Sometimes one job is not enough. Unfortunately, we live in a current economy plagued by inflation. Gas pumps are left empty by exasperated commuters, supply chains have made products scarce and rent prices are skyrocketing. It is an expensive world to exist in. Or, maybe one job isn’t enough to satisfy your mind. Perhaps your racing work ethic causes prolonged periods of unrest after your 9-to-5. If that’s the case, good for you (I’m jealous). Regardless of your reasoning, side hustles can be a great way to make extra income.
It’s the future. Sure, it’s not a flying-cars-and-jetpacks future, though we all wish, it is the digital future. Plenty of side jobs are available right now! Get your hustle on.
Here are the 16 best side hustles to jump on if you need extra income.
Side Jobs From Home
Working from home has become the new norm. Though pandemic crises pushed us into mobile work, its utility has caused us to stay there. Why commute to a job if you can do every aspect of it from your couch? I know my dog agrees, at least.
If you already spend your working hours at an office or job site, why spend your side hustle hours at another? Make some extra money from your couch like the rest of us.
1. Do Online Freelancing
Feel like you are a pretty good writer? Have a side passion for graphic design? Why not make some extra cash off of your hobbies?
Simply put, there are always companies looking for freelancers in a plethora of industries. Some websites may be looking for guest blogging. Small companies may be looking for website design. You never truly know until you look.
There’s an old saying about getting paid for something you love doing. I’m not going to dig up the exact quote because we all know it.
Regardless, there’s a valid point to be made. If you spend your free time dilly-dallying with Photoshop or writing unseen articles, why not shop them out? If you have a golden voice, why not use it?
Furthermore, freelancing sites like Fiverr always have a surplus of gigs available. Doing freelance jobs can be on your own free time and not put unnecessary stress on your day-to-day. You may need to tailor your resume to each gig, but we’ve already covered that topic for you.
2. Buy and Sell Items
Since its inception in 1995, eBay has lined many pockets with extra income. If you are unaware of what these sites are, you may not be from this planet. Basically, sites like eBay and LetGo allow you to sell your items online. All that needs to be done is post pictures and descriptions and ship the item once purchased. Easy money.
If you don’t have valuable and expendable items sitting around to sell, turn finding them into a hobby. You can scour garage sales, thrift stores, or other buying sites for good deals. Once you’ve secured some precious items, flip them on selling sites. It can turn drab weekends into treasure hunts. Who doesn’t like treasure hunts? Did you never want to be a pirate?
3. Sell Your Own Goods
The side hustle of all side hustles: creating a good that can be sold. Look at you, you little manufacturer, you.
Good at crocheting? Have a knack for creating handmade jewelry? Someone out there wants to purchase it. Sites like Etsy have made selling personally made objects simple and lucrative. As we stated, there’s no better side job than doing what you love. If you find yourself knitting on your couch on Sundays, make some cash from the effort. Sure, your children may just ‘love’ those socks you made them, but someone else is willing to pay for them.
Furthermore, most selling sites are free to use or cost a fraction to post on. The perfect side hustle is making money from something you already do.
4. Online Tutoring
Long gone are the days of tutors showing up to doors with textbooks and pocket protectors. If work meetings and school classes can be done over video chat, so can tutoring.
Are you extremely knowledgeable about a subject? Do you have a degree in history going to waste? Maybe you are a senior in your applicable field and have a wealth of knowledge to share. Websites like Tutor.com make earning extra income a breeze. Furthermore, the requirements for online tutoring are not extensive. Usually, they just require a high school degree and proof of knowledge about the subject.
Help the youth learn new things; plant seeds to grow educational forests. Make extra money. Win-win-win.
5. Start a Blog
Ever read one of our articles and thought to yourself, “Hey, I can do that”?
First of all, thanks. I will try to take that as a compliment.
Second of all, do it. Starting a blog is simple. Sure, depending on the domain site you use, it may take some learning how to code or set things up, but most domains like SquareSpace are extremely user-friendly.
Write blog posts in your free time. Pick a niche that you are interested in and create content about it. This side gig may not be the quickest in terms of payment, for it might take years before you see income from it, but it’s easy to do. If you enjoy writing, it’s a great excuse to do it in your spare time. Who knows? Eventually, it could end up being solid side hustles.
6. Take Surveys
Spend your time at home aimlessly clicking around the internet? Feel as if you have strong and important opinions on things (you do, we promise)? Why not spend your lackadaisical time clicking through surveys?
It sounds spammy or annoying, sure. But taking online surveys can be a genuine side hustle. Overall, it takes little-to-no effort
Sites like MyPoints.com allow you to take quick surveys and make money from them. You could even fill them out on your bus ride home or lunch break. It’s the definition of side hustles: make money in your spare time.
Sure, a lot of the surveys require a specific group of people. There are tons of them, so you will find ones that apply to you. You could have already filled one out instead of reading this. What a better way to spend your time (wink).
7. Start a Youtube or Influencer Instagram
People usually correlate side hustles with quick cash. It’s fair. We all need to make a quick buck outside of work. But what about a long-term opportunity that could involve more income?
