourists would never find? That’s money waiting to be made.
My cousin lives in Savannah and started giving ghost tours last summer. She memorized a few spooky stories, led groups around downtown for 90 minutes, and kept all the tips. On busy weekends, she made $200 in a single evening.
Two paths: Apply with an existing tour company (they provide the script and customers) or create your own experience through Airbnb Experiences or Viator. Food tours, historical walks, photography workshops — anything that shows off your city’s personality.
10. Lifeguard (The Classic Summer Job For A Reason)
There’s a reason lifeguarding shows up on every summer job list. It pays well ($15–$20/hour starting), keeps you outside, and requires exactly zero experience beyond passing the certification test.
My brother lifeguarded at a community pool two summers ago. He spent most shifts sitting in a high chair, watching kids do cannonballs, and rotating every 30 minutes to avoid boredom. By August, he’d saved $3,500 — enough for a semester of community college.
Get certified: Red Cross lifeguarding courses cost $200–$300 and take a weekend. Most pools and beaches won’t even look at your application without it. Check your local YMCA or rec center for classes starting in early spring.
11. Work The Carnival (Yes, Really)
This one’s unusual, I know. But hear me out. Summer carnivals, county fairs, and festivals hire massive temporary crews for everything from running rides to selling lemonade to cleaning up after the livestock shows.
A friend of mine worked a traveling carnival one summer — just six weeks. He ran the ring toss game, worked evenings only, and made $800 plus free admission to any ride on his breaks. His best memory? Watching a grown man cry after losing $40 trying to win a giant banana.
Find carnival jobs: Search for “fair jobs” or “carnival work” on Indeed, or contact your county fair board directly. Many hire through temp agencies. It’s not glamorous, but it’s undeniably a story you’ll tell forever.
The summer after I picked up those two side hustles, I didn’t get rich. I didn’t quit my day job. But I did take my kids to the water park without checking my bank account first. I bought concert tickets for a band I loved. And I fell asleep most nights tired but satisfied, knowing those extra hours had paid for something real.
So pick one gig from this list — just one — and try it next week. You might discover you actually enjoy refereeing six-year-olds. Or that writing comes easier than you thought. Or that delivering burritos at dusk is weirdly peaceful.
Summer’s short. Your earning potential doesn’t have to be.
