Why Working From Home Is the Smart Move Right Now
Let’s face it — It has never been more important to make a little extra cash. Whether you’re taking it to get out of debt, save some money for a vacation or just have more breathing room in your budget, getting started with a side hustle can completely transform your life. The best part? You don’t have to leave the house, spend thousands of dollars or even give up a day job to get started.
When you work from home, you have flexibility that traditional jobs don’t offer. You set your own hours, determine your rates, and create something that’s uniquely yours. And, with everything online these days, that very pursuit is everywhere. You simply have to know where to look and how to begin.
This guide is a run down of the side hustles that bring in the most cash (and make you feel good about yourself) from your living room. I’m not talking about a “get rich quick” or some complicated business plan. Some are tried and true, some you may have never heard of before, but all are legitimate and real ways that you can get paid fast for using them. And they’re not just a few hundred bucks either — sometimes it’s more like several thousand!
What Is a Good Work-From-Home Side Hustle?
But before get into the actual opportunities, let’s discuss what even makes a side hustle worth your time. All opportunities are not created equal, and some will be better suited to your life than others.
Low Startup Costs
The best side hustles don’t demand that you shell out a ton of cash before you make your first dollar. Try to find a way you can get your start with things you already have, such as a laptop or smartphone, or using simple tools that are easy to keep in your home. You are trying to earn money, not spend it all at the onset.
Flexible Schedule
If it’s a good side hustle, it should fit around your life, not the other way around. You must have the ability to work early mornings, late nights or weekends – whatever your schedule may require. It’s this flexibility that distinguishes side hustles from second jobs.
Scalable Income
The best side hustles allow you to earn more as you get better at them. You might begin earning $500 a month or so, but with enough experience and positive reviews you can triple that in a year. Find side hustles that compound your earning over time.
Quick Payment Turnaround
No one wants to wait months to get paid. The perfect side hustle pays cash money in your pocket, not “money you can use in 50 years when life is almost over.” This immediate cash infusion is enough to keep you motivated and account for upfront costs.
Best Money-Making Side Hustles You Can Start Today
Freelance Writing and Content Creation
If you can write clear sentences and are good at explaining things, companies will be happy to pay for your services. Companies have a constant need for blog posts, website copy, product descriptions and social media copy.
How to get started: Set up profiles on Upwork, Fiverr and Contently. Begin with lower rates to help build your portfolio, then increase your prices once you have reviews. You can write about things you already know — say, parenting or fitness or cooking or tech.
Average pay: Newbies earn $20-$50 per article; seasoned folks, that could be $100-$500 or more a pop. With 10 hours of work per week, you could actually earn between $500 and $2,000 a month.
What you need: Access to the internet, a computer, and good grammar (you do not need an English degree by any means). Free tools, such as Grammarly help in making your writing shine.
Virtual Assistant Services
Busy entrepreneurs and small-business owners could really use a hand with those everyday tasks — responding to emails, scheduling appointments, running social media, making phone calls for quotes or customer service. You are their distant right hand.
Getting started: Sign up and list your services as a virtual assistant on Belay, Time Etc or Fancy Hands. Concentrate on the skills you already possess, such as organization, communication or certain kinds of software. Some virtual assistants focus on one niche, such as Pinterest management or email organization.
Typical earnings: $15 to $35 per hour. Fifteen hours per week could net $900 to $2,100 a month. Some highly specialized VAs are paid upwards of $50 an hour.
What you need: Computer, stable internet connection, phone and good organizational skills. You will be able to use tools like Google Workspace, Slack or Zoom.
Online Tutoring and Teaching
Parents around the world are seeking tutors to assist their children with homework, standardized test preparation or learning new skills. You can teach academic subjects, languages, music, art or even niche subjects such as coding.
How to begin: Join sites such as Tutor.com, VIPKid (for teaching English to Chinese students) or Wyzant. You can also advertise locally and meet with students over Zoom. This is easier to do than it sounds if you teach what you know well.
Average pay: $20-$60 an hour depending on subject and experience. Training 10 hours a week = $800-2,400 a month.
What you need: Know your subject, patience and a quiet spot for video calls. Some sites demand a bachelor’s degree, but not all do.