Advertising on social media and Youtube has become a respectable source of income. Youtubers and Instagram influencers can make up to millions. This isn’t us trying to sell you a beach-front property in Arizona, but it is a look at an exorbitant ceiling. Sure, only a small percentage of social media characters reach that point, but we are aiming at a side hustle here, not a full-time job.
If you enjoy making videos, creating art, or taking photographs, post and promote them. It’s something you’d do in your spare time, so why not see if they could lead to income?
Furthermore, learning and practicing skills like video editing and coding can add a dash of spice to your resume. Your practice may be the turning point in a future job application.
Side Jobs Away from Home
Maybe you already work from home and want to find a way to get out. Maybe you enjoy working directly with people, the environment, or hands-on skills. Luckily, side hustles do not mean home hustles.
There are plenty of paying gigs you can do outside of your home. In fact, some of them can be fantastic sources of income.
Let’s get lucrative.
8. Do Gig Freelancing
Let’s jump back to freelancing sites like Fiverr and TaskRabbit. Freelancing gigs do not just apply to working from your computer or sketchpad. Sometimes people are looking for handy workers or knowledgeable craftsmen. For example, there are plenty of posts on Fiverr and Craigslist looking for people to install cabinets in a home.
Fortunately, you do not have to be a licensed or registered tradesman to pick up these gigs. If you’ve got a knack for woodwork, see if anyone needs help. Furthermore, you can advertise yourself on these sites as available if anyone needs help.
Little side story: I once knew a person that had a passion for building pool tables. Weird hobby, I know. He would create them out of wood and finish them with felt. He spent his off days doing it. Ultimately, he was making more money off his pool tables than from his day-to-day job. That’s one way to rack ’em up (yes, I went there).
We live in a strange and beautiful world.
9. Drive for Ridesharing Companies
Got a decent car? Love spending your time driving around? Grasping for any human interaction after your 9-to-5 behind a computer? Go out and traverse the world!
Uber and Lyft allow drivers to make money on their own time. It’s a perfect side hustle. You can decide when you want to drive and how long you want to work. If you find an itch to find some cheddar after midnight, then you might be a mouse. But, you also might be applicable to drive for ridesharing companies. Go and make some late-night money!
Imagine making some money because you’re bored. That’s what we call a side job.
10. Delivery? No, It’s Side Hustles
Furthermore, applications like Uber Eats and Grubhub let you deliver food and goods to customers. It’s the same concept: register your car, pass a background check, turn on your app and make money.
The only negative about this side job, compared to ridesharing, is that most restaurants and grocery stores close. You may not be able to find work after the evening. Still, if you have free days, it could be a good source of exposable income.
11. Clean Houses and Condos
Depending on what area of the country you live in, there may be summer (or winter) condos and houses that need cleaning. Furthermore, there are busy homeowners that are willing to pay to have the sweeping taken off their shoulders.
Obtaining a Vendor’s License is a simplistic process and allows you to clean for taxable pay. This work can be done on weekends, overnights, or whenever you find yourself free. It may be a little more complicated in the starting process, but it can provide a great side job, especially if you live in a tourist area with seasonal homes.
Starting equipment prices are low and some homeowners may provide you with their preferred equipment. Slap on some music and get to work. Some people find cleaning a soothing experience. Make some money from it.
12. Airbnb Your Spare Room
If you have a house with extra space or find yourself traveling often for work, make use of the area. Setting up your home, apartment, or guest room on sites like Airbnb is a fairly easy process.
Once you have your space accredited and confirmed, you can rent it out for people to stay. All you have to do is keep it clean and hospitable.
That’s a side hustle that doesn’t even involve hustle.
13. Become a Photographer
Got a knack for the camera? Got a keen eye for angles and lights? Why not become a freelance photographer?
Newlyweds, soon-to-be parents and many other sectors of society are always looking for a great photographer. If you’ve got the passion for it (and the skill), then set up your own photography business. With this, you can set your hours and times. You have free reign of your appointments, allowing you to continue to work your normal job.
Furthermore, equipment cost is not as unapproachable as they used to be. Fantastic cameras and accessories are affordable and last for a decent amount of time. Also, with everything going digital, dark rooms and printing equipment are not even needed.
If you’ve already got a great camera and chops, start photographing for people you know. With word of mouth and a bit of advertising, you may find yourself with an appointment book full of weddings and ceremonies.
14. Wash and Detail Cars
Here is another one of those side hustles that has a low starting cost.
A lot of people have cars. A lot of people hate cleaning cars. If you are good at it, then you have cornered a market filled with willing customers. All it takes is some effort and time and you will be rolling in some excess income.
Also…
15. Mow Lawns
Upkeeping a yard is another thing that people cannot stand doing. If you have a lawnmower and some other equipment, you can easily find people willing to pay you to mow their yard.
The greatest thing about it: if you do well, you will have returning customers. Grass grows often in the spring and summer. So will your pockets.
16. Walk Dogs! Woof!
Love animals? Find yourself having more dog friends than human friends?
Well, that’s kind of weird, but…
Applications like Rover allow you to walk and petsit for others. No, really. You can get paid for hanging out with animals. The ultimate side job.