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You may be wondering what a side hustle is?
Well, a side hustle is any form of employment you undertake in addition to one’s full-time job. This can either be freelance or piecework, but it has to be something that supplements your income.
For a side hustle to work, you have to be passionate about it; it’s not like a regular nine to five job. You may assume a second job counts as a side hustle, but that’s not the case! Instead, it needs to give you the freedom to earn a little (or a lot) of extra income. You decide how many extra hours you work, so it’s entirely up to you how much time you invest. Unlike a traditional job, there isn’t someone above you calling the shots.
So, if you’re looking for extra income, or you want to try your hand at being an entrepreneur, why not give it a go?
Luckily for you, we’re going to cover everything you need to know on the subject, here in this article.
When looking for a side hustle that suits you, there are several things to consider, so let’s dive in…
The 37 Top Side Hustles Ideas / Examples
There are all kinds of side hustles. If you have the time to put into it before seeing any money, you can even create a side hustle that’s tailored to your skills, schedule, interests, and passions out of thin air. Some of the more popular side hustle ideas are:
- Selling clothing online
- Creating art and selling it locally (in a café or at festivals) or online through places like Etsy or Society6
- Launching an e-commerce store
- Freelance writing
- Freelance graphic design, web development, illustration, etc.
- Teaching online courses or Creating Courses (Udemy, Podia, Thinkific, Teachable, etc.)
- Tutoring, consulting or coaching
- Babysitting
- Photography services
- Selling baked goods or home-cooked family meals; catering
- Domestic and/or office cleaning
- Providing lawn work or maintenance services
- General labor and/or warehouse work
- Dog walking or pet sitting
- Providing delivery services
- Mystery shopping
- Brand ambassador and/or product demonstrator
- Survey taking
- Writing (as a freelance writer, blogger, copywriter, e-book author, etc.)
- Coding
- Errands and services (Instacart, Shipt, Door Dash, TaskRabbit, Uber, Lyft, etc.)
- YouTube
- Ad quality rater
- Drop-shipping
- MLMs
- Renting your car (or extra car) out to others
- Renting all or parts of your home or yard (to individuals, movie companies, people with pets, etc)
- Virtual assistant
- Affiliate or referral programs
- Sponsorships on social media (you’ll need to build an audience first, though)
- Reselling items
- Providing a service online or in person
- Odd jobs/handyman
- Transcription
- Web search analyzer
- Musician/singer
- Personal assistant/household helper
These examples are just the tip of the iceberg. There are loads of things to choose from, but all the above are great ways to earn extra income. Think about what you’re passionate about, and go from there. There’s a good chance you can base your side hustle on something you’re excited about!
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Side Hustle
- Do you want to start your own business or work for someone else?
- How much do you hope to or need to make?
- How much time can you realistically devote to a side hustle without sacrificing too much (hours with family, health, etc.)?
- Do you want this to grow into a full-time career so you can leave your 9-to-5 job?
- What are you interested in and what do you enjoy? (Hint: It’s helpful—but not always completely necessary–if you’re not just in it for the money.)
- How much money do you have to invest in starting up a side hustle, if you want to start your own business? If you need more than you currently have to invest, what are you willing to do to raise the money? Will you sell your stuff, work extra hours at your current job for a short period of time, get a less-fulfilling side hustle to raise money for your dream side hustle…?
- When will you work on your side hustle?
Basic Questions vs. Deeper Questions
These are the basic questions you’ll need to ask yourself in the very beginning of choosing which side hustle to pursue. Unless you’re just looking for any extra job you could possibly do because you need a short-term fix to a cash problem, you’ll want to go deeper.
When you’re looking for a long-term side hustle you can stick with and maybe even transfer into full-time, you’ll need to do more thinking, planning, and soul-searching.
There’s still some overlap between the two types of side hustles, too.
For example, you’ll need to be realistic about how much income you need from your side hustle, and by when you’ll need to have earned it. You’ll also want to enjoy what you’re doing no matter what, if you can.
