The best weekend jobs for students
Ranked by what one weekend actually puts in your pocket: serving, refereeing, events, gig work, and the per-video option that does not need a shift at all.
Write It teamUpdated 3 min read
Weekend work is a concentration bet: keep Monday to Friday for class and cram the earning into two days. The right question is not the hourly rate — it is what one full weekend actually puts in your account, and what it costs you in Sunday-night energy.
What one weekend of each job is worth
| Job | Typical weekend take | Hours it eats |
|---|---|---|
| Serving / bartending (2 shifts) | $150–$300 with tips | 10–14 |
| Catering / banquet staff | $120–$220 | 8–12 |
| Youth sports referee (4–6 games) | $80–$180 | 4–7 |
| Retail / grocery (2 shifts) | $100–$160 | 10–14 |
| Moving help / yard work | $100–$250 | 5–10 |
| Rideshare / delivery | $100–$200 before car costs | 8–12 |
| Write It creator videos (3–4 clips) | $2 per 1,000 verified views in 14 days, plus $10 over 1,000 views in the first 7 days; $800 total cap per standard video | 2–4 |
Typical US figures; tips, region, and season move these a lot. Delivery figures are before gas and mileage.
Read the third column as carefully as the second. A serving weekend earns the most but consumes both prime evenings; refereeing earns less but leaves most of the weekend standing. The best pick depends on which resource — money or time — you are actually short of this semester.
The strongest traditional weekend picks
- Serving and banquet work. Weekend nights are when restaurants and event venues make their money, so weekend-only availability — usually a liability — becomes your selling point. Say it in the interview.
- Refereeing and coaching youth sports. Saturday-morning leagues pay per game, typically $20–$35 each. Stack three games and you are done by lunch.
- Moving help and odd jobs. Priced per job, booked through local listings or word of mouth. Physical, sporadic, and immune to schedule creep — the job ends when the couch is upstairs.
The weekend job that is not a job
The flexible alternative is to spend two weekend hours making short videos instead of ten on a shift — and the program we run pays for exactly that, on these terms.
How the Write It creator program works
Applications and new submissions are paused. The new workflow starts with an unpublished draft, then approval to post. A reviewer checks the public video against the approved draft before verifying views.
Submit a draft and wait for approval before publishing. Standard videos earn $2 per 1,000 verified views, plus a $10 bonus only after exceeding 1,000 views within 7 days of posting. Total pay, including the bonus, is capped at $800 per video. AI videos and slideshows earn $0.10 per 1,000 verified views with no bonus, capped at $500 per video. View pay covers the first 14 days after posting. Only approved published videos earn cash.
For example, a standard video with 5,000 verified views in its first week earns $20: $10 in view pay and the $10 bonus. An AI video or slideshow with the same views earns $0.50. Both are subject to review.
Earlier submissions keep their recorded rates, thresholds, caps and payment windows. The new rules apply only to new submissions.
A weekend can be useful for batch filming. Allow time for draft approval before scheduling any posts. Write It requires draft approval before posting. Standard videos earn $2 per 1,000 verified views in 14 days, plus $10 over 1,000 views in the first 7 days; $800 total cap per standard video. AI videos and slideshows earn $0.10 per 1,000 views with no bonus, capped at $500 each. Applications are closed.
Write It creator program
Applications and new submissions are paused. You can read the review process and payout terms, or visit your dashboard to manage earlier work.