A recent study found that 59 million Americans, or 36% of the U.S. workforce, work freelance jobs on the side. This shows how many people are looking for extra money to improve their financial situation and follow their dreams. We will look at the top 10 side hustles that can increase your income and help you reach your financial goals.
Key Takeaways
- Side hustles can provide a valuable source of extra income to help you achieve your financial objectives.
- The best side hustles leverage your existing skills and expertise, offer flexibility, and have the potential to generate a decent amount of cash.
- Platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Outsourcely offer various freelance opportunities, including writing, editing, virtual assistance, and more.
- Online tutoring and course creation can be lucrative side hustles, especially when leveraging technology like Zoom for remote teaching.
- Delivery and rideshare services, such as Instacart and Uber, have become popular side hustles due to their flexibility and low startup costs.
Introduction to Side Hustles
In today’s fast-paced world, the idea of a “side hustle” is very popular. A side hustle is a job or business you do on top of your main job. It helps people earn more money, try out business ideas, and learn new skills.
What is a Side Hustle?
A side hustle is a way to make extra money in your free time, not just your main job. It’s different from a second job because it’s flexible with hours and work. You can do freelancing, sell things online, or offer services like tutoring or driving for a ride-sharing service.
Benefits of Having a Side Hustle
- Increased Income: A side hustle can really boost your regular income. This extra money can help you pay off debt, save for a big purchase, or grow your retirement savings.
- Passive Income Potential: Some side hustles, like selling digital products or affiliate marketing, can make you money even when you’re not working.
- Skill Development: Doing a side hustle can help you learn new skills. These skills can be useful in your main job or for future career chances.
- Entrepreneurial Experience: Running a side hustle teaches you important business skills like marketing, managing money, and making decisions.
- Flexibility and Control: Side hustles usually let you set your own hours and workload. This makes it easier to balance your main job and personal life.
Whether you want to make more money, follow your business dreams, or take control of your finances, a good side hustle can be very helpful in today’s gig economy.
Selling Products Online
Using well-known online marketplaces is a great way to make extra money. Sites like eBay, Etsy, and Poshmark connect you with many customers. You can sell everything from new clothes to handmade items and vintage finds. They also take care of payments and shipping, making it easy to start.
Learning about the market and finding products that people want can help you make a good profit. Also, dropshipping and print-on-demand can make selling online easier.
Leveraging Online Marketplaces
Marketplaces online are easy and effective for selling to lots of people. eBay, Etsy, and Poshmark have tools that make selling simple, from listing items to managing payments and shipping. By using these platforms, you can reach more customers and make a steady income.
Dropshipping and Print on Demand
Dropshipping and print-on-demand are great ways to sell online too. With dropshipping, you don’t have to keep products in stock or ship them yourself. When someone buys something, the supplier sends it directly to them. This means you don’t have to spend a lot of money upfront.
Print-on-demand services like Printful and Printify let you sell custom products, like t-shirts and mugs, without keeping inventory. These services are low-cost and let you try out different products easily.
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“Selling products online through established marketplaces and innovative business models like dropshipping and print-on-demand can be a reliable and accessible side hustle for generating extra income.”
Freelancing Services
Freelancing is now a popular way to make extra money. It lets people show off their skills and find work in many areas. Writing and editing, and virtual assistance are two areas where freelancers can really shine.
Writing and Editing
Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork make it easy for writers and editors to find clients. They need people for all kinds of writing, from blogs to academic papers. If you’re good at writing in a certain area, you can build a strong reputation and charge more.
Virtual Assistance
If you’re good at organizing and managing tasks, being a virtual assistant could be for you. Sites like Fiverr, Upwork, and Outsourcely connect you with clients who need help with things like managing their calendars or organizing emails. You can set your own prices based on what you know and the work’s complexity.
More and more people are looking for freelance services. Industries like Computer & IT and Accounting & Finance often hire freelancers. This shows how valuable freelancers are to many businesses.
“Freelancing has become a crucial part of the modern workforce, offering individuals the flexibility and opportunity to leverage their skills and expertise to generate supplemental income.”
Whether you’re into writing, editing, or administrative tasks, freelancing is a great way to earn extra. It lets you control your income and work when you want.
Tutoring and Teaching
Tutoring and teaching are great side hustles, thanks to online platforms. Sites like Cambly, TutorOcean, and Preply let you teach subjects like math, science, languages, or test prep to students. Online tutoring fits easily into your schedule, and you can set your own rates based on your skills.
Creating your own online courses is another way to make money. Platforms like Udemy and Teachable help you share your knowledge. Once your course is made, it can keep making money, giving you passive income.
