17 Best Home-Based Side-Hustles That Pays Off
Have you noticed how popular it is to be a business owner in your 20s nowadays?
Side hustles from the home are increasingly more common, especially with our GenZ and Millennials. With the global economy ever volatile and changing – people are looking for more additional income.
In fact, according to this survey, side-hustles are the new norm.
More than 54% of Americans now have adopted a side-hustle or business to supplement their primary income. Mostly GenZ and Millennials, but nearly 30% of baby-boomers say they’ve taken on a side-hustle too.
And they’re leaning towards the more remote option, where they can fit a side hustle more easily into their schedule. (Enough with the long commute!)
Some started because they wanted a way out of debt or to build that emergency fund. Others just wanted more cash cushion or a sense of fulfillment alongside their day jobs. The reality for most, is that the high cost of living keeps going higher.
And each hustler earns an average of $1057 per month as a starting point. Some make more and can even replace their 9-to-5, eventually working 10-20 hours per week.
Whatever your reason to start, this article lists the best side hustles to make money right now.
Make Extra Income From Home
Although a little embarrassing to admit, I did not do very well during the pandemic lockdown. Like many others, I was stuck at home and still needed to find a way to pay the bills in between my contract jobs.
Even after I got a full-time position, I continued my side-hustle to add that extra cash cushion.
So, this is how I got started: I Google’d “How to Make Money From Home”. To my delight, there were more than just a few options and for different kinds of skill. Even to the introverts who hate talking to people, and the creatives who want to monetize their art.
Especially after reading books like Rich Dad Poor Dad, I came to realize there are so many possible ways to make money – without working another job OR going back to school.
If you’re curious on what you could do yourself, then read on, hustler!
1. Completing Online Surveys
Start with something super easy in your downtime. It’s convenient, quick-to-start, and requires no starting capital or schooling. It’s surveys by companies that want your opinion and they’ll pay for it via Paypal!
You won’t be a millionaire, but a great way to exchange your free time for extra money. From either in your pjs at home or during your break at work, it can add up quite quickly. Some offer each survey done for $50.
And if cash via Paypal isn’t a strong incentive, there are other free gift cards that’s up for grabs.
One particular survey site that has been tried and true for over a decade is Swagbucks. They have been a reliable platform and have paid over $500million to their survey-takers thus far!
2. Market Your Pre-loved Furnishings
They call it “furniture flipping” and it’s a huge market, especially with interior design and Pinterest enthusiasts. Anyone could be looking to furnish a home for cheap! Ergo, old furniture is actually sought after!
With a bit of creativity and cleaning supplies, you can take that old desk from your garage (or side of the road) – to someone who’s willing to pay a few hundreds of dollars.
Getting rid of that old sofa can convert it to cash. And just by utilizing free platforms like Facebook marketplace, or your local Craigslist, it’s easy for a buyer to come by.
3. Sell/Rent other Unwanted Items
When you need to pay the bills, the urgency is a great motivator. And you come to realize that’s always going to be stronger than sentiment.
So that old box of items in the attic? You can finally get paid to be rid of it.
Selling anything, new or old, is something that pays within the day. If you leave it on the marketplace like Facebook, you’ll have quite a bit of interested buyers. If you want a quicker route, places like thrift or second-hand stores (eg. Plato’s closet) are willing to buy it off your hands.
Buuut…
If there is some sentiment in clothes and items that you’d rather keep – you can actually just rent them! Yes, you can rent your clothes and that old bike in the garage.
With third-party services, you can list your things for free to a huge audience. And with a small fee (ave 6% – 17%), you can insure your items against damage or theft.
Check out websites to rent your clothes:
And these websites to rent anything else:
4. Rent your Parking Space
If you have a free parking space, driveway, or empty garage, did you know that could make money? Certainly beats storing boxes of unused items.
You could list the space yourself on local marketplace sites like Facebook, Craigslist, or third-party services like Stow It.