The Benefits of Side Hustles
Obviously, the extra cash is a perk. But, side hustles are also an excellent opportunity to explore and develop skills you might never have otherwise got the chance to advance. You can try out your passions to see whether you love it as much as you think you do, before ditching your day job.
They allow for flexibility both in terms of location and working hours, so they’re ideal for parents, students, and anyone trying to manage other commitments.
Side hustles can increase financial freedom and help clear any debts you have, or just empower you to save for a rainy day or to spend as extra disposable income.
Side hustles don’t generally require sizeable investments upfront. But, when it comes to making a success out of this venture, it all comes down to the number of hours you can put in — nothing good, ever came easy!
There’s no minimum requirement as to how much time you spend on your side hustle; it’s your choice. It doesn’t matter whether you take on two, three, or even more hours — it’s entirely up to you.
If your full-time job takes a turn for the worst, then you still have the security not losing ALL your income until you find a new job.
So, as you can see, there are lots of perks to launching and running a small business alongside your day job.
Side Hustle Best Practices
There are a few things to consider before jumping straight into a side hustle.
Mots importantly, whether any potential conflict will arise with your current day job. Some companies state in their employee contracts that they prohibit their workers from making a second income or working in the field they’re already in.
A lot of these concerns stem from stealing their competition. So, for instance, if you work in the marketing sector and you’re offered some freelance marketing work on the side of your job, this may go against your company’s policies. Whereas, your employer probably wouldn’t have a problem with your dog walking on the side.
So, take the time to research where your company stands on side hustles before you start anything. You want to avoid any potential conflicts with your employer. This info should be available inside the company handbook or from your HR department.
Although it’s exciting to launch a new venture, try not to take on too much work. You don’t want to disappoint clients and give yourself a bad reputation.
Tips for Choosing the Best Side Hustle to Boost Your Income
You have tons of options when it comes to your side hustle. How to choose the best one is an individual thing that relies on a handful of factors.
- What do you like to do?
- How long do you have to produce more income?
- What’s available where you are that you can just sign up for, or how much time do you have to build something new?
- What do you need to learn to be a success?
- Other than money, why do you want a side hustle?
- What skills and natural talents do you already possess that you can use as your foundation?
- Do you want your own business to run, a small gig every now and then, or would you prefer to work for someone else?
- How do you prefer to interact with people? Online or in person? Individually or in groups?
- How much room to grow do you need?
- Can you expand upon something you’re already doing?
- Is this a short-term thing to reach a specific goal or do you have long-term plans for it?
- Do you already have built-in clients in your community or a social media presence?
What You Need to Start a Side Hustle
No matter which type of side hustle you choose or the additional goals (aside from making money) you have for it, you’ll need certain things to get started. Depending on the side hustle you want to start, you may need:
- Several hours or more per week to devote to your new gig (This one goes for pretty much any of them, even if you plan to frontload your side hustle schedule by creating a product and then spend a few hours per week setting up and executing a marketing plan.)
- Money (amounts vary, depending on the side hustle)
- Technical savvy (in some cases) or an interest in learning as you go
- A car (if you’re doing errands for people or need to travel for your side hustle)
- Internet connection to get the word out about your services, answer customers’ messages, and sometimes do the actual work, depending on which side hustle you choose
- Patience, unless you’re signing up to work for a pre-established company and can get started earning within just a few days.
- Training, to learn a new skill or a handful of skills (like how to use social media to sell without driving people away instead of bringing them in)
Choosing the best side hustle for you will take balancing these needs with your goals, your dreams, and your current reality.
If you need money right this minute but you need to invest money and time into months of training, for example, the best side hustle for you at this moment may be more practical and easy to get into than the one you ultimately want to start.
Remember, choosing a side hustle today doesn’t mean you’re never allowed to change.
How Do I Develop a Successful Side Hustle?
So, by now you may be thinking a side hustle is for you and you’re wondering how to make a success out of it?
