Of course, most side gigs aren’t going to bring in millions. But even a modest one can free you up financially. Maybe you’ll be able to get a degree, take a vacation, or save for retirement. Or perhaps you can substitute a flexible hustle for your current part-time work to be home with your kids. That way, you won’t have to lose money to parent your way.
1. Transporting People
One of the biggest side hustler trends is driving for a rideshare company like Uber or Lyft. All you need is a vehicle and insurance to get started. Then, you can work the hours you like and meet interesting people. Salary.com estimates that the median annual income earned from Uber or Lyft is around $37,400. But, of course, this number depends on many variables, including the city you’re driving in and how many hours you’re willing to drive per week.Since rideshare drivers don’t make much money per trip, you may want to be available during high-traffic events. For instance, if you live near a sporting event stadium, find out when the next game or concert will happen. Then, be sure you’re ready to provide transportation during the hours before and after the event.
2. Transporting People’s Treasured Belongings
Let’s say that you like the idea of a ridesharing side hustle. The problem is that you would rather not ferry people around. Are you open instead to transporting people’s belongings or pets? Then you’ll want to check out a site like CitizenShipper.Be aware, though, that you’ll have to go the extra mile (pun intended) to become a pet driver. All pet drivers must pass a background check, verify their ID and obtain a USDA registration. CitizenShipper makes this all quick and easy on their platform, and there is no cost to the driver.
3. Making a Hobby Pay Off
During the pandemic, one report suggests that nearly six out of 10 people picked up a hobby. That’s not surprising, given the fact that plenty of folks had more time on their hands. So what better time to learn to crochet or pick up a crafty pastime?4. Selling Your Unwanted Stuff
Clutter, clutter everywhere. It’s such a common problem. Forty-seven percent of people in one survey admitted they had a junky room that they kept off-limits to special guests. Consequently, if you’re among them, you probably have a similar love-hate relationship with stuff. On the one hand, it’s nice to have things. But, on the other hand, those things can drive you crazy if you don’t use them.Instead of letting your unwanted stuff collect dust, trade it in on eBay, Poshmark, or a similar site. To help you learn what’s hot among buyers, eBay has a trending page. Spending a little time on it can help you determine what you want to get rid of—and for how much. Don’t expect to fetch high prices on everything you own. However, be open to selling things currently in high demand. (Tech consistently does well and can bring in surprisingly high bids.)
5. Starting a Blog
Does it seem as if your friends always come to you for advice? Would you consider yourself an expert on a niche topic, like tree identification or mid-century modern lamps? Starting a WordPress blog could be a smart move. According to Indeed, bloggers make an average of $39,186 per year.6. Live Streaming Your Gaming Experiences
Whether or not you’re a Twitch fan, you can’t deny that the platform has made live streaming huge. So if you’re into live streaming, you could set up a subscriber base and get paid regularly.Unsure if people will really pay to hear your game or shop (which is significant outside of North America)? You might be surprised. Twitch has impressively high traffic counts. According to Statista, more than 5.6 billion hours were watched on Twitch in 2022 alone. That’s more than YouTube gaming numbers from the same period.
7. Becoming a Tutor
A great way to master any skill is to teach it to others. Even some of the greatest minds in the world, like Michangelo and Mozart, shared their knowledge with others. As a side hustle, you can also become a tutor, training others in what you already understand.Not long ago, tutoring had to be done in person. Now, though, Zoom has opened the door to allow just about anyone to tutor from anywhere. So, for instance, you could tutor someone worldwide as long as you both have a working Internet. The only limits are the ones you put on yourself as far as time goes.
What should you tutor? Music, wealth management, academic studies, sports, performance techniques, writing… whatever you excel at. You might want to work with an existing tutoring company to get started.
8. Renting Storage Space in Your Home
Storage units can cost a pretty penny. Move estimates that the average per-unit cost is around $180 monthly. That’s more than $2,000 a year. It’s also why you might want to ask yourself if you could store other people’s stuff in your house.Unfortunately, it’s only for users in the Los Angeles area for now. However, don’t let that deter you from looking for other avenues to offer your storage services, such as Craigslist. Even word-of-mouth advertising could be a good fit.
The key to making this work is ensuring you can protect someone else’s things. You may want to invest in gadgets like a self-installed security system or portable dehumidifier. That way, you can assure anyone needing temporary storage that you take your role seriously.
Money doesn’t grow on trees, it’s true. Yet it’s not as hard to put more dollars in your pocket as you might assume. With a little creativity and effort, you can set up a side hustle that lets you get closer to your financial goals.
