These last few years, I tried out some various side hustles, and some work brilliantly while others… well, not so much. I want to disclose to you my personal involvement and break down 10 side hustles that I’ve either tried myself or seen close friends succeed with. Giving you generic advice is not my go to, therefore I shall give you the real scope on what works, what doesn’t, and how.
1. Print-on-Demand Products (My Personal Favorite)
I stumbled into this one by accident, and not it’s my most dependable income stream. You create designs (or hire someone to make them), upload them to platforms like Printful or Redbubble, the awesome part is the handle they logistics when dealing with your customers
What I love about it:
- You don’t need to keep any inventory
- Once designs are up, they can earn money for years
- You can start with zero upfront costs
Don’t worry about starting bad, my first designs were terrible. I made about $50 in my first three months. But as I learned what sells and improved my designs, I now consistently make $600-800 monthly, the yields of improvement are delicious.
Quick tip: Start with simple text-based designs focused on specific niches like dog breeds or professional jobs. I found that “World’s Best Goldendoodle Dad” sells way better than generic “I Love Dogs” designs.
2. Virtual Assistance
About 2 years ago was when I started VA, and it’s not something I was good at or enjoyed, but you can try it out. When I first heard about virtual assistance, I assumed it was just scheduling and email management, but there was more two it.
In modern virtual assistance you have to help your clients with clients with:
- Social media management
- Basic graphic design using Canva
- Email marketing
- Customer service
- Project management
Many small business owners are willing to pay $25-50 per hour for reliable help. I started at $15/hour for a particular gig, but I quit after a while working with the company. Now I focus on other things
Pro tip: Pick a niche. Back then, I just focused on helping real estate agents, which would have allowed me to charge more later in time because I would have acquired a narrow set of skills.
3. Online Teaching
I’m a firm believer in everyone having a unique set of skills and/or experiences to be taught to other people, and in course exploring a lot. Personally, I have made decent money teaching Excel basics to business professionals and publishing some math courses. The key is identifying what you’re naturally good at explaining to others.
Some surprising subjects that pay well:
- Excel and Google Sheets
- Basic coding
- Business writing
- Public speaking
- Test preparation
I started on platforms like Outschool and Wyzant, I recommend you do the same to build up reviews and confidence.
4. Content Writing – My Steady Income Stream
In truth, I may not like to admit, but content writing is oversaturated, especially with the rise of LLMs and content generation tools. But here’s the thing, most people give up too soon, which you should not do, now that real human content is valuable now, more than ever. I remembered I started by writing $10 articles on Fiverr, then went on getting paid $100-200$ writing for finance/fintech companies, I now own a couple of blogs i write for.
The secret sauce? Specialization. Instead of being a general writer, I focused on:
- Finance
- Investment
- Savings
- e.t.c
Getting paid to write is good money, but nothing beats consistent earnings from your writing rather than one time payments
5. Flipping Items
An entertaining side hustle, which I still do occassionaly. I remembered that I started by flipping furniture I found on Facebook Marketplace, and it’s become one of my favourite hobbies on weekend that pays for itself and then some.
My best flips:
- Bought a mid-century modern dresser for $50, cleaned it up, and sold it for $375
- Found a set of vintage chairs for $25 each, reupholstered them, and sold them for $200 each
- Purchased a designer lamp with a broken switch for $15, fixed it for $5, and sold it for $150
I feel the most important lesson is learning what brands and styles are valuable in your area. I focus on mid-century modern furniture because that’s what sells well in my city. I remembered the one time I made $700 at one time in a month, sweet money.
6. Pet Services
I tried pet sitting through Rover during the pandemic, and I never enjoyed it, but people really love their pets and are willing to pay good money for giving their pets quality offers.
Services you can offer:
- Dog walking
- Pet sitting
- Day care
- Training services (if qualified)
7. Digital Product Creation
This was one of my most challenging side income endeavours, at times I still wonder if it was worth it, however, it was a worthwile experience that still gives it’s benefits, even till now. I create and sell digital products like:
- Excel templates for small businesses
- Social media content calendars
- Project management templates
- Budget tracking spreadsheets
I sell those through Etsy store. The first few months were slow, I made no money at all. Now, I inconsistently make $1,200-1,500 monthly from products I created over a year ago, also at times I make no money.
The secret? Create products that solve specific problems. My best-selling item is a rental property analysis spreadsheet that helps real estate investors evaluate properties quickly.
8. Local Photography
Now, I’m not a professional photographer, but I tried taking photos for local businesses and real estate agents, some years ago. You really don’t need fancy equipment to start – I began with my phone back in those era, took it some photoshop to get some nice editing.
What I photograph:
- Real estate listings
- Product photos for local shops
- Food photos for restaurants
- Professional headshots
- Local events
I made anywhere from $200-300 per weekend when I take on projects. The key is building relationships with local businesses and delivering consistent quality.
9. Online Community Management
This one I never officially tried, but very close to someone who actively does this, it is one of the most overlooked side hustles I’ve found. Many businesses actually need help managing their online communities but don’t want to hire a full-time person. My friend started by managing a Facebook group for a local gym, and she grew from there.
Typical responsibilities:
- Moderating comments and posts
- Creating engagement questions
- Responding to member questions
- Organizing online events
- Creating basic graphics for announcements
She charge $500-750 per month per community, depending on its size and activity level. She currently manage three communities and spend about 5-7 hours per week on this work.
10. Website Maintenance
You many not know this, but many small businesses need someone to handle basic website updates but don’t need a full-time web developer. I learned the WordPress, which I use for most of my blogs, offered monthly maintenance services, and now have a few clients I do this fore.
What I do:
- Update plugins and themes
- Add new content
- Make basic design changes
- Optimize images
- Ensure backups are running
This is a great side income, also one I really enjoy, and get paid a lot to do.
Final Thoughts
There is no such thing as perfect, straight bullet opportunities when it comes to side hustle – If you are passionate enough, and have grit, it’s only a matter of time before it starts to yield massive result for you. I remembered starting with content writing, which is now very rewarding, and also led to more opportunities
My best advice? Start with one side hustle and give it at least three months before deciding if it’s right for you. Most people quit too early, just before things start to click. Remember, every side hustle you choose is a learning curve, which is normal, just be patient.
Also, don’t be afraid to combine multiple side hustles, but be very cautious, running after multiple things could make you not find any. however as a source of motivation I currently run three of these simultaneously, and it has been great. But be careful, start with one and become really good, before picking more.
The must important thing to know is, you have to start at some point, at some place. Pick one thing from this list that interests you and give it a shot. The worst that can happen is you learn something new about yourself and what you enjoy doing, which is really great.
What side hustle are you thinking of trying first? I’d love to hear your thoughts and answer any specific questions you might have about any of these opportunities. Bet Smart Be Smart.
