30 Easy Side Hustle Ideas

Whether you’re a student looking for work over the summer, a parent looking for extra income or a retiree with spare time to earn a few extra bucks, picking up a side hustle is a great idea for almost anyone.

With today’s technology, there are countless opportunities for remote side hustles that you can do without ever leaving your house. There are also traditional side hustles that have been around forever (like babysitting or tutoring) that are paying more now than ever before. 

In this article, I’ll share 30 different easy side hustle ideas (including several that I’ve tried myself) that can help you earn extra money this year. 

1. Freelancing
2. Customer Service
3. Resume Writing
4. Blogging
5. Pet Sitting, House Sitting or Dog Walking
6. Babysitting and Child Care
7. Assistant
8. Handyman
9. Personal Chef
10. Cleaning Houses or Cars
11. Yard Work
12. Seasonal Work
13. Craft Vendor
14. Online Shop
15. Dropshipping
16. Tutoring and Teaching
17. Teaching English as a Second Language
18. Coach
19. Content Creator
20. Self-Publishing eBooks
21. Create a Podcast
22. Photographer
23. Voiceover Artist
24. Transcriptionist, Captioner or Translator
25. Drive for Lyft or Uber
26. Deliver Food
27. Deliver Groceries
28. Rent Your Home or Car
29. Organize Trips or Events
30. Become a Local Tour Guide

This article was updated in December 2023 and I review it every 12 months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.

1. Freelancing

A lot of companies and organizations hire freelancers to fill gaps in their staff and assist or pick up extra projects. As a freelancer, you can choose the types of work that you’d like to pursue. You can also choose to take on multiple projects at a time or just pick up work when it’s convenient for you. 

In the past, I’ve worked as a freelance copywriter and editor for a variety of companies and organizations. However, you can find freelance jobs available in nearly every field ranging from graphic design to tutoring to delivering. In fact, many of the side hustles on this list can be great for freelancers.

You can find more excellent opportunities for freelance work in a variety of fields on job posting sites like Upwork (Review), Indeed (Review) and FlexJobs (Review).

2. Customer Service

Working as a customer service representative can be an excellent side hustle. You can work part-time for a company or freelance on an hourly basis. Plus, like many great side hustles, you can find fully remote work in customer service!

I did a quick search on FlexJobs in December 2023 and found over 100 job openings in customer service. On Indeed, I found 230 part-time job openings and 112 contract positions for remote customer service jobs. 

3. Resume Writing

Resume writing can also be a fully remote side hustle, and you don’t have to be an expert to get started. Udemy offers free resume and CV writing courses and tutorials that can help you learn how to write excellent resumes. Then, once you create a few samples, you can start advertising your services!

I’ve seen a few job postings for resume writers and specialists on FlexJobs and Indeed, but there are far more opportunities for building up your own little business in this field. On Fiverr, I found tons of resume writing services offered from $15 to hundreds of dollars! This could be a great way to get started with a side hustle in resume writing.

4. Blogging

Creating a side hustle as a blogger may take a little more time and research than initially meets the eye, but if you’re willing to put in the work and build an excellent blog, it can be a great way to earn extra cash! 

If you’re considering starting a blog, I recommend checking out Income School on YouTube. They offer an excellent approach to learning how profitable blogs are built and maintained. Once your blog starts picking up some traffic, you can monetize it with things like affiliate marketing, advertisements, info products and more. 

5. Pet Sitting, House Sitting or Dog Walking

If you’re looking for a side hustle that doesn’t necessarily keep you in your house, consider pet sitting, house sitting or dog walking. You can easily advertise your services on Facebook, in local community groups, at your vet’s office (if they allow advertisements) and via word-of-mouth throughout your family and community. Plus, with this side hustle, you’ll be able to set your own hourly rate and choose which jobs you accept or reject.

When I’m going out of town, I usually turn to Rover to hire a pet sitter for my cats. This is a great website/app to start building a pet-sitting, dog-walking or house-sitting business! 

6. Babysitting and Child Care

If you have experience with child care, babysitting can be another great way to earn extra cash. This job is excellent for everyone ranging from students looking for summer work to retirees with years of childcare experience.