Stow It connects everyday people like you with extra spaces that need vehicle storage. It will also help you process payments, make sure you’re protected as a “lender” with things like being paid on time. (All they ask for the service is a 5% fee.)
5. Rent Storage Space
Just like #4 with renting out enough space for a car – you can rent out the extra space in your house.
The average storage unit starts at $50/month and can command even higher prices for the amount of space used. It’s easy money, and much easier than an Airbnb and dealing with guests.
Of course, for extra protection, I suggest you use a peer-to-peer storage rental platform to find verified users. They charge a small fee, but for the extra protection, help collect payments, and vetting out people – it’s worth it.
Try websites such as:
6. Get Paid to Shop
No matter how frugal we are, we all spend money shopping. Money is otherwise useless until we spend it.
But, how about we get back money on everything we buy?
And there’s no fee – just 60 seconds for a quick sign-up. Afterwards you can get back 2% – 10% of all your purchases. You’re going to buy that soap and underwear anyway, but now you’re getting $4 from that $40 spent.
The best cash apps:
7. Freelance Writing
While, #4 and #5 are a bit passive in nature, this one’s a bit more active. And flexes your creative muscles.
And despite the rave of AI, writing will always be in demand! Especially good writing by good writers, because that’s just not something a computer can replicate.
And there’s many, many, options for a writer aside from novels, scripts, and short-stories (they’re lucrative too)!
Many businesses and individuals hire freelance writers to write engaging and informative blog posts. If you like marketing, copywriters craft persuasive content for advertising. There’s also content writing for websites, and technical writing to help explain complex instructions.
There’s quite a huge industry for people who are interested in putting words to paper.
And it’s fairly simple to start!
Begin on well-known platforms like Fiverr or Upwork. Promote yourself (and brand) via Facebook, Instagram, and socials to heighten visibility. Treat every client like a VIP customer and give your best work.
Eventually with increased experience, it’s possible to make more than $100/day!
8. Become a Virtual Assistant
It’s not just for big executives, after all. If you’re a busy mom with a million tasks or an entrepreneur who does everything – you have the skills for a virtual assistant.
And can benefit from one too!
As a virtual assistant, you’d be tackling administrative tasks such as:
- Organizing diaries and appointments and schedules
- Handling emails
- Supervising social media platforms
- Providing client support
- Simple bookkeeping
- A bit of project management
- Travel arrangements
- Research and updating records
Whether it’s managing personal or professional tasks, a virtual assistant duties is no different from what you’d normally do with your own life.
You’d be freeing time for individuals to focus on what they need to do: a busy mother to spend time with her kids. Or a busy entrepreneur doing their core strategies and growth of the business.
You can find plenty of VA jobs on sites like Upwork, and Fiverr.
9. Create Your Own Print-On-Demand Store
Goodbye using garages as your warehouse, inventory, fulfillment center, and high upstart costs!
Print-on-Demand has eliminated all that and has brought the barrier of entry to the everyday mom and dad and teenager. Products (your t-shirt) is only manufactured once an order is received. Thus, eliminating the burden of stocking or managing inventory or buying 100 pieces with the hope of selling out.
So now, while POD providers handle the printing, production, and shipping processes, the seller (you) focus on design, marketing, and growing your business.
And it can be anything printed – t-shirts, phone-cases, and mugs, to name a few.
Creating a store in an existing marketplace like Etsy or Storenvy is a great start. When you wish to scale and take more control, look into platforms like Shopify.
Candice wasn’t sure it was for her once upon a time. Now she’s a top seller making 6-figures a year with her Etsy store, Freshletterstudio.
10. Own an Etsy Sticker Store
If the print-on-demand is a little too overwhelming, I recommend a fun niche hobby like making stickers.
Designs don’t even have to be complex. You don’t even have to design it yourself. You can sell wholesale or independently with a P-O-D service.
Tim Koa makes 6-figures with this TurtleTag Shop. A simple Youtube search shows a lot of etsy store enthusiasts showing off their sales and teaching others how to do the same.
