Under the table jobs pay well on the side and can be a lot of fun. You don’t need any experience, and you’ll be paid in cash on a daily basis!
As a teenager, I always liked working under the table jobs after school because it’s a great way to earn extra allowance money for the weekends.
Now that I’m in my twenty-something, I still like hustling on the side. It’s fun, and it’s a great way to try other experiences while earning.
There are plenty of under-the-table jobs you can try, some you can do in your local area, while some are available online.
In my years of being a side hustler, I can say with confidence, that as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort to work, earning isn’t a question. But a guarantee.
Top Under The Table Jobs
I’ve narrowed the list of my top side hustle jobs in this article, so you can start earning extra $$$ in your free time.
What Exactly Are Under The Table Jobs?
Under the table jobs mean you don’t have to pay taxes. The money you earn isn’t written on any record, and you get paid right away after the job.
It’s similar to freelancing, wherein the individual you are working for isn’t responsible for reporting your taxes.
Best Under The Table Jobs
1. Babysitting
I like babysitting. I’ve been doing it as a teen to help the neighbors out, and I still do it at my age to help my friends out on their date nights.
It’s an easy job that only lasts a few hours at a time. If you’re good with kids, then babysitting is an enjoyable job for you.
You can post your services on local Facebook groups or on Craigslist.
2. Photography
Do you like taking photos of your friends, family, events, and landscapes? Do you happen to have a camera lying around in your house? Well, I think you found your next side hustle.
While I’m not much of a photographer myself, I have a lot of friends from college who are earning serious money from their photography gigs.
You can start by building your portfolio by offering your services to your friends and family. You can earn money by taking photos at events, weddings, birthdays, and other occasions.
If you want to maximize your earning potential, you can sell your photos on stock websites.
3. House Sitting
It’s similar to babysitting, but without the babies. When I was younger, I house-sit a lot of times for my aunts and uncles. In which, they’d refer their friends to my services.
I no longer house-sit, but my mom uses house-sitting services frequently. Normally, jobs like house sitting and babysitting are services you offer to friends and family first.
There are times wherein the job stretches to over a few days, and there are ones that only last a few hours. Make sure to set what hours you’re willing to work.
4. Gardening
If you like gardening, then you can definitely sell your services. You can start by looking around the neighborhood for houses with unkempt gardens.
Or you can start by asking your friends and family for referrals, whichever method works. Older people would need this service, so ask your grandparents first.
Gardening can easily lead to returning customers, and they might put you in a retainer instead. No need to be an expert, you can do simple tasks, such as watering plants and planting seeds
5. Dog Walking
I offered dog walking services when I was younger. It’s a lot of fun, especially if you like animals..
My parents’ co-workers frequently ask for my help to tend to their dogs since they’re too busy working. It’s worth looking for corporate workers or busy parents to offer your dog walking service to.
If you want to earn an extra buck, you can even offer to bathe their dog after the walk. Again, it’s easy to make them your regular clients.
And by walking their dog regularly, you’ll earn their trust and they’ll ask you for other jobs, such as house sitting.
6. Snow Removal
This may be seasonal, but it’s a great way to network and upsell your other freelancing services to your clients.
You can offer your snow removal services to commercial companies if you own a truck and a plow. Or if you don’t, a plow is more than enough for the local residents.
After doing your job, make sure to leave your business card with them or a flier that gives them the list of your other services.
7. House Painter
All you need is a paintbrush and determination to get the job done.
It isn’t a fun activity, but there are people who find it therapeutic. You’ll be surprised by how many residents in local areas need their houses repainted.
There were two young lads who rang my grandma’s doorbell and asked if she wanted her to get repainted, to their surprise, not only did my grandma say yes, but 5 more houses did too in the same neighborhood.
For older people who aren’t technologically savvy, being upfront and offering your service to them in person is a good option.
However, you can always market your service in local Facebook groups and on Craigslist.
8. Tutor
If you’re particularly good at any particular subject, chances are you can turn that knowledge into money.
You can find a lot of tutor jobs online (that keyword alone is enough for you to start applying) or you can create an account on Upwork.
What makes tutor jobs in Upwork so great is that you can choose your desired rate. You can also set your working hours as well.
Of course, you can always ask for referrals from people you know.
9. Gym Instructor
My friend is my gym instructor because not only are they cheaper, but I’m more comfortable getting my training from people I know. Or from people I have mutual friends with.
One of the best strategies for a warm market is by posting on your Facebook or IG that you’re open for training.
Make sure your prices are friendly as you’re training people you know, but you can eventually increase your price as you get more experience.
Remember: If there’s anything you are unsure of, make sure to ask an expert before instructing them to do anything.
One of the bright sides of being a gym instructor is that when you have changed someone’s physical appearance, clients will be lining up.
10. Personal Assistant
Being a personal assistant doesn’t always mean doing the paperwork, sometimes it’s about running errands, buying groceries, sorting out packages, and so much more.
My friends who are working parents often need a personal assistant to help out with mundane household tasks, at least twice a week or during super busy days.
I may not be a working parent, but it does get busy sometimes, especially during reunions, I’d ask help from my neighbor to assist me with cooking and cleaning.
I’d refer my neighbor to my friends and family, too, when they need an extra helping hand.
11. Driving
Yes, it is possible to earn without using Uber and Lyft.
There’s a Ride Share option on Craigslist where people are in need of a personal driver for the day or for errands.
