I honestly cannot remember a time in my life when I didn’t have a side job or ” hustle” to make a little extra income.
The creative side hustle ideas below are the kind of thing you can do to make some extra cash.
If you are looking to make some money on the side, there are tons of options out there that can earn you hundreds or even thousands of dollars each month.
I’ve personally used side hustles to pay for my wedding, vacations, maternity leaves and more.
Learning how to make money on the side of my day job helped me pay down my mortgage and pay off my student loans.
I eventually turned my side hustle into a full-time job (blogging!), and I can now stay home with my kids and work wherever and wherever I want.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure for more information.
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On this site, I talk a lot about different ways to make money on the side because I believe that earning extra income can completely change your life.
You can stop living paycheck to paycheck, you can pay off your debt, reach your retirement earlier and more.
Making extra income is the best way to start paying off your debt, put more towards savings, and work towards financial independence.
As you can tell, I am a big believer that learning new ways to make money can completely change your future for the better.
I also love hearing from people who are making money on the side so that they can pay off debt, reach retirement, and more.
Maybe you have an amazing career and need extra money for a special project (one of my most popular posts is about the best ways to make extra money as a nurse, for example).
Why you need a side hustle:
- Pay off debt
- Pay for college
- Stay at home with your children
- Build an emergency fund
- Ease money stress caused by potential layoffs and an unstable market
- Go part time at your regular job
- Save for a down payment
- Go on vacation
- Enjoy the holidays without money worries
- Absorb a maternity leave stress-free
- Pay for your kid’s activities and hobbies
- Support a family member in need
There are tons of great side income options available, more so now than ever with smartphones and social media. Some don’t even require special skills, just your time and motivation.
80+ Creative Side Hustle Ideas You Can Start Today
There are so many opportunities to make money working from home, some a little less legit than others.
The ideas below are all genuine work-at-home jobs that can make you a great side income.
1. Sell Printables on Etsy
If you are stuck thinking of an idea for a side hustle, have you considered creating an Etsy store that sells printables?
You can sell printables on Etsy for a little extra money each month.
My friend made over $6,000 doing this side hustle!
What are printables?
Printables are digital downlaods that a buyer can purchase and print at home.
People love buying printables because they get them instantly and can print at their leisure plus they are much cheaper to buy than paper products
This was my dilemma to be honest. I knew for a few years that I wanted to sell printables on Etsy but I couldn’t work out how to make ones that look professional
Last December I took the E-Printables course by Cody and Julie.
The videos in the course are step by step and actually taught me what to do.
2. Become a Virtual Assistant
Today’s version of a personal secretary, a VA gets paid to do tasks for bloggers and online businesses.
Jobs could include setting up and maintaining social media accounts, editing images and sending emails. I love this blog post by VA guru Gina Horkey, which takes you through the basics of setting up your own Pinterest VA business.
Find Out How Pinterest Can Make You Money!
3. Complete Online Surveys
You can earn cash and gift cards from the comfort of home with sites like Swagbucks.
I earn at least $100 a month from surveys and could definitely earn more if I spend a little bit more time.
Here is a list of survey sites that pay really well.
Get $5 Free When You Sign Up With Swagbucks!
4. Graphic Designer
If you have marketable skills such as graphic design or computer programming, consider posting on Fiverr.com
It’s the largest of the freelance marketplaces and has almost every kind of category.
And by the way, you don’t need to be a graphic designer to get work – Here’s How To Become A Graphic Designer {Without A Degree}
5. Transcription Services
Become a general or legal transcriber.
Transcriptionists listen to court or other recordings and type down everything they hear. You know how doctors dictate their notes? Transcriptionists are the people who listen to the recordings and turn them into legible writing.
Interested in learning more?
Janet from Transcribe Anywhere has a great free course to get you started.
6. Work At Home Travel Agent
Travel agents help people with planning their vacations, booking excursions and making reservations at theme parks and more.
If you have a passion for travel and good connections, you can make at least $2000 a month as a travel consultant.
Check out this post for more information on getting started as a work from home travel agent.
7. Tutor children online
Learning how to teach English online has become extremely popular these days and for many good reasons – it’s flexible, there’s a high need, and it pays pretty well.
It’s a great job for anyone to do but especially any teachers who are looking for work during the holidays.
You can make $1000-$2000 a month working part-time as a teacher from the comfort of home.
VIPKid is one of the largest companies hiring native English speakers now.
Learn more about VIPKid and how to get started here.
8. Start A Blog
Blogging is my preferred way of making money. I made $2000 after just 4 months of blogging and quickly grew my businesses to 6 figures.
