This week:
Mobile notary work is one of the most overlooked service businesses you can start this month. Low cost, flexible hours, and steady demand — especially if you're near any real estate activity. And in the Youth Corner this week — one pressure washer, three different ways to make money with it.
MAIN FEATURE
Mobile notary / loan signing agent
A mobile notary drives to wherever a document needs to be signed — a home, a hospital, a title company — and witnesses and notarizes the signature. A loan signing agent does the same thing but specializes in mortgage closings, which are longer appointments and pay considerably more.
I know someone who started doing this after her employer downsized her out of a paralegal job. She had no notary experience. Within six weeks of getting her commission and completing a signing agent course, she had her first $600 weekend. She's never gone back to a 9-to-5. That's not a pitch — that's what this job looks like when you actually work it.
What it realistically costs to start: $50–$150 depending on your state. Notary commission fee ($20–$100), a notary stamp ($20–$40), and a signing agent course ($75–$199). You'll need a reliable stamp before your first signing — get one here.
What it realistically pays: General notary work runs $15–$75 per appointment. Loan signings pay $75–$200 per closing. Full-time loan signing agents in active real estate markets earn $60,000–$100,000 per year. Part-time, you're looking at $500–$2,000 per month depending on how many signings you take. These aren't top-end numbers — they're what working agents report as averages.
How to get your first client:
Step 1 — Get your notary commission through your state's Secretary of State office. Processing takes 1–4 weeks. Search "[your state] notary commission application" and you'll find the official page.
Step 2 — Take a loan signing agent course before anything else. The Loan Signing System is the most comprehensive option available — loansigningsystem.com. It walks you through the entire business, how to complete a signing, how to get jobs, and how to avoid the mistakes that cost new agents their reputation early on. It also includes direct links to get your NNA certification at a discount.
Step 3 — Get your NNA Certified Signing Agent certification. Two of the largest title companies in the country require it. Details at nationalnotary.org/signing-agent
Step 4 — Sign up on Snapdocs, Notary Rotary, and SigningOrder. These platforms connect signing agents with title companies and escrow firms. All three are free to join.
Step 5 — While you wait for platform orders to come in, call local title companies directly and introduce yourself. One good relationship with one title company can fill your calendar for months. This is the step most new agents skip — don't.
Most people have their first signing within two weeks of getting their commission. The learning curve is the paperwork — after 10 signings, it becomes routine.
Where to go deeper: The NNA blog, the Loan Signing System YouTube channel, and Reddit's r/Notary community are all active and honest about real earnings. The YouTube channel alone has enough free content to answer most questions before you spend a dollar.
QUICK HIT
Junk removal
Junk removal is still one of the fastest ways to generate cash with a truck and a few hours. The barrier is almost zero — a vehicle, some muscle, and a dump fee. Most operators charge $150–$500 per job depending on load size. 1-800-GOT-JUNK franchises in your area set the price expectation — you undercut them by $50 and you win the job every time. Facebook Marketplace and Nextdoor are your marketing channels. Liability insurance is a must before your first job. Next Insurance makes it fast and affordable for small operators — nextinsurance.com. You can get a quote and be covered in minutes.
YOUTH CORNER
One pressure washer, three ways to make money — for kids 14 and up
Here's something worth knowing about equipment-based side hustles: the tool doesn't make money, the application does. A single electric pressure washer opens three separate services your teenager can offer, each with its own customer base.
1. Driveway and sidewalk cleaning. This is the most straightforward. A driveway cleaning in most neighborhoods goes for $80–$150. Add a surface cleaning attachment and some commercial-grade degreaser for stubborn oil and rust stains, and you can charge a premium for stain removal that a basic rinse won't touch. Two driveways on a Saturday morning clears $100–$200 after expenses. Surface cleaning attachment on Amazon.
2. Mobile car wash. Same equipment, different customer. A basic exterior wash runs $20–$40 per vehicle. Park in a neighborhood, knock on five doors, and you can wash cars back to back without moving the setup. Add a hand dry and tire shine for $10 more per car and a two-hour Saturday morning is worth $150. Supplies cost almost nothing — a bucket, some soap, microfiber towels.
3. House exterior washing. This one takes more confidence but pays the most — $150–$300 for a single-story home exterior. Mold, mildew, and grime build up on siding every year and most homeowners just don't get around to it. A kid who shows up with equipment and does a clean job will get referrals without asking.
Start by renting equipment before buying. If they're running all three services on weekends, a quality electric pressure washer pays for itself in two jobs. Reliable option on Amazon.
The business skill they're actually learning across all three isn't cleaning — it's how to quote a job, collect payment, and show up when they said they would. Those three things will serve them for the rest of their working life.
Local Facebook community groups are where the first jobs come from. One post with a before/after photo is enough to get the phone ringing.
Coming up in future Youth Corner issues: recurring garbage can service · holiday and event yard decorating (birthdays, weddings, retirements, baby announcements, and more) · weekly recyclables pickup for neighborhoods without curbside service.
FINAL WORD
Forward this to someone who's been saying they want to make extra money. That's all the marketing I need.
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