10 profitable side hustles you can start alongside your 9-5
by Tracie Breaux | November 15, 2021
Side hustles are one of the best ways to increase your income outside of your 9 to 5 job so that you can save for your emergency fund, grow your investments and get one step closer to financial independence. The best part about having a side hustle is that there’s no limit to what you can try and there’s almost always something for everyone.
Why start a side hustle?
A side hustle gives you the freedom to pursue what you’re passionate about. It’s flexible in the hours you work, and you can learn valuable new skills in the process. The truth is you’ll never know until you try, and the extra money can go a long way in helping you invest and get closer to your financial freedom goals.
Here are some of the best side hustles where you can start to earn a few extra dollars or maybe even a few extra thousand dollars every month.
- Pet sitting
Do you want to get paid to hang out with adorable furry friends? Sites like Rover and Wag connect pet parents with trusted pet sitters and can quickly turn into paid gigs. Whether you prefer dog-walking, drop-in visits, or boarding, you’ll have the flexibility to choose your schedule and get paid for your time.
- Babysitting
Do you have any friends or neighbors who need a helping hand with their kids? Babysitting is a great side hustle to get started with if you love children, and once you have a client base it can be easy to find more jobs through referrals.
You can apply to jobs through Sittercity and care.com and there’s no cost to use the sites.
- Teaching English online
If you’re looking for a flexible side hustle with a low-time commitment, teaching English online with Cambly could be a great option for you. Classes are available around the clock as students are located across different time zones. There’s no requirement for a bachelor’s degree, a teaching certificate, or any formal teaching experience.
The best part is you’ll get paid for every minute you’re chatting, and you don’t have to make lesson plans in advance. You can even hop onto the system when you have a spare hour and have students call you directly.
The main requirements are that you’re a native English speaker, can easily engage in conversation, and have a stable internet connection.
- Become a host on Airbnb
If you have a spare room or even an empty home while you’re on vacation, Airbnb lets you list your property for rental and generate income. You don’t need to worry about presenting your home like a 5-star resort as everyone has a different budget requirement and is searching for accommodation for different purposes. You can even list your couch!
You can list your home whenever it’s convenient for you, set the price and cancellation terms. Airbnb takes care of the rest, collecting payments and marketing your home to guests.
- Start freelancing online
Freelancing is one of the best side hustles that allows you to maximize the skills you already have and earn extra income from doing what you love to do. Some of the highest-paying side hustles include website design, social media management, proofreading and editing, resume writing, copywriting, and graphic design.
With freelancing, you can sell almost any skill. Even the more unique ones! For instance, do you love reading books? You can start a gig and get paid to beta read a novel!
Freelancing platforms like Fiverr and Upwork are an excellent place to start. With a variety of job categories to choose from, you can set your rates, and the possibilities to make additional income are endless!
- Testing websites
If you’re looking for a side hustle to make a little bit of extra cash each month, website testing could be a great option for you. Companies spend thousands of dollars developing websites for their users and obtaining feedback on the user experience is a valuable part of the process.
A platform like UserTesting will pay you roughly $10 for a 20-minute test. You'll need to provide your feedback while your screen is recorded and the number of opportunities you’ll receive will depend on companies looking for testers with your background and experience.
- Become a virtual assistant
With a growing number of online business owners, virtual assistants have an important role in helping businesses stay organized. You can offer all kinds of services including inbox management, customer service, social media management, bookkeeping, and content creation.
There are countless areas you can specialize in. What you offer will depend on your skills and what you’re willing to learn.
- Start a cleaning side business
If you find cleaning fun and it makes you feel good, a cleaning side hustle can be a lucrative and rewarding business. You can start small and scale your services with low upfront costs as you take on more customers.
- Invest in rental properties
If you’re looking to generate passive income, renting out property is a fantastic choice. Most properties require a 20% down payment and finding reliable tenants will be key to sustaining regular cash flow and generating long-term returns. It’s flexible so you can do it on the side while you focus on other side hustles.
- Start a blog
This isn’t one where you’ll make a lot of money on day one, but if there’s a topic or expertise you’d love to share with the world, a blog will help you provide a large amount of value. As you grow your audience, there are several ways to create additional income including ads, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing.
Getting started with a side hustle
Sometimes the hardest part is getting started! Begin with your strengths, list out all the things you’re good at and go from there. What do you enjoy that doesn’t feel like work? Once you start making additional income from your side hustle, it’ll be hard to ever stop.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
About Tracie
Tracie Breaux is a personal finance writer. She is the founder of The Cash Queen and she’s passionate about empowering women to achieve financial independence.