It feels like summer just started, but it’s nearly over. For many families, that’s the cue to get cracking on a summer vacation. These last-minute vacationers spell opportunity for side hustlers, who can take advantage of last gasp of summer recommendations.

(This post may include affiliate links. You can read about our affiliate policy here.)

These recommended sites help you rent your stuff or services to vacationers – or simply get a bargain on your own last-minute getaway. They also help you capitalize on summer-time trends, like moving and redecorating.

Here are 18 last gasp of summer recommendations.

Things to rent out — or rent

The old saying about luxury items was: “If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” In today’s world, there’s a better option. If you’ve got it, rent it out. Luxury items ranging from beach houses to RVs and boats can rent for hundreds — even thousands — of dollars. That defrays the cost of buying and maintaining these expensive items, while still providing a great deal to renters. The sites worth last gasp of summer recommendations to list your luxury items for rent — or to find your summer vacation rental — include:

LakeHop

LakeHop is one of three sites where you can rent out a boat or host a boating experience. It is specifically focused on inland waterways, like Lake Tahoe and Lake Michigan. But what makes this site a little different than others is that most boat bookings come with a “rideshare driver” — i.e. the boat owner, who has a specific service to offer. These services include wakeboard lessons, fishing trips and cruises.

Boat owners benefit by getting paid for what they do for fun, without worrying about whether a stranger might crash their watercraft. And customers get the benefit of a guide, who is intimately familiar with the lake and its best fishing and/or water skiing spots. Since you’ve also got a designated driver, guests don’t need to worry about having a few beers.

Other boat-rental sites worth checking out include Boatsetter and GetMyBoat. However, these sites separate boat rentals and skipper services. If you need both, it’s likely to be a bit more costly for renters.

Outdoorsy

Outdoorsy is a marketplace where people who own RVs can connect with people who want to rent them. RV-owners set their own rental rates and terms, determining whether to collect a security deposit, charge a cleaning fee and whether they allow pets and smoking in their rig. There are many other good peer-to-peer networks to rent out (or rent) an RV, including RVnGo. But Outdoorsy is our top recommendation for a couple of reasons.

(Click here to list your RV with Outdoorsy)

First, vehicles are inspected every 90 days. That gives renters an assurance that they’re getting a vehicle that’s in good condition and gives owners support if they think a renter has damaged their vehicle. Outdoorsy also provides insurance through Liberty Mutual, which covers everything except a deductible. The site gives suggestions on rental rates (helpful for those new to this game), and gets overwhelmingly positive reviews.

(Click here to list with RVnGo)

Moving jobs

Roughly 60% of all moves are done in the summer. And these last few weeks of the season are likely to deliver particularly strong demand as escrows close on buyers who rushed to complete their deals before interest rates soared. To qualify for moving jobs, you need to be strong enough to lift 50 to 75 pounds.

You don’t need your own truck. But if you have one, you’ll earn more. Sites we recommend to find moving jobs include GoShare, Dolly, LaborJack and HireAHelper.

Decorating jobs

Buying a new house often spurs homeowners to redecorate and buy new furniture, which boost demand for interior decorators. There are a wealth of side hustle platforms that can help you find online home decorating work. Of these, Decorilla pays the best, offering $35 per hour. However, Modsy and Decorist may also be worth a look.

Rover

The whole — “you need a pet to survive the pandemic” trend — created millions of new pet owners. And what do you do with a pampered puppy when you go on vacation? You call a Rover.

Rover is the undeniable leader in dog walking and petsitting, enlisting freelancers from all over the country to set their own rates and terms. The site has a lot to recommend it, including lots of loyal customers, reasonable fees and the ability to vary rates by season. We also regularly hear from freelancers that they can count on this site to deliver income ranging from a few hundred dollars to thousands per month, depending on how much they’re willing to work.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Copy link