8 Best Second Jobs That Fit Around a 9-to-5 (and How Fast They Pay)

Babysitting and snow shoveling are the fastest to pay, while freelancing and tutoring take 1 to 3 months to get going.

Babysitting pays $19 to $29 an hour.

That’s the range Fidelity reports for babysitting in its June 2026 side-job guide, for work that needs no gear and no app approval.

So I ranked the 8 best second jobs you can fit around a 9-to-5 by one thing: how fast the first paycheck shows up. Each one comes with its pay, start-up cost, timing and a first step for today.

• Free most weeknights after dinner? Babysitting (#1) and delivery (#3) fit those hours.
• If Saturday is your only open day, snow and yard work (#2) or Taskrabbit moving jobs (#5) will fill it, and there are more weekend jobs if those don’t suit you.
• People who want to stay home should look at freelancing (#7) and online tutoring (#8).

How These Second Jobs Were Ranked

The second jobs in this guide are ranked by time to first money, from sign-up to first payout, using platform approval times NerdWallet reported. Most pay figures come from Fidelity.

Every job passes one test: a typical reader can start it within about 30 days, with no special license or big upfront cost.

Jobs that fail that test sit in the long shots section near the end. When two jobs tied on timing, the one more people can start ranked higher.

The 8 Best Second Jobs, Ranked by Time to First Paycheck

The 8 best second jobs to fit around a day job are babysitting, yard work, delivery, dog walking, Taskrabbit, rideshare, freelancing and tutoring. The first two can pay you this week, while the last two take 1 to 3 months.

1. Babysit on Weeknights and Weekends

Parents need sitters most on evenings and weekends, exactly when your day job is done.

According to NerdWallet’s side hustle guide, either profile takes minutes to set up, and you get paid when the parents come home. You do need to be at least 18 to use Care.com.

Word of mouth works too, and NerdWallet suggests starting with family and friends.

Add any CPR certification to that text and your profile, since NerdWallet says skills like that make you more marketable. Fidelity adds that a Red Cross babysitting certification could attract more clients and let you raise your rates.

Babysitting at a Glance
🎯Best For	Reliable people who like kids. Skip it if you can't commit to set nights.
💰Cost	Free
💵Payoff	$19 to $29 an hour, depending on location (Fidelity)
⏰Time	This week
👉First Step	Create a free profile on Care.com or Sittercity tonight

2. Shovel Snow or Mow Lawns

Yard work is the classic second job, and snow is where it pays best. As Fidelity puts it, people may prefer to pay up over heading out into the cold.

Here’s a hypothetical example. Say a storm hits on Saturday and you clear 4 driveways at about 1 hour each, charging $40 an hour. That’s $160 before lunch.

Not bad.

Summer works the same way with grass, and Fidelity notes a few regular mowing clients could become a steady income stream. Landscaping companies often post lawn rates in local social media groups, so check those posts before you set your price.

In other words, price yourself against the local pros, then knock on doors the morning after the first big snow.

Snow and Yard Work at a Glance
🎯Best For	Anyone in a snowy area with a shovel, or with a mower in summer. Skip it if you have no tools.
💰Cost	Free if you already own a shovel or mower
💵Payoff	$25 to $75 an hour on average for snow shoveling (Fidelity)
⏰Time	This week, in winter after a snowfall or during mowing season
👉First Step	Post your rates in your neighborhood Facebook group before the next storm

3. Deliver Food or Groceries

Delivery apps let you work whenever you turn the app on, so the hours after your day job count.

Here’s the path from sign-up to first payout:

1. Apply to one service. DoorDash, Instacart and Amazon Flex all hire, and NerdWallet notes DoorDash lets you deliver by bike or scooter in some cities.
2. Pass the background check. It can take a few days.
3. Work the busy hours. Fidelity says veteran drivers take orders at peak times and park near lots of restaurants.
4. Cash out. DoorDash says you can cash out instantly with its debit card, and Instacart says as soon as 2 hours later.

That makes the dinner rush, the block of time most 9-to-5 workers already have free, your best shift.

Not sure which app to pick?

• DoorDash is the takeout pick. Its sign-up page says you can sign up in minutes and start earning within days.
• Instacart is the grocery pick. It says more than 600,000 shoppers use it, and you can cash out as soon as 2 hours after a delivery. You need to be 18 or older with access to a vehicle.

If groceries appeal more than takeout, here’s how Instacart shoppers make money.

