Home Public Finance 30 Creative Side Hustle Ideas for Making Real Money

30 Creative Side Hustle Ideas for Making Real Money

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30 Creative Side Hustle Ideas for Making Real Money

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Side hustles are a great way to make more money without having to give up your nights and weekends.

The problem most people have is with the sheer number of side hustle ideas to choose from.

As a result, many end up with analysis paralysis trying to find the perfect one and end up never making any extra money.

Here is a detailed guide of over 100 easy to start side hustles along with their pros and cons.

In the end, you’ll know exactly which one makes perfect sense for you.

KEY POINTS

Side hustles offer financial independence and work on your terms.
The key to finding the right gig for you is to take time to understand what you enjoy doing and then see if you can monetize it.
No matter your income need, there are side hustles that will allow you to increase your income

100+ Best Side Hustle Ideas To Make $500+ per Month

A side job is a supplementary gig or project that individuals undertake in addition to their primary source of income, often a full-time job.

It’s a creative and entrepreneurial endeavor that allows people to explore their passions, develop skills, and earn side income.

Whether freelancing, selling handmade crafts, offering consulting services, or driving for a rideshare company, side hustling allows you to pursue interests and diversify your income streams.

It’s not just about making ends meet; it’s an opportunity to turn hobbies into profitable ventures and gain a sense of fulfillment outside the constraints of a traditional 9-to-5 job.

How Do I Start a Side Hustle?

If you’re ready to dive into the world of secondary income streams, first identify your passions and skills.

What do you love doing?

What expertise do you have?

Once you’ve pinpointed your interests, brainstorm potential ways to turn them into a side hustle.

It could be offering freelance services, selling handmade crafts online, or sharing your knowledge through tutoring or consulting.

Next, set clear goals and create a practical plan to balance your part-time work with your main commitments.

Utilize various platforms and social media to market your services or products.

Don’t be afraid to start small and gradually scale up as you gain confidence.

Consistency is vital, so devote time to nurturing your side hustle regularly.

Online Side Hustles

The digital realm offers many opportunities for earning cash on the side, including digital marketing.

If making money online appeals to you, starting an online business like a blog or podcast or becoming a brand ambassador can be your ticket to financial freedom.

Not only do these hustles allow you to work from the comfort of your home, but they also offer flexibility.

Here is a short list of great ideas to consider.

#1. Start a Blog

Starting a blog is like turning your thoughts into gold.

As a blogger, you can share your knowledge and passions with the world, all while earning money through affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and ad revenue.

If you dedicate your time and are consistent, you could earn more than $1,000 monthly from blogging alone.

The problem is that this can take some considerable time.

This was the case for Heidi Bender from Tons of Thanks. “It took a long time to get enough traffic to make money. But once it started making a few thousand a month, my family was able to pay off all our debt, including our mortgage.”

Pros: A significant advantage is the ability to set your hours, making it ideal for those juggling full-time work or other responsibilities, and you can do it in just a few hours.

Cons: While it can replace your day job, building a consistent income will take months or even years.

#2. Start a Podcast

Owning a podcast is like having your radio show.

It allows you to share your voice, connect with others online, and even earn through sponsorships, merchandising, or offering paid subscriptions to your audience.

It’s a low-cost venture, requiring just a USB microphone and free recording software.

Pros: One of the easiest ideas on the list to start.

Cons: There is a lot of competition, so getting noticed will take work.

#3. Brand Ambassador

Picture this: You’re getting paid to promote products and services you love on social media.

Sounds like a dream, right?

As a brand ambassador, you can turn this dream into reality!

By promoting products and services on behalf of companies, you can generate income through social media, build a dedicated audience, and craft compelling content that captures their interest.

Harnessing your enthusiasm and creativity can help you connect with a broad audience and generate income through sponsored content, affiliate links, and ad revenue.

Pros: The income can be tremendous when working with more prominent brands.

Cons: Building an audience that trusts you takes time.

#4. Create Online Courses

Creating an online course is a terrific way to make some extra cash.

Anyone can create and promote a course with the internet and easy-to-use software.

Platforms like Udemy and Teachable let you create, upload, and market your courses to potential customers.

Once your course is ready, set the price and start reaping the rewards.

It’s perfect for someone who wants to share their knowledge and skills.

Pros: One of the best things about creating an online course is that you can reach a global audience without any limits. You can make great money if you bring in a lot of students.

Cons: Creating a high-quality course and making it successful takes time and effort. You must know how to market your course effectively to ensure it’s visible and growing.

#5. Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is a remote professional offering services like appointment scheduling, bookkeeping, and social media management.