The reason why these people prefer to work under the table is that it’s cheaper to directly work with an individual.
Of course, you have to be wary of passengers you pick up, so if you’re uncomfortable working with people on Craigslist, you can tell your friends and family about your service.
Before I knew how to drive, I preferred paying my friends for their service to using an app, when I had multiple errands to do.
12. Mowing Lawns
If you can plow snow in the winter season, you can definitely mow lawns in the spring and summer seasons.
What I like about this is that you can tell them in advance that you’re offering a snow removal service in winter, which means you’re already building your network base.
It’s easy to find people in need of your service, just take a look at their lawns. However, you do have to invest in lawnmowers first. This is perfect if you already have one sitting in your garage.
Mowing lawns is actually a good way to start meeting prospects. I always use freelance lawn mowing services when one comes up and knocks on my door.
13. Make-Up Artist
If you like to keep up with the trends with the latest make-up look, and you find the job enjoyable, you can offer your services to friends and family or people in your local area.
Post a before and after photo on Facebook or IG, so people can see your work. As someone who isn’t make-up savvy, I like to look for local artists to work their magic on me for special occasions.
If you’re still not sure if you can pull it off or not, watch this video by a YouTuber. She covers pretty much everything you need to expect and more before taking on the role.
In most places, individual artists are more updated with the trends (most of them are in their teens or twenties) and as a plus, their rates are better.
14. House Cleaning
There are a lot of people who are too busy to keep up with regular housework, so sometimes an extra hand is needed.
My mom used to have a cleaner on the weekends (well, she still does sometimes) when she’s loaded with work.
If you like the simplicity of cleaning, tell your friends and family about it. The word spreads fast, and they’ll recommend you to do other jobs, such as gardening and dog walking.
15. Car Washing
You can wash their car on their property or if you have enough space, you can wash cars in your home.
It’s an easy way to make money on your day off. Here’s a useful article on how you can get started. Post your business in local groups, and start telling people about it. Soon enough the word will get out.
Also, once you have established a reputation in your local area, you can turn it into a business.
16. DJ Jobs
I have friends who are freelance DJs on the weekends in our local clubs. If you love to DJ and have a keen interest in music, this job is A LOT of fun.
Not only do DJs have the courtesy of free drinks, but you get to party and get paid for it!
If you’re a little bored with your desk job and want to spice it up on the weekends, Skillshare can teach you to DJ. It’s fun, easy, and quick – you can start earning in no time!
17. Handyman
If you’re one of those “jack of all trades, master of none” kind of person, you can definitely earn a decent cash flow from being your all-rounder handyman.
It can be anything from woodwork, electronics, changing the light bulb, or tightening a few screws in appliances.
As a writer, I’m definitely far from a handyman, so when bolts start squeaking around the house, I call our neighborhood’s handyman. It’s convenient that he only lives a few blocks away, so he can get work done on the fly.
You can start by telling your neighbors about your service as they’ll be the ones who’ll need you the most.
After all, a master of none is sometimes better than a master of one 😉
18. Party Planner
For people who get excited about parties and believe you can throw a killer party, being an awesome party planner may just be your calling.
If your friends and family often go to you for unique or crazy party ideas, you can make a quick buck off your skill.
The scope of work is different, depending on how big the party will be. It can include the venue, people, event, and decoration.
Start by planning a smaller event, and then scale up as you gain more experience. I also find this article quite useful for aspiring party planners.
19. Freelance Writer
You get paid per article done.
There are a lot of blog owners who are in need of freelance writers for their websites. Since this is an in-demand job, you can choose the niche you want to write about.
If you have an interest in anime, for example, you can work on anime-focused websites. If you’re a person with many interests, then you’re free to write about them, too.
This is my favorite under the table job because of how much freedom it gives. Even if you aren’t a professional writer, you can make a stable stream out of it.
20. Graphic Designing
Because of how convenient applications are, you don’t need to be professional or technologically savvy to earn from graphic designing.
A good friend of mine earns well in her side hustle by designing using Canva, it’s essentially a drag-and-drop graphic designing platform that anyone can figure out.
However, it takes a creative mind to use the elements and create a unique design. Don’t worry, you can create an account for free, so there’s nothing to lose!
21. Transcribe Audio
It isn’t a fun task, but it’s a job that anyone can do. It’s when you listen to tapes and recordings and type them on a document.
You don’t need any prior experience to get started, and all you need is the determination to get the job done (as it can get monotonous at times).
22. Proofreading
A lot of people find proofreading a satisfying job. If you’re a bookworm, and you don’t mind burying your nose for hours, proofreading is a good gig for you.
You essentially have to check for punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors. An e-book writer or a blog owner may need help in proofreading. This job is also one of the best for stay at home moms.
Under The Table Jobs Can Eventually Be A Business
If you enjoy doing it, and like seeing customers satisfied, it’ll be easy to build a good reputation in your local area.
A lot of successful businesses start off as a side gig, and when the word gets out, your client base grows. And when that happens, you start hiring people to help you do the job.
What’s important is getting the job done, staying consistent, and enjoying the process. What may start off as a measly side gig, may just be so much more than that.
So, it’s important to look for under the table jobs that you like doing to avoid burnout!
Under The Table Jobs For The Disabled
The list below is for people who can’t physically perform the jobs above and for people who prefer to work from home.
