5 Side hustles you can do in your spare time
Have you ever heard someone say they make money with a bunch of different side hustles every month?Do you know what a side hustle is? A side hustle is just a catchy way of saying they have a side job.If you are looking to make a little extra money or want to have your own side hustle, I am going to introduce you to some great ideas that you can do in your spare time.These alternative sources of income are ideal for individuals who have full time jobs already, but need to add a bit more income to their current budget.Related: Budgeting for BeginnersEven though these 5 side hustles won’t make you rich, they are a great way to increase your spending money or even paying a few bills each month.
5 Side Hustles You Can Do In Your Spare Time
I love the term side hustle because it really focuses on your desire to succeed.Hustling to make something happen isn't negative, but a positive thing that reminds you to get out there and work hard.Buying and selling used goods. This has been, for the last 25 years, one of the best at home businesses people can recommend. Buying and selling used goods was made popular by eBay, but has expanded into many other websites and even local communities.Whether you do this with specific items on an online forum or auction site, or you post in local yard sale groups and sell to people in your own community, it can be a great return on investment.To make the most of this as a potential side hustle, you need to find items at bargain bin prices that you can resell and make a profit. Many individuals will shop local yard sales, discount shops, and even purchase directly from wholesalers online. Whatever method you choose, the money comes in having quality inventory to offer at a reasonable price.Related: How to Clearance Shop & Earn a Full-time IncomeSome great sites to sell gently used items:
- Ebay – earn cash directly into your Paypal account
- Listia - earns credit toward your own purchases
- Amazon – books, movies, and some electronics are best sold here
- Local flea market or swap shops – often have a weekly or monthly booth rental
- Craigslist – free to advertise and often easy to sell electronics, furniture, appliances and clothing fast
- Thredup & Schoola – these sites allow you to send in clothing (kids or women's) that is brand name and gently used for site credit toward future purchases.
Freelancing services. The world of freelance is a huge place to make money in your spare time. Whether you are offering writing and editing, or building websites the world of freelance is a great place to make money on the side.Consider offering freelance services in some of the following fields:
- Editing, proofreading, copywriting, and ghostwriting for authors and publications
- Creating custom graphics for logos, printable products, and websites
- Building websites or offering website support with graphic design, html, PHP, CSS, or other programming languages needed to design or manipulate websites
- Build email newsletters for businesses, websites, and authors
- Consultant work on job visions, business ideas, and event planning.
You can begin your freelancing career by offering services to local businesses, joining virtual assistant or freelance groups on Facebook and Linked In, or setting up a profile on sites like UpWork and Fiverr.Related: How to be a freelance writerPet sitting services. This is seriously one of the best side hustles you can do in your spare time. For just an hour or two, often even less, you can stop by to feed, water, and walk people’s pets while they are away.If you have a flexible lunch hour, you may even be able to take on a few clients for mid-day pet welfare checks. Some people will even pay you to stay in their home to house sit and pet sit while they are on vacation. This is ideal for someone who wants to make extra cash and loves animals.You'll most likely need to clean up after them, exercise and play with them, feed them, and potentially groom them. Checking with a local veterinarian clinic or groomer is a great way to find out more about your potential local clientèle.Advertising on local community bulletin boards or in local Facebook groups for your community or on Craigslist is a great free way to get the word out and gain new clients. Some veterinarians will also allow you to advertise in their offices. Check out this post from Home Based Happiness on how you can get started today.Tutoring services. Becoming a tutor can be a very lucrative business. It is, in fact, a great side hustle you can do in your spare time. A single hour of tutoring in some subjects can easily pay upwards of $50.Doing this 2-3 hours a week can easily increase your income by a few hundred dollars per month.Tutoring or lessons for clients can be done in many different fields. Teaching others is not just about education from a traditional school standpoint. It also includes help with music or art. This is a perfect idea for someone who wants to share their knowledge and help others understand something better.Related: Work from home as a tutorSome great things you can become a tutor for:
- Traditional education classes like math, science, history, language (both natural and second language needs), as well as advanced classes in each field of study.
- Arts like music, painting, sketching, sculpting, clay, and pottery.
- Fitness and exercise coaching as a physical trainer if licensed.
- Nutrition and dietary assistance if licensed in that field.
- Sports education or coaching
Direct Sales. While this often gets a bad rap, direct sales really is one of the best ways to make money on the side. There are plenty of scams out there to avoid, but there are even more great companies to work with to sell products or services to interested parties. If direct sales is something you wish to consider, I recommend looking for tangible products you feel comfortable investing in yourself.Some long standing product lines and companies you may consider:
- Tupperware, Pampered Chef, Dove Chocolates
- Mary Kay, Avon, and Younique, Paparazzi
- Pink Zebra or Scentsy
- LuLuRoe or Legging Army
As you look for a side hustle that will provide your family with the extra income you desire, these are just a few of the options available.Side hustles you can do in your spare time that will also give you the pay you wish for your effort can be tough, but this is a perfect place to begin.Do you have any side hustles you do in your spare time?