The Best Holiday Side Gigs For Single Parents

As if raising kids on your own wasn’t hard enough, COVID-19 came along and made it a lot more complicated.

You may have lost your job due to the shutdowns. Your kids’ schools were probably closed, which increased your childcare costs. And now, as the holidays are almost here, you’re probably wondering if you have enough in the bank to end 2020 on a memorable note for your little ones.

Well, even though 2020 was a lot to bear, you can end it on a positive note with extra money in your pocket. You don’t have to get a second job that’ll keep you away from your kids, either, as these side gigs should suffice.

When making this list, we kept a few things in mind. First, the side gig should pay well and be worth your time. Second, it should allow you to stay home or make your own schedule to make childcare less complicated. Lastly, there’s a minimal barrier to entry, even if you have no experience.

Sell on Etsy

If you’re creative and are good with your hands, you could sell your homemade artwork or crafts on Etsy.

The site is filled with custom stuff that people make and sell, and some of them make quite a lot of money from doing so.

Pet or Babysit

We already know you have babysitting experience, as your kids gave you that over the years. Sign up on a site like Sittercity, and you can get paid for your time and maybe even find new friends for your children in the process.

You can take care of babies, children, and even seniors via gigs on the site, or you can take care of other people’s pets while they’re out of town.

Sell Your Stuff

Besides munching on copious comfort foods, many people used quarantine to clear out their closets and declutter their homes.

If you still haven’t done this, here’s your motivation: You can make money from it. How? By selling that clutter to somebody else online.

You can find local buyers through sites like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and OfferUp. Or you can sell your stuff to people all across the globe via eBay.

Do you want to sell stuff without having to ship everything separately or negotiate with tons of customers? Talk to Decluttr, and they’ll let you send all your things at once and pay you as soon as they get it.

Become a Virtual Assistant

As a single parent, you’re probably used to multitasking and keeping things organized with a hectic schedule. Use these skills to become a virtual assistant for someone else, and you can get paid for your time without having to work in an office.

Virtual assistants are in high demand and vary in the types of tasks they complete. Whether you’re answering emails or calls or ensuring someone’s schedule is in order, you could make as much as $30 per hour. That’s not bad for a job you can complete on your couch with your kids nearby.

To get started, set up a profile on a site like Fiverr.