The remarkable thing about being a virtual assistant is its flexibility, whether you’re up for short-term gigs or long-term projects.

It’s a fantastic work-from-home option that allows you to break free from the constraints of a traditional job.

Pros: Virtual assistants enjoy the flexibility of setting their hours and rates. Becoming a successful virtual assistant doesn’t require extensive experience or qualifications.

Cons: It might be tricky to find clients if you don’t have any existing connections in the industry. Knowledge of the technical tools and systems for virtual assistant services is crucial.

#6. Create a YouTube Channel

Having a YouTube Channel is a great way to break free from the monotony of a full-time job and earn an income while having a blast!

It gives you a platform to express your creativity, explore your interests, and unleash your skills in ways you can’t even imagine.

To succeed, focus on creating captivating content that engages your viewers and keeps them returning for more.

Pros: You have complete control over the content you create, so you can unleash your creativity and originality while maintaining excellent quality.

Cons: Creating high-quality videos takes a lot of time and effort, and starting a YouTube journey can be quite costly in terms of both money and time.

#7. WordPress Consultant

Are you proficient in WordPress?

Why not take the chance to excel as a WordPress consultant, diving right into the action?

Help clients with website design, development, and content creation while enjoying the dynamic experience of working with diverse individuals and organizations.

Every day, skillfully tackle those WordPress challenges like a pro, showing off your finesse and expertise.

Pros: With the ability to work remotely from any corner of the world, you can select your clients and set your working hours.

Cons: To remain competitive, you’ll need to stay current with trends and best practices.

Remote Work Opportunities

We’ll step away from online hustles and delve into remote work.

With the rise of digital platforms, remote work has become more accessible.

Being a property manager, virtual bookkeeper, or Facebook Ad manager can be a fun side hustle idea that allows you to work from the comfort of your own home and offers the potential for a steady income.

#8. Property Manager

Being a property manager is like being the captain of a ship.

You’re responsible for keeping everything running smoothly, from tenant issues to maintenance and rent collection.

The best part? You can do all this remotely!

Utilizing online property management tools, you can handle property viewings, maintain consistent communication with tenants, and even collect rent digitally.

Pros: It can easily be done on the side, boosting your total income.

Cons: You may have to work nights and weekends and deal with angry renters.

#9. Virtual Bookkeeper

As a virtual bookkeeper, you can offer business accounting and financial services remotely, providing flexibility and convenience.

You can charge by the hour, with certified bookkeepers typically charging around $25 per hour.

Terri R., a retired accountant, became a virtual bookkeeper to earn money while she was a stay-at-home mom. “It was great because I could work when it was convenient for my schedule and the pay was decent.”

With so many small businesses, finding clients should be relatively easy.

Pros: You can work anywhere you want, as long as you have an internet connection.

Cons: Getting certified costs money and takes time.

#10. Facebook Ad Manager

Unleash your creativity and analytical skills by becoming a Facebook Ad Manager.

As a Facebook Ad Manager, you can boost a business’s traffic and in-store sales by using geo-targeting to reach a specific audience.

The potential earnings are impressive, with an average of $1,000 to $2,000 per month for each client you manage ads for.

Pros: Many local businesses are potential clients, making your income close to unlimited.

Cons: It takes time to master the algorithm, and you need to build trust with your clients.

#11. Freelance Consulting

Choosing your expertise is the first step to starting a freelance consulting journey.

Whether it’s finance, fitness, social media, or marketing that excites you, it’s important to have deep knowledge in your chosen field or gain the necessary expertise beforehand.

As a freelance consultant, you provide valuable guidance and advice to individuals or organizations in your specialized field.

Pros: You can earn a higher pay compared to many freelance gigs.

Cons: You’ll need to network and promote yourself for clients to find you.

#12. Book Reviewer

Being a book reviewer is an exciting gig that lets you dive into the joy of reading and get paid for it.

As a reviewer, your job is to give honest critiques of books sent by publishers and authors, sometimes even before they hit the shelves.

To excel as a book reviewer, you need top-notch literacy skills and a keen eye for detail, allowing you to provide accurate assessments and thoughtful evaluations of the material you come across.

Pros: You enjoy excellent literature and influence readers’ perspectives on various works.

Cons: Deadlines can get tricky, sometimes needing you to juggle multiple books simultaneously.

#13. Customer Service Rep

Customer service jobs are always in high demand.

As a customer service rep, you’ll be the go-to person for customers, helping them with their orders and answering any questions.

Thinking fast and being effective is critical in this role, and having excellent communication skills and taking ownership of any situation will help resolve customer issues.

