A part-time job might conjure up visions of running along the beach Baywatch-style in your weekend lifeguard gig, or scooping ice cream with cute-as-a-button co-workers. Unfortunately, in reality, to earn a bit of spare cash on weekends you’re more likely to find yourself shouting yourself hoarse at an indifferent tuition student or trying to give out flyers at some miserable roadshow. Here are some part-time jobs that don’t suck.
Party organiser
Remember those university bashes that used to rage on at Zouk? Well, if you’ve got a big social circle, you might be able to make a quick buck out of organising your own parties. The easiest way to get a large number of attendees is to tap into an existing social or professional circle, whether it be alumni from x universities, people who are engaged in a particular profession or people from a certain community.
Many clubs or bars will agree to let you use their premises for private events in exchange for a fee or a cut of your earnings. You then charge each participant an entry fee in exchange for the promise of a good party or event and some alcohol.
Freelance tour guide
If you’re the go-to guy every time visitors from abroad come to Singapore or consider yourself a history buff, spending your weekends as a freelance tour guide might be right up your alley. You’ll first have to obtain a travel agent licence from the Singapore Tourism Board by attending a six month course and passing an exam, but after that when and where you work are pretty much up to you. Many tour guides advertise online.
You get to meet people from all over the world and plan your own itinerary. If you don’t want to charge on an hourly basis, you can also try to offer free tours on a donation basis. With a large enough group, you might end up earning way more for a short walking tour this way.
Skype tutor
Anyone who’s ever been a private tutor can tell you that it’s hard work. Every cent you earn comes as a result of litres of sweat and blood. But if you’ve never tried this job before, you might not be aware that one of the most unpleasant parts of the job is travelling to the students’ homes. If you have multiple students in one day this can translate to hours wasted in traffic. Many tutors will also agree that teaching students from the comfort of your own home is a million times better than having to teach in their homes.
If you’d like the ultimate in flexibility, you might want to try your hand at offering tuition sessions on Skype. You can also teach your native language, whether it’s English, “mother tongue” or some other language, on Skype, a practice that is already quite commonplace. Best of all, you won’t even have to take a shower before work.
Astrologer
Singaporeans love a good fortune telling session, but that’s not really what astrology is about. Believe it or not, the study of astrology is a bit of a science, and hobbyists spend quite a bit of money on books and classes that teach them how to read birth charts. Forget about the “what’s your sign” pickup lines. It takes years to become a proficient astrology practitioner, and whether you’re a fan or think it’s BS, Singaporeans are willing to pay anywhere from $50 to $150 to get their charts done.
If you’re enough of an enthusiast to dedicate many hours to studying the craft, you might have a future as a part-time astrologer. You’ll get to advise people on how to solve the problems in their lives, which is perfect if you’re into counselling or are simply a voyeur.
Do you know of any other fun part-time jobs? Let us know in the comments!
Image Credits:
Marcus