25 Proven Side Hustles You Can Start Today

Posted by , Updated on November 24, 2023

You want some extra money? You want to dump your unfulfilling job and live your own life, your own way? We have some answers for how you can do just that.

The going is kind of tough right now for most people. It’s getting increasingly difficult to make ends meet, and most people work paycheck to paycheck, month to month, and barely get by. But there are ways to beat the system and set your life on a course to prosperity.

It will take some effort as well as a belief in yourself and your own self-worth, but if you persevere, the payout, both financially and mentally, will be completely worth it.

Here are 25 Proven Side Hustles You Can Start Today

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25

Play games for cash

Play games for cash

We play games on our phones. Everyone plays games on their phones. These games and apps are actually referred to as “time wasters” in the industry.

It’s time we never get back, and there really isn’t any benefit from most of them. but that could change.

Apps like bingo cash, solitaire cash, swagbucks, etc.—there are so many apps that pay you to play games on your phone.

Well, you don’t really make much from the actual playing of the games; it’s mostly from watching the ads and filling out various surveys that go along with them. You also won’t get rich doing this.

But making a few bucks playing those games is better than earning nothing playing those games, you know? Just make sure to check out these apps before you start playing to avoid getting scammed. 

Related: 25 Best Video Games to Play as a Couple

24

Take surveys online

Take surveys online

Taking surveys online will not make you rich. But if you like to take surveys in your spare time or want to have your opinion heard, why not make a few bucks in the process?

Apps like oneopinion or survey junkie will let you average a couple of bucks per hour depending on how many surveys you choose to complete. 

No survey app is perfect, but as long as they are transparent about what you will earn and don’t ask for much personal information, you should be good.

Highly rated apps like branded surveys and Kashkick are good places to get started.

23

Extra space?

Extra Space

Do you have extra rooms or maybe a garage in your house? Do you live in an apartment that comes with a couple of parking spots, but you have no car?

Do you have an unused closet? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you could be earning passive income with neighbor.com.

The best way to describe neighbor.com is “It’s like an air BnB, but for stuff.” And it is for almost any kind of stuff you can think of except those that are banned by the company, such as firearms, fireworks, toxic materials, etc.

However, if you own a barn and someone needs to store a boat there, you can turn that passive income into a source of income for yourself!

22

Redbubble/Etsy

Redbubble_Etsy

Let your creative flag fly! Maybe you have a crafty hobby that you enjoy and would love to share.

Or, you like to do photography, painting, or sketching and would love to make some extra cash with your passion. It couldn’t be easier to make that happen.

Redbubble and Etsy make it possible but in very different ways. With Etsy, you can make, well, pretty much anything you want to.

Then you create your page and start selling! As people order your craftiness, you fill those orders and start an extra revenue source.

With Redbubble, you don’t actually have to make anything! Post your art and choose the items on which you’d like it to appear.

Redbubble makes the items and fills the orders while you sit back and let the extra income roll in!

Related: 25 Most Dangerous Hobbies You Might Want To Try

21

Become a dog walker

Dog walker

I love dogs. I really do. Walking dogs wouldn’t really even seem like work to me. It’s like getting to hang out with dogs while getting some exercise!

What could be better than that? (Unless you’re a cat person, in which case I’m sorry for you.)

If you love dogs or walking, you can get started immediately as a dog walker with apps like Wag and Rover. New dog walkers tend to make the lower end of the pay scale, which is around $10 for a 30-minute walk.

However, if you establish a good reputation and a clientele, you can easily earn $25 to $30 for equal walking sessions. And $25 for a 30-minute walk comes out to around $50 per hour per dog.

20

Try Your Hand at Housesitting

Housesitting

Not only will people pay you to walk their pets, but they will also pay quite well to have someone stay with them in their own homes.

Even those without pets who have to take long trips hire housesitters to make sure everything stays safe while they are away.

Trustedhousesitters.Com and mindmyhouse are companies you could get started with. There will be background checks and other steps you’ll need to get through.

but those things are not a big deal in light of the money that could be made for feeding the cats and watering the plants.

Related: 25 Things You’ve Probably Been Cleaning Wrong

19

Tutor

Tutor

Were you a pretty good student? Do you know how to communicate with students of varying levels? Share your knowledge with students who are struggling by becoming a tutor.

If you google “tutor app,” you’ll be surprised at the number of results you’ll get. Care.com, Wyzant, tutor.com, and Cambly are but a few of those available.

Each site has its own rules and pay scales; you just have to choose the one that works best for you!

18

Ebay

Ebay

Ebay has been around for a while. You’ve probably bought something from there yourself. But there are odd things that people sell on the site that you may not be aware of. Things like mystery boxes…

Yes, people are fond of buying boxes of “stuff” on eBay. Essentially, if you want to try this one, get a variety of boxes and fill them with whatever items you can find. Have old books, a puzzle,

Some happy meal toys and unused socks? That’s a box. How about some hardware, a few collectible cups, some comic books, and an extra HDMI cable? That’s a box.

