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Side hustles have been around since the dawn of time, but they’ve become increasingly popular over the last few years for a lot of reasons.
No matter what condition your finances are in, having extra money from a side job is always a good idea.
And if you’re making (or trying to make) most of your income from your blog or online business, having a secondary income source is especially important.
It’s just like they say in the South–never put all your eggs in one basket! Or, translated to financial lingo: you’ll always be better off with a diversified income stream.
If you have the funds and financial stability to make income-producing investments the traditional way, then of course that’s a great option. But the average person just isn’t going to be able to make big, potentially risky real estate or stock market investments–at least not on a large enough scale to provide a decent supplemental income.
And between record-setting inflation, rising costs of living, and major global events, it’s impossible to know without a doubt if your current job or business will consistently be able to meet your financial needs and goals.
But don’t panic and start setting up your Only Fans account just yet! (Unless that’s your thing, of course!)
There are so many profitable side hustle ideas out there for every skill level, time commitment, and startup budget.
To help get your wheels turning, we’re sharing over 37 of the best side hustle ideas to make extra money while you work on your blog or online business, and what you need to know to get started.
But before we jump into the list, let’s go over what you need to know about side hustle jobs, and why you should start one.
37+ Best Side Hustle Ideas to Earn Some Extra Income
Whether you’re padding your savings account so you can leave your soul-sucking day job, saving money for your dream vacation, or just want to make some extra cash in just a few hours, side hustles are a great way to leverage your skills to meet your goals.
For bloggers and entrepreneurs, this can be an excellent way to create financial stability while you plow through the ups and downs of business growth on the path to success.
1. Offer Virtual Assistant Services
Virtual assistant work is in high demand and is a great side hustle for anyone with administrative or assistant experience.
As a virtual assistant, you can work from home (or anywhere in the world), and often have flexible hours–making it a perfect side job for bloggers and online business owners.
Virtual assistant work can involve managing emails and online comments, entering data, making reservations, and so many other tasks and projects that help businesses or individuals.
Skills:
While you don’t really need prior training to become a virtual assistant, previous admin experience or other support-related work experience is definitely helpful and will earn you more money.
If you have a blog or online business, you most likely have all the skills you need to be a virtual assistant.
In fact, many of our students have reported using the skills they learned in our blogging courses to do virtual assistant work, or other related freelance jobs (including members of our team).
Additionally, you’ll need to be comfortable with typing and using common software programs, like Microsoft Word and Excel, Google Docs and Sheets, and various planning software and communication apps, such as Trello, ClickUp, Slack, and other similar programs.
You can get experience with most of these programs by signing up for free, and testing them out on your own.
- What you need to get started: A computer and a reliable, high-speed internet connection.
- Startup cost: None
- Expected income: According to Zip Recruiter, the average hourly rate for a virtual assistant in the U.S. is about $32 per hour.
Related: Best Online Typing Jobs
2. Freelance Graphic Design
You don’t have to have a degree in graphic design to be a graphic designer anymore.
So many businesses need graphics created for online or print ads, websites, marketing materials, social media posts, blog articles, and so many other things.
Most of these companies and individuals care far more about the work you produce, and often won’t ask for your background or training–they just want to see some designs you’ve made, and know that you can deliver the kind of graphics they need.
You can do graphic design at any time of the day, from anywhere in the world.
Plus, if you use Canva, you can reduce your time and maximize your side hustle earnings by utilizing their templates and pre-set text and color combinations.
Skills:
While you don’t need a formal education in graphic design to start a graphic design side hustle, you still need to be comfortable using graphic design programs.
You can easily learn a user-friendly program like Canva, which has loads of free tutorials and courses on its website.
Or, you can learn Photoshop, Illustrator, and other graphic design programs online (but there is definitely more of a learning curve for these programs).
Canva Pro starts at $14.99 per month, while Photoshop starts at $20.99 per month.
- What you need to get started: A graphic design program like Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator, plus a computer and a high-speed internet connection.
- Startup cost: $12.95/month+;You can start with the free version of Canva, but you will likely need to upgrade to Canva Pro if you want access to their full stock photo library, or need to use tools like the background remover.
- Expected income: Indeed lists the average salary for a freelance graphic designer in the U.S. is just under $22 per hour.
Related: Best Jobs for Moms to Work From Home
3. Video Editing
If you’re already learning video editing for your own blog or online business, you might as well put those skills to work with a video editing side hustle.
More and more people are adding video content to their existing content streams, and the need for quality video editors is growing exponentially.
So if you have the skills and some extra time, freelance video editing is a great way to make extra money while you grow your own audience.
Skills:
Naturally, you will need to have a really good understanding of video editing to start this kind of work.
The best way to demonstrate your skills is to post or share examples of your work on your application or job-hunting profile through LinkedIn, Fiverr, or other job search platforms.
- What you need to get started: While you can start a YouTube channel using just your smartphone, you will also need a good computer and video editing software. Ideally, your computer should have 16GB – 32GB of RAM, at least 500GB HD storage (and/or ample cloud storage), an i7 processor or better, a quality video card (or at least a good graphics card and graphics processor), and a high-resolution monitor (4k or 5k is recommended). (1)
- Startup cost: If you already have a computer with the necessary video editing capabilities, you shouldn’t have any other necessary startup costs. Most computers come with free basic video editing software already installed (iMovie, Windows Video Editor, etc.).
- Expected income: Freelance video editors make just over $22 per hour on average.
4. Proofreading Services
Even with popular artificial intelligence programs like Grammarly, many people and businesses still have a huge need for freelance proofreaders.
If you’re a stickler for grammar, spelling, and improving the flow of written words, consider getting into proofreading.
Skills:
To be a successful proofreader, you need a keen eye for catching grammar and spelling errors, the confidence and skill to point out wording or structure that could be improved, and be able to make other suggestions when appropriate.