Pros: You get to help people daily, gaining satisfaction from making them happy.

Cons: The hours can sometimes be long, and your schedule may not be flexible.

#14. Genealogist

Do you enjoy exploring history?

Genealogists embark on a captivating journey through family trees and genealogy, finding ancestral connections and compelling histories.

It’s a fascinating pursuit that requires exceptional organizational skills and independent exploration.

With their sharp analysis skills, genealogists dive into data and reveal fascinating insights that breathe life into the past.

Pros: It’s a great way to help others learn more about their ancestors and comes with a flexible schedule.

Cons: It can require a lot of time to find information that may not even exist, meaning you may have hours of unsuccessful searching and need strong IT skills to search databases effectively.

#15. Alterations

Do you enjoy sewing?

If so, consider becoming an alterations specialist.

This job involves altering clothing to fit customers’ unique needs and preferences, requiring immense attention to detail and excellent hand skills.

Pros: You get to work with various fabrics and colors, making it enjoyable for those with an eye for fashion. You can start with little money because you only need a basic sewing machine.

Cons: It can be physically demanding and require standing for long hours. You may have to travel to clients to make the alterations, and the work may be inconsistent.

#16. Researcher

If you’re passionate about digging into research, crunching data, and crafting well-written reports, a career as a researcher might be the perfect fit for you.

This profession involves diving deep into research, organizing data like a pro, and presenting your analysis findings with impact.

Pros: You get to work with various topics and gain knowledge. You also work independently on your projects and earn a competitive salary.

Cons: You may need a degree to become a researcher. The job may sometimes require long hours depending on the deadlines and time frames.

#17. Tele-Nursing

Are you a nurse who likes working from home instead of an office?

If that’s the case, check out tele-nursing, a fast-growing field in healthcare.

Tele-nursing lets nurses give medical advice over the phone or through video calls, handle patient records, and help manage care.

Pros: Being a tele-nurse and working from home lets you make a meaningful difference while earning good money and having flexibility in your schedule.

Cons: Tele-nursing requires certification and licensing in your state before you can begin working. Also, being comfortable with technology is a must.

Marketplaces and Reselling

Now, it’s time to venture into the world of marketplaces and reselling.

If selling products or services appeals to you, dropshipping, creating and selling ebooks, or resume writing could be your golden ticket.

These part-time gigs offer the flexibility to work the hours you want and the ability to create a loyal customer base who love what you have to offer.

#18. Dropshipping

Imagine running a retail store without the hassle of inventory.

That’s dropshipping in a nutshell!

When running your own dropshipping business, you:

  • Sell products without having to stock them or handle delivery
  • Purchase the product from a third party once a customer makes a purchase
  • They ship the product directly to the customer

Dropshipping can be lucrative and exciting, with potential monthly earnings ranging from $500 to $10,000.

Danny Newman, from What’s Danny Doing, used Amazon’s Fulfillment By Amazon (Amazon FBA) service to make money. “Amazon handles the storage, packing, and shipping, and you can pay other services to take delivery of inventory and send it to Amazon’s warehouses, so it’s nice and hands off. The downside is that Amazon also takes/took about a third of the sale price, so it was tricky to find products that had enough margin to be worthwhile.”

Pros: Getting started is simple as there are minimal upfront costs.

Cons: Finding quality products can take a lot of time and effort.

#19. Create and Sell Ebooks

Have a story to tell or knowledge to share?

You can write and sell ebooks on platforms like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing.

Whether you’re interested in writing fiction, sharing recipes, or providing advice, creating and selling ebooks allows you to share your knowledge with the world and earn income.

Pros: Once you have a book to sell, you can earn money without additional work.

Cons: Writing an ebook takes a lot of work; however, this is changing with artificial intelligence.

#20. Resume Writer

Put your writing skills to good use by becoming a resume writer.

By providing top-notch resumes to job seekers, you can help them land their dream jobs while earning between $100 and $1,000 per resume.

Pros: Most people never update their resume, so you have a large customer base.

Cons: Updating resumes can be time-consuming, and you must be comfortable working with people.

#21. Product Flipper

Product flipping might be worth exploring if you’re seeking an alternative to the conventional office or regular job.

It involves scouring the internet for discounted items and reselling them at a profit.

This intriguing venture offers flexibility and the opportunity to earn additional income.

Jason Butler from My Money Chronicles flipped items for money in the past. “I sold items on sites like eBay, Mercari, FB and Poshmark. I visited thrift stores and yard sales a couple of times per month to find inventory. Once you know what you’re doing, you can make decent money per month. It all depends on the time and items you sell.”

