New York woman earns hundreds of dollars a day just from sitting in people's cars

Published on Aug 09, 2025 at 2:22 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson

Last updated on Aug 06, 2025 at 8:39 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Emma Matthews

Meet the ultimate girl boss of New York City car-sitting – talk about a niche side hustle

Sydney Charlet has turned one of the city’s biggest headaches into a full-blown money spinner.

Instead of fighting for spots or racking up fines, she’s making hundreds a day handling the chore everyone hates.

And TikTok can’t get enough of her brilliantly simple car-sitting hustle.

VISIT SBX CARS – View live supercar auctions powered by Supercar Blondie

The car-sitting side hustle that turns stress into cash

Charlet moved from Seattle to Manhattan earlier this year after losing her marketing job. 

Facing the reality of Upper West Side rent, she invented her own gig: professional car-sitting.

If you’ve ever driven in NYC, you know alternate side parking is brutal. Miss the street-sweeping window and it’s a $65 ticket – or worse, a tow

Charlet’s solution is genius. For $50 a session, she sits in your car for 90 minutes, moves it if needed, and saves you the headache.

She kicked off the side hustle in June with nothing but a few flyers and a TikTok explaining her idea. That video blew up, now with over 620,000 views, 900 comments, and gained her about 20 loyal clients. 

The best part? She’s covering half her rent just by parking herself in other people’s cars.

And this isn’t casual freelancing – it’s organized. 

Clients sign a one-off agreement, pay a deposit, and get a pre-session video of their car for peace of mind. Then she waits out the parking chaos like a one-woman anti-ticket shield.

Viral fame and major girl boss energy

The internet has crowned her a ‘side hustling queen,’ with TikTok comments ranging from ‘so insanely genius’ to ‘Seinfeld coded.’

And yes, the comparison checks out: a 1991 Seinfeld episode had Jerry hiring a car-sitter to dodge tickets – Sydney just brought it to life in 2025.

Charlet’s success is peak New York energy: creative, scrappy, and profitable. 

She’s not just sitting in cars – she’s sitting on a business model that turns city chaos into cash. 

And in a city where everything costs a fortune, that’s the kind of girl boss move we can all cheer for.

See Sydney Charlet‘s TikTok video below:

@sydneycharlet

THE CAR SITTER. Unemployment has me side hustling. Text me: 917-382-3787

♬ original sound – sydneycharlet

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie

user

Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.