Carol PerezNeed some extra money? Maybe you have some bills coming up and you need some money quickly? It’s okay, I’ve been there, too.
If you’re looking for a job where you can make some extra cash (aka an under the table job), there’s actually quite a few options.
What is an under the table job?
An under the table job is a job where you are paid in cash and the job isn’t reported to the government. These are usually “gig”-style jobs or things can be one-off opportunities (like baby-sitting).
If you’d like an additional stream of income, then there’s nothing stopping you from continuing to do an under the table job – it doesn’t have to be a one-time thing!
Where to Find Under the Table Jobs
If you’d like a starting point for finding your own under the table jobs, here are some places you can visit:
Craigslist
Yep this place is still around. And it’s still active!
Craigslist actually makes it super easy to find under the table jobs, just head to the “gigs” section.
Some of the common under the table jobs you will find in this area are landscaping, tutoring, and car maintenance.
**Make sure you watch out for scams, and other odd service requests.
Facebook Groups
If you’re looking for something local, you can start by checking out Facebook groups!
You can search your city / region to start, then you can add words like [gig], [job]. You’ll most likely find at least one group that’s specific to your region, and in these groups you can usually find people posting requests for certain services and other job opportunities.
In these groups you can also offer your OWN services. Just make sure to check the rules of the group to make sure it’s okay.
Job Websites
Another great place to search for under the table jobs is on job websites and job boards.
You can look at job websites like Indeed and ZipRecuiter for gigs, temporary, or one-off jobs.
If you want to find something right in your neighborhood, you can use a website like NextDoor to see if anyone is looking for help, you can also create a post offering services to your neighbors.
Here are some other job websites you can check:
- Care.com – Care has a lot of postings for childcare services, but you can also find senior care jobs, housekeeping jobs, pet care jobs, and tutoring positions.
- Tutor – This has gigs for online and offline tutoring.
- Rover – If you love animals, you can find pet sitting and dog walking gigs here.
Subreddits (on Reddit)
If you’re willing to visit a more off-bear website, Reddit can be a great place to find under the table jobs also.
Reddit is like a big online forum, and it’s separated into different topics called “subreddits”.
Here are a few subreddits where you can find gigs:
- /r/slavelabour – This subreddit has people want services (that will pay under the market rate). You can also offer your own services on this subreddit.
- /r/beermoney – This subreddit has opportunities for people to make extra cash (aka beer money). Check out the monthly “who paid you this month” thread where people show what websites and apps they used to make money and how much they made from each.
- /r/freelance – This is a subreddit for general freelance, but sometimes there are a job leads / gig leads.
- /r/forhire – If you have a skill (like graphic design) you can offer your services on this subreddit. You can also find people who are looking for certain services / skills.
- /r/workonline – If you’re looking for some online gigs, this is a great place to look.
15+ Real Under the Table Jobs For Quick Cash
Here are over 10 under the table jobs that you can start doing this week to earn quick cash!
Babysitting
This is a great gig that has the potential to pay a LOT of money. This is also a great choice because there are parents everywhere and I’m sure at some point they will consider getting a babysitter (even if it’s just for one night).
With babysitting your duties can vary quite a bit, some parents might need you to pick up their children from school or daycare, some may need you to fix their kids a quick meal, or some parents may just need you to come over and stay while they have a date night and the kids are already asleep.
Possible Earnings: According to a study done by UrbanSitter, the average babysitting rate for one child is $16.75, for two children it’s $19.26, and for three children it’s $20.76.
Where to Find Work: If you’re looking for babysitting jobs, you can check out local Facebook groups, NextDoor, Craigslist, and Care.com
Dance Instructor
Are you a skilled dancer? Do you also have the ability to be an effective teacher?
Being a dance instructor could be a good side gig or side hustle for you.
To go for this gig you’ll want to think about what type of dance you’d like to teach, what age group you’d like to teach, and how many students you’d like to teach at once.
Possible Earnings: According to Salary.com, the average salary of a dance instructor is $36,500+.
Where to Find Work: You could partner with a local gym and start your own group classes, or your can find another space and advertise your classes in local Facebook groups or on Craigslist or NextDoor.
