Are you homeless and you seek ways to make some money to survive? If YES, here are 11 jobs and businesses you can do as a homeless person to make money. There are many reasons why people become homeless and the fact that someone is homeless does not in any way stop them from earning money.
And the fact that someone is homeless at the moment does not in any way make them hopeless. As a matter of fact, a significant number of people go homeless in the United States from time to time hence the booming nature of the homeless shelter industry.
Available statistics show that there are 11,241 Community Housing & Homeless Shelters businesses in the US as of 2022, an increase of 1.4 percent from 2020. Let’s get it straight, being homeless does not stop you from making money by working on a job or multiple jobs.
Although some jobs would require that you have a permanent address and you may not be qualified as a homeless person to work on such a job, but there are jobs that don’t really care if you are homeless or not. The fact that you are qualified or can do the job is all that is required. Having said that, here are several ways you can make money when you are homeless.
11 Jobs and Businesses Homeless People Can Do to Make Money
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Snow Clearing
One business that a homeless person should consider starting is snow clearing business. Snow removal or snow clearing is the job of removing snow after a snowfall to make travel easier and safer. A homeless person can successfully carry out this job and get paid on a daily basis.
2. Sale of Tickets for Sports Events
Selling of tickets for sports events is another easy and profitable business that a homeless person without money can successfully start. People usually purchase tickets in order to watch live sports events, attend shows and for other events. You can start a business that sells tickets for different sports events.
You can engage in the sale of tickets for football matches, boxing matches, athletics events, rugby events or any event as longs as people are ready to pay to watch the sports event. This type of business is based on commission; the amount you are expected to make is dependent on the number of tickets you sell.
3. Handyman Services
Handy man business is yet another business that a homeless person without startup capital can successfully start. A handyman business is one that provides a wide range of services needed for the maintenance of buildings and properties.
The services provided by a handyman include plumbing, electrical works, carpentry, painting, heating and cooling services and other building and property maintenance and repair works.
To set up your handyman business, you need to be familiar with different kinds of trades as this is an important factor that can enable you to get jobs. To succeed in the business, you need to start small. Doing the small jobs is what often opens the way for you as a handyman with your clients.
4. Work in a Car Wash
If you are homeless and you are looking for a job to do, one of the easiest jobs you can apply and get without any stress and documentation is a car washer in a car wash. Some of the basic services offered by car wash companies revolves around cleaning, washing, and waxing services for automobiles (cars, trucks, vans, and trailers et al).
5. Security Guard
Another job that a homeless person can work; a job that will provide you with an accommodation is a security guard job. There is hardly any corporate building, business facility or highbrow residential estate that you won’t find security guards.
It is the duty of security guards to provide security related services such as the prevention of unauthorized activity or entry in a specified perimeter, traffic regulation, access control, and fire and theft prevention and detection et al.
6. Kitchen Staff in a Restaurant
Working as a kitchen staff in a restaurant is no doubt a suitable job a homeless person can do. This is so because at least, your feeding will be sorted out. As a kitchen staff in a restaurant, your job functions will revolve around ensuring the food preparation areas are clean and hygienic.
Washing utensils and dishes and making sure they are stored appropriately. Sorting, storing and distributing ingredients. Sort and dispose of rubbish and recycling. Organize laundering of kitchen linen, etc.
7. Construction Site Casual Worker
Most construction site causal workers stay in their work site for an extended period of time, most often until the project is finished and it might take weeks or months. This is why this type of job is suitable for a homeless person.
As a construction site casual worker, your job responsibility will revolve around preparing construction sites, materials, and tools. Loading and unloading of materials, tools, and equipment. Removing debris, garbage, and dangerous materials from sites. Assembling and breaking down barricades, temporary structures, and scaffolding.
8. Truck Loader
Working as a truck loader is yet another suitable job opportunity that a homeless person can do. A truck loader puts merchandise onto a pallet to prepare it for transport. You use hand trucks, pallet jacks, and other equipment to sort and move packages. You can also be a container truck loader, which involves loading bulk or liquid material into a truck.
9. Farm Worker
Most farm workers live within the farm hence this is a job that is suitable for someone who is homeless. Farm workers carry out all the menial jobs that is needed in a farm, it could be planting, weeding, watering or harvesting plants or it could be collecting eggs, collecting milk or feeding birds and animals et al.
10. Train Conductor
The role of a train conductor is yet another job that a homeless person can fit in. This so because you can stay in the train lounge when you are not working. Train conductors work aboard trains and coordinate the daily activities of train crews.
A freight train conductor also oversees the loading and unloading of cargo. The job can involve working on trains that cover long, national routes, or it might involve working on trains that operate only locally or regionally.
11. Dock Causal Worker
Lastly, another job that his highly suitable for a homeless person is working as a causal worker in a ship, and one of such roles is a dock worker. The fact that ships sail for months means that a dock worker will have accommodation for the period of time they are at work.
Dock Workers, also known as Longshoremen, are responsible for unloading cargo from ships at port. This is a heavy physical labor job, although it also requires teamwork and a good command of loading technology such as forklifts. Job duties include transferring cargo from the ship to the dock safely and efficiently, as well as securing ships and handling unloading set-up, such as preparing the gangway.
In conclusion;
All the business opportunities listed above are ideal for a homeless person because they require little or no start-up capital and the business can be operated from remotely or at the client’s place. All the job roles listed above are ideal for a homeless person because they usually come with free accommodation or a temporal place to stay pending when the homeless person has enough money to rent their own apartment.