50 Creative and Profitable Side Hustle Ideas to Boost Your Income

Discover 50 innovative side hustle ideas to boost your income while enhancing your quality of life. From renting baby gear to launching a specialty podcast, find profitable and creative ways to earn extra cash.

By Brad Nakase, Attorney

Email | Call (800) 484-4610

Have a quick question? We answered nearly 2000 FAQs.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Introduction

There are countless ideas for side hustle.

Common individuals often use their existing expertise to launch their side business. And frequently, it makes a big difference what kind of hustle they go after. Rather than being time-consuming and energy-sucking projects, the finest side hustle projects are resources that generate income for you even as you sleep.

Let guests rent car seats, strollers, and related “baby gear”

Families can’t always pack all that they require when they vacation. Babierge, a crowd-sharing platform, arranges rental services between consumers in need of equipment and businesses who supply it for a charge.

When people purchase one of your phone case artworks, you get paid.

It may come as a surprise to artists that their creations could be desired to be included on phone covers. To upload photographs, use Society6, and they’ll take care of the rest. You will get a commission on every sale made by consumers, and the service itself is free.

Instruct people on how to work with smart devices.

Admittedly, it can be challenging to stay up to date with every one of the newest systems given that Apple releases new products twice annually. Many people want to understand how to utilize their devices to the fullest extent possible, but many don’t know where to begin. Create an assortment of online courses that focus on different methods to demonstrate how to teach them. The best thing about this side hustle is that you can make money from these courses even while you’re asleep!

Allow strangers to use your car.

You may offer your vehicle for day, week, or month-long rental using Turo.com or a similar car hiring service. Reduce the price when you first post it for some rentals, then increase it when you receive positive feedback. This will yield the best results.

Achieving income when residing in a foreign nation!

Considering relocating abroad? In order to get compensated to advise those wishing to accomplish comparable tasks, conduct research and record your trip. A better rate of return to you is also guaranteed by the side gig idea’s minimal starting and operating expenses!

Establish your own personal wine label—it’s way easier than you may assume!

Have you always wanted to start a wine brand but never believed you could without running an entire vineyard of your own? Rethink that! Developing, fermenting, and eventually packaging your own wine is a thing of the past, and a number of creative private wine label businesses have emerged. Some of them, like Terravant, are willing to go so far as to assist you in creating your label and developing your brand! Many of these provide specific varietals that are ready to drink!

Make a fun and unique item.

You can get some of the best ideas when having drinks with pals, and sometimes those ideas might even result in an additional source of revenue. Are you sitting on something that you think might be insane enough to work? This episode features a group of pals who decide to modify t-shirts’ tiny pockets to make them functional drink coolers and puppy carriers.

Sell templates for cover letters and resume

Is it easy for you to create cover letters and resumes like a boss? By developing resume & cover letter designs and offering them for sale on websites like Creative Market, you can turn your skills into a side hustle. Bonus: develop a layered pricing structure for a “build your own” plan and provide optional mentoring services that come along with it!

Take up niche photography.

Make a new source of money out of your passion for photography. Instead of simply promoting oneself as a general-purpose photographer, consider focusing your photos on a particular subject, such as pin-up, cosplay, sports, etc., for optimal outcomes. While general photography is acceptable, becoming recognized as a specialist in a certain field will help you distinguish far more.

Get approved online and earn $300 per day.

Are you interested in joining a couple during one of their most memorable times? Promote your officiating services as a side business and join the likes of celebrities like Stephen Colbert, Lady Gaga, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Conan O’Brien.

Develop your side hustle to work with your everyday job.

Many people are concerned about how beginning a side business may affect their full-time employment. What if the product you produced helped you in your work? In this particular episode, an art installation curator turns her day job as a consultant for real estate into a side project. Both companies gain from the relationship, therefore it’s a win-win situation.

Develop a distinctive delivery service.

The ability to get almost anything at any time of day is one of the things that draws people to large cities such as New York City, also known as the “city that never sleeps.” Why not introduce a comparable measure in your hometown? Consider starting your own cookie delivery side business if you enjoy baking! Everyone loves cookies, and who wouldn’t like to have a dozen freshly made cookies delivered right to their doorstep at midnight, without having to do any work at all?

