“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 4:19 NIV
Congratulations! You finished your school year and helped improve the lives of so many children along the way! As the summer begins, many teachers are looking for ways to make a little extra cash. Teachers may want to supplement for a trip coming up, continuing education courses, or just saving up for other expenses. It’s no secret that teachers across the country do not make big money at their jobs. What we do have is time in the summer to make a little extra income. Today we are going to look at ways teachers can make a little extra using their talents and interests.
Tutoring
The first summer side job most teachers pick up is tutoring. This is a great way to pick up some extra income and work with students that whom you might already have a relationship and know their potential gaps in their education. Tutoring is great because you can work with families to set the times and places you want to work. You could also run smaller groups for a little discount. Depending on your content area, age of students, and level of education, your rates could vary. Send out an email to parents letting them know you are available to tutor and set up a plan for the summer.
If you know you might be doing a lot of traveling this summer, online tutoring might be for you. There are a few online tutoring sites out there, but some of the more popular ones are VIPKid and Wyzant. Each of these sites allows you to provide in-person and online tutoring to students across the US. You would then have the flexibility to tutor others as you travel as long as you have a reliable internet connection. They do take a percentage of your earnings, but they do help you organize the clients that you are working with.
Start Your Own Business
This summer break might be the perfect time to try that small business idea that you have always wanted to get going. Whether it be a lawn care business, painting houses, Teacher Pay Teacher, Etsy, or a service-based out of your home, this time off can help you start up that business. You never know, your side business may grow quite large and when you retire from teaching you may want to continue your business full time. The great part is that you still have the safety net of a stable income as well as the flexibility of time to work on your business. A great book to check out for women in particular who are starting their own business is Business Boutique by Christy Wright. She helps navigate entrepreneurs into running their own from their passions.
Turn Your Passion Into Opportunity
Not sure exactly where to get started? What might you want to do if money was not an option? The answer to this question is your passion. I love fishing and fly fishing in particular. If time and money were not a constraint, I would become a fly-fishing guide. If this is something I wanted to learn more about, I might work at a local fly shop or work with a guide to see how it actually works. Your passion might be something totally different. You may love gardening and work outside so perhaps a part-time job at a nursery or greenhouse would fit your passion. Teaching is a fun yet stressful career so a change of pace during the summer will help to rejuvenate a teacher as they get ready for the fall.
Get Started Today
With the summer already underway, now is a great time to start getting started with that part-time summer side gig. Whether you are delivering pizzas, grocery shopping for others or one of these other 50 Ways Teachers Can Make Money, I hope you still take time to rest and reflect on the previous year and recharge for this upcoming school year. Thank you for all you do for your students and families. Have a great week!
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Thank you for such an amazing blog. Keep up the good work