Side Hustle Ideas That Can Net You REAL Money

Side hustles are a must-have for many people in the very best of times, so it’s understandable that they’re even more critical when the world is going through major upheaval. 

What Exactly is a Side Hustle?

A side hustle is a job or task that you do “on the side” in addition to your regular job. It’s a way to earn extra money to supplement your income so that you can meet your expenses, grow your savings or build wealth. 

Who Uses Side Hustles?

Lots of people use side hustles. People like New Yorkers use them to be able to pay the rent in the tiny studios they share with two other people!  Budding entrepreneurs use side hustles to market a particular skill they want to capitalize on. 

What Are Some Great Side Hustle Opportunities?

There are tons of great side hustle opportunities out there. The following list represents just a few.

Online Teaching

Even if you’ve never taught a day in your life, you can make a nice bit of side income doing online teaching. Companies like VIPKid and PalFish hire native English speakers to teach English to Chinese children via video chat.

VIPKid applicants have to have a bachelor's degree, while PalFish applicants don’t need a degree. Check out online sites comparing these and other tutoring sites to decide which one works best for you and your circumstances.

Writing

Fancy yourself a writer? Got a way with words? Everyone from small businesses to nonprofits to major retailers need copywriters and blog writers to handle everything from their social media presence to blog posts white papers. Your earning potential is practically limitless when it comes to writing. 

The first thing you need to do is decide on a niche. What topic do you love to write about? What area do you have experience in? Culinary experts, foodies and gourmands could write for food blogs and retailers, while finance experts can make a killing writing about topics like bitcoin and investments. 

People who focus on a niche can market themselves as experts in a field so that they can become a go-to expert for that industry. Set up a portfolio that shows off your writing ability. If you haven’t formally written for anyone before, don’t worry. Write a few articles or blog posts in your chosen genre, and throw them onto a free online portfolio. Having a portfolio will allow you to be taken more seriously.

Some writers kick off their careers by working with freelancing platforms/content marketplaces  like Upwork or Textbroker. These sites tend to pay on the lower side, but once you have an approved profile on Upwork, you can bid on writing jobs posted by individuals and companies. 

Once they’ve gotten comfortable with writing and have built up a portfolio, many writers level up by reaching out to content marketing agencies or sites like ProBlogger that have up-to-date lists of the latest writing jobs, or they contact clients directly. Working with clients directly cuts out the middleman and helps increase earning potential. Many writers make upwords of six figures per year. 

Passion Projects

What do you love to do? Are you a wizard at braiding hair or making wigs? Can you draw just about anything? Are you an incredible knitter? Maybe you’re a dietician who can help people build healthy eating plans? You can easily turn any passion of yours into a money maker. All you have to do is get the word out about what you do. 

Launch your business on social media. Set up a business-only social media account where you can hawk your wares or skills while interacting with potential customers and other businesses related to your field. It’s critical that you keep your business accounts separate from your personal ones so that you can be taken seriously. 

Don’t think you need to set up a brick-and-mortar store to start your business. You literally need a simple, beautifully made website, a product, and ways for people to reach you. Sites like Shopify have interfaces that help you set up the retail end of your business in no time so that you’re good to go once your product is ready. 

Remote Workers

There are plenty of companies ranging from Fortune 500 companies to local startups that are looking for work-at-home help. That help can range from virtual assistant positions to online customer service help. Many of them offer flexible schedules, and most offered paid training. 

There may be computer requirements that need to be met in order to qualify for these jobs, so make sure you know what’s needed before applying. Sites like ratracerebellion.com are excellent places to start looking for online work. If you’ve never checked out Fiverr, you have to. It’s perfect for everyone from musicians to cartoonists looking for clients. 

Shoppers

Thanks to sites like Instacart to Postmates, there are  people out there who will save you precious time by doing all of your shopping for you. You may have seen some of these people when you’ve ordered sushi after a late work night or couldn’t make it to the grocery store in time. If you live in a particularly busy area with tons of restaurants and shops, you could make a killing delivering for or shopping several times a week.

These are just a few of the side hustles available for anyone looking to pad their income or pursuing their lifelong dream of building a business. There’s no time like the present to get everything going.