7 Winter Side Gigs That Pay Over $40 per Hour
Written by
Brooke Barley
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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Is making more money one of your New Year’s resolutions heading into 2026? Then it might be worth picking up a second job. However, working two or more gigs isn’t easy, so it’d be nice if that second one made $40 an hour or more.
Here’s a look at some side gigs you could score that make a nice hourly rate so you can be more financially secure in the next year.
Decoration Services
People like the end result of a perfectly decorated home but don’t always love the process of getting there. That’s where you could come in.
“[You] can offer to put up Christmas decorations and lights for $40-plus per hour if [you] can do these decorations quickly,” explained Mercelyn “Kerry” Francis, founder of Clever Hustle Wallet.
Snow Removal
It’s not a glamorous job, but it can pay well. According to John Ceng, founder of EZRA, if you’re prepared to do some physical work this winter, removing snow from homeowners’ yards could be a great second job.
“You can charge high prices — $50 to $100 per hour — for people to get their snow blown out of the way. This can be backbreaking labor, but you can make what some people make in an entire day in only a couple of hours.”
Ski/Snowboard Instructor
Why not get paid to do something you’d do for free? If you like being out on the slopes, find a resort where you can be an instructor.
“Not only do many resorts provide a course to learn how to instruct and opportunities for flexible working, but the pay isn’t too shabby either,” Geremy Yamamoto, founder of Eazy House Sale, said. “You can also earn extra money by giving private lessons (which can fetch in excess of $50 an hour) or by participating in group lessons.”
Tutoring
If you’re knowledgeable in a particular subject, you can help kids master it during their winter breaks.
“Tutoring high school or college students in any field generally pays $40-$60 per hour, depending on the subject,” explained Echo Wang, CEO and co-founder of Cool Travel Vibes. “Similarly, test-prep tutors for the GRE, MCAT, LSAT and SAT/ACT can make between $60-$120 per hour if their scores are strong or they have teaching experience.”
Remote Trip Coordination
During the colder months, families start to plan their summer vacations. Joaquin Rodriguez is the co-owner of Stay in Costa Rica and said he looks for remote workers now to help plan trips for later in 2026.
“I seek the services of freelancers to ensure that our guests and vacation homes are operational,” he said. “Coordinators that maintain a watch of marina timing, traffic spurts along the resort corridors and entrance restrictions in active parks are paid $40-$60 an hour because they avoid the confusion that spoils a vacation day.”
Rodriguez added that those seeking a job who are bilingual could be paid even more.
“Authors that write easy house instructions or welcome video scripts tend to earn $40-$70 per hour.”
Graphic Design
During this season, holiday party invites and Christmas cards are in demand. If you have the skills, you can make some extra cash helping people’s ideas come to life.
“Graphic design can pay from $50 to $75 per hour for basic work, or $100 or more for more specialized projects,” explained Yad Senapathy, the founder and CEO of Project Management Training Institute. “This is a perfect job to stay warm indoors while meeting deadlines for projects. This side gig has flexible hours, and there are many remote opportunities.”
Web Development
Many businesses take a break between Christmas and New Year’s. Senapathy explained this is the time they seek help with a website redesign, and if you have the right background, you can pick up some money this way.
“Web development can earn you $60 to $150 per hour, depending on your skills and experience,” Senapathy said.
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