The Top Ten Side Hustles that you can Start Right Now

It's always good to have a little more in your wallet and bank, and having a side hustle allows you to earn that extra bit of money that will help you achieve your financial goals sooner - whether it's saving for the downpayment of your house, paying off your student loans or simply saving for retirement.

However, finding a good side hustle is easier said than done; in fact, it can take as long, or longer, as finding a regular office job. One way to identify a good side hustle would be to consider your current skills or talents, and brainstorm ways in which it could be of value to other people; although if you ever get too stressed out, check out some of our tips on self-care for side hustlers.

Many people think that their talent is merely a gimmick and nothing more, which is not true at all. Talents can be money-making, and in some cases, life-changing as well. For example, if you love to sing, you could sell your voice to clients on Fiverr or perhaps even start your own YouTube channel and monetise it after you have amassed followers. You are a brilliant, unique individual with so much potential, and you can use that potential to get a side hustle job and gradually start changing your life with the extra income.

Without further ado, here are the top ten side hustles that you can start now for a little extra pocket money.

#1: Start a Crafts shop on Etsy

If you like crafts, start a crafts shop on Etsy. Etsy is an online marketplace where entrepreneurs sell their handmade goods. Bracelets, necklaces and slime are all things that you could potentially sell on Etsy, but competition’s fierce, so you’ll want to make your goods as eye-catching as possible!

#2: Get into Freelance Writing

If English was your favourite subject in school, it’s time to consider freelance writing. Freelance writing is a great side hustle idea for those that like writing but aren’t ready to turn it into a full-time profession. Pick how much or how little you want to work, your rates... everything is up to you.

To start as a freelance writer, create a portfolio of your writing samples or get writing and create a google drive. Next, you’ll want to advertise your services with relevant portfolio/Google Drive links on social networks such as Twitter or Reddit and pitch your article ideas to writers. And there you go! You’re well on your way to being a freelance writer. As you write more and more articles and gain more experience, you can up your rates and start raking in more dough.

#3: Start a Babysitting Gig

If you are a responsible person, like babies, and don’t mind changing diapers, babysitting is a great way to make money on the side. Advertise your services by posting ads on local boards or ask around in your family and friendship circle. Depending on the country you live in, you may need to have a certificate to babysit.

#4: Or A Pet-Sitting Gig If You Love Animals

If you’re an animal lover, pet sitting could be the side hustle for you. Before you start however, make sure that you’re well acquainted with the difficulties that come with pet sitting. You’ll have to feed, clean up after “accidents”, and walk pets. You’ll also need to be responsible and patient. 

Pet sitting is great for those who have a methodical approach to everything and have some spare time on their hands. The times that you pet sit is entirely up to you, but if you have a returning client on certain days you might need to free up your schedule. Overall, pet sitting is a great side hustle if you have limited time to spare and a love for animals!

#5: Mow Some Lawns and Plow Some Driveways

If you don’t have enough time to devote to create your own business or to work as a freelance writer, mowing lawns and plowing driveways on the weekends is a good place to start. Similar to babysitting, you can advertise your services by posting ads on local boards and asking around in your family and friendship circle. You could even knock from door to door and ask if your neighbors need their lawn mowed.

#6: Stream Games on Twitch

Like gaming? Do you have a good voice, and are you funny? Good news: if so, your perfect side hustle might be streaming games on Twitch. Accompany your Twitch streams with edited YouTube videos for best results.

Beware - it might take awhile for you to grow your Twitch and Youtube channels, especially as competition is fierce nowadays. However, if you put in the consistent effort it’ll pay off in the end.

#7: Start a YouTube Channel

Singing, math tutorials, and DIY crafts are just a few of the many niches that you can choose to base your YouTube channel on. Upload daily or at least three times a week with engaging and informative content, and you’ll grow a loyal base of subscribers in no time. Once you hit 1,000 subscribers, you can start monetising your channel. What are you waiting for - pick up that camera and get recording!

#8: Rent Out Your Stuff

Do you possess a collection of movies, video games, or books? Rent out your stuff! You could even get together with a few friends who boast a similar collection and start a rental business if you’re passionate and there’s a demand for the movies/books that you have.

#9: Become a Virtual Assistant 

If you want to work from home, consider being a virtual assistant or a Pinterest virtual assistant. Virtual assistants are people who remotely provide clients (usually entrepreneurs) with help. People often hire virtual assistants when they need an extra helping hand with appointments, calls, and social media accounts.

Pinterest virtual assistants are similar to virtual assistants, except they help a business or blogger through managing a Pinterest account. They may use SEO tactics and boards to help their business get to the top of the search results!

#10: Sell Your Unused Stuff and Marie Kondo Your Home 

One easy way to make more money if you have too much stuff lying around your house would be to sell them on eBay (and similar websites like Depop and Poshmark). Not only will you be making your home more comfortable and pleasant to live in, you'll also be making dollars on the side - a double win! You could sell that old Nike tracksuit that you grew out of three years ago for fifty dollars or that musty old book for $30. Just take a few photographs with good lighting, list them on the platform of your choice, and you’re good to go.