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Looking to earn some extra cash? Maybe you hate your job and want to find a new way to earn a living. Maybe you love your job but just want some extra money. Either way, a side hustle could be just what you’re looking for.
There are a lot of different side hustles. Some are easier and faster than others but that doesn’t make them better.
The key to a good side hustle is that it’s something you don’t hate (because that will just lead to burnout).
Table of Contents
Side Hustle FAQs
Before we get to the list of side hustle ideas, let’s answer the most common questions!
What is a side hustle?
A side hustle is anything you do for money ‘on the side’ (which just means in addition to your regular job).
Can my side hustle become a full-time job?
Sure – depending on what it is.
Lots of people create side hustles with the intention of turning them into full-time businesses.
13 Side Hustle Ideas
This is not an exhaustive list of side hustle ideas. There are a lot of other options out there. This list contains reputable (meaning scam-free) methods of earning some extra cash – most of which don’t involve any specialized skills.
These are not get rich quick schemes. Some of them will take a lot of time to payout. Some of them can become full-blown businesses. Some of them you’ll only want to do temporarily.
Whatever your situation, there’s a side hustle out there for you. So check them out!
#1. Become a Virtual Assistant (VA)
A virtual assistant is just like a normal assistant, except they’re not located on-site.
Virtual assistants can fill many roles for small businesses (or individuals): social media, communications, marketing, or anything.
How hard is it to become a VA?
It’s harder to work as an independent VA than it is to join an established VA company (like BELAY or Fancy Hands).
How do I get started as a VA?
First, you’re going to have to choose what type of services you’ll provide and how much you’ll charge. Then comes the difficult part of finding clients.
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for becoming a VA?
You should have experience in whatever aspect you’ll be providing your clients (marketing, graphic design, etc). A website is usually helpful to land clients.
How much money can I make as a VA?
$25/hour and up.
Who is being a VA best for?
Highly organized individuals who can work independently.
Where can I find more information about becoming a VA?
Horkey Handbook offers a great guide on how to get started as a VA.
#2 Clean Houses (Steady / AppJobs / Handy / DIY)
When you’re a busy working professional (with or without a family), there is nothing better than coming home and NOT doing housework.
How hard is cleaning houses?
Cleaning houses can be physically demanding (depending on the tasks and house).
How do I get started cleaning houses?
Reach out to people you know. Post flyers in local coffee shops. Place ads in the local paper(s).
You can also use sites such as Steady, Handy, and others.
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for house cleaning?
You’ll have to decide on your policy regarding supplies. Some people prefer to supply their own, others expect a house cleaner to bring them.
Make sure you communicate upfront with clients about this.
You can probably expect to invest in some cleaning supplies at the start.
How much money can I make cleaning?
House cleaners are usually paid hourly. Rates vary depending on the type of cleaning and your location from as low as $25 up to $80+ an hour.
Be sure to charge a surcharge (or higher hourly rate) if you’re supplying cleaning supplies.
Who is house cleaning best for?
Cleaning houses is a great option for people who have a high attention to detail. It probably helps if you don’t hate cleaning, too.
Where can I find more information about cleaning houses?
Care has a great guide on becoming a house cleaner.
#3. Create an Online Course
This is a slow-burn type of side hustle.
How hard is it to create an online course?
Creating the course itself probably won’t be that hard (as long as it’s something you’re knowledgable about).
Marketing it and selling it is where you could find it difficult.
How do I get started creating an online course?
Choose a place to host your course. There are two types of course hosting:
– Completely Self-marketed: you’ll have to direct all the traffic here yourself. This includes platforms like Teachable, Podia, and Thinkific.
– Partially Self-Marketed: for these hosts you can direct traffic to your course (and you’ll make more money that way), but they also direct people to you. An example of this type is Udemy.
You’ll keep a lot more of your sales money with a completely self-marketed host but you’ll also have to do all the marketing yourself.
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for creating an online course?
This depends on your course and host. You might need some video equipment, special props or software, fees to your host, etc.,
It can cost anywhere from $0 to $1,000 +to get a course ready and up for sale.
How much money can I make with an online course?
The sky is the limit here. Once you have one course up and selling, there’s nothing to stop you from making another and another and another.
Courses can be fairly passive income that require little more than periodic updates.
Who is creating an online course best for?
Creating online courses is a great option for people with outgoing personalities and knowledge of something to teach others.
Where can I find more information about creating an online course?
