Two things that teachers are lacking in are time and money. I may not be able to help with the time aspect, but maybe the money.

The Side Hustle is a term that has gained in popularity for teachers. Most teachers have some sort of second job to make up for the poor compensation that teachers receive. Also, teachers are very good at multitasking.

I am a teacher, and my side hustles are blogging and TPTing. I will be talk about the latter in this article.

 

VIP Kid-         

This is an online education company that connects students and teachers globally through one-to-one personalized English language classes.

Pros-

• You can make your own schedule keeping in mind that the time zone of Bejing, so early mornings and at night are a typical Vip Kid schedule.
• All the lessons and slides are provided. It is mainly to correct language mistakes and help students speak in complete sentences.
• There is no outside preparation time needed.
• Some educators make up to 2,000 dollars each month.
• There are many You Tube videos available to help with the process.

Cons-

• Because of the time zone differential, shifts are often late at night or early morning. If you like to get up at 4 am then this may not be a con.
• Your rate of pay is decided at the interview, so make sure you prepare yourself and include any ELL experience that you may have.
• Taxes on Vip Kid income are approximately 25-30 percent depending on your state. Business and home expenses can be deducted to maximize return.

 

Ebay Buy and Sell

This is something that I have done for the past ten years, and I have made 500-1000 dollars a month on average. This works well if you like to frequent stores such as Goodwill, Savers and thrift stores.

Pros-

• This is a great diversion from the stress of teaching. It is extremely mindless.
• It is fun if you like to shop.
• When you find “treasures” and expensive items, it can be quite an adrenaline rush.

Cons-

• It takes some time to determine what is profitable.
• Shipping costs and eBay and Amazon fees cut into profits.

Tips-

• Take advantage of the discounts available for teachers. Stores such as Savers and Goodwill have designated days where items are 50 percent off.
• We have had great success with old perfume, new toys, video games, and electronics.
• Use the eBay app to scan UPC tags to see what you can sell each item for. We usually only buy items that can make at least an eight to ten dollar profit.

 

Etsy-           

Teachers have some of the most innate creative abilities. Many times, this is why they are in the teaching field.  Etsy is an online business platform that offers unique gifts, jewelry and one of a kind items. It lends itself to being one of the best teacher side hustles.

Pros-

• Product listing is very simple and straightforward.
• Etsy generates some traffic if you have good keywords.
• The Etsy app is very helpful for listing and keeping track of sales and products.

Cons-

• Etsy takes a considerable amount of advertising to make the business profitable. Social media is very important in increasing sales and activity.
• The market is saturated with ideas and items. If you have a great one, it will be soon be replicated.
• Like anything, slow and steady wins the race. If you have something unique to offer, it will take time to build your store, but it can be done.

 

Tutoring

Varsity Tutors is a live learning platform that helps connect students and private tutors together for academic tutoring and test preparation for all ages, skill levels, and subject areas.

Pros-

• You can make your own schedule and choose who and what to tutor.
• This company is legitimate, and tutors make 17 dollars an hour on average.
• Tutoring is done online, and this makes accessibility easy.
• The company is well organized and efficient.
• 50 dollars are given as referral incentives.

Cons-

• This is an online tutoring service, and not everyone learns the best through an online platform.
• Response to opportunities is key as customers can seek other tutors quite easily.

If you would rather do private tutoring in your area, rates can be much higher. Care.com is a great place to list your skills and find local students in need of tutoring services.

 

Test Scorer–

From their website: “Constructed-response scoring professionals are part-time employees who are Readers for the College Board’s Advanced Placement^® (AP^®) Program or other testing programs, and/or Raters associated with ETS’s TOEIC^®, TOEFL^®, Praxis^® and GRE^® programs.”

Pros-

• Work can be done online or at test centers across the Unites States.
• ETS provides reasonable accommodations and/or assistance to applicants with disabilities
• This is a very flexible job with overall good company management.

Cons-

• Training is ongoing.
• Pay recently went from 20-15 dollars an hour.

 

Dog Watching/Walking-  

 

If you are a dog lover, dog sitting, or walking can amount to a nice extra chunk of change in your pants pockets. Rover.Com can put you in touch with many customers that live in proximity.

Pros-

• You can pick and choose how much you work.
• This job provides time for exercise and the opportunity for lots of play and fun with furry friends.
• Watching dogs at your own home is possible and enables a relaxed environment.
• Pet sitters are usually paid 45-75 a night. Rates are flexible, and having good reviews on Rover.com will help you earn more money.

Cons-

• Cleaning up poop, vomit and other dog-induced messes top the list. Dogs can destroy a toilet paper roll in one second. Be proactive in avoiding messy situations.
• Walking dogs can be dangerous. Carry pepper spray in case there are stray dogs that come after you or the dog that you are walking. Make sure that your dog is secured on a leash.
• Customers will call you at the last minute for emergency sitting opportunities. Be prepared to give times that you are not available.

 

Instacart-

This is an online grocery shopping business where employees fill orders that they received online.

Pros-

• Schedule is extremely flexible, and you can work when you want and how much you want.
• Tips can be good.

Cons-

• This job has poor job security.
• Reviews on this company are very poor. Employees complain about tip baiting, wear and tear on cars, and job dissatisfaction.
• Employees wait to hear back from customers on replacements for items that aren’t in the store.

 

Surveys-

Imagine sitting on your couch with a cup of coffee and your phone. Who needs to imagine that? We do it all the time, but this time you can get paid. All you need to do is answer some questions and express your opinions. Survey Junkie is a great site to add to the list of teacher side hustles.

Pros-

• You can pick and choose how much you work.
• This is extremely mindless work.
• Surveys take about 15 minutes to complete and the payout threshold is 10 dollars.

Cons-

• This is not a huge money maker.
• There is literally no job growth or potential for advancement.
• Taking surveys all day can be tedious.

 

TPT-

This is one of the leading teacher side hustles for educators. We have all heard the stories about millionaire teacherpreneurs.  Teachers Pay Teachers has replaced the old Mailbox teaching ideas that we previously bought.

Pros-

• This provides a completely passive income once your store is up and running.
• Teachers are in control of how much time to put into this job. You are your own boss.
• Some educators make up to 2,000 dollars each month.
• There are many You Tube videos available to help with the process.

Cons-

• This is a long game. You cannot quit your other job overnight.
• Marketing and social media are a big factor in the success of a store.
• TPT stores take a lot of time and good computer skills are essential.

Teachers are often extremely successful at their jobs and their teacher side hustles. The reasons are apparent:

• Great ingenuity
• Efficient at multitasking
• Creative
• Hard-working
• Empathetic

 

There are many other teacher side hustles out there. It just depends on your talents and interests. Here are a few other teacher side hustles that may interest you.

DoTerra

Pure Romance

Graphic Artist

Uber/Lyft

Paparazzi Jewelry

Rodan Fields

Beachbody Fitness