It’s an exciting time for side hustles since everyone wants to make extra money or maybe find their new passion and add the income they have been looking for to the equation.
Well, the latter wouldn’t be a side hustle in specific, but you can understand where we are coming from by mentioning this. What is important now is to focus on what is important: are you one of those people who wants to start a new one?
If you are, you will face the difficulty of having to choose one out of all the options available in the market, and for it, you will mostly have to rely on someone else’s opinions and experiences to determine what is the best.
However, this is what we can offer you: what about looking at the best options so you can choose one (or maybe two) that fit your skills, time, and expectations?
We don’t want you to waste time. Instead, our goal is to focus on the best alternatives so you can aim for those first and then consider others that are usually not as good as you would expect when comparing them to the ones we will be adding to this list.
After all, we are going to include those that are truly what you should be doing now, either for extra money or finally having a stable and more income than before. Ready? Let’s get it.
Start Your Own Blog
This is the definition of old but gold.
Blogging is a great option for anyone with some imagination and creativity to write and loves doing it as a hobby. Just imagine being able to make money with it.
Of course, people who aren’t passionate about writing can give it a try and maybe discover a new activity they enjoy. However, if you do it only to make money without being good or smart with this side hustle, there’s no way you will make money.
We wouldn’t say this option has requirements whatsoever. Instead, we would say it is a matter of preferences and determining if it is a good fit for yours or not.
With this in mind, we can start with the important part: why this is a great option.
Blogging has been at the top of many lists when it comes to side hustles for over a decade, and you can expect this to continue this way as long as the Internet and technology aren’t going anywhere (and we all know they aren’t).
Now, what is blogging about? How can you start? And how do you make money with it?
Blogging is a side hustle where you produce content related to your interests and expertise. You can blog about almost anything, including politics, fashion, or cooking.
To start blogging, all you need is an idea for the topic of your blog post (or series) and some basic technical knowledge such as how to use WordPress, what domain means, how to register your blog, and how to work around SEO and other online tools if you want it to be successful.
The side hustle of blogging is not about making money (fun to say this). It’s all about being true to yourself and your passions, which will lead you to success in the form of blog traffic and income from advertisers or sponsorships.
In other words, we go back to what we were mentioning about your liking towards writing and how this can be crucial for this side hustle to be successful.
Freelance Writing
You will probably think, “another option with writing included?” Well, we ought to include it.
Writing in any possible way or format is quite profitable nowadays as a side hustle or full-time job. If you don’t believe us, you just need to visit any job platform like Upwork and Freelancer to see how many people are betting for it, and despite the competitors, you have to deal with, there’s space for more people.
Freelance writing is part of our favorite side jobs in 2021 since it can be done for many, even by ignoring the previous fact of liking to write or not.
There are many assignments that you can start and vary the type of content you write for others.
You can write for other bloggers, complete documents or cover letters, and more. It all depends on your imagination and what people are looking for.
No matter what topic you choose to write about, you will find people who require your services in case you want to focus on a specific niche or type of content.
Fill in Your Schedule with Food Deliveries
Companies relied heavily on staff delivery or customer pickup to deliver food orders before delivery apps. Despite the latter, don’t you think people who handle the delivery still need to be people? Now you see where we are going.
Today, several apps allow everyday drivers to be mobilized for deliveries. This is why we remind you that you can also pick up delivery jobs and make extra money.
Most of us have heard of the popular food delivery services like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Postmates (of course, there are many others).
However, DoorDash is quite popular among them due to its flexibility that allows you to be your boss.
You can choose your hours, where to drive, and how much money you want based on how much you aim to earn when you invest in this side hustle.
To sign up as a Dasher (people who work with the platform), all you need to do is have your own vehicle and provide some basic information. Your vehicle doesn’t even have to be inspected.
After you have been approved, you can download the DoorDash app and tap “Dash Now” to choose the jobs you desire. It doesn’t get easier than this!
Of course, you can rely on other platforms and apps or maybe aim for the traditional option of offering your services to local businesses that need them.
It is about inspecting the field and determining the best option based on your preferences, possibilities, and skills.
Watch Over the Man Best Friends
Pet sitting is a great side hustle if you are passionate about animals, especially those four-leg friends most people love and are willing to spend quality time with them, even for free. Yes, we’re talking about dogs, but other types of animals are included in this side hustle.
You don’t need to give up your job as a full-time pet sitter. Pet sitting can be a wonderful way to spend your weekends or evenings caring for animals and making extra cash.
Rover is a network that connects pet owners with potential pet sitters, and you can easily use it to find some alternatives near you that don’t require much effort in terms of transport or other needs.
As a pet sitter, you have two options: boarding (watching pets in your house) or sitting (watching them at the owner’s place).
