25 Best Side Jobs for Actors to Make Money

There are indeed side jobs for actors to make money, online and offline.

This article reveals up to 25 such side jobs for you to make money, as an actor.

 

Importance

It is often been said that good things come to those that wait.

Added to the mix is that patience is a virtue.

However, if involved in a holding pattern or waiting for a period of time, it can seem like an eternity; especially, as it relates to a job when notices begin to arrive in the mail or through our email about bills that are coming due.

This is especially true when you have submitted resumes in response to job opportunities or even more specifically when you have submitted your portfolio to various agencies looking for an acting job.

An acting job is even more specific as it is more laser-focused as to the type of individual they are looking for who reflects the character and looks of an actor that they wish to fulfill a particular acting role.

Therefore, in the interim, money needs to be earned and bills need to be paid.

Utilizing your acting ability, we put on a determined face, play the role and begin to look for job opportunities to keep the wolves away from the front door.

 

25 Best Money Making Side Jobs for Actors 

 

1. Temp Work 

In between acting jobs, an important way to earn money and pay your bills is to find temporary work.

This can be found through a number of employment agencies in your community.

It is accomplished by submitting your resume, and the placement agent will match your skills with their customers and their need for employees on a temporary basis.

 

2. Personal Trainer

If you are maintaining your health and involved in an ongoing exercise regimen, you could always work at a fitness center to provide your services as a personal trainer or be part of the staff.

This is always a good opportunity to earn extra income as well as the possibility of utilizing the fitness center’s equipment in continuing to maintain your health and well-being.

 

3. Dog Walker 

If you enjoy animals and dogs, in particular, a great way to get your exercise and provide a service for a fee is by walking dogs.

In your community, you can utilize the Rover App which will link up your availability to provide this service for those individuals who want people to reliably and lovingly care for their pets on a daily basis.

 

4. Babysitter 

Another way that you can earn income on the side while still pursuing your acting career and potential job openings during the day is by providing babysitting services.

Through your social media platforms, you can advertise this service that you provide and indicate to potential families of your love for children, your pursuit of an acting career as well as any certifications that you may have that relates to safely caring for their children.

Such a certification could include child CPR and first aid.

 

5. Promo Jobs 

A promo job is an opportunity in which you make an application by signing up with a promo company.

The process involves you sending them a picture of your head from the shoulders up and they put out a “breakdown.”

If things go well, there’s an opportunity that they will cast you through this promo company.

The opportunity to advertise a company’s product by passing out flyers or being involved in a hosting or cocktail event is a possibility.

A breakdown is defined as a brief description of a production that is in the process of moving forward and indicates the need for certain characters and roles that are required for a successful production.

 

6. Personal Assistant 

A personal assistant is an individual who answers the phone, keeps another’s calendar, greets people, etc.

Depending upon the size of the company, it could be a temporary or part-time position depending upon the particular needs of the organization.

Also, some of the parts of the job description would not require that an individual is on location but often the job can be done remotely.

Therefore, this position can be termed as a virtual personal assistant.

With the opportunity of being able to do this remotely, it wouldn’t interfere with your looking for acting opportunities.

 

7. Wait Staff 

Another opportunity to earn money while in between acting “gigs” is to be part of a restaurant or bar’s waitstaff.

Often, the work can be done during certain shifts or parts of the day.

This flexibility will allow you to continue your pursuit of acting opportunities as well as earn additional income.

 

8. Tutoring 

As part of being an actor or actress, there is the opportunity that you could tutor others as it relates to giving acting lessons.

Your tutoring can be done virtually or can be done in your own home or in another person’s home.

Your acting lessons would involve teaching others what you have learned either through your personal experience or formally having gone through acting school.

 

9. Video Editor 

Often, to capture someone’s ability to act, demo reels are made and submitted to showcase an individual’s acting capability.

To help yourself as well as others, you could become proficient at video editing so that your or another individual’s acting ability can be highlighted.

 

10. Freelancing 

There are a number of online websites that link up a company or individual who is in need of employing an individual for temporary or freelancing work.

The jobs available run the gamut ranging from writing opportunities, being a virtual assistant, graphic design, etc.

As an actor, you can register at websites such as Freelancer.com or Upwork.com.