Graphic Design and Digital Art
Logos, social media graphics, print flyers, business cards and website images are things that businesses always need. If you have some design flair, or can get the basics of design software skills, this is a big market.
How to Begin: Learn free tools, such as Canva, or invest in Adobe Creative Suite. Create a portfolio of practice projects and sell your services on Fiverr, 99designs or directly to local businesses. You could also sell your pre-made designs on Creative Market or Etsy.
Potential income: Basic logos cost at least $50-$100, full branding packages may run as high as $1,000+. Part-time designers can earn anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 a month.
What you need: Design software, creativity and interest in learning. YouTube offers an abundance of free design tutorials.
Social Media Management
Small business owners know they need a social media presence, but can’t be bothered with posting regularly or engaging with followers. You can control their Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or LinkedIn from your couch.
How to start: Volunteer to run social media for a local business you admire — even if just for free as a portfolio-building exercise at first. Familiarize yourself with scheduling tools such as Buffer or Hootsuite. Develop content calendars, write posts and reply to comments.
Typical earnings: $500-$2,000 per client per month, based on number of platforms and frequency of posting. Juggling 2-3 clients part-time could rake in $1,500-$4,000 a month.
What you’ll need: A good grasp of various social media platforms, creativity to come up with content ideas, and some basic photo editing skills.
Sell Handmade Products on Etsy
If you’re a maker of things with your hands (jewelry, candles, prints, knitted goods, woodwork and custom gifts), Etsy connects you to customers around the world who love original handmade items.
How to get started: Open an Etsy shop (there are small listing fees), take quality photographs of your items, write detailed descriptions of them, and promote your shop through social media. It is about carving out your own niche and producing a quality product.
Realistic earnings: Highly variable. Some sellers make $200-$500 as a side thing each month, and very successful shops can bring in $3,000-$10,000+. It’s going to be a product thing, pricing thing and marketing thing.
What you need: Equipment for your craft, a workspace as well as the ability to ship products. Plus, good product photography equals big sales.
Print-on-Demand Products
Create t-shirts, mugs, phone cases or posters without inventory. When a customer purchases your design, the print-on-demand company prints and sends it to the buyer. You design the stuff and take the profit margin.
How to get started: Upload designs to Redbubble, Teespring or Society6. You can also add Etsy integration or build your own Shopify store. Find a niche — funny dog shirts, nurse appreciation gifts, gaming references.
Real earnings: anywhere from $100 to over $1,000 a month depending on the number of designs and marketing involved. Some sellers have designs that sell for years with almost no work.
What you need: Design sense (or the ability to hire designers), knowledge of your target market, and patience to gain momentum.
Stock Photography and Videography
If you are adept at shooting photos and videos with your phone or camera, you can sell them to stock photo websites. Millions of stock images are purchased every month by businesses, bloggers and marketers.
How to get started: Upload photos to Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, iStock or Pexels. Focus on popular categories — People working from home, food, nature, business and industry concepts or industries themselves. Quality matters more than quantity.
Realistic income: $50-$500+ a month once you have an established portfolio. Some photographers are making thousands by continually posting good pictures.
What you need: Serviceable camera (even a high-quality smartphone works), good sense of composition and an eye for what’s in demand.
Tech-Based Side Hustles
Website and App Testing
People are paid by companies to test their websites and apps, discovering bugs or confusing features before they launch. You do the tasks while you talk through your thoughts and they record your screen.
How to begin: Register for UserTesting, TryMyUI or Userlytics. Pass a sample test to get approved and then receive paid invites as they become available.
Realistic earnings: $10 to $60 per test (with tests taking 10 to 30 minutes). Active testers make $100-$300 monthly. It’s a few easy dollars, although not exactly reliable.
What you need: Computer or smartphone, a microphone, the ability to speak clearly while on websites.
Building Simple Websites
There are local businesses, churches, clubs and individuals who want very simple websites but can’t pay for expensive developers. Learn how to build basic sites on WordPress, Wix or Squarespace, and charge for setup and customization.
How to begin: Start with free YouTube tutorials to understand the basics (it’s easier than you think). Practice by creating a website for yourself or a friend. Then look for work with local businesses or on freelancing sites.