Online Tutoring Platforms
Tutoring can turn into a full-time job. Many immigrants need help with English, making it a sought-after skill. Starting an LLC for your tutoring business builds trust with customers. Planning things like your cancellation policy and how many students you can take helps run your business well.
Creating Online Courses
Showing off your skills and what makes you different in your Resume / CV can help you stand out. Getting certified by groups like the American Tutoring Association adds trust to your services. Having a website and social media for your tutoring helps you reach more people.
Offering online tutoring means you need good digital skills and tools like video chat. Tailoring your teaching to fit different students makes your service better and attracts more customers. Listening to what clients say and using their feedback to improve your service makes them happier and more likely to come back.
“Tutoring can be a lucrative part-time income option for teachers, with reported earnings of $1000 a week from part-time tutoring businesses.”
On platforms like Wyzant, tutors can earn $30 to $60 an hour. Outschool tutors can make $50 to $100 an hour. By 2020, an English tutor on Outschool was making $10,000 a month.
Seeing online tutoring as a business can boost your earnings and help you be more creative with your courses. Teachers can earn $15-22 an hour with companies like BookNook. Selling online courses on Udemy can bring in $4,000-$5,000 a month. Teachers can also make extra money by selling their materials on TeachersPayTeachers.
Delivery and Rideshare Services
Delivery and rideshare services are great for making extra money. You can use your car to deliver packages or drive passengers around. Companies like Amazon Flex, Uber, and Lyft let you work on your own time. This makes them perfect for those who want to earn more without giving up their main job.
Instacart shoppers can earn up to $37 per hour delivering groceries. GoPuff drivers make about $15 per hour and can earn $200 in an 8-hour shift. Amazon Flex drivers earn $18-$25 per hour, and Uber and Lyft drivers make $15 to $25 per hour.
Other services like Shipt, DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub pay around $15-$25 per hour, including tips. You can also rent out your car through Turo and HyreCar, earning over $500 per month.
These services are easy and flexible, making them a top choice for extra income. Whether it’s delivering packages, driving passengers, or renting out your car, these gigs can add a nice chunk to your income.
“The flexibility to work around your primary job and the low barriers to entry make delivery and rideshare services attractive side hustle options.”
Blogging and Content Creation
Starting a blog or YouTube channel can be a great way to earn extra money. By sharing your passion in a niche, you can grow an audience. Then, you can make money through ads, promoting affiliate marketing products, or selling digital goods. The hard work of setting up your online space can lead to a steady passive income as you get more followers.
Starting a Blog or YouTube Channel
Running a blog in the finance niche in New Zealand can cost between $35 for a domain name and $320 for hosting each year. You might also spend $205 a month on an email list and design tools. But, the effort can pay off. One blogger made more money from their blog than their full-time job, thanks to affiliate marketing, coaching, and a podcast.
To succeed, focus on giving your audience valuable content regularly. Diversify your income and keep learning. With over 50 million content creators, the opportunities are huge.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money by promoting products and earning a commission. By working with trusted brands and sharing useful content, you can earn a cut of the sales. Affiliate marketing can be a steady source of passive income if you have a big enough audience.
“It is important to immerse yourself in online courses, workshops, and mentorship opportunities to stay informed about industry trends and platform changes.”
Stars like Mark Rober and Gemma Stafford show how important it is to diversify and keep learning. By focusing on adding value and trying different commission-based ways to make money, you can turn your hobby into a successful side hustle.
Reliable Side Hustles
Pet Care Services
If you love animals, pet care services like pet sitting and dog walking can be a great side job. Apps like Rover and Wag! help you find pet owners who need your help. You can earn extra money by taking care of pets you love. As you gain more clients, you might even offer pet grooming or sell pet products.
Handyman and Repair Services
Are you good at fixing things and doing DIY projects? You could make money with handyman and repair services. Use sites like Thumbtack and TaskRabbit to find people who need help with things like installing lights or fixing drywall. Getting insured and bonded can make you look more professional and let you charge more.
| Side Hustle | Potential Earnings |
|---|---|
| Pet Sitting and Dog Walking | Platforms like Rover and Wag! allow pet sitters to set their own schedules and fees, typically taking a cut of the pay. |
| Handyman and Repair Services | Skilled handymen and home repair experts can earn between $20 and $50 per hour, depending on the complexity of the task. |
“Building a strong reputation and client base is key to maximizing earnings in pet care services and handyman work.”