- What you need to get started: Working computer and internet
- Startup cost: Proofreading side hustles are free to start, but you might need to do some low-cost or free work to gain experience if you don’t already have professional proofreading experience.
- Expected income: Proofreaders earn nearly $25 per hour on average, according to Indeed.
Related: Best Low-Stress Jobs to Work From Home
5. Freelance Writer
If you’re a blogger or online content creator, you should consider adding freelance writing to your list of side hustle ideas.
It’s a great way to earn more money while giving your creative muscles a good workout.
Plus, freelance writing is a great way to network with other content creators in your niche and can lead to opportunities to increase your own blog’s SEO through backlinks or to broaden your audience by tapping into the readers of the blog you’re writing for.
Skills:
You don’t need to be the world’s most amazing writer to start a freelance writing side hustle.
You just need to be able to convey information in a clear, easy-to-read format–although a little personality or humor definitely helps!
But if words don’t flow freely from your pen (or, rather, your keyboard), you might want to consider a less creative side job.
- What you need to get started: Computer and internet connection
- Startup cost: None
- Expected income: According to Indeed, freelance writers earn just over $25 per hour on average.
Related: Best Freelance Writing Websites to Earn Money
6. Freelance Transcript Services
Have you ever thought about how your favorite shows, videos, podcasts, and other media get their audio transcribed for you to read?
Many companies hire or contract freelancers to create those transcripts for them. There is also a whole list of professionals who need private audio recordings transcribed for their records–including doctors, lawyers, and other professionals.
If you can type quickly and accurately, freelance transcription may just be the perfect day job for you.
If you want to be a medical or legal transcriptionist, you’ll likely need a certificate showing you’ve gone through specific training.
But for general transcription services, special training or certification is not required. You will, of course, need fast, accurate typing skills and excellent auditory comprehension.
- What you need to get started: Computer, internet, and headphones
- Startup cost: None provided you don’t need stenography equipment
- Expected income: Indeed shows that transcription work pays just under $19 per hour on average.
Related: Best Same-Day Pay Jobs to Earn Money
7. Social Media Marketing and Management
While you’re growing your own blog or online business, why not use the social media skills you’ve gained to earn extra income helping other businesses, too?
Working in social media management can supplement your income with a very profitable side job that doesn’t take a whole lot of time.
Plus, you will also have a good opportunity to learn more about the different platforms–and the more time you spend working with each platform, the better you’ll get at predicting trends, understanding the algorithm, and creating effective marketing strategies for your own blog or business.
Skills:
You need to have an excellent understanding of specific social media channels. Just having basic user-level knowledge isn’t going to cut it when it comes to creating successful social media ads, or making viral posts.
- What you need to get started: Computer, internet, and possibly a subscription to Canva unless your client provides it
- Startup cost: None, depending on your experience. You can take online courses to learn more.
- Expected income: According to Indeed, social media marketing and management earn an average of over $22 per hour.
Related: How to Make a Million Dollars – 10 Honest Ways
8. Freelance With Your Technical Skills
If you’re building a blog or online business, chances are you have at least a few technical skills–whether that’s coding, using content management software (a.k.a., WordPress), troubleshooting website issues, or any other technical skills related to running an online business.
Those skills are valuable, and there are always people and businesses looking to pay people to fix problems they just don’t have the time, knowledge, or desire to figure out for themselves.
Often, these “help needed” posts are under the title of “technical VA” or even just “virtual assistant,” but not all virtual assistants have the necessary tech skills for certain specialized tasks.
Skills:
Of course, you’ll need to have technical skills–but you don’t need to know all the technical things. Pick one or two skills that you’re comfortable with, and focus on side jobs that need help in those areas.
- What you need to get started: Computer and fast internet connection
- Startup cost: Generally none
- Expected income: According to ZipRecruiter, this type of freelancing earns about $32 per hour on average.
9. Freelance SEO Specialist or Consultant
Anyone who wants to drive traffic to their website needs to use SEO–but most people don’t know how to do that.
If you’ve figured out search engine optimization for your blog or business, you should have no problem finding people willing to pay you to help optimize their websites as well.
And if you don’t have time to do all the SEO work, but still have a very good understanding of search engine optimization, you can offer SEO consulting services.
Essentially, you’ll review someone’s website, figure out what needs to be done to improve their SEO, and then tell them your recommendations.
Plus, SEO has a very high return on investment if it’s done correctly–so don’t undersell yourself.
Skills:
You’ll definitely need to learn SEO inside and out for this part-time job.
- What you need to get started: A good computer and a high-speed internet connection, plus SEO software like Surfer SEO, Ahrefs, and others.
- Startup cost: Depending on experience, you may want to consider the cost of a good SEO course, plus the cost of your SEO software.
- Expected income: An SEO specialist makes about $26 per hour on average, while an SEO consultant earns around $33 per hour.
10. Website Design Services
Did you spend days, weeks, or more figuring out how to customize your website to perfection? Don’t let that knowledge go to waste now that your site is finished!
There are countless people and businesses out there that don’t want to take the time to learn the ins and outs of a WordPress theme or figure out how to make specific changes or customizations to their existing website.
Even if you just know one theme, you can make a decent side hustle out of building or editing websites for other people with that particular theme alone.
One of our favorite themes, Divi theme, is actually marketed towards freelancers and agencies, as well as individuals.
It’s easy to use and has so many pre-made layouts that make the website design process so much faster and easier.
Plus, if you’re really good at creating custom Divi designs, you can sell those designs on the Divi marketplace as a Divi creator.
Skills:
Website design experience, understanding of WordPress, plugins, and enough understanding of website design to know how to fix a problem when it comes up.
You don’t need to have all the answers, but you do need to at least know how to find them.
- What you need to get started: A good computer and a high-speed internet connection
- Startup cost: Generally none, unless you need to purchase a developer license for a specific theme you prefer to design with.
- Expected income: Zip Recruiter says that web designers make an average of about $29 per hour.
