Do you want to make some extra money on the side? You are not alone! As per a recent survey, a staggering 45% of working Americans have additional work on top of their regular jobs. (Source: Self Inc) 

For me, it is always about finding creative ways of increasing my earnings while at the same time following my hobbies during free hours.

The great thing is that there are plenty of opportunities available today for starting profitable side hustles even if you only have a few hours in a week to spare. 

According to one study conducted by Bankrate, an average part-time entrepreneur earns an incredible $1,122 each month by investing just 12 hours every week into her undertaking. Not bad at all!

Nonetheless, how much you can earn from this will depend on what you do on this side job, whether it relates to your professional qualifications, and how much time you will put into it. 

Here I will take about 15 side hustle ideas. I hope this guide will help you to choose one that fits your portfolio. 

15 Side Hustle Ideas to Make Good Money

Tour Guide

It can be quite an enjoyable and profitable part-time job to work as a tour guide. Tour guides take with them groups of visitors to tourist places, explaining and giving insights on how best to enjoy the experience. 

To begin your career as a tour guide, you should first decide whether you want to work for a tour company already established or by yourself. Starting off with a company is advisable as it helps one to gain some experience and also opens the door. 

Some key skills that make a great tour guide include:

• Good communication and public speaking skills
• Enthusiasm for teaching others
• The ability to tell stories interestingly so that people can remember what they have heard
• Thinking quickly and improvising when necessary

Salaries for tour guides tend to range from $15-25 per hour; tips can significantly increase this amount. 

For instance, during peak season, New York City or San Francisco-based guides can make $800 or even more every week. 

To look for jobs becoming a tour guide start by looking at websites such as Indeed, and ZipRecruiter, among other industry-specific boards of employment. 

Petsitting

For a pet enthusiast, being a pet sitter is an excellent way to make money on the side. As a pet sitter, you will be responsible for looking after pets while their owners are away. 

This might include feeding them, walking them around, and playing with them as well as providing them company.

To begin part-time pet sitting consider signing up with the Rover or Wag service of your choice. These apps link pet sitters with dog owners within their neighborhoods.

Some important skills for a petsitter include:

• Experience with and love for animals
• Reliability and trustworthiness
• Ability to follow instructions and routines
• Attention to detail in providing proper care

The amount paid for petsitting varies depending on your area of residence, experience level as well and the specific services you offer. Generally expect to earn about 20-50 dollars per day for visits or overnight stays.

You can increase your earnings by watching multiple pets at once, offering additional services like grooming, or building up a base of repeat clients.

Dog Walking

People who love dogs and are active find dog walking to be a popular side hustle. You must walk dogs, play with them, and take them outdoors to the bathroom. 

To get started in part-time dog walking, you can sign up on apps like Rover or Wag that connect owners and walkers together. 

Ensure that you have created an attractive profile that reflects your experience and affection for dogs. Also, you can utilize local fliers or community platforms online or get referred by those who know about it through word of mouth.

Dog walker requirements:

• Love for dogs
• Endurance
• Trustworthiness
• Time Management

Dog walkers make approximately $15-25 per 30-minute session; this figure may be even higher in metropolitan areas with high living costs such as New York City or San Francisco. 

Furthermore, if you engage more than one animal simultaneously or book back-to-back walks, your hourly income is likely to increase dramatically. 

Survey Methodology

Doing online surveys is a straightforward approach to making some additional money when you have some time to spare. You will be asked questions about your views, preferences, and experiences on different products and services as a survey taker.

This information is used by companies for market research purposes so that they can improve their offerings. The majority of the surveys are done over the Internet in the comfort of your home.

Join reliable survey sites like Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, or Vindale Research to get started with online surveys. Provide truthful answers while taking your time to ensure quality responses.

To achieve which of the following do you require:

• Attention to details
• Analytical skills
• Basic knowledge of statistics
• Good Written communication

Even though filling out online surveys does not guarantee becoming rich, they can still provide an extra income at the end of every month. Usually, most surveys pay around $0.50- $3 each and take 5-30 minutes to complete.

