With inflation reaching record highs, and economic crisis looming above us, our lives are getting tighter. Most people are already feeling it: from increased rent and ridiculous gas prices, to things many people took for granted, like morning frappuccinos and sushi takeaways, now becoming luxuries.
So when every little penny counts, you gotta hustle. In order to get us all some ideas how to survive in this gloomy economy, we looked at these two illuminating Reddit threads (this and this). People are sharing overlooked yet well (some unexpectedly!) paying jobs that desperately need workers right now, so it may give you some ideas for money-making career prospects.
Psst! After you’re done, be sure to check out our previous article about the easiest legal ways to make money on the side!
#1
Self employed cleaning services (i dont know exaclty what to call it)
My parents started getting paid $35 an hour cleaning a community center to ~$50 from cleaning offices.
My mom started it then my dad joined in to help her with the hours and taking care of the house and kids.
Eventually my mom got good contacts, and started cleaning the offices of managers from factories, Sacramento politicians, and stuff alike.
Can’t express how proud i am of my mom. She turned all those shitty Hispanic cleaning lady jokes into something brag worthy.
Image source: Eva_NERV, suicide_chewbacca
#2
I work as a lunch lady.
I get school vacations off, summers off, and weekends. No nights, or even really afternoons, it’s amazing. I also get benefits, and every year I get a raise, so between the money and the time off, the job is 100% worth it.
Image source: Charliekat1130, Maryland GovPics
#3
Garbage collectors in New York are paid up to $112k, a solid salary considering you don’t even need a degree. Sounds like a nice fallback plan for me.
Image source: BenRS7, Kenny Eliason
#4
If you have a strong stomach, cleaning up death and crime scenes pays very well and requires little education.
Image source: too_generic, Spotless
#5
Plumbers, they can charge 100$ an hour easy because people are stupid about regular things.
Image source: PabstyLoudmouth
#6
Great money in pressure washing/exterior cleaning.
Also, gutter cleaning. $100/hr is no problem on gutter cleaning. Requires no skill, and minimal equipment. If you’re ever broke, buy a ladder and clean gutters.
Image source: mikehocksbig, Kronoxic
#7
Mobile crane operator, union guys pull over 200k and its a trade thats pretty easy on the body.
Image source: anon
#8
I’m a gardener. There’s a serious lack of folks willing to do manual labour in the outdoors year-round. Most commercial properties have to maintain a certain amount of green area in our city. Hospitals and other places like that need legitimate crews to do the work with professionalism (no cat calling or spitting or swearing etc) including bonded employees and good insurance and equipment etc.
As a result we are in demand and we get paid surprisingly well. No university education needed, low barrier to entry, great pay and job security.
Image source: Whyevenbotherbeing, Joey Genovese
#9
I’m a petsitter & I make pretty good cash from it during the busy times (summer & holidays) for very little effort in some cases. I’ve been doing it for a few years now & after busting my a*s & whoring my time out to clients & their critters I’ve built a great client base and can relax a bit now. Of course I work a full time job too, petsitting isn’t steady enough to rely on but I can make an extra $5-600 a month when it’s busy. It gets hectic figuring out the timing between the two jobs sometimes but it’s so worth it. I’m currently petsitting for a week, $245 to hang out with two adorable dogs, eat their food, drink the wine they bought me, and relax. I love what I do.
Image source: isecretelyeatbunnies, Humphrey Muleba
#10
Waterslide tester, the rides are already confirmed to be safe enough for humans to ride. You’re basically getting paid to ride on a safe waterslide and give feedback.
Image source: 3x3master, Iker Urteaga
#11
I was a bathroom attendant in a fancy restaurant. Made hundred of dollars a night in cash to do next to nothing.
Image source: FireAndBees, Anwar Jibawi
#12
Collecting golf balls. Saw on the news a guy makes over $250,000 traveling around and using scuba gear getting golf balls.
Image source: throwaway55555mmm, Ioan Sameli
#13
Technical writing. If you have the ability to take complex technical information and simplify it according to the reading audience, you can make well over $100K annually.
People ridicule English degrees until they find out how much can be earned as a technical writer.
