15 Lucrative Winter Side Hustles You Can Do Right Now

Side hustles can make you money even in the winter months. There are plenty of outdoor side gig options if you don’t mind the cold or indoor options if you prefer to stay warm. 

It’s all about being creative, finding something that suits your skill set, or learning a new talent perfect for a winter side hustle.

Check out these options to see if one is right for you to earn extra money this winter.

You may be sorting through boxes and boxes of holiday decorations and wondering where you’re going to put them or if you even need all of them.

Consider listing some of them on websites like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist and earn extra cash for your seasonal treasures.

If you're the handy type, you can offer to help take down Christmas lights and other outdoor holiday decorations on people's homes for a fee.

This could even lead to a regular gig if you want to offer to put up those same decorations before the holidays next season.

If you're ambitious and have the right equipment, you can even offer to haul away and dispose of Christmas trees

Not everyone can go outside for long walks with their dogs in the winter. So help your fellow dog lovers by becoming a dog walker in the winter.

You can list your services on pet sites like Rover and highlight things you include for winter walks, such as foot protection or dog coats to keep pups warm.

If you enjoy baking, offer your services for any number of potential items for your customers.

You can make holiday cakes to sell or create cookie-making kits by baking sugar cookies and packing them up with icing, sprinkles, and other decorations for families to assemble at home.

Shoveling snow can be frustrating, so talk to neighbors or other potential customers about your snow shoveling services for the season.

You may offer to do sidewalks and walkways, or perhaps you have a snowblower to take care of driveways and other large spaces.

However, one issue with this side hustle is that it depends on the weather. You may want to try something else if you need a side hustle with consistent returns.

It's stressful to have a shopping list and not the time to buy the items for family and friends.

Offer your services as a shopping assistant to help those with a long list and no time to fulfill it. You can pick up items specifically laid out by your customers or give them suggestions for different gifts they need.

Plenty of businesses see an uptick in purchases during the holiday season. Check out local businesses to see if they need an extra hand with deliveries during this busy time. 

You may be able to work for a florist delivering holiday arrangements, for example, or drop off specialty food items ordered for parties or guests.

There are still families or friends who love to send holiday cards each year with pictures and an update on their lives.

But those cards need great photos, so pick up your camera and take pictures as a side hustle. You can book clients in outdoor settings or rent a studio for a day and line up appointments for people to get amazing holiday photos from you.

Parents can get stressed out trying to find time to shop, wrap gifts, or go to holiday parties while taking care of their kids.

Give parents a break by babysitting. You can schedule sitting times around your availability so parents can go shopping or head out to office parties and other events.

Do you have a specific crafting talent? Use it to your advantage and make seasonal items you can sell.

Perhaps you’re good at decorating wreaths with festive additions or making personalized ornaments for trees. Maybe you can even make hand-crafted toys or stocking stuffers that will make great gifts.

You may be staying in town for the holidays while others are traveling. Take advantage of being home by becoming a housesitter.

You can offer different levels of housesitting, from driving by to check for packages to entering a home each day to make sure things are OK and collecting mail. 

You can also consider staying at a home overnight for an additional fee as part of your housesitting side hustle.

Are you good at a winter sport like skiing, snowboarding, or ice skating? You can become a winter sports tutor with lessons for customers to improve their skills.

Talk to local winter sports complexes like ski resorts or ice rinks to see if they take on seasonal workers to teach lessons or if you can be an independent tutor and take on your own clients.

There are so many things that people need to get done during the holidays, such as ordering gifts online, sending out cards, ordering food, and more.

You can do all these things virtually as an assistant for clients who want to hire you to be an extra hand during the holidays. Take on as many of them as you would like that can fit into your schedule.

One of the exciting things for the holidays is parties for family, friends, co-workers, and anyone else with an invite.

Offer your services as a helper during parties to free up time for the hosts. You can clear plates from the table, refresh drinks, load the dishwasher, refill appetizers, and anything else to make a party a success.

If you’re a talented musician, consider sharing those talents during the holiday season as a side hustle to boost your bank account.

You can offer to play at parties and holiday gatherings or pick up a gig at local stores or a shopping mall to add ambiance for shoppers during the holiday season.

Side hustles are a great way to make some cash on the side, especially after holiday spending has emptied your wallet. They can help you save money and reach your financial goals.

It’s a good idea to estimate a budget for your side hustle and include your expected earnings. You’ll also need to figure out expenses such as gas to drive to clients or materials you may need if you’re creating crafts or baking.