The Summer Side Hustle Checklist: What to Track, Save, and Write Off

🎯 Side Hustles Boom in Summer — So Do Bookkeeping Mistakes

Summer is side hustle season. Whether you’re:

• Selling handmade goods at local markets

• Doing yard work, repairs, or detailing

• Running a pop-up food tent at a festival

• Flipping vintage finds or offering photography gigs

…you’re making real money. And real money means real taxes.

The good news? You can stay in control (and save money later) by tracking the right things now — before it gets messy.

🧾 Track Every Sale — Yes, Even the Cash Ones

It doesn’t matter if you made $40 at a flea market or $400 at Gold Rush.
If the IRS asks where your income came from, you want to have proof.

Track:

• Total earned per event or day

• Payment type (cash, Venmo, PayPal, Square, etc.)

• Notes about what you sold or offered

💡 Pro Tip: Use a simple Google Sheet or note app if you’re mobile — just don’t wait until “later.”

💸 Save Receipts for Every Side Hustle Expense

You can’t write it off if you can’t prove it.

Keep receipts for:

• Booth fees, tools, supplies, gas

• Software or apps used for your business

• Business cards, packaging, licenses

• Meals if you’re traveling for work

📦 Pro Tip: Save a folder in your phone to snap receipts, or forward emailed receipts to a dedicated inbox.

💵 Set Aside 20–30% of Your Profit for Taxes

This one hurts in the short-term, but helps big time at tax time.

You don’t get taxes withheld on side hustle income — which means it’s 100% on you to be ready for it.

Keep it simple:

• Calculate what you earned after expenses

• Move 20–30% of that to a separate savings account

• If you make a lot, talk to a pro about estimated taxes

✅ What Can You Write Off?

Here's what often qualifies if it's used for the hustle:

• Supplies and inventory

• Mileage (track it!)

• Portion of your cell phone bill

• Website or domain fees

• Home office (if it qualifies)

🚫 What you can’t write off: clothes you “just happened to wear,” meals with friends, or gear that’s primarily personal.

📈 Keep It All Organized in One Place

Whether it’s a spreadsheet, a receipt folder, or a simple mobile app — having one place where all this info lives will save you hours later (or save your bookkeeper hours, which saves you money).

And if it’s already getting out of hand — don’t worry. I offer a free Side Hustle Tune-Up Report that helps you clean up your income and expense records and see what you can actually write off.