Who knew being a teacher would be so expensive? You have bought classroom materials, teaching supplies, and of course, your TEFL Academy program (congratulations for completing, by the way!). It is no mystery why your wallet feels lighter. Many teachers take on a part-time job or side hustle to have extra income. This is a common idea that you too can get in on. Here are five of the best side hustles for teachers!
Selling Lesson Plans
A popular and commonly used side hustle is selling your teaching materials. These materials can include lesson plans, activities, worksheets, and more. There are plenty of great websites to sell your lessons on, such as Educents, TeachersPayTeachers, Teachers Notebook, and more. Teachers can earn up to six figures by selling their lesson plans, however, it will not be easy. Like any good lesson, it must be thought out thoroughly and organized. You can use websites like Canva and Adobe to help create and promote your material. Teachers can create Esty accounts or their own website to sell their lessons on. This is a wonderful way to connect with other teachers and share your love of teaching.
Check out Canva to learn more: https://www.canva.com/learn/how-to-create-promote-and-sell-your-teaching-materials/
Selling Stock Photos
If you have a passion for photography, consider selling your pictures into stock photos. This is a great hustle for abroad teachers or teachers who love to travel since you will be taking tons of photos. Photography as a hobby has gained popularity in the last few years, resulting in the market for selling stock photos being competitive. Do not worry! There are plenty of websites to sell stock photos on, such as Shutterstock, Getty Images, Unsplash, Pexel, and more. By selling your stock photos, you can earn anywhere between $0.30 to $99.50 (USD) per sale (royalty-free). The more photos you sell and the popular they become, the more money you will receive. Those deleted pictures on your phone could be making you a lot of money.
Check out this website to learn more: https://contrastly.com/popular-stock-photography-sites/
Selling Crafts Locally
If you learn a flea market and have a quirky hobby, you should consider selling your craft. A flea market or swap meet is a form of street market where vendors sell their products. To sell at a flea market, you must first decide what you want to sell. If you are teaching abroad, it would be practical to sell something small, so you will not be packing an entire craft store in your suitcase. The second step is to create a business plan. Everyone’s business plan is different, again consider how your location will impact your business. The third step is to register your flea market business. If you teach in another country, you will need to research what the countries protocols are.
The fourth step is to create a brand for your business. The fifth step is to decide how to take payment, again double-check with the country you are located in. The sixth step is to set up a business bank account. It all looks time-consuming, coupled with teaching, it feels like a lot. In reality, as the owner of a flea shop, you have the right to decide when you want to sell and how much you are selling for. This is a fairly easy opportunity to make a side income, and a fun opportunity to take part in the community. Many teachers take their small businesses to the internet and sell on websites like Etsy and create their websites. This allows them to expand their brand and gain more sales!
For more information on how to sell: https://www.fundera.com/blog/selling-at-a-flea-market
For more information on creating a business plan: https://www.nfib.com/content/resources/start-a-business/7-essential-sections-of-a-business-plan-49946/
Self-Publishing
English teacher by day and Author by night was the life of J.K. Rowling and Stephen King. Before their books sold billions of copies worldwide, they were just like you. If you have a passion for writing and storytelling, consider self-publishing your work. One great thing about self-publishing is you can do it on your own time in any country. Many teachers do not have the time or resources to go to a publishing agency or hire an editor.
Kindle Direct Publishing is a popular resource for getting books published fast. Publishing will take less than five minutes allowing your book to be on the Kindle store worldwide in less than two days! Kindle Direct Publishing allows you to earn up to 70% of royalty on sales to customers in over twelve countries. As the author, you have total control over your work, pricing, and publishing. You very well could be the next worldwide best-selling author!
For more information about Kindle Direct Publishing: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US?ref_=kdpgp_p_us_psg_gt_hv_ad1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrPCGBhALEiwAUl9X01tBn9LoR7cEwlAQZ6PJ_Zyi6EWuRWtO3xG3by2SZtv6mjOd_5MjahoC4Y4QAvD_BwE
For more information on self-publishing: https://self-publishingschool.com/how-to-publish-a-book/
Tutoring
Another popular side hustle for teachers is to become a tutor both in-person and online. Abroad teachers can use tutoring to their advantage as there is a larger market for English tutors. Tutoring can fit around your schedule and is a great way to work with a student one on one. Tutors charge per hour, which can range between $25- $75 (USD). Depending on the grade level and subject, the price can vary. The location you are tutoring in can also affect the price.
For example, if you are tutoring in the UK, you would not charge the same amount of money you would in America due to the currency difference. As an English teacher, you would become more obligated to charge more for tutoring as teaching the language is your career. On the contrary, that does not allow you to charge a ridiculous price because you will not gain any business. If you teach in a poor community, consider setting your prices lower to attract more customers. It is highly recommended to join a tutoring site or promote your tutoring to your students and their parents. You will gain customers around school and the word will spread.
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