Create a Podcast

As a podcaster, you’re going to prepare and record audio episodes on topics of your interest and expertise. You can conduct interviews, share personal stories and insights, or teach listeners about a particular subject.

Invest in basic recording equipment such as microphones and editing software. Outline the format and content for your episodes then record some of them at first instance. You can later publish the podcast.

As a podcaster, you will need the following qualities: 

• Good Public speaking skills
• Creativity
• Technical knowhow on recording and editing
• Marketing knowledge

Most podcasts usually take time to get an audience that is quite big enough to start generating income from it. You can monetize podcasts through sponsorships and advertising.

From sponsorships alone, successful podcasters make several hundred to a few thousand dollars per episode. Apart from this some also receive listener donations, use affiliate marketing, or sell their own products/services.

Drive for Uber or Lyft

To begin driving for Uber or Lyft, you must satisfy the minimum eligibility standards such as being 21 years of age at least, and having a valid driver’s license and insurance. 

Additionally, you will need a qualifying four-door car that satisfies their requirements for age and condition. Sign up on their website/app, upload your documents, and complete the onboarding process.

Essential skills for successful rideshare drivers are:

• A clean driving record
• Friendly customer service;
• Ability to use GPS efficiently;

The earnings potential is influenced by factors like location, number of working hours, and demand level. On average though, Uber/Lyft drivers tend to earn between $15-$25 per hour after factoring in expenses like vehicle repairs and gas.

During busy times such as weekends, holidays, or special events it is possible to make more money. Some say they are making between $500-$1000/week treating it as a part-time job.

Babysitting

Babysitting is taking care of children while their parents are away. It can be both fun and challenging. 

You get to play games, help with homework, and ensure their safety. If you enjoy being around kids, this could be a great side hustle for you.

To start, you might reach out to family and friends. You can also sign up on websites that connect babysitters with parents. Make sure you have a good character reference. Knowing first aid and CPR is a big plus.

• Patience
• Understanding children’s needs and psychology 
• Good communication skills
• Knowledge of basic first aid

Babysitting rates vary based on your experience, number of children, location, and job duties. On average, expect to make $15-25 per hour, with higher rates for overnight stays or last-minute bookings. Experienced sitters in major cities can make over $20/hour.

Digital Marketing 

As a digital marketer, you’ll help businesses promote their products or services online through various channels like social media, email, search engines, and websites. 

The first thing to do if you want to engage yourself in a digital marketing side hustle is to determine the area or group of people you want to serve. Is there any specific sector that interests you? Enrol for online courses, certifications, and practice. 

Some of the key areas to major in include;

• SEO (search engine optimization)
• Social media marketing
• Content marketing (blogging, video, etc.)
• Email marketing
• Analytics and Reporting

Digital Marketing Side Hustles has great potential when it comes to earning. It’s a high-earning work-from-home. Depending on their experience and specialty, freelance digital marketers can charge $50-150+ per hour. 

You can generate passive income from your blog site or social media channels. 

Get Paid to Review Books

If you are a book enthusiast, doing paid reviews could be an enjoyable little side gig. Before publishing their books, authors and publishers need to hear what people think about them first. 

With this task, you get to read different books, sometimes even before they are published.

To start with, establish a blog or join websites that allow reviewers to connect with authors. One must have a collection of his/her own reviews for consideration by potential clients. These demonstrate your ability as well as style to prospects. 

The price range for paid book reviews is wide. Some sites give free books in exchange for honest opinions on them. Others pay between $5-50 per review based on the length and publication level. Well-known critics who have followership can charge higher prices though.

Content Writing

Content writing is creating written materials for websites and blogs, which can include articles, product descriptions, etc. You inform or entertain readers. It’s a flexible way to earn money from home.

For your side hustle to begin with, you should be a talented writer. Start a blog or write guest posts as part of your practice. There are also online courses you can take.

Important Skills for Content Writers

• Writing and editing skills
• Research skills and ability to check facts
• SEO knowhow to optimize content for search engines
• Understand the target audience and write accordingly

Earnings in content writing vary according to experience, niche, and client. Newbie writers could start at $0.05-0.10 per word while established writers could charge $0.25-1.00+ per word.