Related: How to Make $1,000/Week From Home
11. Digital Marketing Services
While marketing services typically include social media marketing, many companies also want to advertise in other places, as well.
If you have a good understanding of marketing–including copywriting, digital ads, graphic design, email marketing, etc.–then consider making a side hustle offering freelance marketing services for businesses and individuals.
Skills:
You need a good understanding of online marketing, and usually some proof of those skills (like examples of marketing copy, graphics, statistics showing how your own business has grown with your marketing efforts, etc.).
- What you need to get started: You’ll need a computer, high-speed internet, and possibly graphic design software (like Canva).
- Startup cost: None; As a marketer, you’re only responsible for creating and coordinating ads–paying for the ads is the responsibility of the client.
- Expected income: Zip Recruiter lists the average rate for digital marketing managers at about $33 per hour, while Indeed only has rate data for digital marketers, which they show at just under $20 per hour.
Related: Best Money-Making Apps to Make Money From Home
12. Offer Consulting Services
You’re a blogger or business owner, and that means you’ve got valuable skills!
One of the best side hustle ideas to make money without having to put in a ton of hours is freelance consulting.
Consultants simply take a look at what a company is currently doing or what they want to achieve and offer insight and advice on what they can do or change to reach their business goals.
You could consult on any number of things that you’re well versed in–web design, content strategy, search engine optimization, product development, business development, and strategy, or anything else related to your business or specific skill set.
You could also consult with individuals, and offer strategy, advice, insight, and/or coaching to help people reach their entrepreneurial or career goals.
Skills:
You need to have an in-depth understanding of the skill(s) you’re consulting on.
- What you need to get started: While you will need a way to communicate with your clients, demonstrate your skills, and market your services, you don’t necessarily need specific materials to be a consultant.
- Startup cost: None
- Expected income: Indeed lists the average rate for a freelance consultant is $33 per hour.
However, it’s important to note that freelance consultants often charge a base rate, plus a bonus or commission structure based on business performance after implementing their recommendations post-consultation.
Related: 29 Realistic Ways to Make Money Online
13. Start a Blog
If you’re checking out this list of best side hustle ideas to start while growing your online business, consider starting a blog.
Not only is blogging a great way to make money without giving up control of your schedule but adding a blog to your existing website can increase your organic traffic tremendously.
Plus, if you already have an existing contact list and products or services you sell, starting a blog will improve your customer connections and almost certainly boost your sales and conversion rates.
And even if you’re still working your nine-to-five, blogging is a fantastic side hustle job–especially if you have goals of escaping the rat race and being your own boss.
We were able to get our first blog to six figures in the first year by making the huge commitment to making blogging our full-time job before we earned any money from it.
But not everyone is able to take a risk like that–and you don’t have to.
We have students who make anywhere from a couple hundred to several thousand dollars per month blogging as a side hustle while they continue to work their nine-to-five jobs or other online businesses.
Skills:
You don’t need any special talents to start a blog, but you do need to learn a few different skills, such as basic graphic design, understanding WordPress, and how to write and format a blog post.
Check out our post, How to Start a Blog, for all the details and step-by-step process.
- What you need to get started: To start, you’ll need a computer, high-speed internet, and a blog hosting plan.
- Startup cost: Expect to spend somewhere in the ballpark of $33 – $93+ to set up your blog. We share a detailed breakdown of beginner blogging costs in our post here.
- Expected income: This is truly one of those times when you get back what you put in. Some bloggers make a few bucks per month, and other bloggers make thousands of dollars per month.
Get the full scoop in our updated post here: How Much Do Bloggers Make? Like, Really?
Related: 30+ Sites to Find Blogging Jobs Online
14. Create and Sell Online Courses
Whether you’re starting a blog, or running a business, you probably have some skills that other people would love to learn.
If you want a really profitable side hustle idea that doesn’t take hours of your life every day, creating an online course is a great option.
You create the course materials one time, set up your course on your platform of choice, and set your price.
Once it’s up and running, all you need to do is maintain it by making sure the content is updated, and answering any questions from your potential customers. This means that it can potentially be a source of fairly passive income.
The hardest part about using selling courses is getting the word out to your potential students. But if you’re already building an audience for your blog or online business, marketing and selling your course should be simple enough.
If you don’t have a large following online yet, you can use affiliate marketing, online ads, or social media marketing to get the word out about your course–but those options do come at a cost.
We share more tips on creating and selling your own online courses and products in our post here.
Skills:
You’ll need to have mastered the skills you’re teaching in your course, and then learn how to put all of that into a cohesive learning experience.
It’s also important to build an audience and learn how to market your course, including using email funnels and the art of “selling without selling.”
We go in-depth on these topics and more in our course, Six-Figure Course Creator.
Startup cost:
The main startup cost for creating an online course is your course platform. Our top pick, which we use for our own courses, is Teachable.
Not only are they an excellent, user-friendly platform, but they have several pricing models to choose from, including a free plan with no monthly charges–just pay $1 plus 10% for each course sale.
Another good course-building platform is Udemy or Skillshare.
These course platforms are different from Teachable in that they pay you a small percentage of revenues each month based on purchases or minutes watched. They do the marketing for you, so they take a large cut.
Kajabi is what we use to sell our courses, but Teachable has a great free plan for beginners.
- What you need to get started: While you can create your course without any special equipment aside from your phone, you may want to invest in a good ring light or tripod, and a teleprompter app.
- Startup cost: $0-$100/month, depending on the platform you use to start
- Expected income: Based on the price you set your course for, how popular it is, and how many you sell. If you list your course on your own website, you make 100% of the revenue.
15. Write an Ebook
Do you already have a following on social media or your website that love your input, advice, and/or hot takes? Even if it’s a small following, consider writing an ebook as your side hustle.
You don’t have to write a New York Times bestseller, and you don’t need to be the ultimate authority in your niche to make a tidy sum from ebook sales.
If you’re already sharing advice, information, tips, tricks, and opinions on your favorite subject, you can turn it into a book and start selling it.
