Updated at: 25-03-2023 - By: Eden Wise

Overview

Making extra money through a side gig is a great way to get ahead financially, whether your goal is to save more, pay off debt, or simply have more room in your monthly budget (thanks, inflation).

Use this as a starting point for thinking about what kind of extra work you could take on to get closer to your financial goal. Some methods of making extra money can be learned quickly, while others take more time and effort. But the secret to success in any side gig is to hone in on your unique set of abilities.

Get one (or more) of these side hustle ideas and get to work!

Best Side Hustles

Best side hustles

Become a photographer

Become a photographer

Everyone who owns a smartphone nowadays appears to believe they are professional photographers. But if you truly have photographic talent, put it to good use!

Although you should market your services year-round, you should pay special attention to peak seasons for certain types of photography (such as senior photos in the summer/early fall, family portraits for Christmas cards, Easter photos in the spring, etc.).

Now that you know where to look for pricing information, keep in mind that your initial earnings won’t be on par with those of established professionals. Gain experience and a clientele by charging less at first without alienating them. If you need photos for your website, you can even have your friends model for you.

Become a transcriptionist

This position may be ideal for you if you are a fast typist, an attentive listener, and a detail-oriented person. A transcriptionist is a trained typist who creates written transcripts from audio recordings or live performances. Not only do the medical and legal professions rely heavily on them, but so do many other business sectors.

Pay ranges from $20 to $45 an hour, depending on experience, training, and how quickly you work. 3 You can find work on Rev.com once you’ve earned your credentials.

Rent your home or spare room on Airbnb

Rent your home or spare room on Airbnb

Think about using Airbnb to generate income from your spare room or basement apartment. Consider renting out your spare bedroom and bathroom to two travelers. Over $4,221 per month is possible if you live in the Nashville area. 4 Definitely a great way to earn money without actively doing anything!

But what about the potential dangers of having strangers over? That’s a fair concern, you know. However, Airbnb hosts are covered for up to $1 million in property damage. 5 In case a visitor sustains an injury on your property, they also provide host liability insurance.

Even though Airbnb doesn’t vet its guests, it does provide a way for hosts and guests to rate one another. You’ll have less cause for concern about the people you invite into your home.

Resell thrifted items

This one requires an initial investment of cash, but it’s another choice for those who enjoy shopping and have an eye for value. You just try to make a profit by buying low and selling high.

Find some good deals at garage sales, flea markets, and secondhand shops in your area. Find out what’s popular and how much similar products are selling for online. A priceless antique could be lying in wait for you right under your nose. Is there anything you can improve and resell for a higher price?

You can quickly and easily turn a profit by selling items on the secondhand market via websites like Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, eBay, Poshmark, ThredUp, and GameStop. But listen up: you shouldn’t take out loans to pay for this. If you borrow money, you’ll only fall behind by ten minutes. Furthermore, you would prefer not to have a basement full of stuff you owe money on but can’t sell. Make individual purchases and pay in full with cash. Simply put, money rules!

Dog walk or pet sit

Raise your hand if you love animals. Wow. A lot of you, indeed. What if you could make money off of your passion for animals? You can find some clients whose dogs you can walk during the week, or you can pet sit while the owners are away.

Social media, yard signs, workplace bulletin boards, and websites like Rover and Wag can all be used to promote your pet-sitting services. They allow you to set your own hours and prices but deduct a percentage of your earnings. 7 If that’s too much to handle, focus on building your own clientele by word of mouth amongst your friends and family.

Give music lessons

Give music lessons

It’s not a good idea to teach kids how to play the alto saxophone if you haven’t picked it up in 20 years. However, teaching music lessons is a great side business for musicians who also have a passion for education. Pricing and opening hours are up to you. You can teach from your own home, lease out studio space, or even travel to your students’ residences for an additional fee.

When you have your own studio or instrument, your initial investment may be minimal. All you’re doing is giving away your skills and knowledge. Teaching young people about music while simultaneously increasing your income? Sounds like a match made in heaven!

Mow lawns or do yard work

In this day and age of hectic schedules, no one wants to come home to a lawn that looks like something out of The Jungle Book. They will gladly pay you to mow their lawn, rake their leaves, trim their hedges, and blow away their leaves (rich people are afraid of leaves). There are a variety of options available to you, including seasonal work with a local landscaping company, TaskEasy, or going it alone. Pay off your student loans by helping your neighbors achieve a beautifully manicured lawn.

Even when temperatures rise, people still need assistance from others. Money can be made during the winter months by shoveling driveways and sidewalks in areas that receive a lot of snowfall. Someone has to do this job even though it’s freezing outside. You might as well be that person and reap the satisfying financial benefits as a result.

Deliver Food And Groceries

Grocery and food delivery services are second only to ridesharing services. As a result of its meteoric rise in popularity, this has emerged as a top-tier side business opportunity across the country. If you don’t enjoy having strangers in your car but could use the extra cash, this is a fantastic option.