Upon your successful registration, you are able to make applications for these jobs and if accepted they will pay you the rate of pay that is agreed upon.

Generally, these websites will take up to 20% of the service they provide

 

11. Brand Ambassador 

A brand ambassador is an individual who is employed by a particular brand name to be their representative at a variety of events.

Opportunities can be found by going to job posting sites such as www.indeed.com.

 

12. Substitute Teaching 

While waiting for those acting jobs to arrive or that one big break, it is important that you work and yet not be fully committed as it relates to your time and involvement.

Therefore, one of the best ways to take into account which addresses both concerns would be through the role of substitute teaching.

For each state of residency, there are different requirements, and therefore if, of interest, it is best to research what the possibilities are of being involved in substituting for teachers who are absent from the classroom.

 

13. Uber 

If you have a vehicle, a great way to earn money and have the freedom of not committing to certain time frames or particular schedules is by driving for www.uber.com.

As a driver for Uber you use your own vehicle, are considered self-employed, and to be part of the Uber team you submit various documentation in regards to your own personal driving record as well as your vehicle.

If selected to be a Uber driver, you can pick and choose which transportation opportunities are presented which is a perfect match for keeping your schedule open as needed.

Payment is made per trip that you successfully complete along with any tips that the customer may give

 

14. DoorDash 

Another delivery service in which you are self-employed and can set your own schedule by using your own vehicle is by delivering restaurant food to customers.

As with other delivery services, you make the application and if accepted go to work delivering restaurant food to the customer.

Payment is made along with any tips that the customer may give you.

 

15. Instacart 

Another food delivery service with a bit of a caveat to it is Instantcart.

Through Instacart, you accept the order and then actually shop for the customer’s food at the retailer that they have selected.

Once the food has been gathered, you then check out, the customer has prepaid, and then deliver the food to the customer.

To be a driver the same registration processes need to be followed as with the other services.

Also See: How to Find High Paying Phone Actress Jobs.

 

16. Blogging 

A great way to capture all that you are going through along with any potential roller coaster moments as it relates to your emotions is by blogging.

A blogging site can be set up through such a company as Bluehost.com and then you can begin blogging.

You can direct people to your blogging site through your other social media platforms.

Content can include your acting experience, formal education, love for acting, the waiting game that sometimes occurs as related to potential jobs coming your way, etc.

The blogging site can be an inspiration to others as well as an opportunity to share your own thoughts.

Potential financial support could come through your followers wishing to contribute to your success, affiliate advertising, or gaining a sponsor.

 

17. YouTuber

As an up-and-coming actor, you may wish to start a YouTube channel.

Possibilities of content for your channel could include excerpts of your acting, helps and tips for others, encouragement, teaching, and instruction.

This may be a great way to get noticed by agencies that are looking for what you have to offer as well as possible support from your followers, sponsors, or providing additional content to subscribers who pay to access that content.

 

18. Usher 

Finding a job in the performance industry would be a bonus and this can be accomplished by being an usher.

You could be an usher in a movie theater, gallery, or some performance that would allow you to take in the atmosphere and the ambiance of the performing arts.

By being an usher, it is not that difficult or glamorous but certainly will provide income.

 

19. Modeling 

Modeling may present an opportunity to earn some cash while you are waiting to hear from an agency regarding any acting work.

Your training and your physical appearance may be conducive to being a model and this is a way that you can earn income.

A good starting place to see if there are any modeling opportunities would be to utilize an employment job posting website such as Simplyhired.com.

Use the search options that are provided and utilize a keyword in the search bar such as modeling.

Check out the following articles for more modeling career path ideas:

• How to Really Get Paid to Be a Model
• How to Get Paid as a Commercial Model
• How to Get Paid as a Catalog Model
• How to Get Paid as a Glamour Model
• How to Get Paid as a Runway Model
• How to Get Paid as a Fitness Model
• How to Get Paid as a Music Video Model
• How to Get Paid as a Freelance Model

 

20. Call Centers 

Call centers are always in need of individuals who are willing to make phone calls for a variety of customers.

With your resume having a heavy emphasis on the performing arts or as an actor, that experience will serve you well as you interact with customers and often have to put on an air of being energetic and giving the impression of enjoying what you’re doing.

Even though you may feel otherwise, this may prove to be a good job, honing your acting skills and earning money.

