5 Remote Side Hustles You Can Start This Weekend (Before January Jobs Drop)

It's December 21. No one is hiring until January 2. You have 12 days of dead time ahead of you.

Here's what most job seekers do: refresh Indeed 40 times a day, apply to 3 jobs that probably aren't real, get frustrated, and spiral into "I'll never find a remote job" panic.

Here's what you should do instead: start a remote side hustle THIS WEEKEND that brings in $500-2,000/month while you wait for the January hiring surge.

Why Side Hustles > Waiting Around

I'm not saying "give up on getting a full-time remote job." I'm saying use the next 12 days productively instead of doom-scrolling LinkedIn.

Benefits of starting a side hustle during the freeze:

• Income NOW - Make money while you wait for January jobs
• Portfolio building - When you interview in January, you have recent work to show
• Remote work experience - Proves you can work independently (employers love this)
• Network expansion - Freelance clients become references or even full-time employers
• Keeps you sane - Having productive work > refreshing job boards 40 times/day

Plus, 38% of remote workers have a side hustle anyway (source: FlexJobs 2025). You're not "settling" - you're being strategic.

5 Remote Side Hustles You Can Start This Weekend

These require zero experience, minimal startup cost, and can land your first client/payment within 7-10 days if you move fast.

1. Virtual Assistant (Easiest to Start, Most Flexible)

What it is:

You help busy professionals, entrepreneurs, or small businesses with administrative tasks remotely: email management, calendar scheduling, data entry, customer service, social media posting, research, etc.

Why it's perfect for beginners:

• No specialized skills required (if you can use Gmail and Google Calendar, you're qualified)
• Flexible hours (work nights, weekends, whenever)
• TONS of demand (every entrepreneur needs a VA)
• You can start with 5-10 hours/week and scale up

Expected earnings:

• Beginners: $15-25/hour
• Experienced (6+ months): $30-50/hour
• Realistic first month: $500-1,200 (working 10-15 hours/week)

How to get your first client this weekend:

1. Saturday morning: Create profiles on Upwork, Fiverr, and Belay (VA-specific platform)
2. Saturday afternoon: Write a simple pitch: "Hi! I'm a virtual assistant who can help with [email management, scheduling, data entry]. I charge $X/hour and can start immediately. Here's what I can do for you..."
3. Sunday: Apply to 10-15 VA jobs on Upwork (filter by "entry level" and "posted in last 24 hours")
4. Monday: Follow up with anyone who viewed your proposal

Pro tip: Offer a discounted "trial week" ($15/hour for first 10 hours) to land your first client fast. Once you have 1-2 clients and testimonials, raise your rates.

2. Freelance Writing (High Demand, Good Pay)

What it is:

You write blog posts, articles, website copy, product descriptions, social media captions, email newsletters, etc. for businesses that need content.

Why it's perfect for beginners:

• If you can write a clear email, you can write for clients
• Tons of "beginner-friendly" gigs available
• Work at your own pace (write at midnight if you want)
• Build a portfolio fast (every project = a writing sample)

Expected earnings:

• Beginners: $0.03-0.10/word ($30-100 per 1,000-word article)
• Experienced (3-6 months): $0.15-0.30/word ($150-300 per article)
• Realistic first month: $400-1,000 (writing 10-15 articles)

How to get your first client this weekend:

1. Saturday: Create profiles on Upwork, Fiverr, and Contently (writer-specific platform)
2. Saturday: Write 3 sample articles (300-500 words each) on topics you know: remote work tips, productivity hacks, beginner guides to [anything]
3. Sunday: Apply to 15-20 "beginner writer" jobs on Upwork (look for "blog post," "article writing," "content writing")
4. Monday: Pitch 5 small businesses directly via email: "Hi, I noticed your blog hasn't been updated since [date]. I'm a freelance writer who can help you publish 2-4 posts/month. Here are samples of my work..."

Pro tip: Specialize in ONE niche to stand out. "I write about remote work" or "I write about productivity tools" beats "I write about everything."

3. Online Tutoring (High Pay, Flexible Hours)

What it is:

Teach students (K-12 or adults) subjects you know via video calls. English, math, science, test prep (SAT/ACT), coding, music, languages, etc.

Why it's perfect for beginners:

• You're already an expert in SOMETHING (even if it's just English grammar)
• Set your own hours (tutor nights/weekends around job searching)
• High hourly rates compared to other side hustles
• No formal teaching degree required for most platforms

Expected earnings:

• ESL (English as Second Language): $15-25/hour
• K-12 subjects: $20-40/hour
• Test prep (SAT/ACT): $40-80/hour
• Realistic first month: $600-1,500 (working 10-15 hours/week)

How to get your first student this weekend:

1. Saturday: Sign up for VIPKid, Cambly, Preply, or Wyzant (tutor platforms)
2. Saturday: Complete your profile (highlight any teaching experience, even informal: "I helped my little brother with algebra")
3. Sunday: Set your availability for evenings/weekends and open your calendar
4. Monday: Lower your rate temporarily ($15-18/hour) to get your first 3-5 students and reviews

Pro tip: ESL tutoring (teaching English to non-native speakers) is the EASIEST to start. No prep required - you just have conversations. Platforms like Cambly hire immediately.