Delivery at a Glance
🎯Best For	People with a car, scooter or bike and free evenings. Skip it if you don't have a smartphone.
💰Cost	Your own car, scooter or bike, plus a smartphone (NerdWallet)
💵Payoff	As much as $20 an hour plus tips, though some services pay less (Fidelity)
⏰Time	2 to 4 weeks
👉First Step	Download the DoorDash Dasher app and start your application

4. Walk Dogs or Pet Sit With Rover or Wag

Dog walking turns a lunch break into paid time if you work from home.

Rover lets you set your own schedule and prices, and it says its Rover Guarantee includes up to $25,000 in vet care reimbursement.

Rover’s help center says you should hear back within 10 to 20 business days after you apply. Wag’s application takes about 2 weeks and adds a pet care quiz, so plan on a few weeks either way.

Here’s a hypothetical week: 3 walks at $20 each brings in $60, or about $240 a month. That fits what Redditors told NerdWallet, where $300 or more a month is possible with regular clients.

The catch is demand, because success depends heavily on your location. So count the dogs on your street before you sign up.

Dog Walking at a Glance
🎯Best For	Animal lovers with midday hours free. Skip it if few people near you own dogs.
💰Cost	No gear needed, but you'll pass a background check
💵Payoff	$16 to $25 a walk, depending on time and region (Fidelity)
⏰Time	2 to 4 weeks
👉First Step	Start a Rover sitter profile and list walks and drop-in visits

5. Pick Up Odd Jobs on Taskrabbit

Taskrabbit pays you for the chores other people don’t have time for, like moving, cleaning and handyman work.

NerdWallet says you can set up a profile in a few hours, but approval takes a few days. You get paid a few days after each job.

Taskrabbit charges the fee once your registration goes through, and paying it doesn’t guarantee you’ll be accepted.

Taskrabbit’s own estimate runs higher than Fidelity’s: its sign-up page showed $51 an hour for moving help in Washington, D.C. when we checked in October 2026.

That $25 fee is the part to plan for. At about $20 an hour, one 2-hour moving job covers it. That’s your break-even point, not your pay.

Redditors told NerdWallet the platform can bring in a couple hundred dollars a month. So search Taskrabbit for your zip code and see how many Taskers offer your skill before you pay.

Taskrabbit at a Glance
🎯Best For	Handy people who can lift boxes or assemble furniture. Skip it if you don't want to pay a sign-up fee.
💰Cost	A one-time, non-refundable $25 registration fee
💵Payoff	Moving help averages around $20 an hour plus tips (Fidelity)
⏰Time	2 to 4 weeks
👉First Step	Register at Taskrabbit and pick 2 or 3 task categories you do well

6. Drive for Uber or Lyft

Rideshare driving is flexible, but it asks the most of your car. NerdWallet says you need an eligible car in good condition, a background check and a review of your driving history.

Setup takes a few weeks because of the application, background check and car inspection. Once you drive, Uber and Lyft can pay you instantly through a debit card.

The most common mistake is treating gross pay as profit, so track gas and maintenance from day 1. For other ways to earn with your car, see our list of ways to make money driving.

Rideshare at a Glance
🎯Best For	People with a four-door car and a clean record. Skip it if you're under 25 with fewer than 3 years of driving, which Uber requires at that age.
💰Cost	An eligible car, plus gas and maintenance out of your pay
💵Payoff	Fidelity gives no rideshare rate, so the closest figure is food delivery's up to $20 an hour plus tips
⏰Time	2 to 4 weeks
👉First Step	Call your car insurance company before you apply

7. Freelance Your Day-Job Skills on Upwork or Fiverr

The easiest freelance work is the work you already do all day.

“The key is using skills you already have,” certified financial planner Chelsea Ransom-Cooper told NerdWallet, “instead of starting from scratch learning something new.”

NerdWallet says Upwork takes up to 48 hours to approve your profile, and your first gig takes longer. Fiverr pays when an order is complete, but its help center says the money clears 14 days later (7 for its top sellers) before you can withdraw it.

So how do you set a rate?

Fidelity suggests turning your salary into an hourly rate, then raising it to cover the benefits a freelancer doesn’t get. Say you earn $62,400 a year in this hypothetical: over 2,080 work hours, that’s $30 an hour, so quote above $30.

Before your first client, check your company’s rules on outside work (more on that later). New to Fiverr? These Fiverr gigs need no experience, and writers can start with these freelance writing jobs for beginners.