Start-up costs are low (under $5!) and some bloggers make upwards of $100K a month!
If you have a passion for sharing your views with the world, a blog is a fantastic side hustle.
Check out my step by step to starting a blog that makes money here
9. Sell a product
If you have a product you love such as Stella & Dot jewelry, you can become a stylist and make some easy money.
I have a friend who regularly makes over $2000 a month promoting the products at parties and craft sales. Plus she gets to wear fancy jewelry for free!
Get more information here – How to Become a Stella & Dot Stylist
Sign-up to be a Stella & Dot Stylist Today!
10. Become a Proofreader
If you have an eye for details, proofreading may be for you! You check texts such as legal documents, books and medical articles for errors and grammatical mistakes.
It’s an awesome way to make money from home on a flexible schedule and you could make $50-60,000 a year working from home.
Caitlin from Proofread Anywhere has an awesome free webinar if you want to know more.
11. Affiliate Marketing on Pinterest
If you are not interested in starting a blog but want to make some money on social media, you can make money using affiliate links on Pinterest without a blog or website!
It’s a great way to get started on making some money from the comfort of home.
12. Start A Cookie Business
If you are a good baker, a side business making cookies or cakes for birthday parties and events can be a nice earner.
One thing that is really popular in my area are ready-made cookie decorating sets with plain sugar cookies in cute shapes, frosting and sprinkles.
The nice thing about those is that you don’t even need to be good at cookie decorating to make money.
Make sure to check your local city laws on food preparation businesses before launching.
13. Freelance Writing
If you have a talent for writing, freelancing can be an awesome side earner. There are tons of people making really good money writing articles for magazines and journals.
Bloggers also use writers to create posts for them and pay around $400-$500 per post.
If you want to learn more about freelance writing, you can sign up for this free 6 day email course from Elna Cain.
14. SwagBucks.com
In addition to surveys, Swagbucks will pay you for watching videos, shopping and doing internet searching and playing computer games.
I make around $100 a month from Swagbucks and rarely do surveys. I often play their live trivia game in the evenings and the points rack up.
Sign up for Swagbucks here and get $5 Free
15. Get Paid to tweet!
Seriously!
If you use social media accounts such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, put them to good use and get paid to promote products to your followers.
You can seriously make a good income just by tweeting!
Sign up with Izea and get started today!
16. Before and after school care
Many parents are in dire need of quality care before and after school and daycare programs.
In my area, the going rate is $25 a day for before and after school which includes taking the kids to school and picking them up in the afternoons.
This is a great option if you already work from home and have spare time on your hands.
17. Sell Your Crafts
If you are crafty, you can make a lot of money selling crafts on Facebook, at craft fairs or on Etsy.
This can be a really nice way to get paid for doing something you love.
Here are some of the top selling crafts:
38 Woodworking Projects That Sell
How To Make Beauty Products To Sell Or Gift
18. Use Shopping Apps
I’ve earned over $3000 in cashback from Rakuten and BeFrugal.
Combine coupons with their % cashback deals to make online shopping more rewarding.
Bonus: Get $10 free from each of them just for signing up here: BeFrugal and Rakuten.
19. Alterations and Mending
If you are handy with a needle and thread, there are so many crafts you can sew and sell.
And of course, you can also offer alternations.
Hemming, mending and simple alterations are all in demand.
People always need things like wedding dress alterations or zippers fixed.
You can even more if you can embroider – personalized stockings, Easter baskets are really hot sellers.
20. Do Odd Jobs Online
Fiverr is the ideal marketplace for making some extra cash online.
It can be typing, editing, image creation or anything you can imagine.
Some of the services that you can sell on Fiverr include:
- Blog post writing
- Social Media post creation
- Voiceovers
21. Start Scoping
Scopists edit court reporter transcripts from home. It is a great way to make extra money from home.
No one has ever heard of scoping but you can make $70,000 a year – working from the comfort of home!
The best way to get started is through the course offered by the Internet Scoping School which teaches you everything you know to succeed in this lucrative business.
Internet Scoping School offers a free 7 day introductory course on scoping.
Access the Free Scoping Course here
22. Babysitting or nannying
If you love kids, this can be a great option with hours to suit your availability.
You can work when you are available and make some extra cash.
You may even be able to bring your children with you.
Offer your services on Craiglist and Care.com.
23. Drive for Uber or Lyft
All you need is a clean driver’s license, background check, and a clean car to get started with these car services.
You can set your own hours and get paid weekly. This is an awesome way to make extra money on your own schedule.
