6 Best Side Gigs for Active People
In times of inflation and ever-increasing interest rates, an extra source of income could be just the thing your budget needs. But not all of us are suited to tutoring or blogging while sitting at a desk several hours a day.
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While those can be lucrative side gigs, they may not appeal to the more active of us. If you're interested in a hustle that'll keep you on your feet, these are the best active side-gigs according to the experts.
Walking/Hiking Tour Guide
Financial expert, Andrea Woroch, said to try being a tour guide. "If you live in or near a city that draws a lot of tourists," she said, "you can get paid to offer walking tours while also getting your steps in and spending time outside.
"There are many online resources for getting to know your local hiking routes, including information on their elevation levels and their attractions," said Christel Oerum, founder and content director of Diabetes Strong. She recommends using these resources to better understand your route. Whether you focus on hiking trails or local landmarks is up to you.
Woroch adds that you should "sign up to offer your services via apps like Showaround or ToursByLocals to get your side gig going."
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Travel/Destination Blogger
According to Dan Nelson, the founder and editor of APYGUY.com, active people "should look at combining interests and or skills along with their desire to be active. For example, if you enjoy writing and the outdoors, look into freelance writing opportunities that need genuine reviews of national parks, scenic hiking trails and the like from a active person's perspective.
"There are countless travel bloggers and destination bloggers looking for writers to cover various experiences like local hiking trails, biking trails, camping sites etc. If you like to write and are good at it, then combining this skill with an outdoor activity is an excellent way to be active and bring in some extra cash."
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Lawn Maintenance
Many homeowners weren't born with green thumbs and would love to offload their landscaping onto someone who knows better. If you know your way around a lawn mower (or have a way to transport your own) and don't mind working outside, you can create business simply by word-of-mouth. As you learn more and more, you can add other lawn services like fertilization and plant care. If you're doing good work, you'll even have repeat customers.
Dog Walker
Is there anything better than enjoying a sunny day with a furry friend at your side? If your answer to that is "no," then you should consider dog walking in your free time. Woroch said, "Not only can you can make up to $1,000 a month by pet sitting via sites like Rover.com, but this also gives you an opportunity to be active at the same time -- taking a dog for a walk or hike or to local park for example is a great way to give the pet you're watching exercise and giving you a chance to get some extra steps or workout in!
Apps like Rover and Wag make becoming a dog walker as easy as creating an account and selecting your availability. And you can add pet-sitting to your offerings to earn even more money.
Steve Pogson, Founder and E-commerce Strategy Lead at FirstPier, recommends talking to your neighbors about walking their dogs. He said, "The word will rapidly spread if you tell individuals you know that you're giving walking services. You can approach local vets and groomers to advertise your services after you have solid recommendations under your belt."
Personal Trainer or Fitness Instructor
While there are always people looking to get into shape, there aren't nearly as many personal trainers with the knowledge to help them. If you're passionate about diet and exercise, your skills could be in high demand.
Alex Constantinou, the Managing Director of The Fitness Circle, knows that fitness is a lucrative market. He said, "you can offer individualized training to clients in person or online using your expertise, experience, and abilities. If you prefer online lessons, you can broadcast lessons to a group of students using your phone." Better yet, "you probably won't even need to make any new purchases if you already have a home gym."
Woroch adds, "you'll likely be required to get a special certification to teach fitness classes at a local health or fitness studio, but this is a fun way to make extra money in your pocket while you get your sweat on. Look for a health club that has classes before or after your regular job or on weekends. If you're planning to workout anyway, you may as well get paid to do it."
Referee for Local Sports
If you love sports, Nelson says to "consider getting involved in refereeing soccer games or basketball games. If you've played either sport and know the rules, look into your local YMCA or Boys and Girls Club as they often need referees and pay by the hour or by the game. Depending on which sport and season, you could be scheduled for several games in one day."
One expert actually did this hustle himself. As a founder of Up The Gains, Sammie Ellard-King has covered and taken part in a number of side gigs. One of his favorites "was to train as a football referee and oversee teenage games on a Sunday. You can get a nice bit of extra cash for this."
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