Are you looking for ways to make some extra cash? There are many side jobs that you can start today and begin earning money right away, and more are popping up as time goes on.
The truth is there are opportunities to make money everywhere. The trick is you need to know where to look.
In this article, we will discuss some of the best side jobs to start earning extra cash. Whether you need to pay down debt or want to spend a little extra money, these side jobs can help. Plus, there are side hustles in every field, both online and offline, so there’s something out there for everyone.
So, what are you waiting for? Start exploring today and see which side job best fits you.
1) Take online surveys on survey sites
Qualifications: Basic computer skills.
Potential pay: $5 to $10 a day or more, depending on the website, their pay, and how many surveys you do.
If you have strong opinions, taking online surveys on survey sites might be the perfect way to make money online.
The job is simple and involves filling out online surveys and giving your opinion on various topics in exchange for payment. The pay isn’t high, so it’ll be a challenge to get this to replace your full time job. But it’s extra money in your pocket nonetheless! Plus, they require minimal effort (you can do them while watching your favorite TV series).
Taking surveys can be an enjoyable way to make extra money due to its flexibility and convenience. You can do them anytime you have free time and from wherever you want!
Some of the most popular and rewarding survey sites include Swagbucks and Survey Junkie.
2) Pet sit
Qualifications: Knowledge and experience caring for animals with a dependable attitude and the ability to follow instructions.
Potential pay: On average, pet sitters make $20 per hour.
This one’s a classic. If you’re a fan of making furry friends, look no further than pet sitting and dog walking.
As a pet sitter, your job would involve providing pets with love and care while their owners are away. This could include walking dogs, feeding cats, grooming animals, playing with them, and cleaning up after them.
This job can be enjoyable because it allows you to work with animals, which many people find very rewarding without committing long-term ownership or responsibility!
Rover and Wag! are some popular pet-sitting websites.
3) Start a blog
Qualifications: Excellent writing skills, knowledge of SEO, and good technical and research skills.
Potential pay: The sky’s the limit for blogging, but you could make around $45,000 annually on average.
Being a blogger involves writing articles for your own website on whatever you want, but preferably a topic you’re familiar with and are interested in.
You’ll also need to know how to optimize that content for search engines to get traffic. Some common ways to make money blogging are placing ads on your site, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.
Blogging can be incredibly rewarding because you can help people by sharing your ideas, opinions, and expertise while learning new skills such as digital marketing and SEO optimization. Plus, you’ll have plenty of flexibility with your work hours.
You can start a blog using many different website builders, but WordPress.org is the best place if you want the best chance of making the most money.
4) Become a freelance writer or editor
Qualifications: Basic computer knowledge, excellent grammar and spelling skills, an understanding of SEO, and the ability to write in different styles.
Potential pay: Around $20 per hour.
Rather than starting your own blog, you can offer others your writing, SEO, and editing services by landing some writing gigs!
Freelance writers and editors create high-quality content that meets clients’ instructions and standards. This could include fixing grammar mistakes and writing blog posts, website copy, advertisements, product descriptions, ebooks, social media posts, and more.
This type of freelance work is very flexible, and you’ll have control over which projects you take on and when you work, which gives you the freedom to manage your time. This side job is perfect for digital nomads. Plus, there will always be something new to write about, making it an exciting profession that can lead to financial success and personal growth through learning new things and skills.
Upwork and Fiverr are some of the best websites to get your name out there and find freelance writing and editing jobs.
5) Offer graphic design services
Qualifications: Mastery of Adobe software, a good understanding of art fundamentals, excellent problem-solving and creative abilities, good communication skills, and the ability to meet tight deadlines.
Potential pay: Around $20 per hour.
Why not flex your creative skills by offering graphic design services?
Working as a graphic designer involves creating visuals, such as logos for clients. All you need is a laptop and some design software to get started!
Web design is another popular field within the graphic design niche since everyone is online and every business needs a website. Branding is another big one since it’s the foundation for marketing and is essential for a business to get noticed and scale to new heights!
