The holiday season is an exciting and lucrative time for side hustlers looking to earn extra income. As an experienced small business consultant, I‘m going to walk you through the most popular and profitable holiday side gigs based on trends, data, and expert insights. My goal is to help you start and succeed with the ideal holiday hustle.
Surging Demand Creates Prime Conditions
The holidays usher in peak demand for certain services and products, creating the perfect conditions for seasonal side hustles. According to Statista, holiday retail sales exceeded $886 billion in the U.S. in 2021, with e-commerce seeing year-over-year growth of 10.7%. All this shopping and celebrating spells big opportunity!
When conducting your market research, look for spikes in holiday travel, grocery shopping, online spending, temporary hiring, home cleaning services, childcare needs, and other areas that correspond with increased seasonal activity. By aligning your offerings with surging demand, you put yourself in the best position for profitability.
Standout Holiday Side Hustles
Here are some of the most lucrative and popular holiday side hustles based on my industry knowledge and research:
Delivery Driving
Driving for apps like Instacart and UberEats is in high demand during the holidays. According to Uber‘s 2020 Holiday Report, delivery drivers saw a 23% increase in earnings over the holidays.
Pros: Control your schedule, earn quick cash, and you may even get some free meals!
Cons: Can be high pressure handling lots of orders. Also relies on having a sound vehicle.
Earning Potential: Expect $15 – $25 per hour, with some drivers reporting $1000+ weeks during the holidays.
Gift Wrapping Services
Around the holidays, malls and department stores hire gift wrappers starting at $10/hr or more, especially those with sharp technique and flair for presentation.
Pros: Low startup costs, creative work, set your own rates and availability.
Cons: Can get busy and hectic during crunch times. Physically demanding.
Earning Potential: $10 – $20 per hour, with top wrappers earning $45/hr during peak demand.
Retail and Hospitality Work
Brick-and-mortar retail outlets and restaurantshire aggressively for the holiday hustle. According to the NRF, major retailers like Target planned to hire up to 170,000 seasonal workers in 2021, a 30% increase over 2020.
Pros: Employee discounts, fast pay, set schedules.
Cons: Short term, heavy hours, demanding holiday crowds.
Earning Potential: $12 – $18 per hour for most positions like sales associates, cashiers, and restaurant servers.
Rent Out Your Car
Peer-to-peer car rental platforms like Turo, GetAround, and HyreCar make it easy to rent out your car when you‘re not using it. Airports are prime locations.
Pros: Earn $500 – $1000 per month in passive income. No direct customer interaction required.
Cons: Need to clean and maintain vehicle. Some risk of damage.
Earning Potential: Rental rates average $40 – $80 per day. Top earners make $800+ per month.
Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
A 2021 Rover.com survey found that 65% of pet owners say the holidays are the busiest time of year for pet sitters and dog walkers.
Pros: Play with cute animals, earn quick cash, flexible hours.
Cons: Need pet care experience and references. Holiday availability important.
Earning Potential: Dog walkers charge $15 – $25 per 30-minute walk. Pet sitters earn $20 – $50+ per day. Key is filling your holiday availability.
The options go on and on – rideshare driving, vacation rental hosting, holiday craft sales, offering virtual services like consulting or tutoring. The key is picking something you enjoy that taps into the surge in holiday demand. Partner that with great service and availability and you’ll be poised for a profitable holiday side hustle!
I hope this guide provided you with valuable insights and ideas to help launch your own holiday side gig. Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help fellow side hustlers. Here‘s to making it your most lucrative holiday season yet!