Materials:
You really only need a computer and a writing program like Microsoft Word or Google Docs for starters. Your cover can be created in Canva, and you can even use a Canva template to format your ebook.
Skills:
You don’t need to be the next J.R.R. Tolkein or Agatha Christie to write an ebook for your side hustle. Your goal isn’t to become a national bestseller (although that would be great). You just need to reach enough people in your niche market and share valuable information within your area of expertise.
So you simply need to be able to type and share information in a clear, cohesive, and (ideally) entertaining manner.
Programs like Grammarly can help you find spelling and grammar errors, and Canva templates can help you create an appealing cover and layout.
- What you need to get started: Computer (to write), internet, and possibly a Canva Pro subscription for high-quality stock photos and ebook templates (for your cover).
- Startup cost: Creating an ebook is very inexpensive, and can often be done without any upfront investment.
- Expected income: Ebook income is highly variable, and depends on a number of factors–including the average number of sales, ebook price, and the size of your existing audience, to name a few.
Learn more about how to create an ebook in our post here.
16. Start a Podcast
Have a topic you love to talk about and some people who like to listen? Consider starting a podcast!
Starting a podcast is quick and doesn’t require a lot of formal planning or setup–plus podcasts are a great complement to blogs or other online content platforms!
Skills:
On top of creating your content, you will need to learn to use some basic audio editing software. There are plenty of free options available, so no need to purchase a special audio editing program.
- What you need to get started: Other than the requisite computer and internet access, you will need a podcast hosting plan.
- Startup cost: The cost to get your podcast side hustle started is very low–just the cost of your hosting platform (like BuzzSprout), which is usually around $12 or so per month. If you choose to get a good-quality microphone as well, you’ll be looking at an additional cost of about $50 – $100.
- Expected income: Podcasts make money through a variety of ways (ads, sponsored products/services, donations, affiliate marketing, selling your own complementary products, etc.). Income depends largely on how you monetize. You can make anywhere from a few hundred bucks per month to several thousand dollars per episode.
17. Start a YouTube Channel
If you have the guts to put yourself on camera and start a YouTube channel, do it! Here is a video from our YouTube channel:
Seriously, though–YouTube is less saturated than other content platforms because so many people are afraid to film themselves and post it online, which makes it a great opportunity for those who are willing to put themselves out there.
Plus, it’s a great side hustle for content creators who want to drive traffic to other online content, and can often become profitable enough to become a full-time gig.
Skills:
You don’t need any special skills to start a YouTube channel, at least in the beginning. Once you start to gain traction, you can consider taking a course or workshop to improve your video-making skills.
- What you need to get started: While there are lots of fancy cameras, lights, and other pro-level video setups, all you really need to start your YouTube channel is your smartphone.
- Startup cost: If you already have a smartphone, you shouldn’t have any startup cost for your YouTube channel job (unless you’re springing for some extra tools, like tripods, ring lights, or backdrops).
- Expected income: Similar to blogging, there are plenty of YouTubers out there that don’t make any money with their channel. However, if you stay consistent and build an audience through sharing relevant content, you can expect to make hundreds and even thousands of dollars per month.
Related: How Many Subscribers You Need to Make Money on YouTube
18. Photography: Take and Sell Photos
If you’re already taking high-quality photos for your blog, why not take some extra to sell?
Whether you’re taking stock photos to sell online, or spending a few hours taking portraits or real estate photos, photography can be a lucrative side hustle.
Skills:
Photography–or at least good photography–requires more skills than just pointing your camera and clicking away.
You don’t need to be an expert, but you’ll need to understand lighting, angles, and at least some photo editing to create the high-quality photos people are willing to pay photographers for.
- What you need to get started: You’ll need a good camera and at least some basic photo editing skills. Photoshop would likely be your best bet here since it offers more detailed editing options with higher-resolution results.
- Startup cost: If you don’t have at least a good camera and Photoshop, you’ll need to purchase those things. Expect to spend at least $500 for a decent beginner camera, and about $20 per month for Photoshop online.
- Expected income: According to fash.com, hobby photographers can charge up to $25 per hour, while amateur photographers can charge up to $50 per hour for regular photography.
19. Dropshipping or Print-on-Demand Store
Dropshipping has been one of the most popular online side hustles for many years now, and print-on-demand stores are just another iteration of this long-time side business.
The best part about drop shipping and print-on-demand stores is that you never have to touch the inventory.
You simply act as the middle-man between the buyer and the manufacturer for drop shipping; and for print-on-demand, you also act as a graphic designer.
These stores can also make an excellent complement to your blog or other online business.
Skills:
For print-on-demand designs, you’ll need to do a little bit of graphic design (or at least creative thinking). Other than that, the main skills you’ll need are digital marketing skills to get the word out about your drop shipping or print-on-demand store.
- What you need to get started: A good dropshipping supplier, computer, and internet
- Startup cost: You easily start a print-on-demand store for no cost at all and drop shipping stores for little to no upfront cost. Your biggest expense will be any paid marketing, plus potentially your website.
- Expected income: Dropshippers can make anywhere from $50 per month, to over $5,000 or more monthly.
20. Sell Crafts and Other Items Online
eBay stores might remind you of Y2K, but selling crafts, furniture, antiques, books, and many other items online is still a great way to make money without having to put in a ton of time and effort.
You can create your own online store with a marketplace like Etsy, or sell on other platforms like Craigslist, Mercari, Shopify, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Amazon, etc.
Skills:
No special skills are required for this side hustle!
- What you need to get started: Materials can vary widely depending on what you want to sell.
- Startup cost: It costs $0.20 per listing on Etsy + the cost of supplies you need to create what you are selling.
- Expected income: Selling items online is similar to running a garage sale or craft fair stall–the income you earn varies greatly based on demand, cost, and volume.
21. Sell Printables Online
If you’ve mastered Canva (or another design program), selling printables–a.k.a., printable files or designs you’ve created–is a great side hustle to take up.