Typical earnings: $300 to $1,500 per website for basic work. Building 2-3 sites per month = $1,000-$3,000.
What you need: A computer and access to a website builder platform, curiosity. Basic sites don’t require any coding.
Data Entry and Transcription
If you can type quickly and pay attention to details, businesses want people who will transcribe data from paper or audio files into their spreadsheets or documents. It’s simple stuff you can do while watching TV.
How to get started: Join Rev, TranscribeMe or Clickworker. Finish qualifications, then take work when it’s offered. Accuracy is crucial.
Estimated hourly pay: $10 to $25 per hour, depending on how quickly and accurately you can work. 10 hours of work per week = $400 – $1,000 every month.
Requirements: Computer, the ability to type quickly and well, and good hearing with patience for detailed work.
Service-Based Side Hustles
Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
Pet owners want someone they can count on to take care of their pets when they’re at work or away. If you’re an animal lover, this side hustle is basically getting paid to hang out with lots of furry friends.
Getting started: Set up profiles on Rover, Wag or Care.com. Get reviews from friends’ pets first. Decide if you are open to walks, home visits or overnight stays at your place.
Typical earnings: $15 to $40 per walk or visit; about $25 to $75 an overnight stay. Active pet sitters work part-time and earn $500-$2,000 per month.
What you need: Love for animals, physical capacity to walk dogs, and a pet-friendly home for overnight care.
House Sitting and Property Management
Those who travel for business or pleasure are looking to count on someone to mind their house, water the plants, pick up mail and make sure everything remains safe.
How to get started: Post your services on TrustedHousesitters or HouseSitter.com. Begin with people who know you to lend credibility to the work. Some house-sitting jobs even come with free lodging in some pretty nice homes.
Projected earnings: $25 to $100 per day, depending on duties and location. Regular house-sitting might bring in $500 to $2,000 a month.
What you need: Responsibility, trustworthiness, references and willingness to stay at other homes.
Personal Shopping and Errand Running
Time-strapped professionals, the elderly and busy parents all need assistance with grocery shopping, picking up prescriptions or taking care of errands. Apps link you up with these customers in your local market.
Getting started: Register at Instacart, Shipt or TaskRabbit. Take orders in line with your schedule, shop at stores and deliver to customers’ homes.
Realistic pay: $15-$25 an hour, plus tips. 15 hours a week = $1,000-$1,800 per month.
What you need: Dependable car, smartphone, clean driving record and be able to lift grocery bags.
Comparing Side Hustle Options
| Side Hustle | Startup Cost | Time to First Dollar | Earning Potential | Skill Level Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance Writing | $0-$50 | 1-2 weeks | $500-$3,000/month | Beginner-Intermediate |
| Virtual Assistant | $0-$100 | 1-3 weeks | $900-$3,000/month | Beginner |
| Online Tutoring | $0-$50 | 1 week | $800-$2,400/month | Intermediate |
| Graphic Design | $0-$300 | 2-4 weeks | $1,000-$4,000/month | Intermediate-Advanced |
| Social Media Management | $0-$50 | 2-4 weeks | $1,500-$4,000/month | Beginner-Intermediate |
| Etsy Shop | $100-$500 | 3-8 weeks | $200-$10,000+/month | Beginner-Intermediate |
| Print-on-Demand | $0-$200 | 3-8 weeks | $100-$1,000+/month | Beginner-Intermediate |
| Website Testing | $0 | 1 week | $100-$300/month | Beginner |
| Website Building | $0-$100 | 2-4 weeks | $1,000-$3,000/month | Beginner-Intermediate |
| Pet Sitting | $0-$50 | 1-2 weeks | $500-$2,000/month | Beginner |
How to Select the Right Side Hustle for You
Choosing your own side hustle isn’t about choosing the one with the highest possible income – it’s about deciding what works best FOR YOU, YOUR LIFE, and YOUR GOALS.
Match Your Current Skills
Begin with what you know. If you’re organized and good at maintaining a schedule, virtual assistant work should be something to consider. If you are skilled in design, provide graphic design. Honing existing skills means you can start earning sooner rather than using months to learn something that’s entirely new.
