New York is a very busy and expensive city. You have to always be doing something to stay productive and have some extra income in order to survive the NYC lifestyle comfortably.

According to Investopedia, the cost of living in Manhattan was 148% higher than the average cost for major US cities in 2019.

Especially if you’re starting out by yourself professionally and don’t have much to fall back on, the financial stress is real! You’ve got to find that side hustle! Check out these part-time jobs in New York to make some extra cash.

1. Drive for Uber or TaskRabbit

If you don’t mind driving around NYC – given the crowded streets and rush-hour madness – you can consider driving people or goods across the city. It works best if you have a car, but you can rent one too.

If you’re sure that moody customers can’t get through your bubble of Zen, you’ll make a great Uber or Lyft driver, picking a schedule you’re okay with. If you prefer goods over people, you can deliver groceries through FreshDirect or find tasks with TaskRabbit.

You can also work part-time as a delivery agent for different services. Deliver food for UberEats, GrubHub, Eat24, etc., or deliver clothes for ByNext. NY has enough customers for all these services to have constant delivery needs.

You may be interested in: A Guide To Using New York’s Ferry: Tickets, Routes & More!

2. Pet-sit or walk dogs

If you like pets, this is the part-time job for you! There’s many New Yorkers who have beloved dogs, but no time to take them for walks. Some of the dog owners pay good money for someone knowledgeable about dogs to take their pet for a walk and make sure it gets exercise and playtime.

Keep an eye on the owner’s cat, dog, or bird (and let’s hope it’s nothing more dangerous) and feed them, give them their meds, etc. Find your side gig on pet-sitting websites like Care.com.

3. Freelance for small businesses

The big, diverse city of New York has many small businesses popping up every day. They all have requirements for amateurs and side hustlers like photographers, blog writers, social media managers, graphic designers, web developers, etc.

Create a website portfolio, however basic, so prospective hirers can understand what you do. Most work will be simple, but the core team just won’t have enough time or enough expertise to make a good job out of it.

Alternately, you can find other freelancing jobs to do remotely for people from across the country. For both kinds of gigs, keep checking career websites like Indeed.com.

Related: 5 Tips On How To Save Money While Living In NYC

4. Become a personal chef

This is a great side gig for that extra cash if you are good at cooking and enjoy the task. The busy lifestyle of NYC doesn’t allow time for the city’s residents to cook for themselves. However, most residents are highly concerned about their health and are eager to improve it.

Sign up on websites like HireAChef that act as a platform between people looking for food and people who cook. Depending on your schedule and the client’s needs, you can decide what meals you can cook for them.

Related: Can I Get An Apartment In NYC Without A Job?

5. Become a personal trainer or a coach

If you’re into physical activities and sports, you can become a personal coach for people looking for a range of different services. With Coronavirus and the resultant lockdowns, most gyms are closed, or former regular gym-goers are now avoiding such places.

So, if you can coach someone for activities like home workouts and running in the parks, this is a good time for you. Sign up on platforms like CoachUp where you can meet clients and like-minded coaches.

These are some of the part-time jobs that only a big city like New York can offer in plenty, thanks to the way of life in the bustling environs. Besides these, you still have the option of doing other jobs online to make more money!

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