Are you fonder of cats or dogs? You can set your pet preferences as a Rover sitter. This will ensure that you are always paired up with the furry friends that you love to watch.
The Rover app allows you to manage your pet sitting business. You can set your hourly or daily rate to decide how much you want to make!
Many earn up to $100 a week, and you can choose to ask your neighbors or people you know to take care of their pets if they are looking or might need a sitter like you.
A minimal variation could be to aim for dog walking only, which is a great option by itself among all pets you can take care of.
Rent Your Empty Room or Space
Do you know someone who is looking for a space, floor, or property, maybe a room that isn’t being used? Why won’t you rent yours and earn some extra cash?
Many people evaluate the option of renting and listing their spaces because they are just accumulating some dust. Still, some are indeed afraid that bad things could happen due to the new tenants that can come in and how reliable they are.
However, if you decide to give it a try, you list your space or room online and start generating additional income without much effort. Then you can use that money to pay some (or all!) of your rent or mortgage, or just use it however you like or need to.
One of the more popular places where people list any type of space is Airbnb.
The average Airbnb host makes quite a lot of money. You could earn anywhere from a few thousand dollars per month depending on the services you offer and where you live. It’s not bad for a side-business, is it?
Plus, it’s easy to become an Airbnb host. Once you have listed your space and set your preferences, guests can start arriving at your home or room for a long or short term.
You can charge whatever you like, pay low fees, and get paid quickly using PayPal, direct deposit, or other preferred methods.
The rates and earnings you establish and can see every month will vary depending on the space you are renting, but it is possible to earn about $1k per month or at least $500 for small to medium apartments or rooms. Play it smart!
Become an Affiliate Marketer
Although it can be slow since affiliate marketing is one option that pays well over the long term, you will notice how worth it is sooner than later.
Before you can begin making money through affiliate marketing, however, there will be a learning curve. It’s more than finding the right product, as many people will tell you; it’s also about finding the right partner brand.
Suppose you aren’t too clear about affiliate marketing. In that case, it is simple: you will earn commissions based on deals brands offer you for specific products, services, and any other item based on the hyperlink (or famous affiliated link) you add to your blog, social media, or anywhere people can see it.
Finding the right partner is crucial because you will earn a lower commission if you affiliate marketing for an eCommerce store. But, tech companies will often pay a high price for affiliates who bring new customers to their stores.
What amount can this side hustle bring in? It all depends on which product you are selling and the affiliate network that you use.
For example, if you were an affiliate marketer for a tech company like Shopify, you could potentially make an extra $58 for every merchant you refer. With just ten referrals, you can make more than $500. Others like Bluehost offer over $150 for an affiliate and some deals that are based on commission over time and the number of referrals.
Most programs for this side hustle come with tools you can use to promote the brand’s product or service, which is why you must ask for them to incentivize customers to purchase or hire them.
Print on Demand Store Require Some Extra Work (But Are Worth It)
For people who like to make custom graphics and artwork in their free time, running a print-on-demand store could be the dream for making some extra cash and maybe considering turning it into a full-time option in the future.
Print on demand allows you to sell all this handwork or art by printing them on products like t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases. Of course, other options can be included.
However, how does this option work overall? You can design products, place them in your store, market them, and then take orders from customers. The orders are fulfilled by the print-on-demand company you chose to print the design onto the products and even ship them to your customers based on the data you provide, or they can take care of for you.
Now, is it a side hustle that is worth it? If you genuinely enjoy artwork and design, as we mentioned, this will be your dream come true. However, earnings depend on how much people like your designs and how hard you market your products.
It’s possible to make a few thousand dollars more each month with a little bit of effort or at least a few hundreds that’ll be better than nothing a hundred times.
Become a Virtual Assistant
Side hustles that are top-notch have one thing in common: you won’t struggle to find offers and opportunities because there is a lot of demand for them.
Virtual assistants work remotely and are not located in the company’s offices. They handle the regular job of an assistant: help with administrative, bookkeeping, social media, and other tasks.
They are in high demand from business owners looking for help with various projects, especially because they can specialize in many areas.
We have worked as virtual assistants but also hired them after the company grew, and we required some extra hands. Virtual assistants are used by many other businesses worldwide to help them grow and sustain their brands.
Therefore, don’t feel there’s no space for you since there’s plenty, and you just have to push it a bit. The best part? You can set your hours a day or week and handle the tasks given based on them.
Virtual assistants often trade their time for cash, so your earning potential may be limited by how many hours you are able to work each week.
You have the option of setting a monthly income or getting paid per hour. Depending on their experience and skills, some earn minimum wage, while others may make $35 per hour.
You can find clients through popular websites such as Upwork and Freelancer; even Fiverr is great.
You may see better results if you are an independent contractor. Although starting up can be difficult as you have to find clients, you will make more money by doing this. To offer your services, you can join Facebook groups for business or online retailers, or just bet for every media possible while being professionals doing it.
