Are you looking for a list of side jobs to make money? When my first child was born I decided I was going to stay home instead of go back to work. So, over the years I’ve tried a lot of different things to try and make a bit of extra money. Raising three kids on a small income is not easy.
Because I have tried so many things over the years, I have learned what works and what really doesn’t. Oh, man, have I learned what DOESN’T! 🙂 Some things were just not worth my time, while others may have worked had I put more energy and effort in, but at certain times in my life it just wasn’t possible. While my youngest is now 6, when the kids were babies and toddlers there just wasn’t a lot of time to myself to work on anything besides making sure their needs were met!
This may or may not be the case for you. Every situation is different. The time you have to give to a side hustle may depend on how old your children are, or how big your support system is for babysitters, or if your kids are in school or homeschooled. You may already work full-time, volunteer a lot, or have other commitments. Side hustles are just that- something to do on the side. Something that usually won’t be full-time hours, but most likely will bring in just a bit of extra income, not a fulltime income.
In this list you will see that I’ve tried to pick side hustles that are easy to fit into your daily schedule. As a busy mom of three I know how hard it can be to try and make some income on the side, and hopefully the options in this list is something that you could work around your most likely already busy schedule.
So, without further ado, here is a list of side hustles that can bring in some extra money!
Babysit/childcare
Some people do this as a full-time career at home, which is a great option, but you can also do part-time hours too for people who need care for their children but not full-time care. Before and after school care is another great option, as you only are baby-sitting for a few hours a day.
Housesitting
People who go away for long periods of time often want someone to watch their house. Snowbirds ( someone who moves to a warmer climate for the colder months) may need someone to watch their home for months at a time.
Tutoring
If you are strong in academics, tutoring is a great option for kids who need a little extra help in a subject.
Delivering Newspapers
Newspaper delivery isn’t just for kids! For a few months I delivered newspapers once a week by vehicle to rural mailboxes. This was an 8 hour commitment a week. While it wasn’t my favorite, it helped ease the financial burden at a time that was extremely tight.
Selling Homemade Goods at Markets
I will be selling homemade soap at our local market this year. (You can read a tutorial I wrote on how to make soap HERE.) But soap is just one option. I’ve seen jewelry, crochet and knitted items, candles, homemade aprons, preserves and baked goods, and so much more sold at Farmers markets.
Music Lessons
Do you play guitar, piano, ukulele, flute, trumpet, bass, or drums? My husband plays piano and has taught piano on the side on and off over the years. You can have your students come to you, or you can go to their house.
Cleaning Homes
While you can get a full-time job as a cleaner, you could also just commit to cleaning a house or two on the side. I have friends who do this while their kids are in school once or twice a week and it has worked well for them.
Mystery Shopping
While it isn’t a large amount of money, you can get some extra pocket change by mystery shopping. Be sure to research which company you sign up with though, as there are a lot of scams out there! Premier Service is one I’ve worked with before in the past.
Personal Training
If you have the experience, and a space in your home that you can dedicate to weights and exercise machines, personal training is a great job that you can do on the side.
Yard work
Mowing grass, shoveling snow, raking leaves, etc. There are many people out there who don’t want to do it themselves or are just too busy.
Boarding
Rent out a room in your house. This works especially well if you live near a university or college where there are young adults always looking for a place to rent!
Virtual Assistant
Years ago if you were an administrative assistant your only option was to work in an office. Now, with the internet so popular, there are administrative assistant jobs that you can do from the comfort of your own home.
Freelancing
If you like to write and can find a few places that will pay you for writing, freelancing can be a great side gig! Upwork and Freelancer are two sites to get you started.
Handyman Services
Can you paint or fix a broken fence? Stop a leaky faucet or repair some holes? If you are handy with tools you could do small repair jobs for those who are looking for someone who is handy.
Brand Ambassador
Brand ambassador jobs are often casual or part-time. This often involves having a booth or table set up at a store or concert and handing out free samples.
Dog grooming
Not everyone wants to groom their own pet and will happily pay someone else to do it for them.
Dog-walking/Pet-sitting
So many people have dogs these days, but many owners work full-time and are super busy. They may be struggling to give their furry friend their daily dose of exercise. Pet sitting is great for people who want to travel but can’t take their pet with them.
Aside from these 17 great side hustles to make money, I wanted to mention a few other options that, at least to me, don’t necessarily qualify as a side hustle. When I think of a side hustle, I think of something you can do with the few extra hours you may have during the week. But there are a few money making options that CAN be a side hustle, but more than likely you won’t make enough money that way. Or, there are a few jobs out there that require more effort and time the beginning, but over time you may gain passive income from it.
So, some “not-so-side” hustles are:
Blogging
That’s right. You can make money from blogging. Many people wonder how you could possibly make money just from writing some posts, but blogging provides income opportunities through options such as ad revenue, affiliate marketing, selling products you create such as e-books or e-courses, and many other ways.
But don’t believe those sites that tell you that you will instantly make money blogging with little work. It is true that you CAN make money, but it is far from a get rich quick scheme. If you want to make income sooner rather than later, you will need to invest many, many hours every week to get it off the ground.
But, don’t let that discourage you from jumping in if blogging is something of interest to you. As long as you are committed and willing to learn (and let me tell you, there is A LOT to learn!) than you will more than likely succeed at blogging if it is something you want to do. Learn how to blog with this post here.
Direct Sales/MLM
Love it or hate it, some people do amazingly well selling products such as essential oils, shakes, kitchen products, makeup, candles, and the list goes on and on! But you have to commit the time and energy and be driven to make money with MLM in my opinion.
So, if you want to sign up for an MLM, give it much thought, make sure it’s a product you are passionate about and believe in, and be prepared to give the time and energy needed.
If you are looking for extra income, try some side jobs to make money. Whether you can only give an hour or two a week or you have a little more time, try one of these ideas to make some extra income. Pick what works best for you and what fits into your family’s schedule. If you try one of these ideas and find it just isn’t working, don’t beat yourself up, just try something else on the list. Sometimes it takes a few different tries to discover what is the best fit for you.
