"Earning cash in New York City: Discovering seven legitimate side jobs that offer surprisingly high wages"
Unconventional Jobs in New York City Offer Unique Opportunities
New York City, known for its bustling streets and high cost of living, also offers a variety of unconventional jobs that pay well. These jobs leverage the city's social dynamics, cultural uniqueness, and high cost of living to offer well-paying niches beyond traditional 9-to-5 roles.
One such job is being a pretend date. Hired to act as a fake date for social or business occasions, individuals can earn around $250 per event, with perks like all-you-can-eat meals. Sydney Charlet, a 29-year-old woman from the city, is one such individual who gets paid to sit in other people's cars while they are being towed. She is currently looking for a team for her car-sitting service and can be found on TikTok.
Another unusual job is upselling stooping finds. Collecting unwanted but valuable furniture or objects from NYC streets ("stooping") and reselling them online can generate good income due to demand for unique and vintage items.
Live mannequins or brand ambassadors are also in demand. Standing in store windows, posing in character, or promoting brands, especially during events like Fashion Week, can pay between $25 to $50+ per hour.
Freelance tour guides who design and lead niche walking tours, such as specialized food or historical tours, can bring in $100+ per tour if they offer authentic or unique experiences.
Professional line sitting is another job in NYC where individuals get paid to hold places in lines for restaurants, product launches, and events such as Hamilton tickets, starting from a minimum of $50 for two hours. Same Ol Line Dudes is a company that offers professional line sitting services in New York.
Dog party planners or pet photographers are popular in NYC, given the city's pet-loving culture. Organizing pet-centric events or photographing pets can be lucrative.
Group fitness instructors also find opportunities in New York. Part-time fitness teaching roles with pay around $40–$60 per hour offer flexibility and decent compensation in a growing market.
In Coney Island, the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest offers a prize pool of $40,000 to participants. Although not directly related to the other jobs, it showcases the city's unique events that offer potential for earning money.
For those interested in modelling, art schools and studios in New York often look for figure models who are willing to pose naked in front of a class for aspiring artists. Interested models can reach out to visual artists or different schools to express their interest, or check Craigslist.
These jobs stand out as they provide good hourly rates and flexibility, making them attractive side gigs for many New Yorkers.
- Some New Yorkers find unique opportunities in the food-and-drink sector, acting as freelance tour guides for specialized food tours, which can bring in $100+ per tour.
- Home-and-garden enthusiasts can profit from stooping, a practice of collecting unwanted but valuable furniture or objects from NYC streets and reselling them online due to demand for unique items.
- Pet-lovers can capitalize on New York's pet-friendly culture by pursuing jobs as dog party planners or pet photographers, creating lucrative opportunities for organizing pet-centric events or photographing pets.