Gardening
If you love gardening or being outdoors, you could be a freelance gardener for people.
I think this is a job that might be in demand for busy professionals or for older people – basically anyone that might now have the time or stamina to take care of a garden themselves.
You might be planting new plants, pruning plants, just maintaining plants by watering and weed pulling.
Possible Earnings: According to GlassDoor, the average hourly pay for gardeners is $15.
Where to Find Work: You can find work through Craigslist, local Facebook groups, or on NextDoor.
Graphic Design
Have an eye for design? Maybe you already have some graphic design experience?
You could do graphic design as an under the table job.
Even if you don’t have highly developed graphic design skills, you could offer your services for a lower cost while you build your skills and increase your portfolio.
This could even be something that could become a full-time job for you.
Possible Earnings: According to GlassDoor, the average graphic designer salary is $45,677 a year. If you’re doing this as a side hustle or an under the table job, your earning potential could vary widely. It depends on what types of projects you do, how much you charge per project, and how many clients you’re able to find.
Where to Find Work: To find graphic design work, you could use some of the website mentioned above, and you can use freelance websites like Freelancer.com, Upwork, and Fiverr, or you could even create “premade” logos or other elements and sell them in an Etsy store.
House Cleaning
Do you enjoy cleaning? Then you might actually be in the minority! There are a lot of people that hire cleaners to clean their homes.
This is a good under the table job because you can usually get paid right after the service is completed, and you could be paid in cash.
You also don’t need any type of experience or certification to do this, you just need some clients who are willing to pay and your own cleaning supplies!
Possible Earnings: According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost of a house cleaning is about $165. Your earnings could depend on the size of the home you’re cleaning, and how much you decide to charge. $25-$50 an hour is a good starting point.
Where to Find Work: To find house cleaner gigs, you can use local Facebook groups, Craigslist, and you can also use a website like Thumbtack to advertise your services.
House Painter
If you’re looking for an under the table job you can start quickly, being a house painter might be a good choice for you.
If you aren’t afraid of networking and getting dirty, you could start making money with this side hustle this week!
You’ll want to price yourself based on the side of the area that needs to be painted, you’ll also want to consider if you need to buy the paint yourself. But getting started shouldn’t require much upfront cost (just brushes and clothes you can get dirty).
Possible Earnings: According to PayScale, the average hourly pay for house painters is about $16. Your payment could depend on how much you charge and how fast you work, usually you charge a set rate based on the project.
Where to Find Work: You can find work through the normal websites (Facebook groups, NextDoor, Craigslist). You can also advertise your services on Thumbtack or similar websites.
Interpreter / Translator
Do you speak another language?
You could make money by being an interpreter / translator. You could provide services to businesses looking to translate content into other languages.
To do this job, you may need a certification for the language, so be sure to check the requirements of any job or post you’re responding to.
Possible Earnings: According to GlassDoor, full-time freelance interpreters/translators can make an average of $61,625 a year.
Where to Find Work: To find translator and interpreter gigs, you can look on websites like Freelancer.com, Transperfect, and Lionbridge. You can also check local websites like Craigslist and Facebook groups.
Manual Labor
Would you feel comfortable moving or being on your feel all day?
That’s pretty much all you need to do to be a laborer. Your duties could include things like mowing lawns, helping someone move, being handing and fixing things around someone’s house or business, or working with wood or painting.
Physical labor can be incredibly demanding, but it still pays quite well.
Possible Earnings: According to GlassDoor, general laborers get and average salary of $29,050 per year.
Where to Find Work: You can find work through local facebook groups, on Craigslist, on NextDoor or you could even contact local companies that may be looking for a handyman.
Mowing Lawns
If you have a lawnmower or a weedwhacker, and you’re willing to be outside and put in some work, this could be a great seasonal under the table job for you (there ain’t now lawn mowing in winter!).
If you establish a friendly relationship with your clients and they like your work, this could be a source of recurring revenue! Some people get their lawns mowed 2-4 times a month (depending on the growth).
Possible Earnings: My brother-in-law does this on the side and charges at least $20 a lawn, and $10 for edging and other trimming. Your rates might depend on the market in your area and the sized of the lawn.