This is definitely a less-stress endeavour for the more creative with big margins and volume!
11. Get Paid on Twitch and Youtube
You can get paid to play phone app games. But what about BIG games that you see people doing “Let’s Plays” on Youtube and Twitch?
Becoming a full-time or even part-time gamer has evolved into a legitimate and lucrative business. You’re not just playing, you’re solving puzzles, hosting, reviewing, interacting with viewers, dealing with sponsorships and collaborations.
To make money from what was once a niche hobby is incredible but not easy. Just like any other business it requires consistent effort and engaging content.
But you’d have the potential to build your own brand, your own channel, influence the gaming culture, and be paid for it.
12. Monetising Instagram Niche Pages
Did you know that celebrities get paid to post a company’s products? It was rumored that Kim Kardashian gets paid $1 million per post on her instagram to her millions of followers. And for every customer that bought something, Kim K can also get a small percentage. (Affiliate marketing and royalties for the win.)
But you don’t need to be famous to make money on instagram. You don’t need millions of followers, or be an influencer.
Instagram niche pages, or ‘theme pages’, are dedicated pages and profiles that have a specific content. Think of it like a mini-blog. If the page is not about a person or company, it could be about books (#bookstagram), or philosophy, or art, or quotes! Anything!
The key to success lies in attracting a dedicated following and leveraging various monetisation strategies. Here’s a simple breakdown on how Instagram Themepages work:
- Select a Niche: Choosing an engaging and targeted niche. The most popular topics revolve around wealth, health, and relationships. Travel and Fashion are close second. This grabs the biggest audience.
- Grow Your Following: A sizable and engaged audience is the foundation for partnerships and sponsorships.
- Sponsorships: Brands often pay to have their products or services featured on popular Instagram theme pages.
- Affiliate Marketing: Theme page owners can earn commissions by promoting products and sharing affiliate links.
- Selling Products: Capitalize on your audience by selling merchandise or digital products related to your niche.
- Advertising: Use Instagram’s native advertising features, such as sponsored posts, to drive revenue.
Best part is that it’s great for extroverts and introverts. You never have to show your face if you don’t want to. And you can profit off of your passions and interests.
@tastemade_official compiles and makes cooking videos into engaging food content.
They monetized their audience by:
- Promoting kitchen tools and cooking accessories
- Featuring sponsored food brands in videos
- Expanding into their own cooking classes and events
If they can make 6-figures doing this, I know we can too.
13. Evaluating Products & User-Generated Content
Speaking of not wanting to show your face, a lot of digital marketers think the influencer bubble will burst thanks to the rise of personal brands and User-Generated Content (UGC).
And you don’t need social media expertise to start.
Everyone has their favorite brand or store to shop at. When you post a photo or video on social media, write a review online, or contribute to a discussion forum – that’s essentially UGC. Any content created by regular people (actual “users”) and not companies, or professionals, or even influencers count as UGC.
So when you see a funny meme, a helpful product review, from someone just like you or me – that’s User-Generated Content! And many companies and brands will pay you for it because there’s a demand for real and authentic content.
UGC can be lucrative for something that can fit easily into your schedule for a few hours a day. Some even reported earning over $100,000 a year through dedicated UGC creation. And out of all I could list, it’s found that UGC is the easiest to start as a side-hustle.
By starting, it would be easy to pick up digital marketing and a personal brand as a second nature. Networks like the UGC Club highlight the community aspect of UGC, providing support and sharing opportunities for creators.
14. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing has been around for decades, but still elusive and not mainstream. Yet, it’s flexible and lucrative enough to make a full-time income online – so it more than deserves a stand-alone mention.
Actually, there’s no limit to how much you want to make or spend time on it.
Imagine you recommend a really cool product to your friend, and they end up buying it. In affiliate marketing, you get a little commission or reward for each sale that comes with that recommendation.