I know it sounds silly, but these things really do sell on eBay. (Extra tip: if you live someplace that has large pine cones laying all over the ground, gather them up and put them on eBay. Crafters will pay a good price for them!

Related: 25 Most Expensive Things Sold On eBay

17

Participate in market research

Participate in market research

Much like surveys, participating in market research can help bring in some extra money. Your opinion is really valuable to companies.

The research groups that collect data on various topics and demographics will pay well for their data. Sites like focusgroup.com, user interviews, and respondent.io make it easy for someone to get started.

Generally, all you need to do is create a profile that lets companies know who you are and where your interests lie.

Fill these out, and you could be ready to go. Some sites pay you per question, while others will pay as much as $150 for an hour or two of your time.

16

Old media on amazon

old game cartrige

Believe it or not, the nostalgia market is a thing. People are always looking for things that spark fond memories of the past.

Old video games from consoles past, especially old board games, first editions of books or editions of books with certain covers, posters from niche brands, or even old concert tees and band swag from classic artists:

Almost all of these things are quite desirable, and Amazon will allow you to sell them at will. People scour the internet every day to find that game that they played as a kid or that toy they cherished from Christmas years ago.

They say you can’t put a price on memories, but evidently, you can make some good extra cash from them! Fun tip: for some reason, VHS tapes seem to be a popular niche item. Who knew? 

15

Answer questions

Answer questions

We’ve covered market research and delved into taking surveys, so why not just try answering some questions?

There are people who literally make thousands each month by answering random questions online in areas where they have some expertise. JustAnswer is one good site to start with, but it certainly isn’t the only one.

Prestoexperts pays about $14 per question answered. And if your focus is on current events, news, or politics, you could try YouGov America. Your expertise is valuable; why not profit from it?

14

Rent your car

Rent your car

We’ve all been there. There are places to be, and we need a car. Unfortunately, a ride app won’t cut it. In situations like these, being able to rent a car would help. That’s where you come in!

Did you know you can rent out your car? There are people who sometimes make thousands of dollars a month doing just that.

Sites like Touro, Hyrecar, and Avail are but a few that allow you to make extra money by letting someone else drive your car for a while!

Each of these sites has a different fee scale, and all renters must go through background checks to be eligible to get a car, but if you aren’t using your vehicle, you could be making fast cash.

The truth is that the cost of buying a new car has skyrocketed, and renting a car is just as expensive. Renting is easier.

Related: 25 Most Expensive Cars In The World

13

Taskrabbit

Task Rabbit

Taskrabbit is a bit different from many other apps. Taskrabbit matches people who need odd jobs done with people willing to do those jobs.

Everything from assembling furniture to moving boxes during relocation to small home repairs and handyman jobs is available.

As with most “Odd Jobs” sites, it’s easy to get started and be matched to available jobs. And TaskRabbit isn’t the only site out there.

Thumbtack is also a site that matches skilled home improvement individuals with those in need of their services.

12

Drones

Drones

If you have a drone and know how to fly it, you could be sitting on some untapped income. Drone pilots have become a hot commodity in various industries.

Construction companies use drone footage to inspect potential build sites. Realtors hire drone pilots to fly through their homes and properties for footage to put on their websites.

While there are apps and websites that specialize in jobs for drone pilots like flyguys.com, dronebase.com, and droneu.com, there are also lots of drone jobs on sites like ziprecruiter.com and indeed.com. and they usually pay well.

Related: Best Drones for Your Money

11

Food delivery

Food delivery

Come on, you’ve already heard of Doordash! For many people trying to make ends meet in this gig economy, apps like DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub, Postmates, and Bite Squad are lifesavers.

As long as you have a good driving record and are ready to start working as soon as you start, you’re good to go!

Nobody is going to get rich doing the food delivery thing, but if you’re in a situation where every penny counts, driving for one of these companies could make a huge difference in your life.

And if you are a person who uses the apps for deliveries, give your driver a good tip. Believe me, they earn it.

10

Busking

Busking

Do you have a special talent like juggling, playing an instrument, or singing? Maybe you know how to do some cool close-up magic tricks.

If you do have any special or unique talents, busking could be the way to go.

Busking is easy. Find a busy corner in a metro area or a well-trafficked spot in a park and do your thing!

People rarely carry cash, which isn’t a problem either because you can put a QR code in your basket so that people can easily donate! And if you get seen by the right person, stardom could be right around the corner!

9

Facebook marketplace

Facebook marketplace

Have you ever just taken an hour and scrolled through Facebook Marketplace? It seems like you can find almost anything you’re looking for there.

Sure, everyone has unused “stuff” that can be listed, but if you do it right, you could actually make quite a bit of extra money.

