By Elizabeth Jett
A side hustle is a business activity you do on the side of your full-time job or primary career. It’s something additional to your main income stream, which may be either passive (i.e., free) or active (i.e., requires effort). These are not jobs; they are just activities that make money for you in addition to your main job or career. If you’re looking for ways to earn extra money, here are five side hustles that make good money.
1. Tutoring and babysitting.
This is my number 1 side hustle because it has the most potential to earn a lot of money if done correctly. For tutoring and babysitting, you need to have excellent communication skills, patience with kids, love children, and a real desire to make some money while helping others. Some parents spend thousands of dollars per year on tutors, but there are many ways this can be accomplished for much less. With a well-developed platform, it’s possible to charge anywhere from $25-$100+ per hour.
If you are interested in becoming a tutor, I recommend starting small and building up gradually. You’ll find a list of “tutors” who teach different subjects in different cities at TutorMama. The site includes reviews and photos of their lessons, so people can read what they’re getting before committing to anything. This will also get you started thinking about how to communicate with students.
2. Uber driving or Door Dash.
I’ve been working on earning additional money via Uber since last July when I left my corporate 9-5 job to pursue my passion. At first, I just used the app to take rides around town to practice driving. Then other friends recommended me as a driver, which was great exposure. To date, I have earned over $8500 in tips. I drive 3 days a week and can focus on learning the ins and outs of driving professionally.
The biggest challenge with this gig is finding new drivers. You can advertise yourself on Facebook groups like Lyft Drivers Worldwide. There are also many forums where people share information about openings. My tip is to post multiple times a week until you see a steady flow of requests coming through to you. Once you have enough requests, you can increase your rates and eventually hire a part-time employee if you’d like.
3. Create an Etsy store or Shopify.
Etsy is a marketplace where anyone can sell crafts and handmade goods by themselves. Sign up completely free, and you only pay a commission fee when someone buys from you. Many Etsy sellers turn their hobby into a second source of income, and some even become very rich from it. Etsy also offers a lot of tools to help you succeed. There are hundreds of resources online to help you set up an Etsy store.
Shopify allows you to create a website and sell products directly. Similar to eBay, you keep 100% of the profit. However, Shopify has built-in features to save time and make running an online store easier. They offer a 14-day trial period, so you can test their service without paying anything upfront. Also, unlike eBay, Shopify gives you access to customers 24/7. As soon as you open an account, you can begin selling immediately. Their fees range between 4%-6%, depending on how large your product line is.
4. Look into home-based jobs.
There are many ways to work remotely. Online freelance platforms such as Upwork or Freelancer are perfect for those who want flexibility. Other options include looking into home-based franchises, using virtual assistant apps such as Hootsuite or Virtual Assistants Canada, and setting up a blog and advertising. A few examples are listed below.
Upwork – Get paid to search for freelancers and employers on Upwork. You decide the price you charge per hour.
Hootsuite – Manage social media accounts for brands and businesses. You choose the hours of operation and can log in whenever convenient.
Blogging – Blogging is another way to earn extra income. You maintain your website or blog.
5. Clean Homes.
If you’re good at cleaning houses, why not get paid for it? Several sites like Handy and Care.com allow homeowners to rate their next house cleaner. On Handy, for instance, you tell them what kind of cleaning service you give, then they find other local cleaners who fit your criteria. Then you both pick a date, time, and payment method.
You’ll earn more money faster if you take photos and videos during each visit. The key is clearly explaining the different areas and functions of the property while still showing it in its best light. Remember to be consistent with your pricing structure and follow through on the agreed-upon payments.
Side hustles are necessary to increase our earnings and reduce our debt. When we combine multiple side hustles, we might even be able to live off of them. We must remember that we should only take on side hustles that add value to us and our families. If side hustling isn’t something you enjoy, then you won’t stick with it long enough to see results.
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Elizabeth Jett is a public relations specialist based in Memphis, TN. When she is not writing and researching, she can be found spending time with her family, friends, or her animals.
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