Continue reading to find out how…
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Make a list of what you’re interested in.
It’s crucial to love what you do; this job requires motivation and a lot of energy. Everything is done in your own time, outside of your regular office hours, and therefore, you need to be passionate about it. A good tip is to brainstorm lots of side hustle ideas that center on your interests, hobbies, and skills. That way, you’ll get a better feel for where your passions lie.
That Being Said…Pick Something You Don’t Hate
The first rule of side hustles: Pick something you’ll enjoy, or at least something you won’t dread doing. Extra money is great but if you’re already putting in a full day’s work, you’ll want your side hustle to be something you get a little joy from.
Do you have to be particularly passionate about it? No, especially not if you need quick cash and this side hustle is a short-term fix to a problem. You shouldn’t dread it, though.
If you don’t feel passionate about anything that can be turned into a side hustle right now, what do you like to do?
Do you like to shop? Could you shop for other people?
Do you enjoy writing? Could you pick up a freelance writing gig or two each month?
Do you like nothing more than to make a to-do list and check the tasks off as the day goes on? Maybe you could run errands for people in your neighborhood or become an online virtual assistant.
2) Decide early if you’ll invest money
Side hustles don’t (usually) require a lot of investment; however, it’s vital to consider a budget. Especially if your chosen venture requires a few initial layouts. This could be things like web hosting, branding, apps, etc.
So, before you enter into a side hustle, it’s best to plan out your costs. That way, you can measure your success against your spending and determine whether it’s profitable enough to continue.
3) Ensure there are no conflicts of interest
As previously mentioned, you don’t want conflict with your current employer at your main job, so look into the polices, etc. beforehand.
4) Pencil in time for your side hustle
A side hustle eats into your, so carve a few hours out of your schedule and dedicate them specifically to your side hustle. Often, it’s not possible to get everything sorted and set up in a week. You have to keep at it. The last thing you want is to leave everything for a month or so because you’ll lose momentum.
Instead, time in your calendar needs to be set aside to complete all the tasks necessary for the smooth running of your side hustle. Goals should be outlined and be realistic to achieve. That way, you won’t be disheartened, and you’ll less likely quit if and when you run into difficulties.
5) Don’t forget your day job
It’s important not to forget your day job and that you still put 100% into your work when you’re there. Remember, your side hustle is not your primary source of income, so it’s vital you still meet your targets and complete all the daily tasks expected of you within your central role.
Don’t juggle both during your 9-5 hours.
6. Decide How Long You Have and How You’ll Find Clients (If You Need To)
Do you need to be able to dive right in or can you take your time to build something from the ground up?
If you need money now, you’re not going to want to go with a side hustle that requires you to build an audience, set up a website, grow and maintain new social media accounts, and create your own products from scratch, for example.
That doesn’t mean you’ll never have your own online business that you can nurture from side hustle to full-time job that supports your family. It just might not be the right fit right now.
Find something that can work as a short-term solution if you need to start a side hustle for an urgent financial situation (or even to pay off debt as quickly as possible). This usually means working for an established company like Uber or Instacart, but there are exceptions, which we’ll cover soon.
If you end up loving the side hustle you’ve chosen, stick with it. If you don’t, use a short-term side hustle to cover the financial emergency or grow your savings enough to give yourself some breathing room, then go with the dream that takes a longer time to build into a profitable side hustle.
7. Working Within the Community vs. Online
There’s potentially one exception to this rule about from-the-ground-up business-building not being a good choice if you’re looking for a side hustle to make quick (sort of) cash. Living in a tight-knit community could really help. If you do, you may find enough support, quickly, to make it work.
Starting your own business as a side hustle that will reward you with a quick return on investment could work if it’s an extension of your current job or a special skill you have that you’re well-known for in your community. Make sure you’re not breaking any agreements you made when you took that job if you branch off to do your own thing in off-hours.