24. Companion/Caregiver
Elderly citizens are often in need of help getting to the grocery store/doctor’s appointments. You can advertise your services on local Facebook groups and community centers.
25. Jack of all trades
If you are handy, you can earn good money helping with odd jobs and handyman types of work – fixing toilets, moving furniture, laying laminate flooring don’t require much skill.
You can advertise your services on neighborhood buy and sell pages. Word of mouth is also a great way to get business.
26. Shovel snow
If you live in a snowy area, your services will always be required in the winter making it a great option for some extra cash. You can advertise on Facebook or NextDoor and also use the Shovler app to find work.
27. Drive a school bus
Driving school buses doesn’t pay a ton but it is kind of fun work if you like kids. It’s also great consistent work that still gives you a lot of time during the day.
This is another job where you can often bring your kids as you work and drivers are always in demand.
RELATED: How To Find Fantastic Jobs Where You Can Bring Your Child
28. Cut lawns
This is the summer version of shovelling snow. Lots of people cannot care for their lawns or just don’t have the time.
You can offer your services for weeding, taking care of flower beds and mulching for extra cash.
29. Dog Walking
If you love dogs, dog walking can be a regular and lucrative side hustle that requires few hours for the good money.
You can even start your own dog walking business if you want to make it a permanent job.
30. Exercise Instructor
This is a great option if you can only work evenings and weekends.
You normally have to complete an accreditation before you start but you can often get that through your gym.
I completed a group exercise teacher training through LA Fitness and it was affordable and only took a day.
This is a great way to combine your workout and side hustle time!
31. Become A Wedding Coordinator
This is one of my favorite creative side hustles ideas.
Different from a wedding planner, a coordinator typically only works the day of the wedding helping to make sure things run to schedule.
Tasks often include setting up the decor, liaising with the wedding venue staff and DJ and helping take down everything at the end of the night. Wedding Coordinators in large cities make up to $1200 for a day’s work.
32. Mystery Shopper
I’ve made $100s from mystery shopping!
It’s really kind of fun to go undercover and get paid to shop! I shop for a number of companies, here’s how to make money as a mystery shopper.
33. Bartending
You can often get flexible hours in bars or pubs but for even more flexibility, consider signing with an agency that caters events such as weddings and corporate affairs.
Of course, that’s not the only way to drink and make money!
Here are 23 Amazing Ways To Get Paid To Drink Wine.
34. Clean houses
This is a wonderful option for SAHM who have a few hours a day to clean houses. You can earn $50-100 per house.
Starting a foreclosure cleaning business is even more lucrative! You can make hundreds a day cleaning up abandoned houses for banks.
35. Rent out your room on Airbnb
Renting out your spare room or whole house is a nice way to make money passively. You don’t even have to live somewhere really special to start this side hustle.
You will be surprised how much you can make renting out a room in a regular town.
36. Tutor Children
If you are strong in math or languages, high school children are often in need of tutors, especially around exam time.
Lessons normally take place in local libraries or coffee shops.
I did this for years and made a very healthy side-income as an English Teacher.
You can sign up to teach for Outschool to work as a tutor online.
37. Pinterest Manager
Pinterest Managers do what the title suggests. They manage other people’s Pinterest accounts – mainly brands and bloggers who create content for Pinterest.
Your tasks as a Pinterest manager might involve creating and maintaining Pinterest accounts, designing pins and images and pinning them.
Click Here to learn how To Become A Pinterest Manager
38. Get Paid To Refer Friends
You know how when you love a product, you want to recommend it to all your friends? Why not paid to do just that?
Many companies have refer-a-friend programs that will give you an incentive when your friends sign up for their service or product. Many of them will pay out even without any purchase.
Here is a list of amazing companies that will pay you to refer friends.
39. Flip Shoes
I know. Sounds weird but there is SERIOUS money in this creative side hustle idea. The profit margins in reselling shoes are insane.
Check out this amazing flip my friend Beau scored – he bought these shoes for $10 and sold them on eBay for…..
Beau is such an expert in flipping shoes for money that he has created a course to teach others how to do it.
You can check out the entire course here.
About The Course:
- The workshop includes 4 training sessions that were recorded live.
- We cover brands to look for, how to clean and take great pictures, how to list to get he sale and how to package and ship them!
- You get PDF downloads with every week to help you find, clean, and SELL your shoes!
40. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is the art of making money recommending products to people. You then get paid a commission. It’s similar to the refer a friend programs I mentioned above although it is on a larger scale.