Graphic design allows you to express your creativity and use your artistic skills to help clients create their desired visual content. Plus, since there is always something new to learn and technology constantly evolves, it never gets boring.
Many freelance sites like Upwork are great places to offer your graphic design services, while other websites like 99designs are more design-specific!
6) Become a career coach
Qualifications: Excellent communication skills with a deep knowledge of professional development principles.
Potential pay: $20 to $50 per hour, depending on success rates.
Career coaches guide individuals who are looking to excel in their careers.
As a career coach, you help clients identify their career goals and create strategies. Beyond that, they help clients with their interview skills and resume building.
Becoming a career coach can be incredibly rewarding because you see people reach their full potential, improve their finances, and live their dreams. You’ll get to work with people with different backgrounds in various industries, which keeps the job interesting.
LinkedIn and ZipRecruiter are the most popular websites for finding a job as a career coach.
7) Deliver food and/or groceries
Qualifications: Knowledge of the local area, good customer service skills, and the ability to follow instructions.
Potential pay: Around $20 per hour, depending on location and tips.
Delivering food for a delivery service involves picking up restaurant orders and delivering them to customers. As a food delivery driver, you ensure orders are accurate, appropriately packaged, and timely.
Food delivery can be rewarding as it lets you leave your house, meet new people, drive around town, and get paid. Plus, you’re doing others a service by them not having to leave the house!
Skip the Dishes, and Instacart are popular options for food delivery and groceries.
8) Deliver packages
Qualifications: A valid driving license and the ability to navigate using GPS.
Potential pay: Roughly ranges from $15 to $24 per hour.
As the name suggests, a delivery driver picks up packages and brings them to specified destinations.
This job can be enjoyable because it offers flexibility when you work, allowing you to use your free time well and work another job. Plus, delivering packages gives you a great chance to explore your local area!
UPS and FedEx are common package delivery companies, with UPS being the most used package delivery service.
9) Become a handyman
Qualifications: Basic knowledge of carpentry, plumbing, electrical systems, and general construction.
Potential pay: Around $20 per hour.
If you like to work with your hands and want to help people with any issues with their home, consider becoming a handyman! A handyman provides home maintenance and repair services, such as fixing broken appliances, installing fixtures, and replacing windows.
This lets you creatively solve various problems and improve your clients’ lives. Plus, it’ll give you lots of flexibility since you won’t be tied down to specific work hours as you’ll be called when needed.
Thumbtack and Craigslist are the two most popular websites for finding a handyman job. And don’t forget to spread the word to your friends and family!
10) Become a life coach
Qualifications: Knowledge of mentoring, psychology, and interpersonal skills.
Potential pay: It starts at around $30 per hour, but you can make between $150 to $500 per hour with time.
If you’re interested in personal development, becoming a life coach may be more rewarding than money (although the money is not too shabby!) Life coaching is the process of helping individuals set and achieve their goals by identifying their strengths and reaching their full potential.
This job can be incredibly rewarding because it allows you to help people grow and succeed. Plus, since life coaches are often paid well, this career choice can be rewarding financially.
Anyone can be a life coach, but you must build a good reputation and market yourself properly. Take advantage of social media to get your name out there!
Indeed and LinkedIn are the two most popular websites for finding a job as a life coach.
11) Rent a spare room
Qualifications: Having a spare room and being comfortable letting people into one’s home.
Potential pay: $500-$1,000/month, depending on location and amenities provided.
Renting out a spare room involves renting out one’s extra space to another person or people to use as a living or storage space. This allows you to make money from some extra space you would otherwise not use, so you can take advantage of it!
Since this job does not require any skills other than having a room available to rent, it’s great for those unable to take on more rigorous jobs. You’ll also have the chance to get to know new people!
The two most popular websites for renting out a single room in your home are Airbnb and Vrbo.
12) Become a rideshare driver
Qualifications: A valid driving license and a registered vehicle in good condition. You will also need to get certified.
Potential pay: Ranges from $18-$25/hour depending on location and demand for the service (cities are the most ideal).
