Starting a side hustle is seriously one of the best decisions you will ever make.
Having a side hustle is a great way to increase your income, pay off your debt, save up for big purchases, increase retirement investing, and reduce your financial stress.
There are so many side hustle ideas floating around it’s hard to know which one to start. So we narrowed down the best side hustles that meet all three of our criteria.
Best side hustle criteria:
- High Earning Potential
- Flexible
- Scalable
Alright, let’s dig into these awesome side hustles!
12 Best Side Hustles for 2020
1. Start a Money-Making Blog
This is one of my favorite things to talk about because it has literally changed our entire life.
We were able to start our blog, grow it to $10,000 per month, and both quit our jobs in less than three years.
It is such an incredible dream come true to work for myself from the comfort of our home! We get to set our own hours, earn our own income, and not have to answer to “the man” ever again.
When we started our blog, it was just another hobby. We quickly learned that making money from blogging was a real thing!
If you’re interested in starting your own blog head over to start our FREE Start Your Blog Boot Camp.
2. Become a Proofreader
Are you the kind of person who always notices typos? Doesn’t it frustrate you so much that people can’t even be bothered to spell words correctly?
If so, then you should become a proofreader.
Caitlin Pyle made over $40,000 as a proofreader working the hours that she wanted and now, she teaches you how to do the same, whether you want to proofread general stuff or legal transcripts (her specialty).
If you’re the person who notices a typo on this post, then you’re a perfect candidate!
Sign up for the FREE webinar on starting your proofreading side hustle!
3. Run Facebook Advertising for Local Businesses
Did you know there is a HUGE demand for small business owners needing help running Facebook ads? This is a big industry that seems to not be slowing down.
This is a side hustle you can easily do in your spare time with just a couple of hours per week and start making $1,000 to $2,000 per month.
The best part is our close friend Bobby Hoyt created the Facebook Side Hustle course to teach you literally everything you need to know.
He has had thousands of students take his course and find incredible success! Many of them finding so much success they end up quitting their jobs to do this side hustle full-time.
Head here to learn more about this epic Facebook side hustle.
4. Teaching English Online
Have you ever dreamed of the day you can roll out of bed, head into your home office, and make money working from home?
Well, look no further! This is probably my favorite side hustle of all time.
VIPKID is a company that hires U.S. teachers to teach their students in China. Most students range in age from 3-12 years old with a variety of English speaking ability.
The pay varies from $14-$22 per hour depending on experience, education, performance, and monthly incentives.
You don’t need to have in-class teaching experience but are required to have a bachelor’s degree.
You can check out our full review of VIPKID or jump right in to start applying now.
5. Become a Freelance Writer
Ever wonder how big companies like The Wall Street Journal, Time, Inc, and others keep up with their articles?
They have contributors!
And, guess what? You could become one of them.
You don’t even have to start with major brands. Start with small businesses looking to add on one contributor.
The secret to getting gigs is knowing what topics you should write about. Just like blogging, you need a niche!
The best part is that you don’t need any prior writing experience to get started.
Learn how to start your own freelance writing side hustle now.
6. Launch a Shopify Store
Are you a creative individual?
Online businesses are booming with people who have a unique creative flair and can satisfy a client’s wants and desires. Whether it be Etsy, eBay, or Shopify, you can build a company and make money doing it.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to be successful. You can take a course like Million Dollar Shop and learn the step-by-step process of launching a successful Shopify shop.
We just launched our very own Shopify store using this amazing course. After the first month of opening our shop it has brought in $1,500-$2,500 per month passively.
7. Start a Flipping Side Hustle
I can almost guarantee you have $500 to $1,000 worth of stuff lying around your house that you can sell for money.
Take some time to go through your closets, basement, garage and collect anything that you no longer need or want.
Then simply list it on Facebook Marketplace or eBay. Boom you just started a flipping side hustle!
Our friends Robbie and Mellissa are actually professional flippers and do this full-time!
Seriously Making money on Facebook with items lying around your house couldn’t be easier.
Click here to start your FREE training on how to start making money flipping.
8. Walk Dogs or Pet Sit
You know, man’s best friend? Dogs!
Turns out they need to be walked and watched when the owners are busy or out of town.
Perfect for those dog lovers out there. Head here to read How This 28 Year Old Made Over $20,000 With Her Rover Side Hustle.
You can sign up for Rover today and get started!
9. Become an Influencer
Even though celebrities get a lot of exposure partnering with big-name brands, that doesn’t mean you can’t do it, too!
Some influencers have literally built their businesses off of a social platform like Instagram or even on YouTube.
Want some proof? Look at how much these YouTubers are making.
The concept is the same. Brands pay you to showcase their products. That’s it!