Is there something people keep asking you to help with? Have you been doing it for free? Start charging for your services. Don’t take anyone by surprise with the new (not free) rates, though. Let people know you’re starting a business, tell everyone how excited you are about your new venture, and thank them for their future support.
If this is the case and you will be working with friends and neighbors more than strangers online, get even more plugged in where you can in the community and get the word out that you’ve started your own business. Don’t forget to ask for testimonials from the people you’ve already helped.
Do you have a similar presence in the online space where you’ve already been offering value so the other group members and your followers recognize you as an expert? Can you market your products or services there, or at least add something in your bio that people will see when you offer a brilliant response in a Facebook group, Instagram post, or Twitter comment? You may have vast numbers of customers at your fingertips and not even realize it.
If you’re not working your side hustle online, how long will it take you to find clients (assuming you don’t already have the built-in client base as mentioned above), and how will you find them? Where can you advertise? Will you be able to add online clients in the future?
The question to ask yourself here is, do you want to focus on online clients, in-person clients, or both? And how much do you want to grow?
8. See What’s Available in Your Area
Want to work for an established company to keep things simple, do the work when you have the time, and collect a paycheck?
If you want to grocery shop for people but the established options like Instacart and Shipt haven’t quite made it to your area yet, that could put a damper on your plans.
See which companies that make good side hustles are available in your area. If there’s something that will pay you enough to make it worth your time, what’s stopping you? Sign up!
Some companies to check out:
- Lyft (driving people to their destinations)
- Uber (driving people their destinations)
- Amazon (order delivery)
- DoorDash (food delivery)
- Grubhub (food delivery)
- Instacart (grocery shopping and delivery)
- Shipt (grocery shopping and delivery)
- UPS, part-time (drivers, driver helpers, package delivery)
- LaserShip (package delivery)
- Airbnb (rent out your home or parts of your home)
- Roadie (package delivery)
- Sniffspot (rent your yard or land out to people with pets who need room to roam and play)
- TaskRabbit (chores, errands, handyman services)
- Handy (chores, errands, handyman services)
- Amazon Selling Services (sell your professional services)
- Turo (rent your car)
- Getaround (rent your car)
- Wag (pet-sitting and dog-walking)
- Rover (pet-sitting and dog-walking)
- Care.com (caregiving, babysitting, tutoring, house cleaning, errands)
For something less structured, you could simply position yourself as the go-to guy or gal for odd tasks and certain types of repairs you have experience with. There are pros and cons to either option.
If this is the type of side hustle you want but there’s not a lot in your area, ask yourself if you could you start your own business running errands and buying groceries for people (for example).
Before you get started on that: Do you think there’s a need for that in your community? Ask around in person and in local Facebook groups. If it sounds like people want the service, it might be an avenue worth pursuing. Then market your services!
Similarly, could you perform music, read poetry (be sure to create a book people can order for an extra way to make cash), or hang your art in a coffee shop?
Online Side Hustles for Extra Cash
You could also go to the online space if you want a side hustle with built-in connections so you don’t have to do all the leg work, thanks to sites like:
- Fiverr (quick gigs of all kinds)
- Etsy (sell your handmade products)
- Proofread Anywhere (proofreading)
- eBay (resell items)
- Amazon (sell items or services)
- Society6 (sell your art)
- Freelancer.com (all kinds of freelance gigs)
- Craigslist (all types of jobs, locally and online, but can be extremely hit-or-miss)
- Guru.com (all kinds of freelance jobs)
- Upwork (all kinds of freelance jobs)
- PeoplePerHour (all kinds of freelance jobs)
- Truelancer (all kinds of freelance jobs)
- Rev (transcription)
- Codeable.io (WordPress coding)
- LinkedIn (for general networking and job listings)
- Facebook groups for entrepreneurs (to find virtual assistant positions, graphic design or copywriting work, or other inspiration and tips for starting your own business)
- iTutor (help students learn)
- Appen (search engine analyzer)
- Foap (photography)
A Word of Caution About Online Gigs
Always use caution when doing business online with people you don’t know. Make sure the expectations for both sides are clear and in writing and ask for at least part of the payment in advance if possible.