Set up part-time tutoring.

Are you knowledgeable in any ways that others could use? Make a side hustle by teaching others new skills by becoming a tutor. While you could certainly accomplish this yourself, Wyzant.com’s large database makes it easy to get in touch with potential students when you create an account on their site.

Grow your youtube channel

Make videos on YouTube about whatever subject you like, then utilize Google AdSense to get a little money when people click on the advertisements on the video’s page. If you want to receive payment without having to charge your audience directly, this is certainly a viable alternative.

Crickets (or anything else) drop-shipping for $700 a month.

Are you interested in starting a side business but have little free time or space? Try drop-shipping some items! All you need to bother about is customer service & communication; drop-shipping suppliers take care of inventory management, packaging, and delivering any product you choose to sell. Select a specific market as Jeff did in Episode 46 with his drop-shipping cricket venture for optimal outcomes!

Sell t-shirts and get up to $17,000 a month.

Make use of your affection for cats & memes by designing t-shirts and letting sites like Merch via Amazon manage the manufacturing, delivery, and customer support. What’s the best part? With no up-front fees, they will handle everything for you! Excellent for individuals seeking a more detached, passive side hustle.

Manufacture mementos and keepsakes for the parents.

If you’re crafty, consider making clay imprints of babies or animals for parents to treasure for generations to come. Advertise at obstetrician clinics and charitable organizations to reach the highest quality of results directly from the source.

Set up a membership website

If you are an educator, how about lending your vast knowledge base to assist other educators by providing them with online resources? An easy way to get your followers to join up for a subscription where they get access to your online materials is to start with a WordPress site and install a plugin such as Memberful (you may try it for free!). A piece of advice is to provide free materials to all users and position membership products as “next-stage.”

Write a genre fiction book or a novel.

Composing and self-publishing your own content has never been simpler in the modern age. Regardless of your preferred genre—Romance, Science Fiction, Thrillers, Mystery, or Children’s books—Amazon has a simple self-publishing platform that can be set up in five minutes and allows you to receive royalties as high as 70%.

Enjoy the rewards by capitalizing on a pop cultural trend.

Take benefit of the fact that virtually everyone in today’s society is familiar with Twilight, Harry Potter, and Fifty Shades of Grey! You may compose fan fiction, open a shop selling branded goods, or make jewelry inspired by the show are just a few ways to profit from trends. The prospects for a side hustle are countless!

After hours, use your serious ‘day job’ skills.

At your everyday job, do you use any marketable skills? If you have special abilities, like those of an accountant, designer, advertiser, etc., you may begin a side business as a consultant and charge others for your services. Do not forget that there is no degree or college for consulting. Project an air of competence and self-assurance as a specialist in your industry.

Start your own blog! Now is the right time to grow a community and get rewarded.

Creating an online course accompanying a resource site would be far more convenient than teaching somebody how to carry out something in person, even if it would still consume the same amount of time. Get yourself an inexpensive domain, move it to your preferred blogging site (I personally use WordPress), and begin publishing high-quality material. Many strategies exist for making money from your site, but one that is highly well-liked and effective is selling online courses.

Put up a local tourist guide.

Do you reside in a tourist-friendly area? Find a method to put your local expertise to use! Make a simple tour guide that highlights the region and attaches a price tag, then store it somewhere that is obvious. Elevate the experience by including insider knowledge like the best times to visit locations, super-secret areas that aren’t widely recognized, or providing an orientation for individuals who need further guidance.

Turn into a groomsman or bridesmaid for hire.

Post your services on Craigslist.org as a professional groomsman or bridesmaid and capitalize on all of the time you’ve spent making the ideal toast and keeping your friend’s train from derailing.

Plan high-end retreats and make money.

Try contacting friends and relatives you believe may be interested in premium retreats if you enjoy organizing events. Although they don’t have the time, numerous individuals would really like to create these special moments for themselves. Try your hand at making them and offer a service charge for assembling them.

Tour guide service creation

Creating your own tour company is a great idea if you reside in a well-known town or city. The only true cost of this side business concept is time, and it can generally be completed for very little money. Bonus: check if you can provide your services to visitors who are lodging with companies like Airbnb by contacting them.

