Do you need side hustle ideas that’ll bring in some extra money?

Thanks to the internet, finding a side hustle is easier than ever. You can work from any location — and you can usually choose your own schedule. 

All you need to make a little extra cash is a few ideas, time and persistence.

Here are 11 side hustle ideas to consider… maybe one of these will hit the sweet spot for you! 

1. Freelance Writing

Businesses desperately need reliable writers to help keep up with the endless demand for content.

Social media posts, blog posts, case studies, ebooks, white papers, emails, newsletters, PR pitches… the list of written content businesses need goes on and on and on. 

And while there are many qualified writers, finding those who will meet deadlines is a challenge. 

So, if you have decent writing skills and can meet deadlines, freelance writing is a great side hustle option for you.

You don’t need a degree for most writing jobs. You just need the ability to tell a coherent story and a willingness to take direction.

The nice thing about freelance writing is its flexibility. You can work this side hustle around your day job by writing in the evenings or on weekends. And since freelance writing is remote, this side hustle will work for you no matter where you happen to be. 

Further Reading on Freelance Writing

• What is Guest Blogging (& How Does It Work)?
• 36 Beginner-Friendly Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs
• The Definitive Guide to Freelance Contracts, Invoices, & Taxes

2. Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants are in high demand. As entrepreneurs grow, the first position they look for is a virtual assistant who can take over tasks like answering emails and managing social media accounts. So if you’re resourceful, detail-oriented and reliable, ‌look at offering virtual assistant services.

There are many benefits to working as a virtual assistant. Like a freelance writer, you can often set your own hours, choose your own clients and work from home.

A virtual assistant can fill many roles, so it’s up to you to decide what tasks you’d enjoy doing. 

Some virtual assistants specialize in social media management. Some virtual assistants manage a business owner’s email accounts and handle administrative duties. Other virtual assistants focus on customer service, dealing with frequently asked questions, answering email questions and fixing order snafus. 

However, it’s not required you specialize in one area. If you can multitask and enjoy learning new skills, you can take on any role that’s asked of you. Being adaptable and willing to learn is a great asset.

Further Reading on Virtual Assistants

• How To Become a Virtual Assistant (And Find Remote Work from Home)
• Skills That Virtual Assistants Need
• Where to Find Virtual Assistant Jobs for Beginners: 14 Top Sites

3. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook marketplace is a great way to sell used items and collect extra cash. 

Start with your own place. You most likely have stuff lying around your house that you don’t need or use (everyone does!). So why not sell it on Facebook Marketplace to earn extra cash? 

And bonus: decluttering your space feels fantastic (there’s a reason why there are multiple shows around doing just that). 

Plus, if you enjoy the process, you can offer it as a service to other people. Everyone has unused items cluttering their homes, but they don’t have time to take photos, write descriptions and post everything to Marketplace.

You have the perfect opportunity to do the work for them in return for a commission. Your commission will depend on how much work you must do to get the items salable. If you’re willing to do the work (and get paid for it), you might need to clean up some ‌things before you take pictures and list them. 

Homeowners love getting their spaces cleared out. They just don’t want to do it themselves. So, if you can sell them on the value of letting you do it, you’ll win big.

Further Reading on Facebook Marketplace

• 9 Secrets for Successfully Selling Your Stuff on Facebook Marketplace
• How to Sell on Facebook Marketplace – 2022 Beginner’s Guide
• Best-Selling Items on Facebook Marketplace (Top Sellers 2022)

4. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing promotes a product or service by sending people to a company’s website via an affiliate link. You receive a commission from the company if the visitor makes a purchase.

Think of your favorite Instagram influencer sharing the latest lipstick from a makeup line or the blogger who reviews camping tents. They are making money via affiliate marketing. They receive a commission every time someone clicks on their affiliate link and makes a purchase.

Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular online methods for making money because it doesn’t require an upfront cost or investment on your behalf. 

You can promote affiliate products via blog posts, YouTube videos, podcast episodes, social media channels or emails. 

Each platform has rules you must follow, so be sure to read all the guidelines. You don’t want to lose your affiliate marketing privileges by violating them.

Further Reading on Affiliate Marketing

• What Is Affiliate Marketing and How To Get Started
• 50 of the Best Affiliate Marketing Programs That Pay the Highest Commission
• 16 Affiliate Marketing Tips & Strategies to Earn More Money

5. Tutoring & Teaching

If you speak a second (or third) language fluently, you’ve got a skill that can earn you some extra money. Parents will pay generously for someone to teach little Johnny or Suzie a second language.

Suppose you don’t speak a second language but have a solid command of the English language. In that case, you could work with those learning English as a second language. 

Do you have a knack for math and sciences, even if you don’t use them in your current job? 

High school students and parents often seek help with ACT and SAT prep. 

If you want to work locally, advertise your tutoring services on community boards or Facebook groups. And network with local school administrators and teachers. 

Or work with people all around the world via the internet. Businesses like Preply or TutorMe offer online tutoring opportunities.

Further Reading on Tutoring

• 7 Ways to Make Money from Your Language Skills
• How To Become a Tutor—Everything You Need to Know to Get Started
• Can You Tutor Online Without a Degree? Yes! Here’s How

6. Facebook Ads Management

Facebook advertising is an excellent way for businesses to target potential customers in a specific area. And it’s easy to track the results so they can see how much money they spent and what kind of return they got on their ad investment.

But many small business owners don’t have the time or energy to put into Facebook advertising. So if you like working with analytics and experimenting with advertising, this is an excellent opportunity for you. 

