5 Side Hustles You Can Do Just 1 Weekend a Month -- and Still Make Good Money

These gigs could result in a nice payday.

Getting a side hustle could improve your financial picture in a meaningful way. Once you have money rolling in from a second gig, it may be possible to pad your savings account, build a retirement nest egg, or finish socking funds away for a down payment on a home.

Plus, the more money you earn, the more flexibility you'll have with spending it. Want to take a last-minute vacation? It may be possible once you have extra cash coming in.

Still, there's a big reason some people don't pick up side hustles -- they don't want to commit to having to work that often when they already have a full-time job. The good news, though, is that you don't have to resign yourself to working all the time to earn money on the side. Here are five jobs you can do just one weekend a month, while bringing home a decent wage.

1. House-sitting

Sometimes, when people go away, they want to know that their homes are being looked after. That's where you come in. If you sign up to house-sit one weekend a month, you can earn money for essentially hanging out in somebody else's home instead of your own. Sure, you may need to do some tasks like light housekeeping and signing for packages, but it could end up being minimal work for a decent paycheck.

2. Pet-sitting

Pet owners often don't want to put their animals in a kennel when they escape for a weekend. If you're willing to take pets in and watch them in your home, you can carve out one weekend a month to do so and earn a pretty good income. After all, many people regard their pets as family -- and are willing to pay up to get them the care they deserve.

3. Taking photos

If you're good with a camera, you may be able to secure gigs taking family portraits one weekend a month. For even better pay, see if you can get hired for one big event per month, whether it's a wedding, corporate retreat, or family reunion.

4. Driving for a ride-hailing service

The great thing about driving for a ride-hailing company is that you don't have to commit to preset hours. If you decide that you only want to put in one weekend a month shuttling people around town, that choice is yours. To increase your chances of financial success, you may want to opt for holiday weekends when they come up -- especially if you live near an airport.

5. Being a tour guide

If you know your city well, you may be able to get paid to show tourists around. Tour guide companies can be pretty flexible, so it pays to see if it's possible to work just one weekend a month. Another option? Start your own tour guide service. You can even get more specific and offer things like a guide to your city's best bakeries or a tour of the best bookshops around.

You don't need to commit to working every waking minute to hold down a successful side hustle. Even if you limit that work to one weekend per month, you can still do quite well for yourself financially.