I love affiliate marketing as it was the way I made my first $ online. And how I continue to make thousands of dollars every month. Affiliate websites are big business.
41. Flea Market Flipping
Flea market flipping is when you purchase items from a thrift store or flea market and resell them somewhere else for more than you paid for them.
You can resell clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, home decor, and more.
I have done quite a lot of thrift store reselling in the past, in fact I would say that it was a fun little side hustle for me, even before the term “side hustle” had been coined.
Many people search yard sales and thrift stores for items they can resell to consignment stores or even on eBay for a profit.
Sign up for this free webinar to learn more.
42. Get Paid To Chat Online
If you some an internet connection and some spare time, you can make money talking or flirting with people online.
This is not adult chat lines (although you can make money for sexting too).
There are quite a few companies that pay you to chat to people online.
43. Deliver Groceries
I just got my groceries delivered by Instacart.
The guy came by with his regular car and dropped off the bags on the porch. It was seamless and quick.
Many big box stores like Costco are using Instacart for fulfilment of grocery delivery services. It’s a side hustle that is in demand and has flexible hours.
Sign up for Instacart as a shopper and get paid to do the grocery shopping for other people.
44. Sell Your Stock Photos Online
If you are good at taking photos, even with your iPhone, you could start making some money selling them to online stock photo sites.
Seriously! There are sites that will pay you good money for photos you probably already have on your phone or camera.
Here are the 15 Best Stock Photo Sites To Sell Images.
45. Start an Amazon FBA Business
I’ve already mentioned making money by flipping items for a profit. Another way to do this is by selling with Fulfilment by Amazon, sometimes known as retail arbitrage.
The idea is simple: you buy items for cheap, then resell them through the Amazon.
If you are interested in learning more, I highly recommend checking out this free bootcamp run by a couple who make six figures on Amazon FBA.
46. Sell Short Stories Online
Everyone has a story in them and maybe yours can make you some cash.
If you love writing, you can launch your own side hustle selling your short stories to publications such as magazines and websites.
I created a big list of places to sell your short stories to get you started.
47. Start An Etsy Shop
I opened my Etsy Shop about 8 months ago and it has become one of my favorite side hustles.
The good news is that you don’t actually need to be crafter to become a successful Etsy shop owner, in fact the number 1 top seller on my list of 50 Etsy Shop Ideas is not a craft at all.
It costs nothing to open your own Etsy store and can be a really fun way to make extra money.
48. Become an OnlyFans Creator
OnlyFans is not just for adult entertainment – all kinds of people are making money selling subscriptions to their cooking, fitness or beauty channels.
Check out my guide on How To Make Money On OnlyFans.
50. Flip Blogs
Blog flipping involves starting a blog and growing it to a level where it makes good money. You can then “flip” it by selling it on for more money.
If this sounds something that would interest you, make sure to check out my step by step guide on website flipping.
If you are interested in learning more, I found a course called Blog Flipping Masterclass really useful.
51. Sell PLR Content
PLR stands for Private Rights Content and it is a great side hustle if you enjoy writing. With PLR you write articles on different topics then sell them to people to use for their own websites or blogs.
The same article can be sold again and again with PLR so you can make an unlimited amount of money with one piece of work.
You will have to create your own website for your PLR business, you can then follow the steps on this post to learn more about this lucrative way to make money in your van.
52. Deliver Food For Cash
There are tons of different apps where you can sign up to deliver take out food in your city. Check out Uber Eats, Doordash and Skip The Dishes.
The nice thing about these jobs is you can literally choose when to work and do as many or as few jobs as you like.
53. Create A Course Online
If you are good at anything at all, consider Designing And Selling A Course Online. It might sound crazy but people want to learn what you know. It could be yoga, gardening or birdwatching.
I guarantee that someone wants to learn what you can teach.
54. Teach With Outschool
Outschool just popped up and became a phenomenon.
If you have experience teaching with kids, you can run online classes in just about anything.
My kids have taken these classes in drawing LOL dolls, Disney Princess ballet and even how to be a secret agent.
55. Sell Your Old Socks Online
Yes this is a real side hustle. People are making hundreds every month by selling their used socks online.
Granted, this is not a side hustle for everyone but if it interests you, check out this post on selling used underwear with all the details.
56. Get Paid For Sitting Around
Yes really!
You can actually get paid to be a furniture tester.
Make money by laying around on beds, couches and chairs and reviewing the items for furniture companies.
Interested? Here’s how to get started testing furniture for cash.
57-80. Use an app to make money
There are tons of apps that will let you make money as a side hustle. You can check them all out here.
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