If you’re interested, start by reaching out to smaller brands first before approaching the wealthier ones. Sponsorships can be an entry-level introduction in learning how to earn money online, but some online personas snag sponsorships to the tune of a full-time income.
10. Create an Online Course
This is something we’ve tackled and I’ll be honest – it’s an incredible way to generate income!
An online course is a fantastic way to educate others on a particular topic. It helps if you have a blog to sell it on, but you can start selling an online course strictly through partnering with other people that have loyal followings.
A great place to get started in creating your own course is right on Teachable.
11. Become a Virtual Assistant
When we say “assistant,” don’t get this stuffy concept of working in a cubicle performing mundane tasks.
You can do this from home and it will probably take under an hour per day per client.
There is a huge demand for virtual assistants pretty much everywhere.
This is a job that you should be able to secure work for pretty quickly, especially if you are looking in the right places.
Being a virtual assistant will look different for each client, but it will include supporting business owners and taking on tasks they don’t have time for.
Examples of services that you can offer as a virtual assistant include: answering emails, social media management, scheduling appointments, graphics design, writing newsletters, creating content, etc.
Want to become a virtual assistant? Click here to learn how to get started today.
12. Make Money Freelancing
You can find work in a lot of niche areas that you will be able to use your skills and expertise with working freelance.
It could be as simple as writing articles or if you are into social media, you could get paid to manage social media accounts.
Whatever someone might have difficulty with or not enough time to complete is where you would come in.
People pay you to have work done for them. Some people have deep pockets when it comes to freelance work because they just do not have enough time and want to pay some else to do the work.
What is a Side Hustle?
A side hustle is a term everyone should know and be pursuing if you have dreams of financial freedom. As a couple, we have always had a side hustle on top of our full-time jobs.
Side hustles are a way to fulfill a passion, work on a hobby or bring in extra cash by helping others.
We even used our side hustle to pay off our student loan debt!
True wealth and freedom come from having multiple sources of income and side hustles are perfect for this!
How Do I Start a Side Hustle?
It’s very simple!
- Decide that you want to make extra money
- Choose the best side hustle for you
- Take action and get started
Of course, there are moving parts as you start, but the process could not be easier.
I made sure to include side hustles that are flexible, pay great, and have room to scale. These side hustles are perfect for stay-at-home-moms, dads, college students, and just about anyone that want’s to increase their income.
Start Making Side Hustle Money Today
Whether you want a start a passive income side hustle or one that will make you work for your money, this list should get you started on your quest for extra money.
Remember, the extra money can be life-changing and help you pay off your debt. Don’t diminish your accomplishments, just because they aren’t as grand as others’. Every step is a step in the right direction.
If you’re a single mom, a college student, or anyone who wants to make easy money, side hustles are the way to go!
Did these side hustle ideas give you your next business idea? If so, let us know in the comments and how side hustles are changing your life.
My side hustle as an Independent Isagenix Associate has now turned into my full time gig! So grateful!
Brian CONGRATS! There is not better feeling that starting to make money on your own terms. What exactly is an “an Independent Isagenix Associate” we would love to know more about it?
Its a multi level marketing health food gimmick (pyramid scheme)
I’d like to suggest an addition for the Survey section. Swagbucks. I’ve used it for almost two years now without any problems. You can go to swagbucks.com or check out my post on it here: go.tpoh.me/swagt
Thanks for the great side hustle ideas! I think I’ll try some e-Commerce after I get the hang of this blogging thing 😉
Thanks, that’s a great idea! Brittany loves doing surveys so she will be sure to check Swagbucks out. Let me know if you need any help in getting started with E-Commerce, I have lots of experience. =)
I love using upwork! They have so much variety and the flexibility is great. Thanks for sharing these great links.
Yes upwork is a very powerful tool. This summer when Brittany is off from teaching we plan on hitting upwork hard to earn some extra cash. Glad the list was useful.
Great read Brittany, always looking for extra ways to make cash. I just wanted to share something I’ve been doing recently. I run an office and have noticed that unused toner was piling up in storage. Looked into returning but that was no good. Tried out the site https://www.tonerconnect.net/ and was impressed. They had quick service and that payout was nice.
Interesting, tell me more?
usertesting.com isn’t on here? You think out loud while answering some questions that they provide as you browse their website. Your thoughts are recorded and you receive $10 7 days later deposited into your PayPal account. I keep it open in a tab on my computer. It makes an audible ding when one is available. If the environment is quiet and I can stop what I am doing for a few moments to do that, I can make $10.
I started teaching online from home and was able to bring in an extra 1,000 a month easily. You need a 4 year degree and there is a bit of time spent at the beginning training/getting hired (10 days or so). Once you are hired you can monetize 25 minute blocks of time and the pay really adds up fast.