Personal Training
Do you enjoy exercising? Maybe you have lots of knowledge about it? Or are you some that have trained and studied for years to stay in shape and know what you eat and how to make others be like you or better?
Your skills, knowledge, and experience can be used to offer personalized training, whether it is in person or online. You can also use your phone to broadcast lessons for a group of clients if you prefer online lessons. We’re trying to say that you’re wasting what you know if you aren’t doing this.
More people than you think are happy to pay for a personal trainer because it makes them more comfortable and has the personalized attention they need. As a result and on average, personal trainers earn from $30 to $50 per hour.
Sometimes, you don’t even need to invest in this side hustle because you can go to a gym and offer your services if the business allows you to, or just have your friends and own clientele based on who you know and referrals.
A nutritionist certificate will allow you to offer better advice on diet and exercise for your clients so that you might consider it, or if you already have it, that’s ten times better.
Uber driving
It doesn’t matter who you ask: working as an Uber Driver is one of the easiest ways to make some extra cash as a side hustle or even have some steady income for a while.
Uber drivers can be anyone with a smartphone that has high-speed Internet and a vehicle in good condition, which is why you don’t have to worry about any requirements or investment. Besides, the average rate for Uber drivers in the US is $19.43 per hour, which means you can earn decently with this option.
However, if you truly want to make it a successful job, make sure to keep these aspects and factors in mind:
- Get familiar with the Uber app, and understand how to operate it well.
- A positive attitude is key. Smile at your passengers and greet them with a smile. Talk to them if they seem friendly or feel like they need someone to chat with. If not, it’s best to remain silent.
- Accessorize your Uber and do everything you can to get the best rating.
Good customer service is the basis of achieving a 5-star rating; the higher your rating, the more you’ll get chosen for rides.
Take Your Photography to the Next Level
If you know how to take great photos, why would you waste your talent, especially if you are praised for your ability to take them?
Photography could be a side-business that you can begin today and without any other investment unless you wish to have a more professional camera besides a good smartphone.
Having a good understanding of what makes a good picture and basic editing skills is critical to making this a lucrative side project, so you must consider other aspects of the equipment you need to get started. After all, knowledge is everything.
Don’t know where to start? You might consider covering the wedding reception or birthday party of a friend.
You can play with your photo editing software to get to know its intricacies and build a portfolio of some photos you’ve taken and upload it to the Internet.
You can also take landscape and wildlife photos and then sell them on stock sites like Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, or even marketplaces like Etsy.
Become a YouTube Creator
If someone mentions YouTube, anyone could agree it is one of the top-paying side hustles that you can start today to invest time and effort into.
You just need to create quality and entertaining content, and you don’t really need much equipment or investment to make yourself a space in this option.
YouTube offers many opportunities to make money. You can make money with AdSense or maybe bet for sponsored videos for companies.
Actually, you will find this option very related to affiliate marketing. Thanks to your videos, you could even pull off both of them together, considering that brands will offer deals and hyperlinks to earn money with this method.
You have many options to make money through YouTube. You can make a recurring income by monetizing your YouTube channel and receive passive income with your videos over the years.
This side project has the greatest advantage: you can create content for anything you love. Just think about what you like. Maybe makeup or films? What about sports or celebrity gossip? Anything you have in mind but make sure to evaluate the audience as well.
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Become an Instagram Influencer
Well, not everyone wants to be famous, but a large percentage sure aims to have a few minutes of the spotlight or more if possible.
Therefore, whenever you consider a side hustle that includes it, it is bound to be filled with people making money with it. Some start with some cash, while others make it a living without much effort.
If you are aiming for something similar, you can create a personal brand based on your abilities or even personality that could connect with thousands or millions of people around the world.
You can build an Instagram following around your dog or your photography, what you do in a day, or maybe any idea that comes to mind and seems like a great option.
By doing this, you can monetize your Instagram account in a couple of ways: sponsored posts, Instagram takeovers, or selling a product on your website.
The average influencer will charge $200-400 per post. This can vary based on your audience size, so feel free to check out influencer rates and determine when you can start to charge for this.
Of course, this can take some time, but if you are consistent with the content, frequency, and time you post, you have great chances to make some cash in no time.
Ready to Start?
It is never too late nor too early to get started.
Many people believe a side hustle should be something you do at a certain point, but all you need is an idea, put in some effort, and desire to make money.
We guarantee you that the previous ones we introduced will be great alternatives, and you just need to adjust some to find a twist and make it your own.
Get started, don’t think too much, and instead, jump for the challenge of side hustling during your spare time that can even be your future stable and mainstream income. It doesn’t matter if you decide to start a blog, your YouTube channel, or any other option we provided.
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