It costs little to nothing to start, and unlike selling physical products, you don’t have to manage inventory or worry about shipping or tracking anything.
Skills:
You don’t need any special skills to start a printable side business, especially if you use Canva templates to get started.
- What you need to get started: You only need a computer, internet connection, and a software program like Canva or Photoshop to start designing printables.
- Startup cost: You can start this side hustle without spending a dime if you sign up for a free Canva account.
- Expected income: While income from selling printables varies widely for a number of reasons, some people earn over $1,000 per month with this side hustle.
22. Rent Your Room or Other Space
If you have an extra room, space, or property that you’re not using, why not put it to work and earn some extra cash?
You can list your space or spare room on websites like Airbnb, VRBO, or Hip Camp to get started. You can even list your unused storage space on Neighbor.com.
And if you have a pool or other outdoor space, you can list it on Swimply.com.
We know better than anyone that sometimes we just have a garage we never use or a pool we thought we were going to use more than we do, and you might as well make some more money from them since you already have it.
Skills:
No special skills are required to rent out your space, although it helps to be a good communicator and have some basic customer service skills.
- What you need to get started: Just the space itself!
- Startup cost: There is little to no startup cost for this side hustle–you simply need the space to rent out.
- Expected income: Income from renting out your space will vary depending on the type of space, location, and demand, but can range from a few hundred dollars per month to several thousand dollars.
23. Rent Out Things You Already Have
Do you have a car, RV, or another item that you don’t use very often?
Why not rent it out and make some extra money?
You can list your items on websites like Turo or Getaround, and people in your area will be able to rent them for a daily or weekly fee. This is a great way to earn more money with minimal effort.
- Car:
- Specialty sports gear
- RVs or campers
Skills:
Just like renting out your space, there are no special skills required to rent out your belongings.
Nonetheless, it’s beneficial to be a good communicator and have a knack for patience because when renting anything, there are always risks of damage or headaches caused by customers.
- What you need to get started: Only the equipment or items you want to rent out
- Startup cost: Only what you need to purchase and maintain the equipment. You may want to invest a little money to advertise the products, if necessary.
- Expected income: Income from renting out your belongings will vary depending on the item, demand, and location. But, you can typically earn a few hundred dollars renting out things like specialty equipment to a few thousand dollars per month renting out things like your car or RV.
24. Organize People’s Homes
If sorting through and organizing other people’s stuff sparks joy for you, then consider starting an organizing and decluttering business as your side hustle!
This kind of work is in high demand thanks to Marie Kondo, and it’s a high-value skill that many people really struggle with.
It’s also a perfect side hustle because you can plan to work with people while they’re home from work–so you can blog during business hours, and work your side hustle on evenings and weekends.
Plus, if your blog is in the cleaning and organizing niche, this side hustle could help you produce more blog content!
Skills:
You can take an online course to learn specific methods of organizing and decluttering, but this kind of work really requires a natural ability to see through the clutter and find efficient and aesthetically pleasing ways to reorganize piles of stuff.
- What you need to get started: No special materials are required for running a professional decluttering and organizing business, but you might want to consider bringing trash bags, clear plastic bins, and some basic cleaning supplies.
- Startup cost: The only startup cost you’ll find in the beginning is the cost of advertising your services–so if you want to avoid that, make sure you get the word out to your friends and family!
- Expected income: $20-25 per hour on average
25. Ironing or Mobile Laundry Service
Everyone needs their clothes washed, and most people hate doing the laundry. But if you’re going to do the laundry anyway, you might as well make some money while you’re at it!
If you have access to a good, functional washer and dryer, then a laundry side hustle is a great way to make money–especially while you’re working from home.
There are a few different companies out there that hire individuals to do laundry services, and it works similarly to any other freelance task-share service. Sign up on the company’s app, pick your job as they pop up, and complete the necessary pick-ups, tasks, and drop-offs.
It’s basically Uber or Instacart for laundry.
Alternatively, you could offer your laundry cleaning services independently, and advertise to people in your area, or even your neighbors and acquaintances.
Most general laundry services include washing, drying, and folding; but can also include stain treating, ironing, mending, and other laundry-related tasks, if you have the skills and the time.
Skills:
If you’re doing this independently, you only need to know how to clean and care for clothes in the ways your customer’s request.
To work for Hampr, you’ll need to be willing and able to go through their Washr training program, where they teach you retail-style folding methods.
- What you need to get started: A smartphone and possibly a washing machine, depending on who you work for.
- Startup cost: Assuming you already have a car, a washer, and a dryer, your startup cost will only be the cost of your detergent, fabric softener, starch, gas to pick up and drop off laundry, plus any other supplies required for the laundry services you plan to offer (like an ironing board, iron, scent beads, hampers, washing machine cleaner, etc.).
- Expected Income: Most people can expect to earn around $15 – $25 per hour, or around $300 – $800 per week, according to several different online sources. Hampr states on their website that their top washers (“washrs”) make an average of $2,000+ in a 4-week period. That’s not a bad return for washing other people’s laundry!
26. Holiday Lights Services
This service has become very popular in recent years, and it’s hard to find any well-populated area that doesn’t have at least a couple of ads offering holiday light installation services.
Most people don’t feel comfortable climbing a ladder and hanging lights around their house and yard–and many older or disabled people simply can’t do that.
Plus, there’s also the hassle of digging your holiday lights out of the attic, untangling them from the mangled mess they are inevitably in (no matter how carefully you wrapped them for storage last year), and then testing them to make sure they still work before you finally make it to the ladder.
If you have an eye for holiday light design and a fairly high tolerance for the frustrations of the task, then this is the perfect side hustle for you!
Skills:
No major skills are required for this side hustle. You’ll just need to know how to safely install lights.
- What you need to get started: You’ll need a ladder, hooks, or a staple gun to hang the lights with, and ideally some extra extension cords and light strands. Consider investing in lights and renting them to clients to provide a premium service.