This is another side hustle that you can advertise in your community and online. You can also sign up on websites like Care.com to help advertise your services. Like other great side hustles, you can easily set your own hourly rate and choose which jobs to accept/reject as a babysitter or child caregiver.

7. Assistant

There are tons of companies, organizations and individuals who are looking to hire part-time assistants. There are a lot of options in this field ranging from research assistants to executive assistants to legal assistants and more. While you may be able to negotiate your hourly pay, this type of work is most likely going to have set hours, and the hourly wage may vary depending on the type of work you choose as well as who you work for. 

Networking is a great way to find work as an assistant. You can also find job postings on sites like Indeed and FlexJobs for both remote and in-person assistant work.

8. Handyman

Depending on your specific skillset, you may also be able to start a side hustle as a handyman in your neighborhood. Whether you can fix problems around the house, have a background in construction, have all the materials to paint a room or you’re able to help people run errands, you may be able to find work in your area. 

I recommend offering your services online in local groups as well as on apps for hiring contractors. Resources like Thumbtack, Angi, HomeAdvisor and Taskrabbit are great places to advertise your services. Plus, you can set your own rates per project and choose which jobs you want to accept as a handyman.

9. Personal Chef

When I think of a personal chef, the first image that comes to mind is a neatly-dressed person cooking a full-course meal in a luxurious kitchen for a wealthy client. However, this isn’t always the case anymore (although it may still be an excellent side hustle if you can land the job!).  

If you find yourself cooking quite often, consider offering a meal prep or meal delivery service that you can run from your own kitchen. Older family members, busy friends, people with specific dietary needs or others in your community may be interested in paying for your home-cooked meals instead of having to prepare their own. This is another side hustle where you can choose which work you want to accept and set your own rates per meal. Plus, word-of-mouth or online advertising is a simple and free way to get started.

10. Cleaning Houses or Cars

If cooking isn’t your thing, cleaning may be another side hustle to consider. Most of us have to clean our own homes and cars regularly anyway, so it’s a task that most people have some experience in. You may have to invest in some supplies upfront for this side hustle, but you’ll likely be able to use them for multiple cleaning projects which will help to offset the cost. 

11. Yard Work

If you already have the tools necessary to take care of your own lawn, why not use them to take care of others’ as well? During the warmer months, you can offer mowing services or even basic landscaping if you have any relevant experience.

Cleaning houses and yard work can both be listed as services available in your area on apps like Thumbtack, Angi, HomeAdvisor and Taskrabbit. In addition to word-of-mouth and social media, these apps can be a great ways to get your name out there to people who are looking for help!

12. Seasonal Work

Seasonal work can include things like mowing and snow shoveling, but it can also include a variety of other jobs. For example, many retailers look for part-time workers during the holidays and other busy seasons. Additionally, places like campgrounds or summer camps, local shops or restaurants and sports centers may only be open seasonally and be looking for extra help during peak times of the year.

13. Craft Vendor

If you have any artistic gifts or hobbies, consider selling your work! Whether you can crochet or knit, draw or paint, make earrings or T-shirts, have the equipment to make vinyl crafts or something totally different, selling your work can be a fun and rewarding side hustle. 

Keep an eye out for local craft fairs in your area. Even beyond craft fairs, many towns host events with vendor space available where you can sell your creations. 

14. Online Shop

In addition to local fairs and events, you can sell handmade creations online now easier than ever. Etsy is perhaps one of the most popular online websites where individuals and small businesses can sell their products. Whether you make jewelry, greeting cards, custom apparel or something else entirely, creating an online shop could be a great way to find buyers. 

Even if you aren’t particularly crafty, an online shop can still be a great side hustle. You may able to sell old clothes, household items, collections or more on Facebook or Facebook Marketplace, eBay or ThredUp (review). Some people are able to create a great stream of income by thrift shopping for deals on clothes or antiques and reselling their finds online.

15. Dropshipping

Another way to create a side hustle with an online store is through dropshipping. Dropshipping allows you to make sales without having to keep a physical inventory. Instead, when a customer orders a product from you, you’ll then order that product from the manufacturer and the manufacturer will ship the product to the customer. Of course, as the middle-man, you’ll want to charge a slightly higher price for each order. Then, you’ll be able to keep the difference. 