Facebook offers training and certification that will get you started. And you’ll also learn as you work with different clients.

When you start, it’s easiest to begin with a small business running ads for lead generation. Then, as your skills improve, you can tackle more significant projects. You’ll also learn the kinds of ads you enjoy running and the kinds of businesses you want to work with. 

Further Reading on Running Facebook Ads

• How To Become a Facebook Ads Manager and Make Money From Home
• How To Create Facebook Ads: A Beginner’s Guide
• 21 Facebook Advertising Tips to Try Right Now

7. Online Courses

Another possibility is to create an online course around subjects that interest you or where you have experience.

For example, do you know how to make your own knitting patterns? You can make a course teaching others how to do the same.

Do you have experience with website design? Small business owners with limited budgets would love to learn how they can design an attractive website that converts.

Are you a cake decorator extraordinaire? Baking enthusiasts will flock to your course that shows them how to decorate the cakes they make.

You can create a course on any topic you want as long as it has an audience. So how do you determine if there’s an audience for your course idea?

Look at Amazon. Are there any books on your desired topic? That’s a sign of interest.

Look at course sites like Udemy or Skillshare. Do they offer courses around your idea? It means there’s an audience for your topic. 

Don’t worry about competition. If others are successfully selling courses and books around your subject, that means there are people who will buy. That’s a good thing!

Further Reading on Online Courses

• How to Create an Online Course
• How to Create a Course & Start Selling It In 30 Days or Less
• 13 Top Picks for Course Creation Software in 2022!

8. Real Estate

There are many ways to make some extra moolah with real estate besides buying a second home and renting it out. So don’t worry if you don’t have that kind of cash.

For those with smaller budgets, here are some other money-making ideas involving real estate.

You could flip houses if you have access to more significant amounts of money to invest. It requires sweat equity, but the payoff can be huge.

Crowdfunded platforms like Fundrise help you get started with minimal contribution requirements in private real estate investments. 

You could get your real estate license and sell homes. That’ll require scheduling flexibility as real estate clients will expect you to be available to show them potential homes on their schedule.

AirBnbs and VRBO are options if you have space to rent.

Another “real estate” option is renting out property assets. Do you have a pool that you could rent out by the hour for teens looking to cool off on summer afternoons?

Do you have a “party” basement with a pool table, ping-pong table or other similar games? While you probably don’t want to rent it out to hoards of college students for weekend parties, what about offering it to church or community groups for youth activities? Just check with your homeowner’s insurance first to find any restrictions.

Further Reading on Real Estate

• 20 Real Estate Side Hustle Ideas to Earn Extra Income
• How To Start an Airbnb Business In Six Steps—and Make Money
• How To Flip a House: A Complete Guide for Beginners

9. Online Surveys

Surveys won’t earn you thousands of extra dollars each month, but they are a pretty straightforward, mindless and fun way to pick up a few bucks.

Businesses contract with survey companies for market research. When you respond to surveys, your input gives brands insight into how well a product might do on the market or where they should focus their product development efforts.

When you sign up with a survey company like Survey Junkie, you’ll fill out a questionnaire. Then, Survey Junkie will match you with surveys based on your interests and demographics.

For each survey you complete, you earn virtual points. You redeem your virtual points for PayPal payouts or gift cards. It takes a while to build up points, so it’s not a quick way to earn money. 

Further Reading on Online Surveys

• Surveys for Money: The Best Sites to Take Online Surveys
• Online Focus Groups: 24 Paid Research Companies that Pay Up To $100 an Hour for Your Opinion
• 11 Legitimate Survey Companies That Pay Cash + Gift Cards

10. Social Media Management

Social media management might be an excellent opportunity for your side hustle aspirations if you enjoy social media.

Many small business owners don’t have the time or energy to devote to social media, even though they like the results of social media marketing. 

Look around your local community and see if any businesses you frequent have a Facebook page or Instagram account that isn’t being updated. You’ll have better luck getting a social media side hustle from someone who has an account but isn’t using it vs. trying to convince a business that isn’t on social media they need to be.

Social media managers should know the different social media platforms and how they work. They also need to understand how to use these platforms as marketing tools and create engaging content for followers.

Further Reading on Social Media Management

• How To Become a Social Media Manager (Complete Guide for Beginners)
• 9 Skills Every Social Media Manager Must Have
• The Complete Guide to Social Media for Small Business

11. Photography

Freelance photography is a nice side hustle if you have a decent camera and a little skill. And with today’s smartphones, you likely have a decent camera. And photography skills can be self-taught. 

Photography can be a seasonal niche, so you could offer Santa photos if you want to pick up some cash before Christmas. If you need funds for your summer vacation, you could take senior pictures of your community’s local graduates.

Do you prefer working with furry creatures over humans? Pet photography is a big market. 

Stock photography is another possibility. Take pictures of cityscapes, food, office and desk spaces, etc., and sell them on Creative Market or Etsy. Marketers always look for new, quality stock photos to use in content marketing materials.

If photography isn’t your thing, but you have mad Photoshop skills, you can offer editing services. Target amateur photographers who want their family photos cleaned up but don’t want to deal with Photoshop’s steep learning curve.

Further Reading on Photography

• 10 Photography Side Hustle Ideas to Monetize Your Online Presence
• A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Photography Side Hustle
• 10 iPhone Photography Tips to Quickly Improve Your Photos

Which Side Hustle Are You Going to Try?

Side hustles are a great way to make extra money.

Whether you’re looking for a way to pay off debt, start your dream business or fund your retirement account, your perfect side hustle awaits.   

Which side hustle idea resonates with you? Let me know in the comments.

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