With established companies, this may not be possible. Do a quick web search on any company you’re considering working with to get a better idea of how they treat their employees and contractors.
Some sites, like Etsy, eBay, etc. will handle payments for you even though you’re technically selling to different individual buyers. Just be sure to read everything thoroughly before you start selling.
If you’re working one-on-one with someone from Craiglist or a Facebook group who needs some work done, though, you’ll want to ask for at least a portion of the money before you do the work (otherwise, they could take the file you send them and ghost you).
That’s not to say you shouldn’t use similar caution when working with people in person, but it’s harder for them to just disappear without paying you if they live in your community.
You’re trying to find the best side hustle to boost your income and that boost can’t happen if it’s easy for scammers to walk away with your hard work.
9. Growth and Earning Potential for Your Side Hustle
Ah, the fun part. Making money. Growing, potentially, if that’s your goal.
Some people are happy with hourly pay, plus tips (if available). If that’s you, wonderful! There are tons of side jobs you can get started on right now and continue with it as long as you’d like. You can work on your own, providing products or services to people in your community or online, or you can apply for any number of jobs that complement the side hustle lifestyle.
Others want to grow their side hustle into something more, maybe manage a team, and scale to higher and higher numbers. Maybe the ultimate goal is to step away from an unfulfilling day job and move somewhere with nicer weather.
Maybe you want to grow so you can also allow your spouse to leave their day job, too. That opens up options for childcare and traveling that may not have been available before.
What is it you’re dreaming of? There’s your best hint at how to find the best side hustle to boost your income. Even if you choose a side hustle that has you working for someone else for now, you can use that as a stepping-stone to get you closer to your ultimate goal. You’ll pick up the extra money, skills, and connections you need in a low-risk way.
Do you need the breathing room of a few hundred (or more) dollars in a hurry and on a schedule, without the stress, time, patience, and risk of starting your own blog, business, etc.?
Or do you thrive on risk and just need an outlet for some part of your personality or passion that your day job isn’t fulfilling? You want to make money but you don’t need a specific amount at a certain time.
SuperMoney has a list of the average pay for a wide range of side hustles. It’s worth a look if you have a certain amount of money or growth potential in mind. Monster has a list, too.
How many people will your side hustle allow you to work with at one time, whether you’re online or in person? What will you be able to outsource or automate? The ability to outsource and automate will make a difference in your ability to make more money.
10. Should You Sell Your Time?
Selling your time isn’t the best way to make a substantial amount of money from your side hustle (especially if you don’t have a lot of time to devote to it), but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.
Selling your time means you’re likely to be working for someone else in some of the hours you spend away from your day job. In many cases, you’ll be able to choose the hours you work, do the job, and then forget it. You’ll be guaranteed a regular paycheck for the hours you work (plus tips, when applicable).
Not selling your time means you’re probably trying to set something up on your own. That means you’re not walking straight into a paycheck and may actually have to invest money on top of time in the beginning. There’s no guarantee of success.
If your goal is to make money as soon as possible to pay a bill or buy something you want or need, selling your time is a quick way to accomplish that.
(Another option would be to sell something you own or pick up a few things at estate sales, yard sales, and/or thrift stores to then resell for much more, but that isn’t necessarily reliable. It depends on what you have or can find at the time.)
If you’re hoping to make money in the long-term doing something you’re passionate about or something that’s a creative outlet for you and you don’t have a strong, immediate need for a certain amount of money, it could make sense to set up a side hustle that does not involve selling your time for a fixed amount.
This will allow you to try out a new business and unleash your creativity without the stress of needing the money to pay a bill (or several bills) by a due date. Putting that kind of stress on a new pursuit or creative endeavor isn’t likely to end well.