 

21. Interior Design 

If you have an artistic flair, a great opportunity to earn some significant cash and get in touch with your creativity is through the role of an interior designer.

The advantage of being an interior designer is that you can set your own hours because your role would be that of a consultant.

This, it seems, would be a good match for an individual who is creative and avant-garde.

You can promote your artistic design by creating a portfolio and also advertising your ability to provide interior design by showcasing your work through your social media platforms.

 

22. Graphic Designer 

Again, tapping into your creativity and work as an artist, you can be involved with graphic design.

Various graphic designs can be drawn through Photoshop Illustrator or other software.

As a graphic designer, you can work from home, set your own schedule or even take up office at a local coffee shop.

Again you can promote your work through your social media platform as well as through virtual retail stores offered by such sites as www.shopifI.com.

 

23. SEO 

SEO stands for search engine optimization and is a process that websites, creative writing, marketing professionals, etc. utilize to direct the flow of traffic for individuals who are searching online.

When specific words are utilized, search analytics come into play and the more a website is discovered the higher in the standing they become as it relates to web browsers looking for certain products or websites.

You could learn more about search engine optimization and provide this as a service to companies and other individuals who depend upon being located by potential customers who are searching online.

 

24. Research Assistant 

A research assistant is an individual that is usually hired by a professional teacher who has written a grant and in the grant is money available to hire an assistant.

A research assistant is an individual who is a self-starter, is savvy, and a self-starter as well as having a good work ethic.

The benefit of being a research assistant is that you would be able to set your own schedule as far as getting the research accomplished and therefore be available when acting opportunities become available.

 

25. Event Planner 

An event planner is an individual who basically knows how to throw a party.

An event planner would plan out a party, celebration, or another social event from start to finish. The process would include securing the venue, working on any refreshments or menu items, lining up entertainment, attending to the minutest of details, etc.

This would be a good opportunity to earn a good wage and possibly mingle or be introduced to individuals that might be part of promoting your career as an actor.

 

Personal Story

I suppose waiting for your acting career to get fully engaged could be likened to the birthing process and bringing a child into this world.

The process usually takes nine months and there is a lot of pain, discomfort, changes in lifestyle and in the woman’s body, etc.

However, when the baby, or in this case, the acting jobs appear, the time involved in the process seems to be forgotten.

My wife and I were pregnant with our first child and the due date was in September.

Being in the United States Navy, I was under orders and as soon as the baby was delivered, I was shipping out and we were going to Hawaii.

Well either we miscalculated the date of conception or our firstborn was stubborn.

In either case, our firstborn son arrived at the beginning of November.

Almost a month late and when he came he made his presence known by weighing in at 10 pounds.

I’m sure my wife thought that the day would never come and that would be an endless pregnancy.

Fortunately, her patience and perseverance paid off and everything was a distant memory as we ended up traveling a week later to the sunny sands of Waikiki Beach.

Sometimes, good things come late and certainly are worth waiting for.

 

Side Jobs for Actors to Earn Money FAQs

 

How Does an Actor Identify a Quality Representative Agency?

Finding a representative talent agency should be similar to interviewing someone for a job.

Some of those questions that should be asked to an agency include:

• How many actors do you represent?
• How many actors of my type?
• What kind of projects are you currently working on?
• What type of auditions can I expect to receive?
• How often should I check in with you?

 

How Much Do You Have to Pay a Talent Agency?

A talent agency typically charges anywhere from 15% to 20% of the artist’s earnings in managing their career.

 

You Can Do It

You have chosen the field of acting and sometimes, the opportunities to showcase your profession are slow in arriving.

To manage those lean times, it is sometimes important to take on side hustles or gigs in order to keep food on the table.

The good news is, because of your artistic flair and ability, and drive, there are ample employment opportunities that you can take advantage of that will not only provide you the money but allow you to set your own schedule.

 

Conclusion

You have taken acting classes, have graduated from a performing arts school, etc.

You have also made an application to a number of talent agencies and provided your portfolio that has showcased your incredible skill and talent.

The reality is that acting is a process and it is very rare that you are “discovered” in a Hollywood-type moment.

Therefore, you have done all that you can do and now it’s a matter of waiting.

Little did you know or perhaps you did that part of your actor skill included the valuable virtue of patience.