10 Best Side Hustles for German Residents
advertisement - scroll to continue
10 Best Side Hustles for German Residents
Germans and German residents are very hardworking people and often earn a decent income from their wages. However, inflation has led to a recent hike in food prices, housing, energy, transport, etc. The rise in inflation has begun to put a strain on the wages of German residents.
Whether you’re a student, a stay-at-home parent, or a full-time employee, seeking additional income is not something to be ashamed of despite the financial prowess of Germany as a nation.
advertisement - scroll to continue
With a lucrative side hustle, you get to earn extra cash with which you can enjoy more luxuries, buy that dream car or start that small business.
Side hustles in Germany are fairly rewarding with opportunities to find lucrative and remote side hustles that pay daily.
Therefore, in this guide, I will provide you with ten lucrative side hustles to earn extra income living in Germany.
On This Page
Key Highlights
🎯 The most common places to find a part-time job in Germany are Berlin (the capital city), Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Hanover, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Essen, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, Bremen, Dresden, etc.
🎯 A side hustle is known as Nebengewerbe, which refers to something you do alongside your job. A Nebengewerbe (side business/hustle) shouldn’t be confused with a Kleingewerbe (small business).
🎯 Any Nebengewerbe (side business) you are engaged in should not exceed your occupation economically or time-wise. For instance, 18 hours per week is currently the upper limit to which self-employment is still considered part-time.
🎯You are allowed to do side hustling alongside your permanent job. However, it must not affect your performance at your full-time job, or else your employer can exercise a veto right. That is to stop you from the side hustle.
advertisement - scroll to continue
🎯 If you want to earn extra income teaching conversational, business English or young learners as a tutor, Germany is the best place to be for this side hustle.
SEE ALSO: 10 Best Side Hustles for New Zealand Residents
SEE ALSO: Make $500 A Week With These Side Hustles In Canada
SEE ALSO: 9 Ways To Find Energy For Your Side Hustle
SEE ALSO: Ultimate List of 50 Side Hustles that Trends in 2023
10 Best Side Hustles in Germany
1. Personal Trainer or Fitness Instructor
With an average pay of €42,339 a year or €20 an hour in Germany, becoming a personal trainer or fitness instructor is a rewarding side hustle in 2023.
Whether you work at a community fitness center or offer private sessions, this role allows you to share your passion for fitness while earning income to enjoy some of the luxuries that come with having extra cash.
Your physique matters in earning from this side hustle.
People will judge you for how you look, and you should be ready for that because, as a fitness trainer if you don’t look the part…how would you expect the clients to believe they will get satisfying results at the end of the day?
You will also need a B license to be qualified as a fitness trainer. Although, knowledge of several foreign languages is not necessary once you can speak German fluently.
advertisement - scroll to continue
2. Language Tutor
Given Germany’s multilingual society, there is a high demand for language tutors, which makes it one of the most lucrative side hustles to earn additional income in Germany.
Whether you reside in the country or seeking to migrate there. If you are proficient in a foreign language, you can offer tutoring services to individuals seeking to learn or improve their language skills.
Tutoring can occur online or in person, allowing for direct interaction and personalized instruction. However, to teach a language like English in Germany, you must have a TEFL certificate.
TEFL certification is an internationally recognized professional credential that certifies that an individual is qualified to teach English as a foreign language.
TEFL certification is required to secure a job teaching English abroad or online to non-native English language students.
3. Gardener or Landscaper
Working as a gardener is a lucrative side hustle to consider if you are residing in Germany and passionate about outdoor activities with which you can earn additional income and enjoy some luxuries that come with having extra cash in your pocket or account.
With an average pay of €15 an hour and €30,404 per year, all you need to start this side hustle is technical experience in handling gardens or landscapes and a High School Degree (the highest level of education required to work as a gardener).
advertisement - scroll to continue
You can offer your services in residential areas or work with landscaping companies to beautify gardens and outdoor spaces. Depending on your expertise, experience, and good relation skills, you can get extra tips with this side hustle.
4. A Tour Guide
If you have deep knowledge and passion for a particular city or region in Germany, working as a tour guide is an exciting and lucrative side hustle you can leverage to earn additional income if you are an outdoor person.
With an average income of €13 per hour, all you have to do is showcase cultural, historical, and natural attractions of locations of your choice, providing informative and engaging tours to tourists and visitors. In return, you get paid for your services.
There are different ways to find a tourist guide job in Germany. You can check online platforms such as the official site of the Federal Employment Agency and the International Placement Services if you are yet to live in Germany and are seeking to migrate to the country. You can also apply for some tour guide jobs in Germany here.
5. Bartender
Bartending is another lucrative side hustle to earn extra income in 2023, with an average salary of $15.85 per hour in Berlin or €13 per hour in Frankfurt. Germans love clubbing, which is why most people flock to Berlin, the capital city, to party the night away at famous clubs.
In German cities, there are no mandatory closing times for pubs, clubs, and bars. As a result, most people don’t even think about heading out until 11 p.m., and nightclubs don’t start filling up until after midnight.
You can earn extra tips depending on your experience and good rapport with customers if you work night shifts.
6. Renting unused rooms
Another lucrative side hustle that works well in Germany is to rent extra space. Do you have a vacant room or storage space you aren’t using in your house?
If so, you should consider earning income on them instead of leaving them unoccupied in 2023.
Depending on the location, you can charge as much as €300 for a student room in a shared flat and up to €700+ for a one-bed flat. Apart from other offline means, you can rent your space through Airbnb and similar sites.
All you have to do is to create an account with them with a valid means of identification, photos, and a description of the space and the price.
You can also specify whether you want to rent to families, business travelers, or other groups.
7. City guide author
If you are well-versed with routes and streets in your city and are a good writer, you can work effectively as a city guide writer.
Real estate and tourism companies often hire local writers to create city and neighborhood guides. As a city guide author, you would provide a unique local perspective on the city, population demographics statistics, and insider tips for shopping, leisure, culture, entertainment, things to do public transport, and more.
8. Sell old stuff
If there’s one thing Germans are associated with besides beer and cars, it is their reputation for being a green nation.
Due to their high determination to fight against climate change, there is a big second-hand culture in Germany – the total number of goods sold in second-hand retail outlets increased to almost €2.2 million in 2020 from €1.9 million in 2012.
This statistic points to one fact – it is a lucrative side hustle you can leverage to earn extra income in 2023. If your cabinet is full of old clothes, shoes, bags, and other accessories (that is, they are still in good condition) you can free up space, downsize your wardrobe, and make money by selling what you no longer need.
There are apps specifically designed for re-selling and buying second-hand items. They include; Vinted (formerly known as ‘Kleiderkreisel’), Zalando Zircle, Ebay Kleinanzeigen (where you can also get used furniture, cars, books, appliances), etc.
9. Delivering groceries or meals
This is another lucrative side hustle in 2023 to earn extra income in Germany.
It may not be the most glamorous of jobs, especially on cold winter days. However, If you have a car or a bike, you can earn extra money by delivering groceries or meals to companies like Deliveroo.
This side hustle can be a good option if you enjoy being outdoors, and active, and want a flexible side hustle.
10. Renting out your parking space
If you have a parking space you don’t use frequently, you can earn extra money by renting it out through platforms like JustPark.
This side hustle is a good option if you live in a city with a high demand for parking.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are born or just residing in Germany, there are a lot of side hustle opportunities available with which you can enjoy more luxuries and have a wonderful time with your loved ones and still maintain your daily job.
I have listed 10 of the best side hustles in no particular order you should consider in Germany if you want to buy that dream house or reduce financial worries with extra money.
