New York woman's genius business idea earns her hundreds of dollars a day just from sitting in people's cars
Published on Feb 09, 2026 at 5:57 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Feb 09, 2026 at 5:57 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
This New York woman came up with a genius business plan to earn hundreds of dollars a day, all just by sitting in people’s cars.
Sydney Charlet spends her days sitting in New Yorkers’ cars, in what she has called ‘carsitting,’ and now her side hustle is going viral.
Charlet did so to help cover her rent in the Upper West Side of the city, and users on TikTok watched in awe as she made an incredible amount of money.
It all stems from what is known as alternate side parking.
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How Sydney Charlet earns her money sitting in people’s cars
Charlet effectively created her own side hustle.
During alternate parking hours, drivers must move their vehicles from one side of the street to the other for cleaning.
Yet it can be easy to forget this, and those who fail to comply can get an initial $65 fine.
If it happens more than once, you risk having your car towed away.
But Charlet was able to take away much of the fear that road users had over this.
For $50 a session, she sits in the car for 90 minutes and moves it if needed.
In doing so, it prevents owners from getting a fine (and saves them a big headache).
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The New York resident makes bank
Given the cost of a fine, for many New Yorkers, the $50 fee is more than worth it.
Her side hustle kicked off in June 2025 and started with just a few flyers.
But after posting the idea on TikTok, she went viral with over 620,000 views and 900 comments.
That led to her gaining 20 loyal clients.
The best part for Charlet is that she can cover at least half her rent just by sitting in other people’s cars.
Clients sign a one-off agreement with Charlet.
@sydneycharlet THE CAR SITTER. Unemployment has me side hustling. Text me: 917-382-3787
♬ original sound – sydneycharlet
They then pay a deposit, and she sends a video of their cars before the session begins.
Charlet then climbs in the driver’s seat and waits to see if it needs to be moved.
She has become known as a ‘side hustle queen,’ and her simple idea has become incredibly popular.
Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a leading heritage steam railway in England.
