In today’s world, a single income isn’t always enough to get by on. In 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the median income for someone working full-time was about $936.00 per week. While this sounds like a fair amount, keep in mind that with averages there are still many making far less per week. Also, when you consider monthly bills such as rent or mortgage, transportation costs, insurances, and other basic necessities, that average number can dwindle to pocket change quickly depending on a person’s cost of living in their area.
Even if you do feel like you are making enough money to get by, there are many reasons to consider a side hustle. For those who are just getting by, it can provide enough to be more comfortable in daily life and spending habits. Just a little extra income so that you can enjoy that Starbucks addiction guilt-free.
Some may choose to pick up a side hustle to put money toward a specific goal or purchase, such as a new appliance, wedding fund, Christmas spending, or saving up for that vacation you have been dreaming about. Perhaps they just want to splurge on that new computer for gaming with all the bells and whistles.
For some, the side hustle is just for a little “fun money” to spend. Maybe they like to go out and enjoy a fancy bottle of wine now and again or have a special meal at a high-end restaurant. Concert tickets are another great example of how some might want to spend their “fun money” that doesn’t have to go toward bills and basic survival.
Sure, you could always find a second job, but if you’re already working a main job with hours that might fluctuate, that creates scheduling conflicts and would make an already hectic schedule even more stressful. Even with set hours, a second job, even if part-time, can be a big commitment and lead to no free time whatsoever and be wearing on a person. Some people already working two jobs may be interested in picking up a side hustle to work from home so that they can reduce their commitments to a single main job.
Working from home does require some self-discipline in order to stay on task. For those who are prone to be distracted by cute cat videos, it can be particularly challenging. However, once you see your work starting to pay off, the distractions are less enticing and you can really dig in and start making your side hustle a profitable endeavor.
What am I qualified for when working at home? There are plenty of different options with different talents and qualifications. While not everyone is going to be able to make a go out of each one, most people will be able to find a side hustle that they are able to do and make some extra income for themselves.
Whatever your reason for interest in a side hustle, below you will find ten of the best options out there that can be done from the comfort of your own home.
Sell Services on Fiverr
Selling your talents on Fiverr on a gig by gig basis can be a really convenient side hustle for many people already working in digital media. Whether you’re writing or editing, composing, illustrating, marketing, or other sought after digital talents, chances are you can find someone looking for you to take on a custom project. There are a variety of types of services offered through Fiverr. Popular categories are:
- Graphics & Design
- Digital Marketing
- Writing & Translation
- Video & Animation
- Music & Audio
- Programming & Tech
- Business
- Lifestyle
One of the big selling points on Fiverr is the ability to complete a project quickly to the customer’s satisfaction. Many off services completed within 24 hours with options to edit the work until the customer is happy with the product.
As with any business, it’s vital to keep the customers happy. On Fiverr, customers rate their satisfaction with you on a star scale up to 5. Most customers will be drawn to higher ratings as well as attracted to samples in your ad, so having a good customer service tone in your communication with clients can help you get and keep a high satisfaction rating.
Become a Seller on eBay or Craigslist
It’s not uncommon for people to sell an item or two on either eBay or Craigslist now and then. However, there are a few people who have made careers out of selling items by listing them online. Some might buy low-cost items elsewhere online to sell for a higher price later. Others might scope the local flea market or second-hand stores to stock their virtual store.
Similarly, others might choose to set up an online store with a company that uses drop-shipping. This way, you are able to sell items online, choose your own pricing and receive payments, but never have to stock the items or be involved in the shipping directly. The beauty of running an e-commerce store is that you do not have to deal with the items physically. However, you do have to be sure that you are dealing with a reputable company that makes zero to few errors when it comes to their end with the shipping. With all business, it’s important to be sure that the customer is able to receive their product in a predictable and timely manner and that your customer service is impeccable should an error occur.
Start a Blog
The internet is home to millions of blogs and each one has its own unique voice and those who follow it. People start their own blogs for many different reasons. Some may just want to be informative on a specific subject, while others may focus on product reviews, and others are just interesting viewpoints presented for their readers’ consumption. Then, of course, there’s starting your own blog as a side hustle.
Typically, running a blog won’t be fast income, it is something you are going to have to put time into to get started and be consistent with your postings. It’s very important to be knowledgable on the topic you’ve chosen to blog about. If you don’t know the answers, be prepared to do some research so that you are credible and trustworthy as well as entertaining.
Depending on the type of blog you have, you have several avenues of monetization you can choose from. You can get an affiliate account through Amazon and earn revenue through recommending items and using affiliate links in your blog. Some bloggers use third party ads through services such as Google AdSense or similar services. Another popular way to monetize your blog is to offer sales of digital content created for your readers, such as an e-book or e-cookbook.
Babysitting
Childcare is a major expense for couples with two working adults. For some couples, it actually saves money for one of the parents to quit their job to stay home with their children after analyzing the cost of childcare and fuel. If you are good with children, or perhaps are a parent staying home with your children already, you may consider babysitting from your home as a good side hustle to pursue.
Babysitting isn’t all fun, games, and playtime. Depending on the age of the child, you may need to know how to change diapers, help with potty time, prepare bottles or do timed feedings and make certain that your house is childproofed for safety. Many times the household will need to be nonsmoking (or non-vaping) and pet safety needs to be a consideration as well. It’s also a good idea to know some about educational levels and which activities or games would be good to stimulate intellectual growth in the child or children.