Here’s an example: I know a person who stops at thrift stores, picks up small home furnishings items people have discarded on the side of the road and looks through yard sales for inexpensive toys and home items.

She takes them home, cleans them up, maybe gives them a paint job or new hardware, and then sells them for a very nice profit. Not only do they do very well with this as a side hustle, but it has become their main job!

Most importantly, they have a lot of fun doing it.

Related: 25 Worst Type Of Facebook Friends You May Want To “Unfriend” Today

8

Fiverr

Fiverr

Fiverr is an app that specializes in putting creative people in touch with those that need them. Fiverr gets its own entry because it is the best app for people just stepping into the freelance pool.

This is mostly due to the fact that Fivver’s listings are so diverse. If you have experience in anything from designing wedding invitations or business cards all the way to web site design and coding, you can make some great extra cash.

7

Personal shopper

Personal shopper

There are many forms of personal shopping. You are likely most familiar with apps like Shipt and Instagram.

These apps are great if you want to become a personal shopper. But there are other forms of personal shopping as well.

A simple Google search brings up many forms of the personal shopper gig. Some of the jobs offered are not simply of the grocery-getter variety.

Some personal shopper jobs include buying clothing, household items, and personal items for your clients.

Building a good rating and getting positive reviews could take a bit of time, but this is what helps you take this gig to the next level of success.

6

Cook for Farmer's Markets

Farmers Market

Do you know a secret recipe from your grandparents or maybe even your mom? Is there some cool dish you love to serve people?

Maybe you have come up with your own hot sauce that all of your friends say is better than what they can buy at the grocery store.

Whatever it is you make, taking it to your local farmer’s market could prove to be quite profitable. Local farmer’s markets always have the usual fresh, locally sourced fruits and vegetables.

But increasingly, you can find people who make specialized niche products like honey, breads, fresh empanadas, seafood, and the previously mentioned hot sauces.

Fees to set up shop in these marketplaces are generally low so that sellers’ profits can stay high.

Related: 25 Cool Science Hacks To Make Your Cooking Easier

5

Clean Garages

Clean Garages

While there really aren’t any “freelance” garage cleaning apps, it really isn’t too difficult to get started in this side gig. It helps if you have a truck so that you can haul off the things you remove. It isn’t

It’s completely necessary, but it definitely helps. Although the work can be sweaty and dirty, the end result could be great.

Remember #9? Facebook marketplace? Well, when you do a full cleaning and “junk removal” of a garage, you could nab some desirable items for you to refurbish!

Related: 5 Best Power Cleaners of 2022 – Review & Buying Guide

4

Sell your Old Wardrobe To Second Hand Clothing Shops

Sell your Old Wardrobe To Second Hand Clothing Shops

Closets are full of clothes that never get worn. Every closet, everywhere, has extra clothing that just hangs there, never being used.

Those items could be donated, sure, but if you really need some extra income, there are secondhand clothing stores that sell your old, sorry, vintage clothes. These shops are very popular and do great business.

You really don’t have to limit yourself to selling your old clothes. Hit up some yard sales on the weekend and look for other vintage clothes that you can buy for very little money and sell for a mild profit!

3

Decorate for Holidays

Decorate for Holidays

When the holidays come around, people want to decorate their homes and make them look awesome.

But with schedules getting increasingly busy and free time at a premium, it can be difficult for them to do the decorating themselves. That’s where you come in!

Most people are happy to hire someone to hang their Christmas lights, put out their blow-ups, and add some cheer to the holiday season.

And if you add Halloween to your season, you could make even more. In fact, if you do it right, you could lock in decorating for the spooky season and Christmas at the same time!

2

Freelance

Freelance

Freelance websites and apps are everywhere. We have discussed a few on this list! But don’t limit yourself. There are dozens of sites out there that will put you in contact with individuals or businesses that could use your expertise.

For example, Upwork has a varied list of available jobs from up-and-coming or well-established companies.

The jobs you can find there range from engineering and architecture to writing and translation; from development and IT to legal and accounting.

Jobble, on the other hand, offers gigs like event staff and parking attendants for your special day. Think of Jobble as more of a temp agency.

If you have lots of tech knowledge, freelancer.com would be great for you. You will need to put together a bit of a portfolio, but once you do, jobs could come at you immediately.

1

Become a Home Organizer

Proven Side Hustles

People are starting to understand that living in chaos is difficult. The minimalist lifestyle has become popular, and people are looking for a more organized and calm environment. Do you have good organizational skills? If the answer is yes, this could be the perfect side hustle for you!

Look, everyone likes to think their house could pass the Marie Kondo test, but in truth, most of us are somewhere between that and Hoarders.

It takes a long time to change your living space from chaos to order, and even though you are all in when you begin the process, the excitement fades quickly, and you end up with a home full of started projects and broken dreams.

There are literally thousands of home organization tips and ideas online, and sites like Thumbtack and Joble could connect you with those who would love to help you along your new career path!

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