Like blogging or building an online store, dropshipping is a side hustle that will require a bit of time and research to build a good income. However, with the right business model, it could be an excellent source of passive income. To learn more about dropshipping, check out this article from Forbes on how to get started.

16. Tutoring and Teaching

Teaching or tutoring can also be a great side hustle. If you want to work directly with kids in your area, you can check with local schools and community programs to see if any opportunities are available. You can also easily find work online as a remote tutor. I checked out Indeed and FlexJobs at the time of writing and found tons of part-time opportunities ranging from general academic tutors, peer tutors in math, SAT-ACT tutors, Praxis exam tutors and more!

If you have a lot of experience in any one particular area, you can look to colleges, universities and even online forums to see if people pursuing the same field need additional help. If you have a skill or hobby that others would be interested in learning, you can host classes in your community. For example, my mom recently started hosting paint parties where a group of people sign up to paint seasonal door hangers. Alternatively, you can create an entire course on any particular skill (like an introduction to creative writing, using a particular software, or pickling vegetables) and record it! Then, you can sell the same course over and over again online.

17. Teaching English as a Second Language

If you’re a native English speaker, you can most likely teach the language to non-native speakers. Often, you don’t have to speak another language in order to teach English as a second language. You’ll simply start with very simple phrases, vocabulary and sentence structures. Students may already have a grasp of English and are only seeking more practice with a native speaker. This is an easy way to earn extra cash!

Some of the major websites require that you have a degree in order to teach English as a second language; however, you can easily start your own small business or use a website that doesn’t require a degree. I’ve personally used Preply in the past, but there are tons of options. You may also be able to find remote ESL opportunities on job posting sites like Indeed.

18. Coach

Coaching is another great side hustle. If you have any sports experience, you can always go the traditional route of coaching a local team. However, this isn’t the only definition of a coach. You may also consider becoming a life coach, which is someone who helps people achieve their personal and professional goals. You may even consider becoming a financial coach and advising clients on how to best manage their money.

Like other great side hustles, you can also set your own rate depending on your experience and your clients’ needs. Plus, you’ll likely be able to choose your own hours and accept or reject the jobs that you choose. 

19. Content Creator

Content creation is one of the most popular side hustles for younger generations right now. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok have made it easier than ever to create and share high-quality content for just about anyone. Fortunately, there’s also money to be made from content creation through advertisements and sponsored posts, affiliate marketing and more. 

In addition to creating your own original content, you can also find remote work as a content creator for nearly any topic. While many content creation jobs on Indeed are full-time positions, there are several contract and part-time opportunities as well. FlexJobs also had a few part-time content creator job postings at the time of writing.

20. Self-Publishing eBooks

Amazon and Barnes & Noble both have programs that make it easy to self-publish ebooks. Whether you’re interested in writing a collection of short stories or poems, a fiction novella, an informative guidebook or something else entirely, this could be a great way to reach interested buyers. 

Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s programs offer a 70% author royalty per sale. You can also distribute your ebook for 100% of the sales on your own online. This could be a great side hustle to partner with building a blog or content creation as these are great ways to build an online following. Then, you can distribute your ebook directly to your followers!

21. Create a Podcast

Creating a podcast is another great way to build an online following, and anywhere there’s an online following, there are opportunities to make money. You can easily start a low-budget podcast using equipment you already have. However, over time, you may want to invest in higher-quality gear. 

You can create a podcast around any topic that interests you or that you have experience, knowledge or connections in. After you’ve recorded your podcast, you can stream it on your own website as well as places like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

Once your podcast becomes a bit more established, you can start making money with sponsored advertisements or episodes, affiliate codes or links, promoting your own coaching or consulting services, selling products, creating paid memberships and more. 

22. Photographer

I know several people who have created a successful side hustle with photography. This is another option that might require some upfront costs for a nice camera and editing software, but the equipment can easily pay for itself in a few sessions once you get established. 

If you don’t have any experience in photography, I recommend starting with a few free online classes (Udemy offers several highly-rated photography courses). I see a lot of successful local photographers offering family portraits, engagement photos, senior pictures, event photography and more. With this type of photography, you can set your own rates and offer edited photos for a price that makes sense for you based on your skill and experience. 

23. Voice-Over Artist

You can create a great and easy side hustle using your voice alone with this option! When I first think of voice-over artists, I think of popular cartoons and Japanese anime. However, people hire voice actors for all sorts of jobs now ranging from YouTube video talent to audiobook narration.