Consider Your Available Time
Be realistic about how many hours you know you can devote per week. Some side hustles demand your constant daily attention (such as being a social media manager), while others let you work in chunks when it’s convenient for you (like freelance writing or building websites).
Think About Your Energy Levels
Some people go home from their day job with a mind full of ideas to create. Others are mentally exhausted and just want something less complex. Pick a side hustle that aligns with your natural energy flow. If you are tired every evening, don’t pick something that demands intense concentration.
Factor in Startup Time
Some side hustles start making money practically overnight (pet sitting, running errands) and others take weeks or months to gain traction (an Etsy shop, a print-on-demand business). If you’re desperate for money now, focus on service-based hustles that will pay off within the next week.
Quick Start: Your First 30 Days
Week 1: Research and Setup
Pick your side hustle based on the above factors. Create accounts on relevant platforms. If you have to, watch how-to videos to learn the basics. Create a dedicated email address for your side hustle to help keep things organized.
Week 2: Build Your Foundation
Add your profile, portfolio or first products. Even if you don’t have paying work yet, create samples to demonstrate what you can do. Make your service descriptions clear, detailing exactly what a customer is receiving and why they should choose you.
Week 3: Start Marketing
Promote your new side hustle to everyone you know. Share with friends on your personal social media. Be part of online groups for your services. Get your first jobs or post your first listings. Don’t worry about being perfect – just get started.
Week 4: Land Your First Customer
Price yourself low if necessary to get that all-important first review or testimonial. Do great work and become somebody people want to refer to. Ask satisfied customers for reviews. Use feedback to make your service better.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Doing Too Much at Once
The worst mistake is launching five side hustles at once. You’re going to do too many things and not do any of them well. Choose ONE, master that one and then you can add others if you so desire.
Underpricing Your Services
You don’t need to work for $5 an hour just to find clients. Price yourself right from the beginning. You could provide a slight “introductory rate,” but don’t undervalue your time and expertise.
Giving Up Too Soon
Most side hustles take a little more time than that though – usually 2-3 months before you see consistent money coming in. The hardest time is always the first month. Don’t give up after two weeks because you haven’t made thousands of dollars.
Ignoring Taxes
Side hustle income is taxable. Save 25-30% of your income for taxes. Keep track of earnings and expenses. This will save massive headaches at tax time. For more information, check out the IRS guidelines on self-employment tax.
Failure to Treat It Like a Real Business
It may be a “side” hustle, but take it seriously. Be responsive to emails, hit deadlines and do good work. Your reputation matters.
How to Grow Your Side Hustle Income Over Time
Once you’ve found your side hustle and are having some success, here’s how you can make more money without working more hours.
Raise Your Rates Gradually
Raise prices 10-20% every few months or after getting good reviews. Good clients will not leave you, and new clients will pay the higher price. Don’t undervalue yourself — your experience is more valuable today.
Specialize in a Profitable Niche
Rather than just being an average freelance writer, be THE writer for dental practices or fitness companies. Specialists charge more because they understand the industry.
Create Passive Income Streams
Search for ways that you can make money over and over from work you do once. Digital products, online courses, stock photos or print-on-demand designs can continue to bring in money long after you’ve created them.
Build Systems and Templates
Make templates for common projects so that you’re not starting from zero each time. This makes your work more efficient so you can accommodate more clients in the same number of hours.
Outsource and Delegate
As you earn more, think about hiring someone else to take on time-consuming tasks — like editing, bookkeeping or customer service. This allows you to concentrate on high-value work.
Juggling Your Side Hustle and Life
Set Clear Boundaries
Determine when your work hours will be — and stick to the schedule. Don’t let it monopolize every evening and weekend. Burnout kills side hustles faster than anything else.
Communicate with Family
Ensure that the people you live with understand when you’re working and why this is important to you. Enlist their support so you don’t have to contend with guilt or resentment.
Take Days Off
Plan for at least one complete day every week with no side hustle work. Your brain needs rest and your relationships need attention.
Track Your Progress
Maintain a simple spreadsheet that lists hours worked and money earned. Viewing your progress is a motivator during difficult weeks.
