The air is turning colder, the nights drawing in, and winter is well and truly on the way. If you are looking for winter side hustle ideas then we have you covered with these side hustle ideas to boost your income throughout the winter months.
Seasonal Photography
Winter is such a great time for seasonal photography, with Christmas, New Year and even Valentine's Day making the perfect opportunities to sell photoshoots.
As well as photoshoots you could also take photos of winter scenery, winter sports for outdoor enthusiasts or local businesses wanting to showcase their business in a wintery wonderland.
You will need a keen eye, photography and editing skills as well as a good camera – unfortunately, this isn't a case of picking up your iPhone and making money straight away.
Christmas, Winter and Holiday Decorating
As the festive season ramps up, it can be a busy, overwhelming time for many, and they look to outsource what they can. One area they can outsource is the decorating.
I didn't really believe that people paid someone else to put up their decorations until I overheard my hairdresser talking about the £200 she paid to get her tree and decorations put up in the salon.
You could offer a variety of services including:
- Setting up the Christmas tree
- Decorating the Christmas tree
- Hanging lights
- Outdoor decorations
- Window displays – especially useful for businesses
- Decoration rental
- Storage throughout the year if you have the space
Winter Side Hustle – Gift wrapping
Another area where people get overwhelmed is wrapping their gifts for Christmas. My husband also has a December birthday, meaning I have to think about his birthday gifts too.
Offering a gift wrapping service is one of the fantastic winter side hustles you could do.
You could set up a table at a local Christmas or craft fayre, or offer the service from your home.
This is also a low cost winter side hustle to start, as gift wrap, ribbons and other embellishments don't have to cost too much, and you might even have some leftover already. As you use them up and earn money you can replace them with more designs.
Rent Out Your Winter Goods
If you have winter sports goods then renting them out is a great way to make some extra money.
Winter sports goods include:
- Skis
- Snowboards
- Snowshoes
- Ski outfits
These cost a lot to buy upfront, and many people don't have the storage space for them.
By offering to rent them out you can make some extra cash throughout the winter months.
Workshops – Wreath Making, Decorations, etc
If you have a crafty skill then sharing this through hosting a workshop is a great way to make some extra money in winter.
Some ideas for winter workshops include:
- Wreath making
- Winter photography
- Marble painting baubles
- Personalised baubles
- Festive baking
- Cookie decoration
Plus so many more!
You can also boost your earnings by offering kits for attendees to buy to take home or selling hot drinks and festive foods like mince pies at the workshop.
You will need to find a space to host the event, such as a community hall, and have enough materials for everyone. Remember to factor in these costs when pricing your workshop.
Get a Seasonal Temp Job
If you don't want to deal with your own tax situation, consider insurances or promote yourself then perhaps the best winter side hustle for you is to get a seasonal temp job.
Companies often looking to recruit seasonal workers include:
- Royal Mail
- Tesco
- Asda
- Sainsbury's
- The Range
- Poundland
Plus so many more.
Winter Side Hustle – Sell Christmas Wreaths
Christmas wreaths are a staple for many homes throughout the festivities, so offering them for sale can be quite profitable.
You can sell fresh wreaths that you make yourself, make some artificial wreaths or even buy them cheaply from places like Temu.
You could offer a variety of designs, with more traditional offerings as well as themed wreaths such as candy cane lane, gingerbread, glittery, Nordic Christmas and many more.
Be an Entertainer
With so many businesses and homes having festive parties, if you can offering your services as an entertainer then you can make some extra money.
It doesn't have to be making balloon animals for a crowd of 3 year olds – if you play any musical instrument or are in a band then you can offer holiday party packages.
Dog Walking Alongside Pet Sitting
The winter months often involve lots of travel for people, and so they need their furry friends to be looked after.
By offering your services as a dog walker or pet sitter you can make some extra cash during the winter months.
How to get started as a dog walker
Read our full guide on getting started as a dog walker.
Don't forget that you can boost your income whilst dog walking with these apps:
- Get paid to walk with Cashwalk
- Get paid to walk with Sweatcoin
- Get paid to walk with Biscuit
- Get paid to walk with WeWard
House Sitting
Similar to pet sitting, many homes are left unattended during the holiday season.
You could offer house sitting services to provide homeowners with peace of mind that their home is being looked after.
This includes collecting post, keeping the lights on, keeping the home heated and ensuring someone is home often to keep the place secure.
Snow Removal
If it snows in winter where you live then this could be a great winter side hustle to consider.
Snow can cause lots of chaos, so if you are physically strong, have a snow shovel and neighbours requiring assistance then you can get paid to clear driveways, pavements and more.
How to Start Your Winter Side Hustle
If you want to set up a winter side hustle then here are our top tips for getting started:
Know Your Skills and Interests
When starting a side hustle of any kind, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to keep going. By choosing a winter side hustle that uses your skills and your interests not only will your passion shine through, you will also be more motivated to continue doing something that interests you.
By using your skills you can command a decent price for the work you are doing.
Research Research and Research!
It is no good offering a snow shovelling service in an area that rarely sees snow, and likewise if your local area doesn't have many dog owners then offering a dog walking or pet sitting service might not be the best idea.
By researching the needs in your local area you can identify gaps in the market that will be lucrative for you to fill.
Set a Budget Beforehand
When starting some side hustles it can be easy to get carried away purchasing stock and materials, or paying for advertising.
Before you get started, set yourself a realistic budget for your winter side hustle.
Starting with a budget of zero is also okay – but be sure to find side hustles that have zero start up costs for you.
Get Legal
Depending on your chosen side hustle, there are various legal regulations you might need to comply with.
For example, you might need to consider business insurance.
You will also need to work out the tax you need to pay. You are allowed a £1,000 Trading Allowance before you have to declare extra income to HMRC.
Have a Promotion Plan
Having a winter side hustle is great, but unless you attract clients then you won't be successful.
You can use social media, community boards, a website, word of mouth and more to promote your side hustle.
Also consider whether it is likely that your customers will be repeat customers or not.
If they are likely to be repeat customers then you can offer an incentive to work with you again. For example, if they book a second workshop with you, they get it half price, or if they book you as a house sitter next year you will keep the same price and not increase their price.