A rideshare driver provides transportation services to passengers using their vehicle. This allows you to work independently and set your own hours, meaning you can still run errands or care for personal matters when needed.
It also presents the opportunity to meet new people daily, providing valuable networking opportunities while learning more about your local area through the different destinations you travel to. You can be a driver for multiple rideshare companies at once and earn double the income
Some popular rideshare options include Uber and Lyft.
13) Sell used items online
Qualifications: Familiarity with popular online marketplaces, a flair for selling items or services, and good copywriting and communication skills.
Potential pay: Varies depending on the item being sold but can range from $10-$50/hour or more.
Selling items on a place like Facebook Marketplace involves listing products you already own for sale, creating captivating product descriptions, and connecting with potential buyers. If you don’t have much to sell, you could visit flea markets and thrift stores to find cheap items you can sell for more!
This job can be enjoyable because it’s easy to set up, and you’re not tied to work hours. Plus, you’ll be able to meet new people and get rid of the extra stuff you have lying around for someone else to use!
Facebook Marketplace is one place you can sell used items online, but there are lots more, such as eBay.
14) Teach English abroad
Qualifications: Typically, a Bachelor’s degree in English or Education and any relevant teaching certificates, but this may not always be the case.
Potential pay: Ranges from $10 to $40 per hour.
Teaching English is a great opportunity for people interested in language, culture, and travel.
This job can be fulfilling because it provides an opportunity to work with people from all walks of life and help them learn new skills. There is also the potential to experience different cultures and gain valuable insights into alternative ways of thinking and seeing the world.
If you don’t have the travel bug, you can teach English online from home!
Education First and Dave’s ESL Cafe are some websites for teaching English abroad.
15) Become a virtual assistant
Qualifications: Primarily knowledge of office administration software and good communication skills.
Potential pay: Ranges from $10-$30/hour, depending on the level of expertise needed.
A virtual assistant is a service provider who offers administrative and other business support services remotely.
This job can be enjoyable because it allows you to work from anywhere without commuting or staying in the office during specific hours. And since it involves various tasks and projects related to different fields, such as customer service and data entry, it keeps you engaged and allows you to develop new skills.
Fancyhands is a popular site for virtual assistant jobs, or you can go to Upwork to find clients.
16) Help with home staging
Qualifications: A good sense of style and design, an eye for detail, and the ability to work quickly and efficiently within tight deadlines.
Potential pay: On average, around $23 per hour.
Are you interested in interior design and want a behind-the-scenes look into real estate?
Home staging for real estate agents involves preparing properties for sale by making them attractive and desirable to potential buyers.
This job lets you get creative with interior design and styling projects while helping real estate agents sell their properties faster and for more money. Home staging also often requires working with a limited budget, so you can impress clients by doing more with less. Plus, you can earn extra income through referrals as your reputation grows over time.
Job boards like Indeed and Glassdoor have home staging opportunities but feel free to network with your local real estate agents!
17) Social Media Manager
Qualifications: Knowledge of the latest trends in digital marketing, familiarity with popular social media channels, excellent writing skills, and creativity.
Potential pay: Around $25 on average.
Social media management involves creating and managing content for different platforms, monitoring analytics, and engaging with followers. This job allows you to be creative while connecting with an audience. It’ll also allow you to be up-to-date with the latest trends in digital marketing.
So if you’re a sucker for social media and helping others reach their audience, consider being a social media manager!
Indeed and Upwork are some solid websites for finding social media manager opportunities.
18) Consulting
Qualifications: Expertise in the chosen field, excellent communication skills, knowledge of the industry and current trends, and problem-solving abilities.
Potential pay: On average, $35-$45 or more, depending on the area of consulting involved.
Consulting involves providing advice and guidance on various topics to improve a business’s performance.
Consulting allows you to take charge and make decisions that help organizations succeed. As the businesses you help succeed, you can use these as case studies to get more clients or ask your current clients for referrals. Consultants are paid very competitively, so this career path can be highly rewarding in multiple ways.