11. The Goal for Your Side Hustle
Different people start side hustles for different reasons, in addition to boosting their income. Some of those goals could be:
- Sheer fun
- A challenge to build something new, learn something new, or step outside of a comfort zone
- Relief from boredom
- Pursuing a passion in a way that doesn’t put pressure on them to make a full-time income from it right off the bat
- Hoping to eventually grow the side hustle into a full-time career that replaces the 9-to-5
- A sincere desire to help other people by solving a problem
- Need for something they’re not getting from their regular job (getting out of the house and around other people if their full-time job has them working from home, for example)
- They love a particular product and want to share it with others
- They love creating things and want to share them instead of cluttering up their home with things they don’t want to keep but also can’t bear to throw away
- The thrill of finding things to resell, then watching how they do on auction sites like eBay
- A chance to improve skills, such as copywriting, web design, networking, or communication
Other than increasing your income, what would you like your side hustle to do for you?
How Many People Have a Side Hustle?
According to the website Odds Monkey, an astonishing 16 million people in Britain alone, have a side hustle to help cover the costs of living.
See, it’s more common than you think!
The following statistics also apply:
- For 24% of the UK, the average monthly wage (£1,538.97) isn’t enough
- Because of this, a quarter of Brits (25%) have a side hustle to earn extra income
- Selling items on eBay and the Facebook marketplace is the most popular side hustle. Whereas, selling beauty products through companies like Avon was said to be the most lucrative (on average, £249 a month)
- A third (34%) of Brits say their side hustle is more fulfilling than their full-time job
That’s interesting stuff!
So, let’s look at some example side hustles in a little more detail…
The Best Paid Survey Sites
There are several ways to make money online, but one of the simplest is filling out surveys. Usually, there aren’t any qualifying requirements, so anyone could do this in their spare time.
Think this is something of interest? Take a look at the survey sites below; these are some of the highest paying ones on the internet.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is one of the most commonly used rewards and survey sites online. They offer a few questionnaires every day for you to get stuck into. These top up your ‘Swagbucks’ balance. You usually earn 70 swag bucks for every survey completed, which is the equivalent to about 40p.
They offer several ways to earn money. As well as doing surveys, you can also earn cash by watching videos, playing games, searching the web, and more. Any extra points earned are still called ‘Swag Bucks’ and can be transferred into cash or vouchers. These accumulate quickly.
Here are a few other ways to earn money with Swagbucks…
Their search engine
Switching to their search engine is one of the easiest ways to start earning. 20-30 searches a day can make you as much as £600 a year, just by using their search engine instead of Google’s.
Cashback
Cashback is available to claim on your purchases; this is a simple task. Just click through the stores from the Swagbucks website. They have many large retailers registered with them, including Argos, M&S, and the Body Shop.
Watch videos
You can earn 150 swag bucks a day by watching their suggested videos on the Swagbucks website. This is a breeze. You can literally set your phone aside and work on something else, and still, get paid!
Toluna
Toluna’s one of the most trusted online survey sites around. They offer excellent pay for your opinions on their products and services. You’re rewarded with points, which you can then convert into vouchers. Every survey completed earns anywhere between 3,000 and 6,000 points. To receive a £15 amazon voucher, you need to hit around 80,000 points.
Rewards
Toluna offers its best members rewards in the form of free products. Once you receive the item, you’ll be asked to fill in a survey, and then the product’s yours to keep. This isn’t an everyday thing, but it’s still a nice reward. The average survey time takes around 15 minutes to complete, meaning you get a £15 voucher for every four hours you invest.
Valued Opinions
If you’re looking for one of the better-paying sites, this is it. It’s free to sign up to; however, registration is often closed to new members so you’ll need to follow them on Facebook and wait for them to announce that they’re looking for participants.
Once registered, expect to earn around £10 an hour for the surveys they send out. Each questionnaire will earn you between £1 and £5. Plus, you can make as little as £10 before you’re permitted to withdraw your cash.