Get passive income by joining amazon as an affiliate.

One of the most well-known and established affiliate programs is Amazon Associates, which only requires two minutes to join. The nice thing about starting an affiliate side business is that you can make money on your own without investing a lot of time in it! Take a look at the items you use and adore; you might be shocked to learn that you can become a reseller for them!

Work as a boss helping others “adult”

It is rare for high schools and colleges to teach crucial life skills like budgeting and money management. You can assist them if you’ve mastered the art of “adulting”! You may provide online classes or provide one-on-one consultations to assist people in making sense of life.

Start an Etsy shop that is successful!

There’s a good reason why a lot of people utilize this platform for selling goods along with or instead of starting their own website. In addition to being simple to set up, opening a storefront gives you the chance to reach Etsy’s enormous customer base with your goods. Learn the basics of SEO to maximize the amount of traffic that reaches your items for the greatest outcomes.

Design one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces & sell them in the market.

Is it really necessary for a side project to interfere with your weekly routine? Get a side gig at the farmer’s market and make some unique jewelry! The majority of American cities have a few farmer’s markets since they have grown in popularity. Discover which markets exist in your area and begin earning additional cash on the days off.

Initiate a business for worm composting.

Take a look at worm composting if you’re interested in sustainable techniques but aren’t too grossed out! You could market that soil full of nutrients to gardeners or get in touch with the nearby Meals on Wheels service to find out if you can set up a system similar to Henry’s in the episode below. Furthermore, you would be assisting in the removal of waste that would typically end up in a landfill.

Turn into a chocolatier.

There are cottage laws in many states in the United States that allow you to sell some foods you create at home until you hit a specific income threshold. This makes it simple to start a side business as a chocolatier (or any other product you like to produce) from the comforts of your private home—no expensive production kitchen needed!

Exploit unique trends in fitness.

Maintaining a regular exercise regimen and timetable can be difficult, and many individuals eventually get weary of more conventional cardio techniques. You can accelerate your results by providing an engaging and enjoyable substitute for your regular aerobic exercise! You could be teaching your special cardio class during the times when many facilities are not fully occupied. After you’ve got an idea, investigate if any nearby fitness centers might be interested in renting out any of their empty spaces.

Establish a research-focused resource website.

Do you like doing your homework to locate the top offers or services? Many individuals are happy to pay an individual who can find what they’re looking for online faster than they can spend hours seeking it themselves. As with the side hustle we highlighted in Episode 51, Scott’s Cheap Flights, perhaps you could assist others in finding the finest bargains on apparel, video games, or even inexpensive flights. By adding affiliate links and subscription alternatives, you may improve your business (and earn extra money!).

Make natural, healthy pet food and sell it.

Pets are often considered family members on par with children. Take a look at the rules for launching your own animal food or treats business if you want to assist your feathery and furry companions in adopting a more balanced diet!

Form a karaoke league of your own

With friends over a few beers, who doesn’t enjoy belting out their preferred songs? Organize a gathering of people if you participate in karaoke in your city and start your own competition where you may form teams and compete live on stage! As a way to foster teamwork and boost morale, ask around to see if any nearby businesses might be interested in joining the league.

Use your basement as a studio for exercise.

Make your basement into a studio and start taking in customers in your own house instead of letting it sit empty. Have you been considering opening a meditation, yoga, or pilates classroom but have been put off by the costs of obtaining your own rental space? Consider the possibilities that come with owning a residence of your own. An extra $3,000 a month can be earned by the couple!

Become an advocate of beekeeping

The need for maintaining the bees is greater than ever, and you can contribute! Acquire knowledge about bees & beekeeping to contribute to the provision of a healthy and sustainable honeybee habitat in your community. In addition to making you some serious money, this mission can further urban beekeeping & education.

Improve a product that exists.

Upon reflection, we utilize an absurd quantity of things throughout the day—is there an item you use frequently that could be enhanced? As Brandi told her ten-year-old son, “If you dislike something, stop moaning about it and instead provide a solution!” in response to his complaint about the sports cups he could currently access. If you’re dissatisfied, figure out how to enhance it—there are lots of resources accessible for anyone wishing to produce their own innovative and improved product!