The two most popular websites for finding a job as a consultant are LinkedIn and Upwork.
19) Tutor online
Qualifications: Knowledge of the chosen subject, excellent interpersonal skills, and patience.
Potential pay: $15-$25 per hour, depending on the complexity of the tutoring work.
Being a tutor involves providing one-on-one instruction and guidance to students of all ages in a particular subject or field.
Being a tutor can be rewarding because you help students reach their goals and advance their knowledge. It’s usually long-term and focused on one student at a time, so you get the satisfaction of watching this student grow over time. You can do this in person or online!
The two most popular websites for finding a job as a tutor are Wyzant and TutorMe.
20) Make commission from royalty-free photos
Qualifications: Creativity, photography skills, and a professional camera.
Potential pay: Generally, 25 to 45 cents per image per month or more.
Are you a photographer or hobbyist constantly taking photos? If you have SD cards full of photos you never use, you might as well make a commission by uploading them to royalty-free websites.
Making a commission from royalty-free photos involves selling high-quality stock images to people for a fee. Doing this has no working hours and encourages you to leave the house, explore the world, and get creative. You’ll become a better photographer, and you have the potential to make long-term income over time.
The two most rewarding websites for making a commission from royalty-free photos are Shutterstock and iStock.
Considerations before taking on side jobs
Before committing yourself to a side job, it’s essential to ask yourself the following questions:
- How much time will this take out of my week? This is especially important when working a full time job. Will your side job interfere with your day job?
- Is the money I’ll be getting paid worth the time and effort it will take?
- Is this side job something that I think I will enjoy?
- Will this side hustle job help me reach my goals or help me excel in other areas of my life?
- What will I need to get started? For example, what supplies will you need, and do you need to get certified before starting?
No matter your circumstances, taking on a side job can be a great way to supplement your income and find new ways of making money.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good job to have on the side?
It depends on what you’re looking for, the pay you expect, your experience, and your interests. But freelance writing, tutoring, or graphic design are all suitable jobs to have on the side because they offer flexibility and the ability to work on your own schedule.
Freelance writing offers a chance to hone your editing and SEO skills, while tutoring provides opportunities to help others learn and gain knowledge. Graphic design can also be rewarding, as you can help businesses with their branding and/or web design or create beautiful works of art that can be shared with the world.
How can I make an extra $1000 a month?
There are many ways to make an extra $1,000 a month, like teaching English, tutoring students, or becoming a social media manager.
Teaching English can be profitable because it is in demand in many countries and provides flexible working hours. You could also tutor students in subjects you know well, such as math or science. Finally, since social media is becoming increasingly popular, you could become a social media manager and help them reach their target audience and get more sales.
How can I make an extra $2000 a month?
Making an extra $2000 a month can be achieved by taking on more lucrative freelance projects or starting a side business through a blog.
If you want to make $2,000 per month, you need to think bigger and consider working with businesses with more cash flow or go for a job requiring more qualifications and a higher skill set.
You may also want to consider going for something where the income is passive to free up your time to generate more opportunities. Starting a blog is great for this, and there are multiple ways to make money passively through ads, affiliate marketing, and more.
Before you know it, $2,000 per month will seem like pocket change, and you’ll be on your way to incorporating your side hustle.
Last Words on Side Jobs
Starting a side job doesn’t have to be intimidating.
Whatever you’re looking for, the options in this article will provide a great way to supplement your income. This can help pay the bills and allow you to explore areas of interest, have fun, and meet new people.
To start, I suggest listing your skills and previous experience, referring back to this list, and choosing the top three options that stand out the most to you. From there, you can narrow things down and choose the best side job for you! And rather than trying to find the perfect freelance gig among the sea of job boards, you can go to SolidGigs, which will match you with the top 1% of freelance jobs.
So why not take advantage of this opportunity? Put on your entrepreneurial cap and see what type of money-making ventures you can find. And one day, this could even become your full-time career!
Now that you have this handy list of side job options, which side job stood out the most to you?
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