Freelancing at a Glance
🎯Best For	Writers, designers, programmers, marketers and admin pros. Skip it if your employer bans outside work in your field.
💰Cost	Just your time to build a profile; Upwork and Fiverr require you to be at least 18
💵Payoff	About $28 an hour for proofreaders (Fidelity), and $100 an hour or more for some writers (NerdWallet)
⏰Time	1 to 3 months
👉First Step	Build an Upwork profile around one service you already do at work

8. Tutor Online or In Person

Tutoring turns what you know, like math, a language or test prep, into a solid hourly rate.

Some tutoring sites want you enrolled in a four-year college or holding a bachelor’s degree, NerdWallet says.

Here’s how Redditors told NerdWallet they land students:

1. Pick a narrow subject. Algebra 2 and trigonometry beats “math tutor.”
2. Start on Wyzant. Posters favor it because tutors keep 75% of what they earn.
3. Go direct. Once you have reviews, find students on Craigslist and Facebook groups without platform fees.

It could take a while before your first student books, so treat the first month as setup time. Our list of online tutoring jobs has more sites to try.

Tutoring at a Glance
🎯Best For	People who know one subject deeply, from algebra to ESL lessons. Skip it if you can't give 5 hours a week, the minimum Tutor.com requires.
💰Cost	A share of each lesson if you use a platform
💵Payoff	Around $24 an hour, more for specialized subjects in pricey areas (Fidelity)
⏰Time	1 to 3 months
👉First Step	Create a Wyzant profile for one narrow subject, such as algebra 2

How Much Can You Make From a Second Job?

A second job could add $100 or more a month on top of your day job, according to Fidelity. The hourly rates on this list run from about $20 for delivery to $75 for snow shoveling, and some freelance writers charge $100 or more.

You’d have plenty of company, too. In fact, 36% of U.S. adults have a side hustle, according to a 2024 Bankrate survey reported by CNBC.

So how do you make an extra $2,000 a month?

At tutoring’s $24 an hour, you’d need about 84 hours a month, or roughly 20 hours a week. That’s a real second job, not a hobby.

If a shift job near the minimum wage tempts you, compare it with these rates first. Then decide where the money goes, whether that’s student loans, credit card debt or retirement savings.

Do You Pay Taxes on a Second Job?

Yes, the IRS says you must report income from part-time or side work on your tax return, even when no 1099 or W-2 reports it. That rule covers money paid in any form, including cash, so babysitting cash counts like an app payout.

So keep a simple log of every payment from day 1. The IRS Gig Economy Tax Center also explains how to keep records, deduct expenses and pay taxes on gig work.

Set aside part of every payment for taxes, so the bill doesn’t land all at once.

Can Your Employer Stop You From Having a Second Job?

Your employer can limit a second job if company policy bans it. Fidelity says some businesses restrict work for competitors, clients, vendors or former employees.

Then check your employee handbook for a moonlighting section, and keep the reply in writing.

Long Shots Worth Knowing About

Notary signing, film extra work, resume writing and virtual assistant jobs pay well, but each needs a license, a lucky location or experience most readers don’t have yet. All figures come from Fidelity.

• Notary signing agent: Signing agents who handle loan documents make $50 to $200 per engagement. You have to become a notary first, and the cost varies by state.
• TV or movie extra: Background workers are generally paid $100 to $200 for a day of filming. It only works if productions film near you.
• Resume writer: Most clients pay $150 to $700 per resume, depending on their industry and experience level. It suits people who already write strong resumes, and these companies hire remote resume writers.
• Virtual assistant: Part-time scheduling can pay a couple hundred dollars a week. Employers usually want past relevant experience, which an entry-level office job often counts as, and our guide to virtual assistant jobs that pay well lists where to apply.

Other Ways to Earn Without a Second Job

You can earn extra money without a second job through paid focus groups, app testing and selling things you own. None of them gives you a steady schedule, but here’s what Fidelity says each pays.

• Focus groups: A session usually takes a couple of hours and could pay $50 to $200 or more, if you fit the demographic a research firm wants.
• App testing: User testers can expect $15 to $20 per test or more, and these companies pay you to test websites.
• Selling or reselling: Successful resellers can net $1,000 to 6 figures a year. Check completed listings to set prices, since platforms may take a cut or charge listing fees.

Pick one of these if your schedule can’t take a fixed second job right now, or browse our list of side jobs you can do from home.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

Babysitting is the best second job to start this week for most readers, since a free Care.com profile takes minutes. Pick one job from this list and finish its first step before Friday.