You will also need to be aware of any sensitivities or allergies the child may have and keep emergency numbers handy so that you can contact the parent or a medical expert if needed. It is absolutely a great idea to be trained in CPR if you are caring for another person, regardless of their age.
Be sure to check your state’s laws on childcare and limitations of freelance babysitting from home. In some states, there are limits as to how many children you may babysit in your home before you have to register and comply as a day-care center.
Sell Products on Etsy
Everyone is blessed with different talents. If your talent happens to be crafting or creating custom or unique products, then selling your wares on Etsy could be the side hustle for you. Whether you are good at woodworking, welding, jewelry-making, quilting, painting, or many other crafts, then there is a market out there waiting for you.
Custom products for the home have a huge market and with hand-made items, it tends to be more of a seller’s market, too. Many customers prefer not to wait very long, as that is the way society tends to push; however, for a special item that is made to order, it is not uncommon to see up to a week or more production plus shipping time requested by the seller.
As always, customer service is going to play a large role in your success. You need to be sure you have shipping costs and schedules figured out prior to creating your listings. Also, make certain that you are frequent with your communication and if, for any reason, your item is running behind schedule that you are proactive with letting the customer know. Poor feedback or reviews can really affect a seller’s ability to be successful.
Give Music Lessons
This can be a terrific way to make money from home. Many adults today probably remember going to piano lessons at someone’s house when growing up. This side hustle is far from a new concept, but one that is sometimes overlooked.
If you know how to play an instrument and own that instrument, it can be a convenient side hustle to offer lessons from your home. Larger instruments such as piano, organ, or drums make much more sense to conduct lessons at your home as transporting the instrument can be ridiculously difficult, especially for a thirty-minute to hour-long session.
Scheduling in advance can help you predict your income and, if you are lucky, you can get two to three lessons scheduled back-to-back on the same days so that you are able to have days off from your side hustle if you would like to. In time, it can be a predictable income source as your students learn more and get better at playing the instrument.
One must is to have patience with your students when teaching them how to play. It is also important to have a welcoming environment, so be sure to keep your music room tidy.
Become a Virtual Assistant
If you have good communication and organizational skills, you may qualify to become a virtual assistant as a side hustle. Instead of getting dressed and going into an office for your second job, you can grab your coffee in your pajamas, and sit down to your desk to start your side hustle job being a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants do many things that a standard assistant would do for their employer.
Why would someone want a virtual assistant in lieu of an in-house assistant? The main reason is cost-effectiveness. Outsourcing a virtual assistant saves space and expenses in that there is no desk and computer required to be furnished if your assistant is a virtual one. So even if the pay per hour is similar, the company will still save a substantial amount of money simply on those two points.
Virtual assistants can handle appointments or bookings and complete data entry as well as other administrative work. In some cases, the virtual assistant may conduct research for projects, handle social media accounts, or organize personal tasks for their employer. Depending on their qualifications and the needs of the employer, a virtual assistant could complete a variety of tasks typically completed by an assistant.
Teach English Online with VIPKid
While this isn’t for everyone, if you meet the requirements, it can be a pretty lucrative side hustle job. Job requirements for VIPKid are currently to hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in any field, you must be eligible to work in the United States or Canada, and have one year of teaching experience. Teaching experience can include mentoring, coaching, homeschooling, tutoring, and other life experiences.
If you otherwise qualify and are interested in applying for a position teaching English online with VIPKid, you could start out tutoring online through Skype or other digital means in order to reach your year’s experience in teaching. This can be a fairly good side hustle on its own.
Create YouTube Tutorials
While it does take some time to get established on YouTube enough to be able to monetize your channel, it can be well worth it. Sharing your knowledge and expertise in a narrated and illustrated tutorial can be rewarding, but depending upon where your talents lie, it can bring in some extra income.
Tutorials can be in many different fields of interest. There are tutorials on how to clean your car, change a headlight, fix your phone, organize your pantry, beating a video game; you name it. Find out where your strengths lie and get to creating. There are a number of free or cheap tools available for editing YouTube videos that don’t require huge amounts of investment.
YouTuber, Cristine Rotenburg, also known as Simply Nailogical, started her channel years ago with her favorite hobby, nail art. Today she openly admits that her channel brings in more income than her day job through her consistency in uploading tutorials and, of course, her personality and charm that shines through her tutorials and other content. Granted she now has about 7.4 million subscribers to her main channel, it’s not all that surprising that her side hustle financially supersedes her formal job.
Rent Your Spare Room on Airbnb
If you are a homeowner with a spare bedroom or own multiple properties, the potential for cash is right there waiting for you. Airbnb is a great way for short-term rental of your property and payment arrives fairly quickly after the guest checks in. Many people are now turning to Airbnb for places to stay in lieu of hotels due to the convenience, affordability, and choices in locations.
Why Airbnb instead of finding a roommate or other traditional renting? Renting your space, whether it be a spare room or the entire home, can end up being more lucrative overall than traditional renting if you are able to stay booked. Also, due to the limited time guests stay, it can also lead to less wear and tear on your property than a traditional roommate or renter.
Typically, you will keep the space cleaned, take photos, and present accurate descriptions. After that, you can start collecting fees instead of allowing your empty properties to collect dust.
If these side hustles don’t seem to suit your lifestyle or qualifications, there are plenty of others available once you start looking for them. Some are more lucrative than others, and many of them take some time before you get your first payout. The important thing is to find something that you are capable of sticking with and can be able to maintain your focus while working on it from home.
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