UPDATED: May 18, 2022
The internet has made it possible to make money from anywhere. Whether you have a full-time job and are looking to make extra cash or between jobs trying to make ends meet, people are turning to side hustles to make extra cash. We’ve rounded up some of the best opportunities to fit a variety of skills and education levels.
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Food Delivery
You can make money by driving your car and bringing meals to people. Services like Doordash, Uber Eats, and Postmates allow consumers to order food without leaving their homes. These services can free up time for busy people who would prefer not to cook or fight traffic for their next meal. It also works great for those who hate to cook or are flat out lazy!
Drivers can set their own schedule, with the exception that there is less business available after most stores and restaurants close. This is a great side hustle that requires minimal skills. If you have a driver’s license, car, and clean driving record you’re good to go.
Pay: On average, Postmates drivers report earnings of $11 per hour, plus tips. Other services have different pay scales.
Ride-Sharing
Drivers can make money by taking riders from point A to B. When a driver wants to earn, they turn on the Uber or Lyft app and wait for someone to request a ride. Most riders appreciate the convenience of the app and relatively low cost.
You will deal with the rude customer on occasion. Nonetheless, for someone who loves to drive, this is a great way to make money.
Pay: Both companies pay depending on the time of day and other factors. Take-home pay ranges between $8.50 and $12.00 per hour. Tipping is also allowed.
Teaching English Online
Many international families want their children to learn English. English is the language of commerce, and allows adults more job opportunities in an increasingly global economy.
However, not many people are willing to get a work visa and teach English overseas. In order to meet the demand, there are a number of companies that help people learn English by taking lessons online.
This is a great opportunity to do something in your spare time, because time zones let you work outside traditional business hours.
Depending on the platform, you may be required to have a college degree. Nearly all of them require you to be a native speaker, rather than someone who has picked up English as a secondary language. For instance, Teachaway requires a Bachelor’s degree and residence in the US or Canada.
Pay: Depending on experience and credentials, generally it’s between $12 and $25 per hour, and lots of fun working with kids.
Tutoring
Tutoring is a time-honored method of helping children get ahead or prevent from falling behind in school. If you enjoy teaching and spending time with kids, tutoring could be a fulfilling and lucrative side hustle.
Tutoring is especially good for school teachers and college students because they have daytime schedules. Keep in mind though, you might need a background check or to verify your credentials. Mainstream tutoring centers sometimes prefer a teacher’s license. Websites like Wyzant are only interested in your subject matter knowledge.
You may meet your student in places like libraries or coffee shops, through Zoom, or at their home.
Pay: Highly variable with location, subject matter, and expertise. However, most places you’ll get at least $20 per hour. Certified teachers might get $100 or more.
Transcriptionist
Transcriptionists (or transcribers) turn audio and video material into written content. For instance, they might transcribe a taped interview, designating each speaker's remarks.
A transcriptionist might create closed captions for a movie or TV show. Perhaps the most well known transcriber is a court stenographer which turns verbal testimony into transcript.
Transcribing audio and video is a fairly old-fashioned side hustle, but it’s still as relevant as ever.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing depend on closed captions to enjoy the same entertainment that most people take for granted. Researchers use transcribed interviews to extract their data, and religious leaders use transcribed sermons to write books or publish in a volume.
No matter the use of the transcribed audio, however, someone has to perform the task. Generally speaking, this does require some skills. You need to be a good listener, type well, use proper spelling, and in some cases, know technical terminology. You can find a transcription job on a variety of websites.
Pay: For beginners, around $15 per hour. Experienced transcriptionists can make twice that.
Online Research
Have you ever wondered how companies have time to find out about the little stuff? While some have enough staff and computing power to look up everything and analyze data, many companies depend on outsourced research.
An online researcher will thumb through court files to find the status of a case. They might be tasked with finding out what people are looking for on Pinterest. Companies use this information for market research, and law firms might leverage the results of a court search to guide their litigation planning.
Pay: According to Payscale, expect to get an average of $17.24 for this type of work.
Affiliate Marketing
Do you like to share your experience with brands, products, and services? You can make money running websites that help companies sell their stuff.
You will need your own website, social channel, or some other way to reach an audience. You also may need to do a significant amount of content creation to drive people to your services.
Then, check out the affiliate marketing options to find a great deal. There are modest startup costs, but get this right and you can make a good bit of money.
Pay: Variable, but high earners can net $50,000+ per year and ditch their day job.
Copy Editing
With the proliferation of websites and online magazines, copy editing is more important than ever. While Grammarly and similar programs help eliminate some errors, sometimes a human touch is critical to make the right impression.
For instance, a highly technical word might not be interpreted properly. Sometimes a computer program doesn’t pick up on slang or popular digital communication (lol).
Editing is one of the oldest freelance work opportunities, and it isn’t going away any time soon. In order to participate in this side gig, however, you’ll need to be an excellent writer and grammar fanatic.
Usually, a copy editor will have a college education. Find jobs on gig websites like Upwork, or build relationships with businesses and publishers.
Pay: Variable, but the average is around $22.50 per hour.
Rent Your Place
If you have a vacation home or spare bedroom, websites like AirBnB can allow you to turn that unused living space into income. Most people use AirBnB to “host” people for a few nights to a few weeks. The guests are usually vacationing or in need of short term housing for a business trip.
From the guest’s point of view, this is a great way to stay somewhere more interesting than a hotel. It’s often more comfortable, too.
Hosts get extra money to help pay the mortgage, and it doesn’t usually take much work. Be aware though, some areas have city ordinances or homeowner’s associations that make hosting more difficult.
Pay: On average, hosts make $924 per month. Renting out a space can produce sizable income with minimal effort.
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