Take a look at Michelle’s blog, Making Sense of Cents, which now earns $50,000/month from affiliate marketing alone!
15. Become a Tutor
Being a teacher is conceptually simple but not easy – yet it’s the most rewarding. There’s always someone who wants to learn, and you can always profit from teaching what you already know.
Platforms like Outschool, WyzAnt, BookNook, and SuperProf help match educators with learners. Some services pay anywhere from $20-$80/hour, and can suit whichever schedule that works for you.
16. Create an online course
One of the coolest things about an online course is that it’s a legit digital product – that requires no inventory. Unlike #15, where you spend time 1:1, people can buy without your presence. And you never have to create another one if you don’t want to.
But what’s most fulfilling is that you teach what you know to people who genuinely want to learn and pay you for it.
There are plenty of people making a living from selling online courses or workshops – even short ones that take up a weekend.
There are platforms that help you get started:
- Teachable (they have a free webinar to help you get started)
- Udemy
- Skillshare
17. Start your Own Blog
There are several ways to make money online, but having a digital asset/real estate like a blog has been pretty cool.
You’re not just helping others on a topic, you can make it into a business too. There are several ways to earn money blogging: through your own products, sponsorships, ad networks, and affiliate marketing!
If you like to start a blog, I put together an in-depth post to help you get started. This is not a quick read. Best grab some coffee, put on some Jazz, and dedicate a weekend. In two days, you’ll have a money-making blog!
How to Start a Side-Hustle
Be very clear of your strengths to find the right side-hustle for you
I am an advocate of making decisions based on the right reasons – at the very bare minimum is that you’re interested in it.
Consider what is your strongest skill that you currently have. What do things people come to ask you for help with? What side-hustle or skill or thing can you see yourself doing long-term without burning out. Don’t be humble when listing your strengths.
Determine how much time you have and when you can spare it
As the list described, there are several ways you can make money from home that varies in time commitment.
As a rule of thumb, there’s often a learning curve in the beginning so it might take longer at first. Be also careful that you shouldn’t be working all throughout the day and rest is important for you to be effective.
Be clear why you want to start a side-hustle
Write down what is your why.
Why do you even want to make extra money in the first place. So whenever it gets hard, you can remind yourself what the goal was in the first place.
Motivation always wan, but your purpose is stronger when things get difficult.
Start small
Some examples I’ve shown had people making 6-figures.
This is not overnight.
Don’t quit your day job for this – that is such a cliche and over-romanticized move. Keep that cashflow income to fund your side-hustle and practice patience.
How Can I Make an Extra $1000-$2000/month NOW?
You’ll never catch a rabbit if you’re chasing two at a time.
By that, I mean if you want to earn 4-figures minimum each month, dedicate one at a time. Most importantly, it will take you twice as long if you do two at a time with divided attention.
Pick the one where your strengths are at. Narrow it down with your realistic time and money constraints. Utilize all the platforms that are available at your disposal.
Which is the Best Side-Hustles to Start?
From my experience, the quickest way for a buck is online surveys. It’s not scalable and you’ll have to exchange money for time, but it’s great to “get your feet wet.”
Once you have that capital and that experience of making your first online dollar (it feels great btw) – leverage the money to your next side-hustle. One that’s scalable and a bit more passive like UGC, Instagram Theme Pages, and POD.
So if you’re looking to make extra money or launch a side business, this list is a great starting point.
Most importantly, I want you to really understand there are so many ways to make money. And it’s easier nowadays than ever before.
Lastly, keep your goal the same but your way of getting there flexible. While it’s important to persevere, it’s also important to figure out which business model and strategy that works for you.
Don’t give into the sinking cost fallacy. I committed to dropshipping but was too stressful to see it as something I want to keep going on. (Never mind that it’s an industry that’s in the billions, the moving parts were too stressful and costly for me.)
So when I committed to building a blog that was more suited to my strengths, I was happier and more in flow.
Find a side-hustle that aligns with you.
Happy Hustling! =)
