Jobs for Working Actors (That’ll Help You Make Rent)

Written by Ashleigh Gardner

April 13, 2017

Acting is a very play-it-by-ear career. Sometimes you’ll have a gig, and sometimes you won’t. However, it’s important that you examine all your available options for making money when you aren’t cast in a show. It’s especially important to remember that you may be required to be multi-talented and multi-skilled in order to make ends meet. We’ve compiled a few jobs that’ll help you make a little (or a good amount) of money on the side.

Dog walking.

If you love dogs, starting your own dog-walking business is a great way to make money. You can walk dogs during the day and have time for rehearsals at night, all while getting great exercise.

Pet sitting.

There are tons of people who need their pets looked after when they go on vacation or when they have a late night meeting or rehearsal. If you’re a fan of furry (or scaly, feathered, or swimming) companions, you might enjoy taking care of other peoples’ pets. This involves walking them (if necessary), feeding them, changing water dishes, and playing/cuddling with them whenever their human parents are away for the day.

Babysitting/nannying.

If you enjoy spending time with young children and like teaching, encouraging creativity, and making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, you might seek out babysitting or nannying options. However, before offering services, be sure to check if you need to be a licensed childcare provider in your state. This usually involves getting a background check and being presented with a physical copy of a certificate stating that you have been approved by the state to care for a child.

Freelance writing for blogs, product descriptions, and tutoring.

If you’re a performer and a writer, you might like doing freelance writing work in addition to your acting roles. Look for freelance writing jobs from FreelanceWriting.com and sign up for their Morning Coffee Newsletter, an email sent at 9AM every morning with notices for jobs seeking writers. If you are educated in a particular field including theatre and acting (like English, writing, history, math, science, or music), you can also apply to become a tutor on TutorMe.com.

Becoming a yoga instructor.

Every performer should stay in great physical condition, and if you like yoga and teaching others, you might enjoy becoming a licensed yoga instructor. Seek out yoga instructor classes at your local yoga studios. Yoga studios are usually flexible when it comes to giving your availability to teach classes, which leaves you the option of teaching a morning and afternoon class (or multiples across the city) while having time for rehearsals at night.

Getting involved in freelance photography.

Do you enjoy taking photos? Are you good at it? Can you master photo editing in programs like Lightroom and Photoshop? You might enjoy freelance photography. There are tons of other performers who need headshots, models who need shoots for their portfolios, or theaters that need production photos taken of their shows. However, before you begin charging $300 for a thirty-minute photo shoot, make sure the quality of your work is on par with other professionals in the business. You can take classes on photography on Skillshare or short tutorials on YouTube.

Waiting tables.

This is the usual go-to for actors seeking daytime employment. Schedules are usually flexible and are based on your availability. Plus, you have a great opportunity to earn tips,. Though you can’t always count on someone to leave the best tip, the better you are at your job, the more likely you are at earning a decent chunk of change every time you serve a table.



Need some advice? We’ve got you covered.

Ashleigh Gardner received her AA in Theatre/Drama/Dramatic Arts from Valencia College and her Bachelors Degree in English Literature and Masters Degree in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies from the University of Central Florida. She is a playwright, an actor, and PerformerStuff.com’s Editor.