Where to Find Work: You can find work through Facebook groups, Craigslist, NextDoor, or you could create flyers and post them in your neighborhood.
Pet Sitting
Pet sitting is a great under the table job if you love animals.
Pet sitting can be in two different forms, you can either have the pet at your home to take care of it, or you might go to the pet owner’s home to take care of the pet(s).
To do pet sitting you need some experience with pets, and if you have pets already and you plan on have other pets in your home for pet sitting, make sure the pets you already own can/will get along with other pets.
Possible Earnings: If you intend to do this part-time, you can earn about $1000 by just pet sitting 1-2 dogs for a few weeks a month. Full-time pet sitters can make $3000+.
Where to Find Work: Just like most under the table jobs, you can use Craigslist, Facebook groups, and NextDoor to find pet sitting gigs. You can also use pet sitting-specific websites like Rover and DogVacay.
Photography
Are you an experienced photographer that owns or has access to photographer equipment?
You could use your skills to make some extra cash!
You’ll need to think about what kind of photography you’d like to do, you could portraits (for kids, high schoolers, engagements, etc), or you could do nature photography, or even event photography!
Possible Earnings: According to Salary.com, the median photographer salary is $65,573. Your earnings could depend on the type of photography you do, and how much your charge per session/photo.
Where to Find Work: You can advertise your services through Facebook groups, on Craigslist, or you can find niche-specific places to advertise your services (like using Knot for wedding photographers).
Selling Used Goods / Flipping
Do you have a lot of things around your house that you no longer need or use?
That could be the start of your reselling career!
You can gather up these items and sell them online (eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, etc), and then you can use the money you receive to get more items to resell, or you can use the money to invest or to pay off debt.
You could make money from almost anything around your house including: clothes, shoes, books, pots and pans… The list is endless!
Possible Earnings: This depends on what you have to sell and how much it sells for. I’ve made over $1000+ in one month from reselling my old items!
Where to Find Work: You can sell things on eBay, Facebook marketplace, Poshmark, and on Mercari. If you have books to sell you can sell them on Amazon.
Snow Removal
When the season of lawn mowing is over, you chould switch gears to snow removal (if your area gets a lot of snow).
You don’t need a big snowblower for this job, you can just use a shovel if you have one.
Possible Earnings: Your rate depends on how much snow needs to be removed, and the side of the area. Your rate could be anywhere from $20-$100!
Where to Find Work: You can find work on Craigslist, Facebook groups, or on NextDoor.
Tutoring
If you’re patient and have a good grasp of certain subjects, you could make a good amount of money from tutoring.
And you don’t just have to tutor people in academic subjects, you could also help people with other activities such as music.
Possible Earnings: Depending on the subject you’re helping with, and how much time your spend with your client, you could charge anywhere from $15-$150 an hour.
Where to Find Work: You can advertise your services through Facebook groups, on Craigslist, or you can use a website like Tutor.com or if you’re still in school, there may be a place on your school’s website where you can advertise your tutoring services.
Walking Dogs
Love dogs but don’t want to petsit?
Dog walking can be a lucrative alternative!
If you’d like to learn more about this side hustle, Financial Panther has an in-depth review of the Wag app (including earnings!).
Possible Earnings: With the Wag app, you could earn $18 an hour for walking (not including tips!).
Where to Find Work: You can find dog walking gigs through Facebook groups, on Craigslist, or you can use a website like Rover or Wag.
Writing
Interested in freelance writing? This can be a super lucrative under the table job!
Even if you don’t have experience, you could still find some well-paying jobs!
First you need to decide what type of writing you’d like to do. Are you interested in writing blog posts? Product descriptions? Maybe more journalistic-style articles?
Possible Earnings: You could be paid per word or per article. When you’re just starting out you may only make $.01 – $.03 per word, and when you get some more experience you could be making $.05 – $.10+
Where to Find Work: You can find some beginner jobs on Craigslist, through Facebook groups, or on Upwork. You could even set up a profile on Fiverr and get some work that way. Once you have a few pieces in your portfolio you can look for jobs on the Problogger job board.
Conclusion
There you go, a list of under the table jobs that you can try doing.
Don’t forget to check the websites mentioned above to look for other under the table jobs that might be suitable!