The surveys are sent via email and targeted based on your profile. The good thing about this is that you receive surveys based on your likes and interests. Needless to say, questionnaires tailored to you are far more enjoyable to complete.
One Poll
If you’re looking to complete a quick survey, then One Poll is the best option for you. Each questionnaire only takes a few minutes of your time, and you can earn you 20p per survey.
The most significant disadvantage though, is that you have to make £30 before you can withdraw your cash. But, the money you receive can be sent through BACS, so you won’t incur any fees.
Each survey takes around three minutes to complete, and on average, it takes roughly 10 hours to earn £40.
YouGov
Although YouGov doesn’t send out surveys frequently, they’re still worth signing up to. The main focus of their studies are politics and current affairs. The typical rate for each questionnaire is between 50p and £3.
But, as their surveys are so scarce, it takes a fair amount of time to reach the minimum payout threshold of £50. On the plus said, if you refer a friend, YouGov rewards you — yay!
i-Say
i-say is another high paying survey site. They don’t offer cash rewards, but they do provide high street and/or Amazon vouchers in return for your work.
Each completed survey earns you around £1, and you need to make £10 before you can access your cash. Surveys are generally sent via email, but due to the volume of participants, you need to be quick. On average, you should be able to earn around £10 a month — not bad!
Opinion Outpost
Opinion Outpost is an excellent company for earning quick money without meeting high payout thresholds. The typical payment for each is around 50p, and you only have to make £2.50 before you can transfer the cash to your PayPal account.
This website offers a series of surveys every day, so it won’t take long to meet the payment threshold. The length of these questionnaires is usually around 10 minutes, making them ideal for earning a bit of extra cash in your spare time.
This is a top-rated site, so surveys get snapped up very quickly. But, be warned, once the quota’s reached — that’s it. This means surveys sometimes get taken down while you’re still mid-way through completing them! But, overall, the surveys are enjoyed by the participants and vary from topic to topic.
Our Picks for the Best Side Hustles
Here are a few of our favorite side hustle options. Virtually anyone could get started with these as soon as today.
1) Ridesharing
This is our number one pick!
It’s one of the few jobs you can do anytime, anywhere. If you want to earn some extra cash at 2 am then you can do it. Ridesharing allows you to make money when you want, on your own terms.
How to begin?
There are a few apps and services you can sign up to, including:
- Uber- The first and largest ridesharing platform
- Lyft- Check Lyft for specials they have for new drivers
These two are probably the most popular networks, but if you’re taking this seriously, there are undoubtedly other platforms worth exploring!
Potential earnings: $1,000 per month
2) Delivering Food
This is a growing trend nationwide and has become one of the best side hustle options. But, there are drawbacks. For instance, it’s not as flexible as ridesharing. Restaurants have specific hours and as such, aren’t going to need you to deliver at 2 am. You also don’t earn as much money as ridesharing.
How to begin?
Again, here are a couple of networks you can sign up with:
- UberEats- This was one of the first independent food delivery services and had one of the largest networks of customers and restaurants.
- DoorDash-This is a growing platform that’s expanding across the globe.
Earning potential: $600 per month
3) Start a Blog
This a time-consuming process, but when done well, it can bring in around $1,000 per month in as soon as12 months of hard graft. To reap these results, you’ll need to work on your blog at least three times a week.
It’s a slow start and requires a lot of work — so, don’t expect overnight riches! But, the growth potential is limitless, making it ideal if you’re looking for a long-term side hustle.
4) Tutoring
If you’re a teacher or have a college degree, you can quickly get paid to tutor kids online. The demand for this service is growing yearly, as more and more kids all over the world are learning English as their second language.
A benefit to this gig is the time difference between countries. For instance, when it’s the evening for you, it’s the morning in another country. This is ideal if you want something you can comfortably balance alongside your nine to five.