Handmade Crafts Selling (Etsy, etc.)

For artistic individuals, selling handmade crafts online is a creative side hustle. Make and sell unique stuff like jewelry, home decor, clothes, or art, and list them on platforms such as Etsy, your website, or local craft fairs.

Before you start selling handmade crafts, decide what kind of products you want to produce and sell. Register in places like Etsy or an e-commerce store that you set up yourself. 

Take clear photos that reveal all the details of your goods.

These types of hobby businesses can generate only several hundred dollars monthly while others may earn over $100k per annum. Some top-selling Etsy stores can generate around $3000-$5000 per month. 

Voice-Over Acting

Voice-over acting entails supplying your voice in various media projects such as adverts, video games, and audiobooks among others. If you become a voice-over actor, you will read scripts and record your voice to bring characters to life or narrate content. 

To start a career in voice-over acting, purchase a good quality microphone and create a quiet home recording space. Practice reading various kinds of scripts and develop skills in:

• Make sure that each word is spoken clearly
• Reading something with emotion and characterization using your own voice
• Understanding instructions given by the director when asked about something

As far as income is concerned, rates for voiceovers greatly differ according to project type and level of experience. For instance, beginners can earn about $20-50 per hour on freelancing websites like Fiverr or Upwork. 

On the other hand, experienced ones who work with big clients can make hundreds or even thousands of dollars per job.

Online Advertising Specialist

An internet marketer is a person who uses the Internet to promote products and services. You will create ads, manage campaigns, and evaluate performance results. This occupation is suitable for people who are interested in marketing and data analysis.

To start this side hustle, familiarize yourself with online advertising platforms such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads. To begin with, you can take some online courses or certifications. 

Additionally, make sure to practice by coming up with small campaigns for your friends or local businesses.

Those new in the business may charge between $25-50 per hour while more experienced contractors may be paid $100-150+ per hour. 

Online Presentation Design

You will need to be able to create powerful, professional presentations using online tools such as PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote. 

You will also have to create templates, form custom graphics and animations, and format content that enhances the effective communication of major messages. 

If you are good at making presentations then create a portfolio highlighting your best works. Find them via your networks or join freelancing platforms such as Upwork.

The pay scale for presentation designers depends on the extent of the project undertaken and the level of experience you have in this field. At the inception stage, you will get $25-50 per hour while seasoned artists can go up from $100 per hour. 

Some clients may prefer to pay per slide or project on a fixed fee basis instead.

To succeed as a presentation designer, it’s helpful to be proficient in:

• PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides
• Graphic design tools like Adobe Illustrator or Canva

Event Planning 

Event planning is the act of organizing and managing events like weddings, parties, and corporate gatherings. You’ll work with venues, feeding arrangements, and timetables. If you enjoy being organized and working with people then it will be right up your street.

For those who want to start this side business, they can acquire knowledge about event management through online courses or get involved in assisting organize local events. After which you will have to create a portfolio. Networking is also key.

The amount you can make from one project ranges between $500 and several thousand depending on its size or complexity. 

FAQs on Side Hustle Ideas 

How much money can I make with a side hustle?

A few hundred dollars monthly can be earned by some of the extra sources of revenue while others become full-time incomes. Many committed side hustlers say they make $500-$2,000+ per month.

Do I need to report side hustle income on my taxes?

Yes, side hustle income is taxable. If you are an independent contractor, you will likely need to fill out a 1099 form. Consult the IRS website or a tax professional to understand your specific obligations.

How do I find time for a side hustle with a full-time job?

Start by dedicating a few hours per week, such as evenings or weekends. Look for side hustles with flexible hours that fit your schedule.

Wrapping Up 

In this era of digital age, our requirements are increasing day by day but our income is limited. Moreover, if you want to gain financial freedom, earning a little bit extra always gives you flexibility. That’s why side hustles are important these days more than ever. 

I hope this list was helpful to you. Now you find your passion, develop skills, create a portfolio, and get to work.

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