Georgia has the busiest airport in the world, one of the biggest film and TV production industries in the country, a convention and stadium calendar that fills downtown Atlanta most weekends, and Savannah's year-round visitors. Here are nine side hustles that pay in 2026.
1. Local Friend: show visitors Atlanta or Savannah, at your rate#
Visitors see the aquarium, the Coca-Cola museum and a hotel downtown. A Local Friend shows them the city the way a friend would, by the hour: the BeltLine and Old Fourth Ward, Little Five Points, Buford Highway's Korean, Vietnamese and Mexican food, a Braves or Hawks game, the civil-rights sites with someone who can talk about them, Savannah's squares and riverfront beyond the trolley tours. You set your rate (commonly $20 to $40 an hour), Roavi lists you free and takes no commission, and the money is paid to you directly.
Very few people are listed in Georgia yet. No licence is needed; you are not a tour guide. How it works in the US.
2. Background extra work on film and TV sets#
Atlanta and the surrounding counties host a large share of American film and TV production. Every production needs background actors: people in the street, the restaurant, the stadium crowd. Casting agencies post calls by look, age and availability; you submit photos once and answer calls. A day pays $100 to $200 plus overtime, runs 10 to 14 hours, and often comes with a day's notice. No experience needed, and nobody legitimate charges you to apply.
3. Rideshare at Hartsfield-Jackson#
The busiest airport in the world, plus the convention centre, the stadiums and the suburbs. After gas, $16 to $24 an hour, best at the airport and on event nights.
4. Delivery#
DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart. $13 to $19 an hour after costs, best intown and in the denser northern suburbs.
5. Convention and stadium staffing#
The Georgia World Congress Center, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena, Truist Park, and the big events they bring. $15 to $24 an hour through staffing agencies and the venues.
6. Tutoring#
Test prep, math, science and English in Atlanta's northern suburbs (Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Decatur), $25 to $55 an hour in person, less online.
7. Pet sitting and dog walking#
Rover and word of mouth. $25 to $50 a night for boarding, $15 to $25 a walk.
8. Spanish and Korean interpreting#
Metro Atlanta's Spanish-speaking communities and the Korean community along Buford Highway and in Duluth make medical, legal and school interpreting steady, $22 to $45 an hour, more with certification.
9. Airbnb co-hosting#
Savannah's historic district and Tybee Island, intown Atlanta for events, and the North Georgia mountains. 10 to 20 percent of bookings. Savannah and Atlanta regulate short-term rentals; check before you start.
What makes Georgia different#
The film industry, which makes background work a real side hustle here and almost nowhere else outside Los Angeles and New York. The airport, which makes rideshare steadier than the city's size suggests. And the tax: a flat state income tax of a little over 5 percent, on top of federal and self-employment tax; film day work is often paid on a W-2 through a payroll company, everything else on a 1099. Set aside about 25 percent on 1099 income and pay quarterly.
Which fits your hours#
- Flexible weekdays: background extra work.
- Evenings and weekends with a car: rideshare, event staffing.
- After school: tutoring.
- A few hours between things: delivery, dog walking.
- You know your city and like people: Local Friend.
Starting as a Local Friend#
Free, ten minutes from your phone, three real photos, a review before you go live. Say which neighbourhood you live in and what you are good for; food, sports and history are what visitors ask about.
Live in Georgia? Show visitors Atlanta or Savannah at your rate.
Become a Local FriendOther states: Florida, Texas, New York. En español: cómo ganar dinero extra en Georgia.
Next door: North Carolina.
North: Tennessee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best side hustle in Georgia?
The one only Georgia offers at this scale: background extra work on the film and TV productions shot in and around Atlanta, $100 to $200 a day with no experience needed. After that, rideshare at Hartsfield-Jackson, the busiest airport in the world; convention and stadium staffing downtown; and Local Friend, showing Atlanta or Savannah's visitors the city at a rate you set.How much can you make with a side hustle in Georgia?
After costs, typical 2026 ranges: background extra work $100 to $200 a day, more with overtime; rideshare $16 to $24 an hour after gas; delivery $13 to $19; convention and stadium staffing $15 to $24; tutoring $25 to $55; pet sitting $25 to $50 a night; Spanish or Korean interpreting $22 to $45; Airbnb co-hosting 10 to 20 percent; Local Friend at the rate you set, commonly $20 to $40.How does background extra work in Atlanta work?
Casting agencies post calls for background actors (people in the street, the restaurant, the crowd) on their websites and social pages, by look, age and availability. You submit photos and measurements once, then answer calls. A day is long, often 10 to 14 hours, pays a flat rate plus overtime, and you need to be available on short notice. It is real money for people with flexible weekdays, and nobody legitimate charges you to apply.How are side hustles taxed in Georgia?
Georgia has a flat state income tax of a little over 5 percent, on top of federal income and self-employment tax. Anything over $600 a year from one platform is reported on a 1099; film day work is often paid on a W-2 through a payroll company instead. Set aside about 25 percent on 1099 income and pay quarterly.What is a Local Friend and how does it work in Georgia?
Someone who lives there and shows visitors it by the hour: Atlanta's neighbourhoods (Old Fourth Ward, the BeltLine, Little Five Points, Buford Highway's food), a Braves or Hawks game, the civil-rights sites with someone who can talk about them, Savannah's squares beyond the trolley tours. You set your rate, Roavi lists you free and takes no commission, and profiles are reviewed before going live. Very few people are listed in Georgia yet. No licence is needed; you are not a tour guide.