- Startup cost: The startup cost will vary depending on which materials you need to purchase, how much gas you need to travel between houses, and what kind of advertising or marketing you need to do to let local residents know about your services.
- Expected Income: Depending on the demographics and demand in your area, you could stand to make somewhere between $5,000 – $15,000 or more hanging holiday lights as a side hustle during the winter season.
Christmas Designers has a full blog post on everything you need to know about starting a holiday lights-hanging side hustle.
27. Start Investing
With the growth in popularity of online trading, there are now more opportunities than ever to make money through investments.
Stock trading, currency trading, and other online investments like cryptocurrency can be a great way to earn extra income. While there is some risk involved, if you do your research and invest wisely, you can make a lot of money through online trading.
Skills:
You don’t need to be an expert in finance to get started with online trading, but it definitely wouldn’t hurt to do some research and learn the basics before you get started.
A lot of people tend to lose money in trading, so you need to be willing to learn and improve. We highly recommend practicing with trading software that doesn’t use real money first or trying out what people call “paper trading” (trading on paper to practice before making real trades).
Trading can be very emotional so you need to have a good handle on your emotions and be willing to take some losses.
Trading is definitely not for everyone, so if you aren’t a fan, that’s okay, there are plenty of other options on this list.
- What you need to get started: You’ll need a laptop or desktop computer and an internet connection to start trading stocks or currencies online.
- Startup cost: The startup cost for online trading is relatively low; you can open up an account with some online brokers for as little as $10-$100.
- Expected Income: The potential income from online trading is theoretically unlimited. In practice, most people make a moderate return on their investment, and some people lose money.
28. Take Care of Pets
There are quite a few options for pet-related side hustles. You could start a dog walking business, a pet grooming business, or offer pet sitting services.
Assuming you have a pet of your own that you take care of regularly, these shouldn’t be too difficult side hustles to get started with. However, if you don’t have any experience with pets, you might want to start by getting some experience first (perhaps through volunteering) before starting your own pet-related business.
There are a few online platforms that can help you get started with these side hustles, such as Rover and Wag for dog walking, and Care.com for pet sitting.
Skills:
No major skills are needed to start walking dogs or pet sitting, although it would be helpful if you’re a dog owner yourself and are familiar with some basic obedience commands.
If you’re starting your own pet grooming business, you’ll need to be familiar with how to properly groom different kinds of pets.
- What you need to get started: To start a pet sitting or dog walking service, you really only need a phone and internet connection to apply and accept open jobs on apps like Rover and Wag. You may also want to purchase a backup leash, water bowls, etc.
- Startup cost: The startup cost for starting your own dog-walking or pet-sitting business is relatively low. Apps like Rover and Wag eliminate advertising costs and if you already have a dog, you more than likely have everything you need.
- Expected Income: The average dog walker charges between $10-$15 per walk, so if you walked 3 dogs per day, 5 days per week, you could potentially make $450-$675 per week. Pet sitting rates will vary depending on the services you offer, but the average rate is $25 – $45 per day. If you start your own pet grooming business, you can charge anywhere from $40 – $100+ per grooming session.
29. Care for Dependents
There are always families in need of babysitters and people who are willing to pay good money for quality care. If you love children and have a knack for keeping them entertained, this could be the perfect side job for you.
The same can be said for seniors. As our population ages, there will be an increasing demand for people to offer senior care services.
Skills:
No major skills are needed to start babysitting, although it would be helpful if you have experience with children and are CPR certified.
If you’re providing in-home care to seniors, it would be helpful if you have experience in the medical field or are familiar with common senior health issues.
- What you need to get started: This varies greatly depending on the level of care you are providing.
- Startup cost: The startup cost for starting your own dog-walking or pet-sitting business is relatively low. Apps like Rover and Wag eliminate advertising costs and if you already have a dog, you more than likely have everything you need.
- Expected Income: Babysitting rates will vary depending on the number of children, their ages, and where you live. But the average rate for in-home daycare is $10 – $15 per hour. If you’re providing in-home care to seniors, rates will vary depending on the services you provide, but the average rate is $20 – $30 per hour.
Check out Care for a good way to get started.
30. House Sit
Additionally, housesitting is a great way to make some extra money.
Housesitting doesn’t require anywhere near the level of responsibility or effort as babysitting or senior care, but can still pay quite well.
Skills:
For house sitting, no major skills are needed, although it would be helpful if you’re familiar with common home skills like flipping a breaker in case the electricity goes out and at least have an understanding of how to use the equipment (oven, washer /dryer, showers, etc.) in each client home you sit for.
- What you need to get started: Any materials you need should be provided by the homeowner.
- Startup cost: None
- Expected Income: For house sitting, rates will also vary depending on the services you provide, but the average rate is $25 – $100 per day depending on if you stay overnight or not.
31. Tutor or Teach in Your Spare Time
If you’re someone who loves teaching others and wants to make some extra money in your spare time, tutoring or teaching could be the perfect side job for you.
You can tutor students online or in person, and there are a number of different subjects you can teach, depending on your skills and interests.
You could also teach English online to students from all over the world through a company like VIP Kid.
Skills:
You’ll need to be knowledgeable about the subject you’re teaching, and you’ll need to be able to communicate effectively with your students.
Being patient and having a good sense of humor can also be helpful, as tutoring can sometimes be frustrating for both the tutor and the student.
- What you need to get started: If you’re tutoring in person, you’ll need a quiet space to meet with your students. If you’re teaching English online, you’ll need a computer and a strong internet connection.
- Startup cost: None, unless you need to purchase books.
- Expected Income: Tutors can earn anywhere from $10 – $50+ per hour, depending on the subject they are teaching and their experience. English teachers with VIP Kid can earn up to $22 per hour.
32. Teach Classes In-Person
Do you teach specific skills or crafts on your blog? Or maybe your online business sells supplies for crafts or project kits? Maybe you’re an amazing cook or a self-taught pastry chef.