Online Surveys and Testing
Participating in paid online surveys and user testing is a way to earn extra money with little effort. Sites like SurveyJunkie, Swagbucks, and UserTesting pay you for sharing your thoughts on products and services. They also test websites and apps for usability. Even though you won’t make a lot from each task, it’s easy and flexible.
Swagbucks has given out over $550 million in cash and gift cards since starting in 2008. InboxDollars has paid out more than $80 million since 2000. KashKick starts payouts at $10 and has given out unknown rewards. SurveyJunkie says you can make about $40 a month by doing three surveys a day, which is roughly $0.50 per survey.
FreeCash has paid over $64 million in rewards since it started. SurveySavvy lets users earn cash monthly by installing SavvyConnect on their devices. OpinionOutpost gives out $390,000 on more than three million surveys each month. FocusGroups.org has paid out over $32.5 million and offers studies with payouts from $50 to $1,200.
These platforms offer more than just money. They let you share your opinions and help improve products and services. By doing paid surveys and testing, you can make passive income and give valuable feedback to companies.
Overall, paid online surveys and user testing are easy and flexible side hustles. They let you make extra money in your free time. With many trusted platforms to choose from, it’s a simple way to boost your income and help improve products and services.
Renting Out Your Space
Turning your home or a spare room into a money-maker is a great idea. Sites like Airbnb and Vrbo make it easy to list and manage short-term rentals. This can be a great way to make extra money, especially in places tourists love to visit.
Airbnb and Vacation Rentals
Offering a cozy and welcoming space can help you earn more. Some Airbnb hosts have made over $18,000 in two years from just one room. Julz Maleno, for example, has earned over $26,700 by renting out spaces for RVs and trailers.
To succeed, know your local market, set fair prices, and give great service. Sites like Neighbor.com and ShareMySpace let you rent out storage or event spaces. They’re often cheaper than traditional storage units.
| Platform | Fees | Average Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | 3% host fee | $18,000+ in 2 years (spare room) |
| Neighbor.com | 4.9% + $0.30 per payout | $20 to $100+ per month (storage space) |
| ShareMySpace | $49/month (private space), $9/month (public space) | $300 to $3,000 per year (depending on location and size) |
| Peerspace | 15% service fee | Varies based on event space and location |
Renting out your space can be profitable, but watch out for risks like non-payment and damage. By being careful and following platform rules, you can make a steady income. Plus, you’ll be helping your guests out.
Reselling and Flipping Items
Reselling and flipping items can be a great way to make extra money. You look for products that are valuable or in demand. Then, you sell them on sites like eBay, Poshmark, or local online markets for more money. By focusing on a specific area, like vintage items or refurbished electronics, you can make good profits.
Some resellers make a lot of money. For example, one person made $3,000-$4,000 a month selling mattresses. Another sold over $1 million on Amazon. Even those who work part-time can do well, like the person who made $650 by selling items on Amazon.
For sneaker flipping, one person made up to $10,000 a month. This shows how profitable reselling can be.
“Aim for a fixed daily profit goal, like $50 or $100, when flipping appliances,” suggests Ryan Finlay, a successful reseller.
The market for secondhand items is growing fast. In 2021, 223 million people bought or wanted to buy used products, says thredUP’s report. The market for secondhand clothes is expected to grow to $77 billion by 2025. Also, the used smartphone market could hit $39 billion by then, with more people using smartphones in the U.S.
There are many things you can sell to make money. This includes clothes, exercise gear, appliances, books, sports gear, sneakers, vintage jewelry, furniture, old video games, electronics, cars, antiques, and more. You can sell these on eBay, Etsy, Poshmark, Mercari, or special sites like GOAT and StockX for rare sneakers.
Whether you’re good at finding deals or just starting, this side job can be very profitable. With the right knowledge and skills, you can turn your love for finding great items into a successful business.
Conclusion
In today’s fast-changing economy, a reliable side hustle is key to making more money, getting financially stable, and learning entrepreneurial skills. This article talks about the top 10 side hustles. They range from selling things online and freelancing to tutoring, making content, and renting out your space. By picking a side hustle that fits your interests, skills, and time, you can earn passive income, gain valuable experience, and reach your goals.
These side hustles are great if you want to pay off debt, save money, or start a new business. The numbers in the article show how well these side hustles work. Full-time workers can earn more and keep a good balance between work and life. By using the power of these reliable side hustles, you can achieve financial freedom and grow personally.
Starting a side hustle means managing your time well, sticking to your goals, and always looking for new chances that match your skills. With the right attitude and hard work, your side hustle can help increase your income. It can also lead to a more rewarding and secure financial future.