Real Success Stories
Sarah began freelance writing while teaching full time. She started with $25 articles at Upwork, doing 5 hours/week. In eight months, she was able to raise her rates to the $100+ per article range and earns an additional $2,000/month in the summer and $800/month during the school year.
Mike started a print-on-demand store where he sold funny engineering t-shirts among other designs. His first month, he made $43. He continued to make designs weekly and by month six was making $600-$900 a month in passive sales without any added work.
Jennifer started working as a virtual assistant for Realtors. She began with one client for $20 per hour, 10 hours per week ($800 a month). By six months she had three clients, $30/hour rates and made $2,400 a month on 20 hours of work a week.
When to Consider Going Full-Time
For most, their side hustle is best kept as just that, a side hustle. But if you’re regularly earning 75-100% of what you make at your day job from your side gig for at least six months, switching to full time might be worth considering.
Before quitting your job, consider:
- Do you have 6 to 12 months of expenses saved?
- Is your side hustle income consistent and increasing?
- Do you have a plan for health insurance?
- Are you ready for uncertainty?
A lot of successful business owners kept their side hustles “on the side” for years, while enjoying the extra income and safety net that came with a salaried job.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money can I really expect to earn from a side hustle?
Typical earnings are between $300 and $2,000 a month for 8-15 hours of work per week. Your earnings are based on which side hustle you pick, how much time you dedicate to it and how quickly you develop your skills. Some earn more than $5,000 a month but that’s typically after a year or more of building their business.
Do I owe taxes on income from a side hustle?
Yes, all income is taxable. You should report it to the IRS if you make over $400 per year from self-employment. Put 25-30% of your profits aside to pay your taxes, and if you’re making substantial income, then begin doing quarterly estimated tax payments.
How long until I see my first dollar?
Side hustles that are service-based (tutoring, virtual assistant work, pet sitting) can start generating income in 1-2 weeks. Product-based hustles (Etsy, print-on-demand) may require 3-8 weeks. Creative services such as freelance writing or design typically see first earnings in 2-4 weeks.
Can I have a side hustle along with my full-time job?
Absolutely – that’s the point! The great majority of side hustlers have full-time jobs. Make sure your employment contract doesn’t restrict you, don’t compete with your employer and don’t use company time or resources for your side business.
What if I don’t have any particular talents?
Everyone has skills — you just don’t know what they are yet. Can you organize things? Virtual assistant work. Are you dependable and do you like animals? Pet sitting. Can you follow instructions carefully? Data entry or transcription. Start with whatever seems easiest to do, learn as you go and build up from there.
Do I need a business license or LLC?
For most small side hustles that generate under $10,000 per year, you can operate as a sole proprietor with no special registration needed. As you grow, ask an accountant whether forming an LLC would make sense for liability protection and tax advantages. Local laws and type of business will dictate requirements.
How can I protect myself from fraud?
Stick to established platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, Rover or Etsy. Never pay money to get a job. Beware of programs that claim outrageous income. Research any company before committing. Listen to your gut if something doesn’t seem right.
What equipment do I need to start?
For most digital side hustles: a decent laptop or computer, dependable internet and basic software (much of which is free). For service-based hustles: The tools you already use and maybe some specifics. Start small — don’t overinvest until you are bringing in consistent income.
Your Next Steps
Getting a side hustle off the ground isn’t difficult, but it does require action. Here’s what to do right now:
- Pick one side hustle idea from this guide that fits your skills, availability and interests
- Set a clear goal – perhaps $500 per month extra within 90 days
- Schedule time for it in your weekly calendar
- Create your first account on a relevant platform today
- Share your goal with three people for accountability
Just keep in mind that everyone who has a successful side hustle started right where you are – with no experience, not knowing whether it would work out and maybe feeling a bit nervous about trying something new. The reality is the divide between those who make extra money and those who don’t isn’t talent, it’s action – taking that first step and doing something about it.
Your side hustle is not going to magically create itself, and the perfect time doesn’t exist. But today is pretty good. You have skills and resources you may not even be aware of, and a few weeks from now with the right approach you could be making extra money.
The question is not whether you can start a profitable home-based business. The only question is, which will you dive into first?