If you have a craft or skill you enjoy, consider teaching that in an in-person workshop or at your local community center for your side hustle.
Not only will you earn extra money, but you also have a great opportunity to expand your audience and gain new readers and customers.
It’s also a great way to get feedback and proof of concept if you plan to create an online course teaching the same topic.
Skills:
You don’t need to be the world’s best expert, but you do need to have an in-depth understanding of the craft or skill you’re teaching.
- What you need to get started: The materials you will need will vary depending on what you’re teaching, and where you’re teaching it.
- Startup cost: This varies widely, but you can offset any startup cost by having attendees pre-pay for the course or workshop or charging a non-refundable deposit.
- Expected Income: Once again, this varies widely based on what you’re teaching, how many people enroll, what your supplies cost, and any other fees you might incur.
33. Organize and Lead Retreats
Do you love taking time to get away from all the stresses of life, and focus on reconnecting with what’s really important? Then consider leading retreats for your side gig!
It’s a great option if you only have a limited amount of time to spend on a side job, since retreats don’t have to be a specific amount of time, and you don’t have to run them on a regular schedule.
Only have a day and no space to host people? Lead a day-long nature retreat at a park, nature preserve, or hiking area.
Found a great deal at a beautiful Airbnb, and can’t wait to practice your yoga on the deck? Host a week-long yoga retreat, and earn great money while you find your flow.
Skills:
You’ll need to have some experience leading groups of people, at the very least.
While it isn’t technically required, going through a retreat leader training program like this one is definitely a good idea.
Having a certificate from your training can help boost your customers’ confidence in your abilities, and you’ll learn additional skills to help your retreat guests. If you choose to lead specialized retreats, make sure you check to see if you need any special licenses or certifications (like yoga teacher certification, or nutritionist licensing).
- What you need to get started: If you’re doing a basic day-length retreat, you probably don’t need any materials. More specialized or skill-based retreats will definitely need supplies, but it’s up to you if you want to provide them or have your attendees bring their own supplies.
- Startup cost: You can start for free in some cases!
- Expected Income: Retreat leaders average about $20 per hour nationwide according to Zip Recruiter; but you can set your own price, and make significantly more–especially if you also teach valuable skills at your retreat.
If you’re looking for side hustles that you can do on your own time, and that don’t require a lot of startup costs, then you may want to consider becoming a rideshare driver.
With companies like Uber and Lyft, you can work whenever you want, for as long or as little as you want. Plus, it can be a great way to see your city and learn more about your area.
Skills:
You should be a confident and experienced driver, with a clean driving record and at least be comfortable with basic communication with your passengers.
- What you need to get started: You’ll need a car that meets the requirements of the rideshare company you want to work for. If you don’t have a car, companies like Hyrecar can help connect you with cars for rent in your area.
- Startup cost: There can sometimes be a very small sign-up fee to become a driver, but usually, the only cost associated is the vehicle you are driving and anything you want to purchase to enhance the driving experience. (Think wet wipes, air fresheners, etc.)
- Expected Income: Most drivers make between $8-10/hour but this will vary based on the time of day, where you are driving, promotions, etc.
35. Advertise on Your Car
If you’re a rideshare driver and you own your car, you can increase your earnings by adding an advertisement to your car through marketing programs like Carvertise.com.
Advertisers pay Carvertise to put ads on vehicles. Carvertise takes a commission from the payment, and you get paid per ad campaign.
While they primarily work with rideshare drivers, you can content Carvertise if you frequently drive a significant amount of miles in large cities.
Skills:
You need to be a rideshare driver in a larger city currently being serviced by Carvertise.
- What you need to get started: Carvertise will arrange for the materials to be delivered to you, and/or installed on your car.
- Startup cost: None
- Expected Income: Carvertise drivers can earn up to $300 per month simply by adding an advertisement decal or wrap to their vehicle.
36. Deliver Food and Groceries
Just like with ridesharing, if you’re looking for a side gig that you can do on your own time, that doesn’t require a lot of startup costs, then you may want to consider becoming a food or grocery delivery driver with companies like DoorDash or Instacart.
It can have all the same benefits as ridesharing, without having to carry a passenger in your car. The only caveat is you will have to pick up groceries or food items and transport them safely.
Skills:
You should be a confident and experienced driver, as well as someone who is comfortable navigating grocery stores or restaurants as you will typically have to locate a pick-up area for the goods you are delivering.
You may want to at least be able to lift 10+ pounds while walking up steps as well because groceries and things of that like can be heavy.
- What you need to get started: You’ll need a car that meets the requirements of the company you want to work for and that ideally has room for groceries and other possibly large goods.
- Startup cost: Like ridesharing, the only cost necessary associated is the vehicle you are driving and gas to travel in order to transport items.
- Expected Income: This will vary based on the company you work for, but typically drivers make between $8-$12/hour.
37. Help with Household Tasks and Furniture Assembly
There’s an app for everything these days, and that includes household tasks.
When people need help with household chores from painting walls, to assembling Ikea furniture, and everything in between, they use the TaskRabbit app to find people to help them.
Skills:
When you sign up on TaskRabbit, you’ll put in what skills you already have, and what kind of jobs you can perform. No additional skills are required!
- What you need to get started: You only need to download the TaskRabbit app and sign up as a tasker to get started.
- Startup cost: Generally none, but you may need an ID check, which can cost around $25 to complete.
- Expected Income: Taskers make an average of $36 per hour but can earn much more than that. TaskRabbit charges a fee (currently 30%) of the hourly rate, which you (the Tasker) set yourself. (source)
38. Donate Plasma
Looking for a side hustle that doesn’t take a lot of time, has no startup cost, and also helps people in need?
Donating plasma is an easy part-time job that you can feel really good about, especially since there is currently a plasma shortage due to decreased donations during the pandemic. (source)
Plasma is the part of your blood that contains proteins and other vital nutrients, and it is.
