How to Make More Money During Football Season

Not much of a football fan? Don’t know what all the cheesehead hat-wearing and face paint-smearing is all about? Skip hanging out at the local sports bar or sitting in the stands at a game, and put on your entrepreneurial hat instead. By way of side hustling, you can make some cash. Here are some relatively easy gigs you can take up during football season:   

Rent Out Your Driveway 

If you live near a college or stadium where parking is offered at a premium during game season, consider renting out a parking space in your driveway. Apps like Pavemint and CurbFlip allow you to serve as a “host” and rent out your space. How much you can reasonably charge depends on the size of your parking space, the length of time you’ll be parked, and the location. 

Why stop with your driveway? You could potentially rent out your backyard for tailgaters on online platforms such as Airbnb or Nookzy. And if you have an electric vehicle charging station hooked up in your garage, you can rent it out through EV Match during games.  

Rent Out Supplies  

If you have party gear, such as tables, chairs, tents, or barware, consider offering them up for rent on Loanables. It’s an easy way for you to make money on stuff you already own that might otherwise just add to your clutter.  

Ideally, you can make an agreement with a hardcore football fan who plans on hosting game-watching parties for the entire season. See if they might be interested in a longer-term rental for a slight discount. In turn, you’ll free up some space in your abode and earn some extra cash. It’s a win-win situation.  

Take on Rideshare Driving 

To make the most money working as a rideshare driver, says Harry Campbell, founder of The Rideshare Guy, follow the alcohol. If you live in a city with an NFL team, you might be met with fierce competition from fellow drivers. Instead of driving right before and after a big game, consider picking up rides when the bars close — or the morning after. You’ll most likely get ride requests from those who are a bit too tipsy to drive home.

Instead of driving all over the place, start close to home. Use your knowledge of local watering holes and sports bars to figure out the where football fans convene. From there, you can home in on the times when ride requests spike on game day.  

Deliver Food  

If you have a reliable set of wheels — whether a car or bike — consider delivering popular game fare such as cheeseburgers, hot wings, and potato wedges during game day. If you plan on driving to make your deliveries, you could potentially “stack” delivering food with picking up riders to optimize your earnings during game time.

This requires a bit more experimentation and toggling between apps. But it could be an interesting way to make more money during football games, where both food delivery and ride share requests could increase in demand. 

Bartend or Serve at a Party  

You can land a gig as a server, bartender, grillmaster, or set-up assistant at a football party. My friend David hired someone to grill at one of our house parties so that he could focus on entertaining guests. Depending on where you live and what service you’re providing, you could potentially earn $15 or $25 an hour working at a party.  

Cater Events  

Are you known among your friends and family to whip up a killer potato salad? Or maybe you have a special family recipe for manti dumplings or egg rolls that have been proven a hit at parties. If so, consider offering party platters or catering services during game season. 

This typically involves a bit more time, work, and permits and licensing than the usual side hustle. But if you love to cook and are considering starting a catering business on the side, offering a catering menu to local parties during game season could be a good way to start.  

Be a Rent a Friend 

Yes, this is an actual thing. I’ve dabbled in being a rented friend and it can definitely be an easy and interesting way to earn a buck. During my time hunting on the side, I’ve found a fair share of listings for those who are looking for a companion to theme parks, concerts, and sporting events. These requests might come from out-of-towners or those whose date bailed at the last minute.  

The rates are negotiable and determined by you and the friend “renter.” What’s more, some renters might not pay cash in lieu of free tickets and a meal. So you’ll definitely want to suss out the details before you agree to meet up for a football game.  

Offer Artistic Talents 

A friend of mine once played tunes on the piano at real estate open houses. You could offer an artistic talent such as drawing caricatures or entertaining kids at a football game party. Maybe you could add a sports spin to it, such as providing caricatures in the uniforms of popular athletes, or game-themed music? 

You can post on a platform such as TaskRabbit and see if you get any nibbles. You never know what might fly. So why not give it a whirl and see what happens? 

A general tip for side hustlers: When other people party, you can often maximize profits. Working while everyone is having a blast rooting for their favorite football team could make for lucrative side hustling if you’re willing to look for opportunities. In turn, you could use that money for a saving goal, to grow your wealth, or to re-invest into a side business.