Even if you’re relatively financially stable, a side hustle is always a good idea. According to a survey done last summer, more than 44 million Americans have some kind of side job that brings in a little extra dough each month. If you’re trying to figure out how to repair your credit, pay off some bills, or simply pocket a little more spending money, then pick up one of these creative money-making hobbies in your spare time.
Rent Out Your Space
AirBnB and other home rental sites are all the rage nowadays. In fact, more than 150 million people use AirBnB to book their home-away-from-home accommodations on a regular basis. If you live in a popular tourist destination or large city, you could rake in a substantial amount of money by simply offering your apartment up for rent once or twice a month. You can also look into obtaining a secondary living space that you can rent out full-time.
Offer Your Car to Visiting Drivers
Ever heard of Turo? It’s basically AirBnB’s sister app, but on wheels. More and more people are steering away from pricey rental car services in favor of renting from individual car owners. If you have a vehicle you rarely use or own a second car, you can put it up for rent on site. Then, people will come from out of town, pay to drive your car around, fill it up with gas, and return it to you.
Open an Etsy Shop
If you’re just looking to make a little bit of extra cash each week, and if you’ve got a knack for creative hobbies, consider opening up an Etsy shop and selling your own products. Depending on what you decide to produce and how much you charge for each item, you could be making a couple hundred bucks every month. Try crafting your own Mickey Mouse ears for Disney-goers or designing T-shirts for your favorite book series.
Sell Your Talents on a Freelance Site
Freelancing isn’t just reserved for writers or graphic designers. Whatever skills you have, there are freelance gigs available somewhere on the internet. Offer your creative or practical skills to others via Fiverr or UpWork.
Before you know it, you’ll have a few extra hours of work each week that might even pay better than your full-time job. There’s a reason more than 34 percent of the American workforce is now comprised of freelancers; it’s flexible and financially beneficial.
Tutor People in Your Area of Expertise
You don’t have to be a genius with a Ph.D. to mentor someone in a subject you’re comfortable with. Look into SAT, writing, math, and English tutoring opportunities. You can even work with small children who are at a rudimentary level in whichever area you want to help with.
If you don’t feel qualified enough to tutor someone else, consider buffing up on your skills and then applying. You’ll find that you benefit from the extra education and the new funds.
Walk People’s Furry Friends
Becoming a dog walker might sound like a last resort for some, but with new apps like Wag!, it’s becoming a more popular part-time job for people. Users will book your services, then you’ll show up to spend some quality time with their pooch. You get to stretch your legs on a regular basis and get your fix of adorable pups, which is pretty much a win-win situation all around.
Donate Your Blood or Plasma
Obviously, you shouldn’t need to substitute your salary with frequent donations of your bodily fluids, but it never hurts to give to a good cause once or twice a month. Look into donation centers near you to give your blood for a small price and find a plasma center that will pay you for your donation.
You’ll feel good about helping others, and the extra money doesn’t hurt, either. Just remember to be safe about giving and talk to your doctor before doing so frequently.
House Sit for Travelers
Do a quick search online and you’ll instantly find several sites listing homes in need of sitters near you. You could get paid a substantial amount of money for simply watering plants, grabbing someone’s mail, and making sure everything is in order while they embark on a fun vacation.
Some people will even allow you to sleep in their home and use their pool or yard for your own purposes while they’re away. Think of it as a mini-vacay that you’re getting paid to take.
Become a Handyman (or Woman)
If you’ve always been skilled at fixing things or working on homes/cars, then why not offer your services to others? You could easily make a pretty high hourly pay for changing someone’s oil or fixing their broken fence. It’ll give you the chance to use your hands for meaningful work, and the extra money can fund your other hobbies or bills.
Even though most side-hustles won’t double your income, they certainly make your monthly expenses more manageable. Start searching in your area to see what services people need, then pick up a job that you might actually enjoy doing during your spare time.