But he said there are downsides. “The negative is that you don’t always find items in thrift stores. Also it can sometimes take a while for items to sell.”

Pros: You can determine your workload and establish flexible hours, allowing you to be your own boss.

Cons: When flipping products, you might face competition from other buyers, making finding those lucrative deals challenging.

#22. Bicycle Repair

If you’re into tinkering with bicycles and helping others out, bicycle repair can be an excellent side gig to pursue.

You can dive into this adventure with just a few tools and a good grasp of bicycle mechanics.

It boosts your weekend income, but it also sets you up for starting your own business down the road.

Pros: Starting a bike repair business differs from making pricier investments in other ventures. You need basic tools and some mechanical know-how.

Cons: Fixing bicycles can sometimes involve physically demanding tasks, like lugging around heavy bikes or parts.

#23. Sell Your Skills

You can make money from what you love and are good at!

Whether it’s accounting, investing, or carpentry, showing off your skills can lead to incredible opportunities and a good income.

So, go ahead and showcase your expertise online or in person, and enjoy doing what you love while earning a substantial income!

Pros: You can scale your expertise depending on the demand; plus, you can draw upon your experience and knowledge for guidance as needed.

Cons: You must invest in marketing services if your goal is to offer your skills online.

 #24. Private Label Rights

Everyone needs white papers, email freebies, and other assets to attract clients.

Hiring someone to create these can be pricey.

This is where you come in.

You create various products and sell them to others as Private Label Rights (PLR).

They then customize them for their needs.

Pros: More and more companies seek PLR content to save time and money.

Cons: Creating PLR content can be very time-consuming.

Service-Based Hustles

Shifting from virtual to physical, let’s examine service-based hustles.

If you love working with your hands and providing services to others, consider freelance jobs like window washing, home cooking, or painting.

These hustle ideas provide a steady income and allow you to create your desired schedule, offering the perfect balance between work and play.

#25. Window Washing

As a window washer, you can offer a valuable service to homeowners and businesses and earn between $50-$100 per job.

And with the average pay for window washing jobs being around $20 per hour, this can be a lucrative venture.

Plus, it’s a job that lets you work outdoors and stay active, making it a great way to keep fit!

Pros: There are a lot of customers as most people dislike washing windows.

Cons: You’ll need some basic equipment, including a ladder. If you’re afraid of heights, there are better options.

#26. Home Cook

Unleash your inner chef by starting a home cook business.

With the potential to earn $30 per hour, this gig allows you to follow your passion for cooking and offers a tasty profit.

Why not transform your culinary passion into a profitable side venture by offering to deliver food?

Pros: Ability to help people eat healthy.

Cons: It can be challenging to profit as food prices rise.

#27. Painter

If you have a knack for painting, why not turn it into an income stream?

As a painter, you can offer your services for interior and exterior projects and earn around $35 per hour, depending on the size and complexity of the job.

Plus, it’s a job that lets you express your creativity and see the immediate results of your hard work.

Pros: It’s in demand as many people dislike painting.

Cons: Need equipment to get started, and climbing ladders might be required.

#28. Home Daycare

More and more families are opting to let their senior family members stay in the comfort of their own homes for longer.

This means there’s a rising need for people who can offer companionship and help while families are out running errands or working.

It’s a great chance for a fulfilling and flexible side gig!

Pros: If you’re a people person and love caring for people, home daycare could be your perfect side hustle.

Cons: Home daycare demands a significant time commitment and a great deal of responsibility. You may need to complete a CPR course or obtain additional certifications.

#29. Housekeeper

Housekeeping can be an ideal way to make more money for those with a knack for tidying up and organizing.

With more people opting to work from home, the demand for housekeepers is higher than ever!

Pros: It offers the advantage of consistent income and the freedom to choose your working hours. Also, no specific training or qualifications are required; all you need are your capable hands!

Cons: Housekeeping requires physical labor and long hours of standing and bending.

#30. Smartphone Repair

If you’re passionate about technology and love fixing smartphones, why not consider a career as a smartphone repair technician?

The demand for skilled technicians is skyrocketing as more people rely on their devices, making it one of the best side hustle jobs.

By choosing this path, you’ll gain valuable experience in the tech industry and the chance to help others with their device issues.

Pros: You’ll acquire skills that will serve you well for years. Plus, your income potential is great since most smartphone repairs are easy to complete.

Cons: Becoming an expert in phone repairs requires patience and skill. Additionally, being ready to invest in the right tools and equipment is crucial.

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