4. Social Media Management (Creative + In-Demand)

What it is:

You manage social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn) for small businesses: create posts, schedule content, respond to comments, track analytics.

Why it's perfect for beginners:

• If you use social media personally, you already have the skills
• Small businesses are DESPERATE for help with this
• Creative work (more fun than data entry)
• Retainer-based income (get paid monthly, not per-project)

Expected earnings:

• Managing 1 client: $300-800/month (5-10 hours/week)
• Managing 3 clients: $1,200-2,500/month
• Realistic first month: $400-800 (1-2 clients)

How to get your first client this weekend:

1. Saturday: Make a list of 20 local small businesses (restaurants, salons, gyms, boutiques) that have bad social media (not posting regularly, low engagement)
2. Saturday: Create 3 sample posts for ONE of those businesses (as if you were running their account)
3. Sunday: Email/DM those 20 businesses: "Hi! I noticed your [Instagram/Facebook] hasn't been updated in [X weeks]. I'm a social media manager who can help you post 3-5x/week and grow your following. Here are 3 sample posts I created for you [attach images]. Interested?"
4. Monday: Follow up with anyone who opened your email

Pro tip: Start with local businesses in your city. They're more likely to hire you because you understand the local market. Once you have 2-3 clients and testimonials, expand to remote clients.

5. Data Entry / Transcription (Mindless But Pays Bills)

What it is:

You type information into spreadsheets (data entry) or type out audio/video recordings (transcription). Boring, but reliable income.

Why it's perfect for beginners:

• ZERO skills required (can you type? You're hired)
• Tons of work available (endless demand)
• Work whenever you want (3am? Sure.)
• No client calls or communication required

Expected earnings:

• Data entry: $10-18/hour
• Transcription (beginner): $15-25/hour
• Transcription (fast typer): $30-40/hour
• Realistic first month: $400-1,000 (working 10-20 hours/week)

How to get your first gig this weekend:

1. Saturday: Sign up for Clickworker, Rev.com (transcription), TranscribeMe, or Amazon MTurk (data entry)
2. Saturday: Take the typing test (most platforms require 40+ WPM)
3. Sunday: Complete 3-5 small tasks to build your profile rating
4. Monday: Start accepting bigger tasks (the more you complete, the better tasks you get access to)

Pro tip: Transcription pays WAY better than basic data entry. If you type 60+ WPM, focus on transcription platforms like Rev.com or GoTranscript.

How to Actually Start This Weekend (Not "Someday")

Reading this is useless unless you take action. Here's your weekend game plan:

Saturday Morning (2 hours):

• Pick ONE side hustle from the list above (don't try to start all 5)
• Sign up for 2-3 platforms (Upwork + niche platform for your chosen hustle)
• Create your profile (include ANY relevant experience, even if informal)

Saturday Afternoon (2 hours):

• Create 2-3 work samples or portfolio pieces
• Write your pitch template ("Hi, I'm a [role] who can help with [service]. Here's what I can do...")
• Order any equipment you need from Amazon (headset, planner, etc.)

Sunday (3 hours):

• Apply to 15-20 gigs/jobs on platforms
• Pitch 5-10 potential clients directly (email, DM, cold outreach)
• Set up your invoicing system (PayPal, Stripe, or platform payment)

Monday-Friday (Next Week):

• Follow up with anyone who viewed your proposals
• Complete any test projects or sample tasks
• Land your first paid gig (even if it's small - $50 counts!)
• Get your first testimonial/review

By December 31:

• Goal: 1-3 paying clients/gigs
• Goal: $200-500 earned (or queued up for January payout)
• Goal: 1-2 portfolio pieces to show remote work experience

What Happens When January Jobs Drop?

On January 2, when 200+ remote jobs start posting and you're applying to full-time positions, you'll be able to say:

"I've been working remotely as a freelance [VA/writer/tutor] for the past month. I manage my own schedule, communicate with clients asynchronously, and deliver work on deadline without supervision. Here's my portfolio."

That's a way stronger interview answer than "I've been searching for jobs for 6 weeks."

Plus:

• You have income coming in (less financial pressure during job search)
• You have recent work samples to show
• You have references (your freelance clients)
• You've proven you can work remotely independently
• You're not desperate (employers can tell)

Common Excuses (And Why They're BS)

"I don't have time" - You have time to refresh LinkedIn 40 times. You have time to start a side hustle.

"I'm not qualified" - These hustles require ZERO credentials. If you can use email, you can do this.

"I need a full-time job, not a side hustle" - You can have both. Do the side hustle for 2-3 weeks until January jobs post, then scale back when you get interviews.

"What if I fail?" - Then you spent 10 hours trying and learned something. Better than spending 10 hours doom-scrolling job boards.

"I'll start in January" - January is when you should be interviewing for full-time jobs. Start the side hustle NOW so you have income + experience by then.

The Bottom Line

No one is hiring full-time remote workers until January 2. That's just reality.

You have two options:

1. Option A: Spend the next 12 days refreshing job boards, applying to ghost jobs, and getting increasingly frustrated
2. Option B: Spend this weekend starting a side hustle that brings in $500-2,000/month, builds your portfolio, and proves you can work remotely

When January 2 hits and the hiring surge starts, which version of you do you want to be?

Stop waiting. Start building. See you on January 2.