The only drawbacks are that you can’t do it constantly (most eateries aren’t open at 2 a.m.) and you might make less money than you would with regular ridesharing. However, it’s still a fantastic way to supplement your income.

Start A Blog

While this is my preferred side hustle (in fact, this blog was initially conceived as a side hustle), it does not provide any immediate financial benefits. It takes time to start a blog and grow an audience, but I believe that after 12 months, if you post regularly (say, three times a week), you can make at least $1,000 per month.

However, progress is modest at first and effort is substantial. But a blog can expand in practically infinite ways. In other words, this could be the perfect long-term side gig for you!

Tutoring

Tutoring

Online tutoring is a lucrative career option for teachers and anyone else with a bachelor’s degree. Online ESL instruction for children in other countries is one of the fastest-growing industries today.

Time zone differences are an advantage of this. Since the evening in the United States is the morning in most of the world, this is a fantastic opportunity for those who want to supplement their income by working late at night from the comfort of their own homes.

You need a teaching credential or a bachelor’s degree to work for one of these firms. You should feel at ease instructing via webcam from the comfort of your own home; this requires a well-lit, quiet space with a high-quality camera and microphone.

Keep in mind that you can also find local students to tutor in any subject by advertising your services.

Buy And Resell Stuff

I did this as one of my first “on the side” jobs. After visiting garage and estate sales, I would begin listing items for sale on online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon.

With the advancement of technology, there are now many people who do this as their primary source of income. Instagram is full of people trying to make a quick buck by buying cheap and selling it for a profit. Better yet, find “Craigslist Free Stuff” and head over there to pick up some items at no cost that you can then resell. The answer is yes!

Create Stuff To Sell

Perhaps you aren’t interested in dumpster diving for saleable goods, but you do have the ability to create items. You can start your own online business if this is the case.

There’s no shortage of opportunities to make and sell your own goods, from stationery and one-of-a-kind presents to household items, printables, and downloadables. The beauty of printables is that all you have to do is make a document, and you’ll earn money whenever someone downloads it.

In order to help others achieve the same level of success that Julie Berninger has with her Etsy printables sales, she has put together a comprehensive E-Printables course.

Virtual Assistant

As many as 14,000 people are in need of administrative support and are actively seeking employment. Virtual assistants can be hired on Upwork for $10 to $65. Workers in countries with lower living costs have a significant advantage in this industry, but skilled VAs are in demand.

Audio Transcriptionist

Nearly 1,800 transcription positions are threatened by automation. But if you speak more than one language and can proofread translations, you’ll have a leg up on the competition. Up to $80 an hour can be earned by a transcriptionist.

Developer

Currently, there are over 45,000 open development positions. Developers can make up to $125 per hour working freelance, which is significantly higher than the median wage for all industries. You can earn up to $300 per hour as a tech consultant.

Launch a Crypto or NFT Project

Making NFTs or cryptocurrency projects can be a lucrative side business. For the uninitiated, NFTs are most commonly employed as an entry point into the online art market. They could also be used for loyalty programs, as proof of ownership, or in video games. Despite the complexities of the crypto space, OpenSea (the largest NFT platform) continues to attract a staggering amount of investment capital. To give you an idea, in the last 24 hours (as of this writing), the top 200 projects have made an average of around $10,000 each.

Become a Social Media Influencer

There are “influencers” on every major social media platform who earn tens of millions of dollars annually from their channels. The most successful social media platform is typically YouTube. Find out how to get your own YouTube channel up and running so you can start influencing people online about a topic you’re passionate about. If you prefer, you can watch our conversation with Reyes the Entrepreneur down below.

FAQs

What To Look For In Earning Potential?

If you’re like most people, you’re going to put a lot of weight on the potential earnings when deciding which side hustle is the best. However, this is also likely to be time-related.

Delivering packages, for instance, can be a lucrative side gig with no set hours. When compared to working a second job, the earning potential is low, and the hours are unpredictable.

Your earning potential is also influenced by how long you plan to work. You can increase your earnings from a side gig with consistent effort over time. However, if you need money right now, the potential for growth is low.

How To Find Flexible Scheduling?

Adaptability is essential in the world of side gigs. You wouldn’t be reading this if adaptability wasn’t important; go get a job. However, most people are on the lookout for a side hustle because they want to earn some extra money without having to significantly alter their day job.

Online (or app-based, like ride sharing and delivering) work offers the most versatility. Consequently, most of the options on this list can be accessed via the Internet.

However, many of these jobs, including tutoring, can still be done without access to the internet. In addition, the earning potential and adaptability are both high. However, it may be challenging to find work (and get paid) if one does not have access to a marketplace.

Conclusion

These should shed some light on what I consider to be the essential elements of a successful side business. What’s more, the items on this list of the top side gigs are instrumental in getting things done.