15 Side Hustles To Build a $1,000 Emergency Fund in a Month

Life is full of surprises — and many can be expensive. If you’re not financially prepared to handle unexpected bills, you could fall into debt fast.

Generally speaking, experts recommend putting aside enough to cover three to six months of living expenses in an emergency fund. However, data has shown many people don’t have the money to cover a $1,000 emergency.

Check Out: I’m a Self-Made Millionaire: Here’s the Lightbulb Moment that Helped Me Make My First Million

For You: 7 Reasons You Should Consider a Financial Advisor — Even If You’re Not Wealthy

The good news is, if you fall into this category, you can get on track fast. There’s no shortage of side gigs to choose from, so find something that interests you and get to work.

In fact, you can even earn $1,000 in a month if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and commit to the challenge. Here’s a look at 15 side hustles that will allow you to reach this savings goal fast .

Sponsored: Protect Your Wealth With A Gold IRA. Take advantage of the timeless appeal of gold in a Gold IRA recommended by Sean Hannity.

1. Rideshare Driver

• Median hourly rate for an Uber driver: $21
• Hours to earn $1,000: 48

Hit the road as a rideshare driver for Uber or Lyft. You’ll be able to set your own schedule, meet some interesting people and maybe even explore some new parts of town you haven’t yet visited.

2. Food Delivery Driver

• Median hourly rate for a DoorDash driver: $19
• Hours to earn $1,000: 53

Instead of picking up food themselves, many people prefer to pay someone else to do it — which is where you come in. As long as you have a reliable car, you can deliver food for a company like DoorDash, Grubhub or Postmates.

Explore More: I Rent Out a Home on Airbnb: Here’s How Much Profit I Actually Bring In

3. Grocery Shopper

• Median hourly rate for an Instacart shopper: $18
• Hours to earn $1,000: 56

Many people don’t have the time, desire or ability to do their own grocery shopping. By working as a personal grocery shopper, you’ll fill orders and make their lives easier, while earning extra money.

Do note, some personal grocery shoppers deliver orders to customers’ homes, while others work strictly in-store.

4. Pet Sitter

• Median hourly rate at Rover.com: $22
• Hours to earn $1,000: 46

When pet parents are out of town, at work or at a special event, they often need someone to take care of their furry friends. There’s plenty of options here, as you could simply be a dog walker, work as an in-home pet sitter or welcome other people’s pets into your own home.

5. Babysitter

• Median hourly rate at Care.com: $19
• Hours to earn $1,000: 53

A classic side gig, babysitting isn’t just a job for teenagers. No matter what your age, there’s parents out there who need child care and are looking for a sitter just like you.

6. Senior Companion

• Median hourly rate at Visiting Angels: $18
• Hours to earn $1,000: 56

As a senior companion, you’ll provide your clients with much-needed socialization. You won’t provide physical care — i.e., dressing, bathing, dispensing medications — but you will give social and emotional support, while likely making some pretty great new friends.

7. Lifeguard

• Median hourly rate at the YMCA: $15
• Hours to earn $1,000: 67

If you can swim and are CPR-certified, put your skills to work as a lifeguard at a local pool. You’ll get to earn money while knowing you’re making the pool a safe place for swimmers.

8. Amazon Flex Driver

• Median hourly rate: $20
• Hours to earn $1,000: 50

There’s probably no shortage of Amazon packages to be delivered in your local area, but there might not be enough drivers to handle the workload. As an Amazon Flex driver, you’ll use your car to deliver Amazon packages on your own schedule.

9. Virtual Assistant

• Median hourly rate at Belay: $22
• Hours to earn $1,000: 46

If you’re exceptionally organized, pay close attention to detail and have outstanding customer service skills, you could thrive as a virtual assistant. This can be a great part-time job that allows you to work from home on a schedule that fits your life.

10. Handyman or Handywoman

• Median hourly rate at Angi: $24
• Hours to earn $1,000: 42

If you’re good at fixing things around the house, it’s time to monetize those skills. Choose the services you want to perform — i.e., household repairs, hanging pictures, assembling furniture — and clients will quickly fill your schedule.

11. TaskRabbit Worker

• Median hourly rate: $22
• Hours to earn $1,000: 46

Help others and get paid for it. As a “Tasker,” you can market yourself to perform a variety of services, including help moving, car washing, baby proofing, laundry and ironing, organization and sewing — just to name a few.

12. Lawn Mowing

• Median hourly rate at LawnStarter: $21
• Hours to earn $1,000: 48

If you have a lawn mower, spend nights and weekends cutting lawns. Services like LawnStarter can connect you with customers who need your assistance.

13. Referee

• Median hourly rate at the YMCA: $17
• Hours to earn $1,000: 59

Your local area probably has plenty of sports leagues for both kids and adults — and many games require a referee. If you’re into sports, this can be a fun way to be part of the game and get paid for it.

14. Freelance

• Median hourly rate on Upwork: $39
• Hours to earn $1,000: 26

Use skills from your daytime job to start an off-hours side hustle. For example, if you’re a graphic designer, writer or web developer, you can find freelance projects on sites like Upwork.

15. Rent Out Baby Gear

• Median monthly rate: $1,000 on BabyQuip

If you haven’t gotten rid of baby gear your kids have grown out of, you might be sitting on a goldmine. Companies like BabyQuip can connect you with traveling families who need to rent these items.

You’ll deliver these items to customers and set them up, then pick them up and sanitize them at the end of the rental period.

Note: All hourly rate data was sourced from Glassdoor .

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : 15 Side Hustles To Build a $1,000 Emergency Fund in a Month