The 6 Best Side Hustle Ideas to Make Money
44 million Americans have a side gig that earns them extra money outside of their main source of income. Here are the top ways that people rake in a little additional dough.
Who is This Guide For?
Gen Z
42% of Gen Z wants to start a
business in their lifetime.
Millennials
1 out of every 2 have a side hustle.
Gen X
Highest percentage of startup founders at 55%.
Baby Boomers
1 out of every 4 have a side hustle.
In other words: anyone who is looking for an additional income option.
80% of workers admit that their current career falls short of a dream job.
01
Sell Stuff Online
Running an ecommerce business is the most popular side hustle out there. With 1.86 trillion U.S. dollars being spent online, there’s plenty of success to go around.
What to Sell
Make or manufacture something yourself.
Sell your old stuff and collections.
Identify search and buying trends on Google Insights.
Drop ship products to reduce overhead and capital cost.
Invent something.
Buy something (car, website, etc.) make it better, and sell it for profit.
Most Popular Shopping
Categories Worldwide
Growth of Ecommerce
Sales Worldwide
Fashion Products
Travel Products/Services
Books and Music
Computer/Mobile Devices
Tickets/Events
Growth of Ecommerce
Sales Worldwide
Where to Sell Your Items
Hustler Tip:
When deciding whether to create your own online store or sell your products somewhere like Amazon, the best answer is to consider both. Amazon will help you reach a wide audience, but you will create better customer relationships through your own store.
"
What began as a small at home project has flourished into a thriving business with unlimited potential thanks to our website and online sales.
Laura Brown
Austin City Gift Baskets
02
Drive a
Rideshare
If you own a car, this can be a flexible and easy option to make money on the side.
There are 1,000,000 Uber
drivers and 700,000 Lyft
drivers in the U.S.
of Uber drivers
are part time.
Uber says its drivers
make an average of
$0 per hour,
although most drivers say
the net pay comes out to $10-$15
Delivery and Courier Service
Not interested in driving people around?
You can make an income similar to
ridesharing by delivering packages
with AmazonFlex and UberEats.
Hustler Tip:
Know the ins and outs of your insurance coverage: most drivers don’t tell their insurance company about their ridesharing work, but that puts them at risk for having claims denied.
"
This is only a good side gig if you’re an early bird or night owl. Without the peak hours or surge pricing, your margins get pretty thin.
Dean Thomas
Uber Driver
03
Sell Your
Know-How
as a Service
Make money from a hobby, a special skill
or any task that’s in high demand.
Make money from a hobby, a special skill, or any task that’s in high-demand.
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Contractors
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Helpers
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Consultants
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Translators
In the U.S., freelance job demand has grown 3x faster than overall job demand since 2014.
Most Popular Ways People Find Freelance Work
Friends + Family
Freelance
Marketplaces
Social Media
Previous
Freelance
Online Ads
Online
Job Boards
Work Contacts
Hustler Tip:
If you made more than $600 from any side job during the tax year, you’re expected to report that as “miscellaneous income” on your next tax return.
"
People generally want to live better and be healthier. With my passion for cooking and helping people eat better, it was a natural fit for me to teach cooking classes.
Raad Mansour
Austin Food Company
04
Rent on Airbnb
From listing a spare bedroom to offering up an entire house, Airbnb users are making their own abodes pay out big.
There were 660,000 Airbnb listings in the U.S. in 2017.
Airbnb hosts make nearly three times the monthly income of Uber and Lyft drivers
Millenials and Gen Z are more likely to try Airbnb hosting, but Baby Boomer hosts tend to make more
Senior citizens are opening up their spare bedrooms to "age in place".
Millenials can rent out a spare room to get the feel of living alone without the cost associated with it.
Hustler Tip:
Make sure to check for HOA rules, required business licenses and local taxes.
"
"Spend a little money to decorate your space well, and take the time to snap high-quality photos. You'll get a return on your investment really quickly if your listing looks great!"
Andrea Kinnison
Airbnb Host
06
Trade Cryptocurrency
It's high risk — but with a potentially high reward — so it's only for hustlers with nerves of steel and nothing to lose.
Growth of Cryptotrading
Cryptocurrency Definitions
Blockchain
(noun) [block-chain]
An encrypted digital file distributed to everyone participating in cryptotrading; acts as a public ledger, and keeps track of all transactions
Private Key
(noun) [prahy-vit kee]
A unique code assigned to every piece of cryptocurrency, which is necessary in any transaction.
Wallet
(noun) [wol-it]
A software program where public and private keys are stored.
Bitcoin
(noun) [bit-koin]
The most popular form of digital currency, distributed on a peer-to-peer basis.
Altcoin
(noun) [alt-koin]
Any coin that isn't Bitcoin
Investing & Trading Basics
Sign up for an account and create your wallet. Stick with the safer, more popular exchange sites: Bitpay, Coinbase, Coingate, Gemini.
Buy and sell your first cryptocurrency. Stick with the more common types of cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin, Ethereum (ETH).
As you get the hang of when to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, sign up for exchanges to start trading.
Hustler Tip:
It's the wild west of investment. There will be big winners and big losers, and not a lot in between.
"
"Always research the terms and use cases behind a cryptocurrency before you invest. Even then, be ready for extreme ups and downs until the market matures."
Dustin Vegas
Cryptocurrency Investor
The Takeaway
Make it a win/win: Besides padding your bank account, pick a side hustle that develops your passion or hobby. The end goal is to make this something you can turn into a career. But regardless of the extra income you bring in, you'll be growing your skill sets in the areas that fulfill you the most.
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05
Monetize Your Social Streams
It's not just about audience size (although the bigger the better). Even micro-influencers can make good money... but it's all about the engagement they've built with audiences.
The Most Lucrative
Social Media Platforms
YouTube has paid out more than $2B to unique content creators
A YouTuber with 1-3M subscribers average $125k per sponsored post
An Instagrammer with 100k followers can command $5000 for a sponsored post.
Million
Million
Million
How to Monetize
Hustler Tip:
If you want to grow fast, cultivate relationships with power users in your niche. Share your influence with shoutouts and @mentions, and borrow their influence by asking them to share your content.
"
"Collaborating with influencers in your niche will help you grow. Create meaningful stories that showcase both your own and their content, and cross-pollinate between your channels."
Cyrene Q -
Social Media Influencer