How to begin:
There are a couple of well-renown agencies you can sign up with to get going:
- VIPKID- One of the largest online ESL teaching platforms
- GogoKid- A growing platform that’s hiring teachers
Earning potential: $400 a month
5) Online Freelancing
There are several ways to make money as a freelancer, especially if you’re fantastic: proofreader, writer, programmer, videographer, web developer, etc. Or, if you’re open to learning new skills to market and sell online.
If you’re unsure where your unique freelance talent lies, a few natural areas to get started with our online transcription work, online virtual assistant services, and online social management, these skills and services are all in demand and pretty easy to get to grips with — win-win!
Not to mention, the earning potential is limitless!
Here are a few resources to help you learn the skills you need to nurture your freelancing craft:
- Proofread anywhere- Learn how to get paid to be a professional proofreader
- Transcribe anywhere- Learn how to transcribe audio and get paid online
- The Facebook side hustle course- Learn how to dominate social media for small businesses
- Gina Horkey’s 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assitant Success- Learn how to become a high paid virtual assistant
Fun Fact: The average VA reports earning around $2,200 per month depending on their skills!
6) Rent your car
One of the simplest ways to make extra income is to rent out your car. If you have a vehicle that’s not used very often, then this is the ideal thing to do! There are loads of networks where you can list your car available to rent by others…but on your terms. You control the price and availability; some ‘rent your car’ companies also cover the insurance too!
Here are a few platforms you could get started with:
- Turo- The original car rental service, a huge platform
- Getaround-A new competitor, they also allow you to rent your car
- Maven-A car- A car-sharing service, the main focus is on GM vehicles
Earning potential: $600 per month
7) List your house
You can list your house as well as your car; this can be a room, garage, or any other space you’re not using. Why not earn money for your unused assets?
Here are a couple of companies that could help you hit the ground running with this:
- Airbnb– The original space sharing platform, one of the largest websites for listing your space
- Booking.com- A large travel site that allows individuals to list their properties
Earning potential: $1,000 per month
8) Help People Move
If you can help people move houses, then you can easily make money in your spare time. Paying people to help you move is a growing commodity in today’s society.
You can easily register with an app like Dolly. This service makes it easy to connect with people looking for help moving.
Potential earnings: $300 per month
Weighing the Pros and Cons of a Side Hustle
Extra money is great, but working all the time might not be. There are definite pros and cons to finding a side hustle.
- Will this cost more than you make back from it at all? If so, for how long?
- Will you be helping or hurting your family by starting a side hustle, when you compare the extra money to time it takes to make it?
- Do you have the energy to work two jobs? If you find out that you don’t, how will you handle it? Transition to more automated work, cut back hours in one job or the other, or something else?
Pros
- You get a chance to use talents and skills in a new way
- More money in your pocket
- Depending on the side hustle, you may have the opportunity to experiment with starting your own business
- You’ll learn new skills
- You’ll meet new people, which can be rewarding on its own but also presents networking opportunities
- To pay off debt, increase savings, and relieve financial stress
Cons
- You’ll give up more time with family and friends
- Taking a side gig with hourly pay doesn’t allow for a lot of room for growth
- Starting your own business as a side hustle doesn’t come with guaranteed pay, can actually cost you money, and introduces complications like extra paperwork and learning more about taxes
- You’ll have less time to rest and could suffer from burnout
- Potential wear and tear on your car, depending on the side hustle you choose
What’s Next, Once You’ve Chosen Your Ideal Side Hustle?
Once you’ve found the best side hustle to boost your income and possibly even add a great amount of value to your life in other ways, what’s next?
First, if you needed a certain amount of money in a short period of time, you hustle and hit that goal. From there, decide whether to keep that side gig, move on to another one, or get that down time back into your life.
If it’s a side hustle you created, you get to decide if you want to create new products, offer new services, grow, stay the same size, add more hours, subtract available hours, set an intention to make this side job your main job and work toward that, or even hire more people so you can expand more quickly.
It’s up to you and all the factors we talked about above: the money, the time you have available, weighing pros and cons, etc.