You can advertise your voice-over services on websites like Fiverr or look for available jobs on job posting sites like Upwork. If you’re thinking about starting a side hustle as a voice-over artist, be sure to also check out these resources: 

• ACX
• Voice123
• Voices.com

24. Transcriptionist, Captioner or Translator

If you can type at a decent speed and with good accuracy, transcribing or captioning audio/video clips can be a good side hustle. Additionally, if you speak a second language, you can earn even more as a translator. 

I used to caption and transcribe files for Rev (review) and earned a decent amount for a side hustle! Currently, you can earn $1.50 per minute as a transcriber or captioner or $5-$12 per minute translating subtitles with Rev.

If you can translate, you can likely find higher-paying jobs elsewhere. I did a quick search on Indeed and FlexJobs at the time of writing and found hundreds of remote freelance translating positions!

25. Drive for Lyft or Uber

If you want to earn money on your own schedule, driving for ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft is another option to consider.

Clark signed up as a driver for both services a few years ago to try them out. He didn’t make a lot of money, although your earnings potential can vary, but he says it’s an opportunity to supplement an existing income or for the unemployed to bring income in.

Both companies frequently offer guarantees for new drivers, like earning several hundred dollars for the first 100 or so trips.

26. Deliver Food

Even if you don’t like the idea of having other people in your car, you can still use your car as a side hustle. Specifically for delivering food. Apps like UberEats, GrubHub and DoorDash are almost always hiring freelance drivers, and they make it easy to get paid for delivering food from popular nearby restaurants. In addition to a base pay for each delivery, you’ll also likely earn tips. Just remember that you’ll have to pay for your own gas!

27. Deliver Groceries

Similar to food delivery, grocery delivery can be a great side hustle. Apps like Shipt (review) and Instacart (review) make it easy to get started. I’ve tried this side hustle in the past myself and really enjoyed it! Just like with food delivery, you’ll earn a base pay plus tips with these apps. 

28. Rent Your Home or Car

If you live in a tourist area, you may be able to create a decent side hustle by renting out your home (or a room in your home) on a site like Airbnb. You can estimate your earnings using Airbnb’s online tool. 

If you’re not interested in having people in your home, consider your car! You may be able to rent your car with an app like Turo (review). You can use Turo’s Carculator® online to estimate how much you can make on the car sharing marketplace.

29. Organize Trips or Events

If you’re a frequent traveler, you may have all the experience necessary to start a small travel planning business. Whether you’re helping people find the best price on flights, book international hotels or find the best excursions on cruises, trip planning can be a lucrative side hustle. 

If you live in a tourist area, people may also be willing to pay you to build a trip itinerary for them as they visit your town. Travelers love personalized recommendations from locals, and with websites like Fiverr, it’s easy to advertise itinerary services to your target audience. 

Alternatively, if travel isn’t your thing, you can also put your organizational skills to use by planning events. If you have local connections like florists, vendors, etc. this side hustle makes a lot of sense! Like other side hustles, you can easily set your own hours and rates while advertising your services online and via word-of-mouth.

30. Become a Local Tour Guide

If you do live in a tourist area, working as a local tour guide is another great option. You can personalize your tour in a way that works best for you and share your knowledge of the local area. This can also be a great way to learn about the town or city you’re living in!

Once you’ve built an itinerary for your tour, you can advertise it on sites like Airbnb Experiences, Viator by TripAdvisor, Klook and GetYourGuide for example.

Final Thoughts

The best thing about side hustles is that there’s little to no commitment. You may want to try several of the ideas on this list before finding the one that works best for you. 

For even more ideas, I recommend checking job posting sites like FlexJobs, Indeed and Upwork for freelance, contract and part-time positions available remotely or in your area. While it’s possible that some scam posts make it through to these websites, you’ll typically find a great selection of legit side hustles that you can apply for online. 

As you start earning extra money, be sure that you’re keeping track of what you earn. In addition to budgeting/saving, it’s also important to keep track of any taxes that you may owe at the end of the year. For more information, check out these four things to know before you start freelancing.

What kinds of side hustles have you found the most success in? Let us know in our Clark.com community!