Dare to Conquer has some valuable information about creating a brand and a course.
You can also check out these posts:
A note here: be wary of any “buy my course on how to make money” stuff you see. A lot (most) of it is total trash that’s not worth $5 let alone the hundreds of dollars they’re selling it for.
I can personally vouch for Dare to Conquer which is why I recommended it above. But, it’s a large investment. There’s no reason you can’t figure it out with free resources (although more slowly) if you don’t have extra money for a course.
#4. Drive
There are two different types of driving for a side hustle: driving people and driving things.
You can drive people around for Uber or Lyft. Or, you can be a delivery driver for Door Dash, Instacart or Uber Eats.
How hard is driving?
It’s not hard.
If you’re driving people, customer service will be the hardest part of your job.
If you’re driving things, timeliness and handling people’s goods will be the hardest part of your job.
How do I get started driving?
First things first, decide what type of driving you want to do: people or items?
Next, sign up for a driving service as a driver and follow their instructions.
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for driving?
You’ll need transportation and (probably) a driving license.
If you’re driving people, you’ll need a vehicle.
If you’re driving things, you’ll have more flexibility. Some deliveries can be made on a bicycle or a motorcycle/scooter. However, some deliveries will require (or be much better/easier) with a vehicle.
You should also make sure that you have the appropriate insurance. Wouldn’t it suck to get in an accident and your insurance deny your claim because you were using your vehicle for commercial purposes?! Yeah.
You’ll have to pay for gas and other expenses out of pocket until your first payment.
You might also want some supplies such as paper towels, napkins, cleaning supplies, etc., to keep your transportation as clean as possible.
How much money can I make driving?
This will depend on where you’re located, what hours you’re available, and what type of driving you do.
Most drivers make between $15 and $25 per hour. However, you’ll have to pay significantly more in car upkeep than if you weren’t driving it so much. Uber drivers spend several hundred dollars a month on car expenses more than if they weren’t driving.
Who is driving best for?
People who like to drive.
Driving is also a great choice for people with a lot of extra time at peak hours.
Where can I find more information about driving?
#5. Freelance
You can freelance any skill you have.
How hard is freelancing?
Freelancing is both easy and hard.
It’s easy because you can freelance skills you already have so you don’t have to learn something new. It’s hard because you have to find paying work.
How do I get started freelancing?
This is really going to depend on the type of freelancing you want to do.
For a lot of freelancers, the easiest way to get started is on a freelancing site like Fiverr, 99Designs, or TaskRabbit. Once you become more comfortable with the idea (and act) of freelancing, it’s easier to branch out to other (and better paying) freelance jobs.
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for freelancing?
You’ll need to be skilled at whatever service you’re offering. Otherwise, the supplies and costs will vary depending on service.
How much money can I make freelancing?
However much you have time for. Freelancers can charge as much as $100 per hour (and more).
Who is freelancing best for?
Freelancing is best for people with a marketable skill who are able to work independently.
Where can I find more information about freelancing?
Smart Passive Income is a great source to learn more about freelancing.
#6. Part-Time Jobs
It surprises me how often people disregard this as an option. A part-time job is a great option if you only want a temporary side hustle.
How hard is a part-time job?
A part-time job is hard because you probably already have a full-time commitment (a job, school, family, whatever).
However, it’s also easy because you can find entry-level part-time work everywhere. It’s also a guaranteed income with a local employer.
How do I get started with a part-time job?
Spruce up your resume (focusing on skills your ideal part-time employer will value) and send it out.
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for a part-time job?
There shouldn’t be any however at worst you might need a uniform (or a particular color of clothing).
How much money can I make with a part-time job?
You’ll probably only make minimum wage (maybe slightly above).
Who is a part-time job best for?
A part-time job is best for people who aren’t good at managing their own time (and therefore wouldn’t be very successful with a more entrepreneurial side gig).
It’s also a great option for people who need quick cash.
Where can I find more information about getting a part-time job?
Check job websites (like indeed), websites for local businesses, or just go hand out resumes!
#8. Pet Care (Grooming, Walking & Sitting)
Most people who have pets love them – L O V E them. Pet owners spend a lot of money on their pets. If you’re an animal lover, pet care is a great way to earn a side hustle.
There are different types of pet care you can offer.
Grooming – in some areas, you might need some form of certification to call yourself a groomer (but not usually). If you’re not comfortable doing official grooming, you can always offer baths (especially in conjunction with another offering).