During the donation process, the plasma is separated from your other blood components and deposited into a medical container, while the other blood components are mixed with a saline solution and returned to your body.
Plasma-derived medicines are used to treat many different illnesses and injuries, including cancer, immune deficiencies, traumatic injuries, shock, liver disease, certain blood disorders, and many other medical conditions.
Since donating plasma is quite a bit more involved than donating whole blood and takes more of your time, plasma collection companies will compensate you for your time.
So as long as you’re ok with getting an I.V. regularly, this is a great solution to making extra cash without taking too much time from your blog or online business.
Skills:
No skills are required–unless you call not being afraid of needles a skill!
Your first visit can take two to three hours since the plasma donation site will need to confirm that you are healthy enough to donate and make sure you understand exactly what you’re doing and what the potential risks are.
Check with your local plasma donation centers to see if you qualify to become a donor, exactly how much you can make, how often you can donate, and what promotions they are currently offering.
- What you need to get started: You won’t need any special materials to donate plasma, but you will need to show identification and prove that you’re healthy enough to donate.
- Startup cost: Only your time
- Expected Income: On average, most people who donate plasma regularly earn in the ballpark of $200 to $300 per month.
What You Need to Know About Side Hustles [FAQ]
Side hustles are a great way to bring in extra money, no matter what you spend the bulk of your business hours doing. Even wealthy people technically have side hustles–they just refer to them as investments or business ventures.
But if you’ve never had a part-time job before, you probably have some questions and concerns. We’re going over some of the most common questions we see from people looking to start a side hustle below.
What is a side hustle?
Side hustles are simply work you do or investments you make to earn extra money in addition to your regular job or primary source of income.
This applies to anyone, even if your current job is being a stay-at-home parent or spouse, or a full-time student or an unpaid intern.
While many side hustles are similar to what most people think of as regular jobs (like data entry or house cleaning), the term “side hustle” encompasses anything you do on the side that generates income (including online surveys, selling handmade crafts, and more).
What are the differences between side hustles and regular jobs?
In most cases, a regular job is going to take full-time hours (usually 32+/week), and a side hustle or side job will typically take much less time.
Side hustles also generally earn you less money than your regular job, given the smaller time commitment–although this is not always the case.
Why should I start a side hustle?
If you have a little extra time, energy, and/or resources, and you want to earn more money, then you should start a side hustle!
What would you do with an extra $100, $500, $1000, or more each month?
Maybe you would take your significant other out on a nice date, or finally, start buying all your groceries at Whole Foods. Or perhaps you would finally save enough money to put a down payment on a house, or just add more money to your retirement savings account.
Either way, everyone could use additional money on the side–so why wouldn’t you start a side hustle?
Why should I start side hustles while growing my blog or online business?
Just like when you’re starting any traditional business, it takes time to start making money from blogging or from an online business venture.
Even once you start making enough money to pay your bills, any business is going to have good months and bad months–especially in the beginning.
Having side hustles to supplement your income, build up your savings, or make up for a financial rough patch is a good idea for any entrepreneur.
How much time do side hustles take?
The time commitment needed for your side hustle varies widely depending on what side hustle you choose. Side hustles can take anywhere from a handful of minutes here and there, to a dozen or more hours per week. By definition, side hustles should take less time than a full-time job.
If your side hustle is taking as much or more time than a full-time job, it’s time to reclassify that side gig as a second job!
What should I avoid when searching for side hustles?
There are several things to look out for when searching for side hustles that will work for you.
Here are our top tips for what to avoid:
- Look out for scams. This can often look like someone posing as a recruiter or hiring manager, who asks you for personal information, bank account info, or any kind of payment up-front. Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Avoid MLMs. If you have to purchase a product up-front, and then resell it to your friends and family, it’s probably a multi-level marketing scheme. Especially if the payment structure is based on how many people you can recruit to sell more of this product. Run, don’t walk!
- Don’t undervalue your time, energy, or peace. Stay away from jobs or gigs that don’t pay well, take too much of your time, or don’t fit with your lifestyle or goals. Side hustles are supposed to add to your success, and compromising your time, effort, or energy is only going to slow down your growth in the long run.
Which side hustles pay the most?
The earnings you get from side hustles vary widely based on the skills you have, how much time you can commit, the demand for those skills in your area or online, and countless other variables.
However, the side hustles that typically make the most money on average are gigs that center on specialized skills (especially marketing and technology skills), consulting services, and content creation.
Which side hustles earn $1000+ a month?
It’s possible to earn an extra $1,000 or more per month from most side hustles. If you break it down, $1,000 per month is about $250 per week, or about $50 per day if you work on it five days a week.
So just factor in how many hours you’re willing to work per day, week, or month to determine what you need to charge for your side hustle.
We share the average expected earnings or earning rate for each of the top 37+ side hustles below.
How much does it cost to start a side hustle?
This will vary depending on what side hustle you choose. Some side hustles cost nothing to start, and others can cost up to a couple of grand or more in supplies, tools, fuel, and other startup materials.
We share the average expected startup costs for each side hustle in our list below.
Where can I find side hustle jobs?
You can find side hustle jobs in pretty much the same ways that you can find regular jobs.
Websites like Fiverr, LinkedIn, Craigslist, Facebook, and other industry or gig-specific websites are a great place to start.
Alternatively, many side hustles are entrepreneurial in nature (like starting a blog), and can be started on your own either online or in person.
Summary of the Best Side Hustles
Phew! That was a LOT, right? As you can see, you have a lot of options here.
Think about what skills you have or what skills you might want to learn. Side hustles are a great opportunity to learn some new skills.
Our personal favorite from the list is blogging. As bloggers, we are biased, of course! But it’s been an incredible way for us to start with a side hustle and turn it into a full-time gig.
If you want to know more about blogging, you can start with these two resources:
Also, if you enjoyed this article or found it helpful, please leave us a comment below!