Image source: WriteAway1
#14
Medical illustrator.
You know like the anatomical drawings in scientific journals and such, the people behind that make a pretty good living. My friend dated one for a while and I was surprised how well she was doing.
Image source: -eDgAR-, Double-M
#15
Skill trades. You don’t need a 4year degree. Some programs are less than a year. Not everyone needs to be an engineer. Go be a welder, electrician, machine repair, or a pipe fitter.
Image source: level 1 XIGRIMxREAPERIX
#16
I drive machinery in a coal mine in Australia. I make about 170k. Even our new trainees are paid pretty well, about $48 per hour. I think it ends up being close to 90-100k. Easy money for sitting on your a**e in an air conditioned cab.
Image source: stupidperson810
#17
Becoming a locksmith changed my life. Well paid and I get to help people out I love it
Image source: winterparkroadside
#18
Utility lineman. There is a developing shortage nationwide due to baby boom retirements. It’s well paid base, but the overtime is fabulous.
Image source: prophet583, Western Area Power
#19
Court reporting. Stenography is a tough skill to learn, but plenty of court reporters earn over $100k. And no college degree required (although most CRs will need to be certified).
Image source: tracygee, Saúl Bucio
#20
UPS drivers can make close to 100k if you stay there long enough.
Image source: The_Balding_Fraud
#21
I work at home as a closed captioner broadcaster for the News. I make my own schedule and make between $35-$65 per hour depending on the job. Large investment to get started but significantly worth the payout.
Image source: Ishtastic08, ed100
#22
Environmental Inspector in the Oil and Gas industry. Make $200,000 a year saving the planet.
Image source: branst1513, Ellie Meh
#23
Landscape lighting installation, never knew the industry existed. Now I love it and hope to run my own company someday.
Image source: Megelendosh, Lowe’s Home Improvement
#24
Scrum masters in software development industry. They are paid 6 figures for basically setting up meetings and being cheer leaders. They don’t have any responsibility for delivery of work and they don’t have any work beyond what I described.
Update: I am talking about a dedicated scrum master who does absolutely nothing else but be a scrum master.
Update 2: I agree with you when you say you hate that this position exists as an individual entity and do believe that having one person just do this is wasteful.
Update 3: I am specifically referring to Scrum masters. Project Managers and engineering managers and POs are not included in this.
Image source: halfelfrogue1, Campaign Creators
#25
Hotdog vendors can earn 6 figures in a year
Image source: sektornite, Daniel Ramirez
#26
Dog groomer. It’s a weird industry, though, and a skill that really has to be learned hands-on (grooming schools can be a good start, but I know great groomers that never went to school for it, and terrible groomers that spent thousands on classes). Just being good at handling dogs is the best foundation for success.
It’s not the easiest job in the world. It’s largely commission-based, and you’re lucky if you get any benefits out of it, but if you get enough practice in to be good at it and build up a loyal clientele base in a decently affluent area, it’s good money. The haircuts I do range from $70-$175, and I’m paid 50%, which averages out to around $30-$35 an hour most days. Not everyone tips, but those that do usually tip $5-$20 per dog, and because I do about 40 dogs in an average week, that’s an extra couple hundred in my pocket.
So if you don’t mind working on your feet all day, sustaining repetitive motion injuries, not taking lunch breaks, dealing with insane customers, and picking s**t off dog buttholes, it’s a good living.
Image source: somesweedishtrees, Александр Гросс
#27
Did you know people put gutters on their houses to catch the rain as it falls off the roof? I didn’t either until a guy walked up to me and handed me a job doing it. Turns out making $300-600 a day is an every day thing doing it piece rate in Florida.
Image source: farlack, Kim Siever
#28
Underwater welding pays a tremendous amount.
The only one I know personally retired comfortably in his 40’s.
Image source: Scrappy_Larue
#29
Funeral Director is a great paying job with not a whole lot of schooling. That’s what I do and I make about $75,000.
Image source: Undertaker89, The Good Funeral Guide
#30
Ice, producing Ice with industrial machines and selling it to people who export food makes you about 3k per day(about 60 tons of ice sold per day)
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