Walking – dog walkers make bank. Seriously. I had a friend in high school (quite a few years ago) who made $40 a week to walk a dog once a day Mon-Fri. She walked 6 or 7 dogs at a time… do the math. I’m sure prices have increased since then.
Sitting – some people are loathe to kennel their pets when they’re away. That’s where you come in. You can offer to pet sit (either in your home or theirs) for a fee, of course.
Photography – this isn’t really pet “care” but people love pictures of their pets. If you’re good with animals AND cameras, why not take pet photos as your side hustle.
How hard is pet care?
Finding clients and managing pets will be the hardest part of the job. But really, this is a pretty easy side gig to start and manage.
How do I get started pet care?
Ask friends or family. Put up flyers in your local coffee shops. Place some ads for your services in the local paper.
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for pet care?
You’re going to want some treats.
If you’re walking dogs you’ll also need poop bags.
How much money can I make with pet care?
As much as you have time for.
Who is pet care best for?
Pet care as a side gig is best for people with flexible free time. Most people paying for dog walkers want their dogs walked during their work hours. Pictures and grooming will be weekends and after-work. Sitting will likely be overnight.
Where can I find more information about pet care?
Pet Sitters International has great information about walking dogs, becoming a pet sitter, and more.
#8. Proofreading
Nobody wants their professional documents to be littered with typos and grammar errors. Many businesses (and individuals) are looking to hire people to proofread their documents.
How hard is proofreading?
Not that difficult if you have a strong command of your native language.
This is a side hustle that’s possible for speakers of any language. Every language will have written documents that need proofread.
How do I get started proofreading?
You can search out work on many of the sites listed in the freelancing section (Fiverr, Upwork, etc)
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for proofreading?
None.
How much money can I make proofreading?
Proofreaders charge by the hour, word, or page. You can earn a full-time living as a proofreader (if you work full-time hours).
Who is proofreading best for?
Proofreading is best for native speakers with high attention to detail.
Where can I find more information about proofreading?
Ink Well Editorial is a great source for more information about proofreading.
#9. Rent Out Your Stuff (Airbnb / Turo)
Airbnb is taking over the world of travel accommodations. If you have extra space, it’s a great way to earn some extra money.
Turo and Getaround are similar to Airbnb but for your car instead of your home. There are plenty of travelers out there that also want a car. There are also people living in your city that only need a car on occasion.
How hard is renting stuff?
It’s pretty easy. Setup your profiles on Airbnb, Getaround, or Turo. Keep whatever you’re renting clean. Accept (or decline) renters as you wish.
If you master renting out your own home and car, you may be able to start managing other people’s rentals for a percentage (15-20%) of the fee.
How do I get started renting stuff?
Sign up for Airbnb.
Sign up for Turo.
Sign up for Getaround.
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for renting stuff?
If your place/car isn’t clean, you’ll need to clean it. Seriously, deep clean it. Customers will expect a like-new level of cleanliness.
I also strongly suggest you get some form of insurance to cover yourself.
How much money can I make renting my stuff?
This is going to be VERY dependent on your market. Log in to whichever site(s) you’re thinking of renting with and search your area. Calculate the rates by when your property will be available. Remember, you won’t get renters 100% of the time.
Who is renting stuff best for?
People with property (homes and cars) sitting idle in decent markets for Airbnb, Turo, and Getaround.
Where can I find more information about renting stuff?
The Points Guy has a great article about getting started as an Airbnb host. Ride-Sharing Driver offers guidance on getting started renting out your car.
#10. Resell Stuff
Reselling stuff is just selling used goods. You can sell stuff you already own or you can buy things with the intention of selling them.
How hard is reselling stuff?
Reselling things isn’t that difficult but it is very time-consuming. There’s also a moderate level of risk because you can never be sure of finding a buyer.
How do I get started reselling stuff?
The easiest way to get started is to sell stuff you already own but don’t use.
There are a lot of venues where you can resell things – eBay, Craigslist, Amazon, Facebook, specialty stores & sites (such as Poshmark and Gazelle), and more.
But what do you do once you don’t have any excess stuff? You can either stop this side hustle or start shopping for things to resell.
Great places to buy include yard/garage sales, thrift shops, online (from people who don’t know the value of what they’re selling), auctions, and more.
A way to expand this even further is to offer to sell the things your friends and family no longer use/want. Just agree on a percentage of the value that you’ll keep for doing the work for them before you sell anything.