Get skilled in candle making and selling.

Take into consideration learning a simple craft like candle making if you’re finding it difficult to develop a skill you currently possess. The candle industry has long-term attractions that are unaffected by fads. In addition, there is a ton of free online training available on websites like CandleScience, and studying the fundamentals can take only a few hours.

Go on and tell stories online.

If you’re a gifted writer and excellent storyteller, consider publishing your tales online as digital magazines. The best part is that you can focus on doing what you do best—writing—because there are sponsored services like Patreon that enable you to support your writing via readers in addition to the inexpensive setup fees!

Explore the bandwagon of meal prep!

Plenty of photos of people prepping meals can be found on Reddit and Instagram. If you enjoy cooking and creating recipes, this could be the perfect side gig for you. Utilize Keyword Planner to conduct a thorough search to determine the most often occurring terms related to meal preparation. You can then leverage this information to optimize your website for search engines. Utilize Google Trends to discover the upcoming hot trend if meal planning isn’t your thing!

Snuggling services

It is now simpler than ever to communicate with people instantly thanks to the development of technology. Although there are benefits to this, more texting & socializing on the internet could lead to less meaningful connections, which would make users feel alone and alienated. A novel approach to closing this gap and meeting a developing need in an accepting manner is provided by snuggling services.

Transform a passion into hard, cold cash.

Above all, side projects should be enjoyable and something you really anticipate completing! There are no limits, therefore don’t limit yourself to activities you don’t genuinely enjoy. In this installment, a social worker utilizes The Artisan Group’s assistance to help her find work in numerous popular television shows. She also uses her interest in producing jewelry to supplement her income. Reminder: try your pastime on a starting website first if you are not sure if it will be lucrative!

Get large companies to endorse your work.

You may collaborate with businesses that will pay you to produce content that they would be willing to pay for, but did you realize that these businesses exist? While commuting two hours every day to his regular job, Preston from Millo was able to secure sponsorships in 2016 worth over $75,000. Uncertain about where to begin with? He claims that cold calling was the traditional method he used to get his start.

Pass a unique skill to someone.

Everybody is good at something, so offer your unique set of abilities to others. You’re in excellent hands if your forte is calligraphy and fine penmanship. Due to the popularity of calligraphy on social media, one of our highlighted side hustlers made the decision to provide classes and specific kits to help others learn this art. What kind of talent do you have to impart?

Write lesson plans and a curriculum for working teachers.

Lesson plans, instructional activities, and other materials for teachers are hosted on the TeachersPayTeachers.com portal. The cost of each item is usually very little, only a few dollars, but you can receive continuous royalties for each sale. Some content creators make up to $1,000 every month.

Start a specialty podcast

All you need to do to launch a podcast is download free audio software and buy a $200 microphone. An individual who wants to get started has access to a wealth of resources. An online course can be obtained for free from Entrepreneur on Fire’s John Lee Dumas, who has provided an overview of the necessary steps to begin. Pick a niche subject that isn’t well-covered for the greatest outcomes. Look for something that will make you stand out from the many general conversation podcasts available!

Start a service for subscription boxes.

Subscription boxes are a huge craze right now, with about as many different kinds of boxes as there are subscribers! In case you’re unsure of where to begin, Cratejoy, an online store that essentially acts as a platform for various boxes, has a helpful guide that can assist you in selling your subscription box at any stage of the method. Pro tip: choose a topic for your box that is as specific as you can make it. You need your subscription box to be unique among a sea of similar ones!

Establish a service that allocates houses for events.

Is there something that takes place in your city on a regular basis, perhaps annually? Establish a home rental business akin to Airbnb! Look at the buying patterns of people, the things that people are prepared to make payments for, and potential side projects. Every year, hundreds of thousands of individuals travel great distances for the Super Bowl, and almost all of them spend considerable amounts of money dining, drinking, renting cars, and lodging. Given their inclination towards it, why not seize the opportunity to receive compensation by leading the charge?

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50 Creative and Profitable Side Hustle Ideas to Boost Your Income

Introduction

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