Thinking of Taking Up a Side Hustle? Here Are 9 Gigs to Try

If you’re thinking of taking up a side hustle, you’re not alone — let’s face it, we would all love to have a little extra money. Chris Guillebeau, the author of 100 Side Hustles, told CBS News that side hustling is about figuring out which of your unique skills could be valuable to other people — and these can be virtually anything. Side hustles are great for adding to your savings account or simply funding your Starbucks cravings. 

No matter what you choose to do, all side hustles are perfect for filling your free time with something productive and worthwhile. If you don’t know where to begin, here are a few simple side gigs you can start right now to earn some extra dollars. 

Dog Walking

If you love puppies (I know you do!), then dog walking is a super-easy way to make money while spending time with your cute neighborhood furry friends. You can apply to work through apps like Wag! — the Uber of dog walking — which will match you with local dog owners. Not only can you make upwards of $25 per half-hour, but you can choose when you do it, whether that be after your morning lecture or before hitting the gym. And who wouldn’t love to get paid while spending time with doggos?

Babysitting

If you would rather spend time with children, consider taking up babysitting. There are no specific qualifications to become a babysitter, but you may want to consider becoming certified in first aid or safety to stand out to potential clients. There are many sites like Sittercity.com or Care.com that will help connect you with potential clients. 

Tutoring

If you’re an academic star and like helping people, you can use your expertise to earn extra money. By working as a tutor, you will have the opportunity to not only make a difference in students’ lives but also become an entrepreneur. 

And this isn’t limited to academic classes — if you’re a pro at playing an instrument or a sport, you can tutor in those subjects as well! With this hustle, you have free range to determine when you work, where you work, how much your hourly wage will be, and who you tutor. To start, try checking with your advisor for any tutoring services through your university or apply to work through websites like Tutor.com.  

Freelancing​

Transform your passion into cash by freelancing. You can market any of your skills, such as writing, photography, graphic design, and drawing, among others. By freelancing, you can make extra money while also gaining more experience in the field you are passionate about. From websites like Fiverr.com and Upwork.com, which help you find gig-by-gig work, to pitching and writing articles for online publications, the possibilities with freelancing are truly endless.

Ridesharing Apps (Uber/Lyft)

Arguably one of the most well-known side hustles is driving for Uber. All you need for this gig is a car, a smartphone, and a clean driving record. However, you must be 21 and have at least three years of driving experience to pass the background check before you’re able to begin. If you don’t mind driving strangers around, you can enjoy Uber’s flexibility and pay while meeting new people and seeing new parts of your community. Do keep in mind that ridesharing can be dangerous, so always be wary of your surroundings, check the ratings of your riders whenever possible, and tell your friends when you are about to start a driving shift. You may also consider driving for ridesharing apps like Safr and DriveHER that cater to women’s safety. 

Related: Safety Tips for Uber

Food Delivery (Uber Eats, Doordash, Instacart)

Like Uber, food delivery services such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Instacart are simple ways to earn extra money on your own time. If you’ve never used Uber Eats or DoorDash (which you totally should, if you’re ever lazy and hungry), they’re basically a platform where you pick up customer’s orders from popular restaurants and deliver them to their houses. With Instacart, you would be shopping for and delivering customer’s groceries from stores like Aldi and Kroger. All of these are ideal platforms to use when you want to do something productive on a weekend instead of binge-watching Netflix in your jammies.

Start a Blog 

If you’ve always dreamed of being a blogger, this is your sign to start one now. With a blog, your creative work can be seen by an audience, and can eventually earn you quite a bit if properly monetized. Kimberly Gauthier has run the blog KeepTheWagTailWagging.com — where she writes about raw feeding her dogs — since 2011. In this podcast, she explains how she was able to make a significant income from her blog. Be sure to do your research on this; there are many books and videos on YouTube. I recommend The Badass Blog Planner: Your Guide to Defining Your Purpose, Creating Clarity, and Building a Year of Killer Content by Sarah Morgan, which will teach you the best blogging strategies when it comes to earning money and staying creative. 

Related: Career Cubicle: How to Turn your Blog into a Business

Start Your Own Etsy Shop

Become an entrepreneur today by starting your own Etsy business. Whether it be homemade painted goods, DIY scrunchies, or reworked thrifted clothing items, your Etsy website will be able to sell it. Opening and maintaining your shop is simple, and the possibilities are truly endless. 

Become a Tour Guide

Know your city or campus inside and out? Try becoming a tour guide. You don’t necessarily need any prior experience, and it is an easy way to make up to $60 an hour showing clients around cities. Sites like Vayable.com can help connect you to clients who wish to learn the ropes of a new city. Also, check with your university for tour guide openings where you will be paid to show prospective students around your campus. 

Side hustles are all about being creative, and finding something you enjoy doing that can also make you a little extra money. Cheers to making 2020 the year of thriving wallets!

• career
• money
• part-time jobs
• side hustle