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for reselling stuff?
You’ll have to find or buy some things to sell. This can cost as little as $0 (if you already have stuff to sell) up to an unlimited amount depending on what you purchse.
You might also want to purchase premium options on craigslist or ebay. These are totally optional and cost a few dollars each.
How much money can I make reselling stuff?
This is highly variable. Some items will sell for only a few dollars a piece others might sell for several hundred dollars. How much money you make will depend on what you’re selling and how much of it you’re selling.
Who is reselling stuff best for?
Reselling stuff is best for people who don’t get attached to things. It’s also great for people who like searching out deals.
Where can I find more information about reselling stuff?
Entrepreneur offers a great guide on how to resell products for a living and Algopix offers tips to increase success.
#11. Start a Blog
Blogging is a long-term side hustle that takes time to pay off. But once you’ve got a profitable blog it becomes more passive (although don’t let anyone convince you that blogging is ever truly passive).
How hard is starting a blog?
It’s not particularly hard to start. It’s very hard to make one profitable though.
How do I get started blogging?
It’s not as easy as writing, but it’s not that complicated. Choose a niche, get hosting, setup your blog, write, market.
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for starting a blog?
You’ll need a domain name, website hosting, a theme, and a niche (or niche idea).
How much money can I make with a blog?
This varies. Some people are happy making a few hundred extra dollars a month and others turn their blogs into multi-million dollar businesses.
Who is starting a blog best for?
Motivated people who get shit done. Blogging is a TON of work and most people who start a blog quit because their expectations are wildly inaccurate.
Where can I find more information about starting a blog?
I highly recommend Date to Conquer (for a more business-oriented blog style) or Blog Simple Framework (for a more content with ads blog style). Both are paid courses but the content, guidance, and community are invaluable.
Note on Blogs, Podcasts, Youtube, etc:
Pretty much everything above also applies to starting a Youtube channel or a podcast or anything similar.
#12. Teach English Online
English isn’t the only thing you can teach online, but it’s definitely the most common.
How hard is teaching English online?
This is going to vary by person. Most online English teaching companies will provide all your necessary lessons and it’s really just a matter of following them.
However, teaching online isn’t for everybody.
How do I get started teaching English online?
Choose a “school” and jump through their hoops.
Seriously, most schools will require that you do at least 1 demo lesson. This will be with an adult who pretends to be a child. Some schools will require multiple demos, training, tests, and more!
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for teaching English online?
This depends on the school – some require you be a native English speaker. Some require a 4-year degree. Some require nothing at all.
How much money can I make teaching English online?
Up to $25 USD per hour.
However, there is a catch. You have to be available to teach when the students are. Most online teaching is of Chinese students who are available Mon to Fri 6-10 pm and all day Saturday and Sunday (BEIJING TIME). The time difference from wherever you are can make for some crappy hours.
Who is teaching English online best for?
People who like children, have a lot of energy and are available during peak hours.
Where can I find more information about teaching English online?
Check out Teaching ESL Online for a great guide to get started.
#13. Write & Self-Publish an eBook
You can write and self-publish a fiction or non-fiction eBook.
How hard is it to sell eBooks?
This is a tough question to answer. It’s simultaneously the hardest and easiest thing.
How do I get started selling eBooks?
First you’ll need to write your eBook. Once you have an eBook written you can easily sell it on your own website (if you have one) or on Amazon if you don’t.
If you choose to sell on Amazon, they also offer a print on demand service so people can order a physical copy of the book (which is printed and mailed by Amazon when it’s ordered).
What are the upfront costs, supplies, and experience needed for selling eBooks?
The only upfront thing you’ll need to do is write your ebook and load it to Amazon.
How much money can I make with eBooks?
That depends how many ebooks you have available, what price you sell them for, and how many you sell.
Plenty of people make full-time incomes selling ebooks but there are also plenty of people who really don’t make anything.
Who is selling eBooks best for?
People who enjoy writing. You’ll produce better and faster content than someone who dislikes writing.
Where can I find more information about selling eBooks?
The Writing Cooperative offers advice to sell your first ebooks and Smart Blogger lets you know common ebook mistakes to avoid.
Find Your Side Hustle
Which one of these 13 ideas for side hustles will you be trying? Let me know how it goes in the comments below!
Ready for more? Check out different Budget Methods and Templates to get your finances in order.
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