A side hustle is a great way to earn some extra cash or even start your own side business. If you’re the victim of corporate downsizing or just someone looking to earn some extra cash to pay down debt, a side hustle can be a solution. Using your special skills or interests can help you earn the extra money you need quickly and easily. What does this mean? If you are tech-savvy, you may be able to earn some serious cash doing tech work such as web development, technical support, or software testing. Love to bake. Creating and baking specially designed cookies for special occasions from the comfort of your own Chester County home might be the side hustle that helps you launch your very own bakery.
Determining the best side hustle for you
As we mentioned above, when considering a side hustle, it all starts with consideration of your interests, talents, and other capabilities. If you’re good at it, there’s a better chance your side hustle will be a success. Once you have an idea of what you consider your talents, it’s time to talk numbers. How much will your side hustle cost you to get started? It may cost nothing when it comes to a side job such as tutoring. On the other hand, it may cost thousands if you are launching a side hustle that comes with expenses such as business startup costs and inventory. There may be operational costs as well. This might include advertising or special software. Side work such as pet sitting, babysitting, or DoorDash may have no startup cost, while flipping sneakers may mean costly brand inventory, a new website, an app, and an online advertising budget. Keeping your costs low until your profits start rolling in can be a smart move when starting a side hustle. After all, the whole idea of a side gig is to create extra income.
11 side hustles that can help you earn big bucks
1 Sell it
Selling items through eBay, Craigslist, or Poshmark, or through your own online store, is a great way to earn extra money. eBay is ideal for just about anything, from books and collectibles to sporting goods and antiques. Craigslist works best for home appliances, electronics, furniture, and even cars. Poshmark is ideal for selling designer apparel and accessories. Look to Facebook Marketplace for selling larger items like furniture or cars based on your location. If you’re interested in creating your own online store, you may want to consider Shopify. It’s an excellent platform for starting your own online selling site. Best of all, it is available for a reasonable monthly fee. Amazon is another option for those looking to get exposure to a larger audience to sell larger quantities of merchandise. If handmade goods are your thing, look to Etsy. It’s the perfect site for selling handmade items, art, and collectibles. If you’re selling used electronics, try Decluttr, Swappa, Gazelle, or Facebook Marketplace. Apple and Amazon also have trade-in programs.
2 Flip it
The concept is simple. You shop discount retailers such as Big Lots in Phoenixville or the Walmart Supercenter in Kennett Square for discount and clearance items. Once you find an item of interest, find out what it sells for online. If the price difference is large enough, flip it on a site like eBay, Amazon, or Craigslist. There are multiple ways to find the online sale price of an item. You can perform a search on the particular site that you’re interested in selling it on, or you can purchase a scanner for your cell phone to scan the item in-store. Click here to learn more about flipping.
3 Rent it
Renting your home or your car can be a great side hustle. We’ve all heard of Airbnb, but did you know there’s something similar for renting your vehicle? Car sharing is the official term for short-term car rental. If you don’t need your vehicle every day, consider one of these options. Turo and Getaround are both car-sharing marketplaces for drivers with registered, insured newer vehicles. Back to Airbnb. It’s a great side hustle for those looking to rent out a spare room or an entire home. If you’re in a location that appeals to tourists, this can really improve your cash flow.
4 Hit the road
Many people have found driving for Uber or Lyft a great way to earn some extra cash. Best of all, you only have to work when you want. The flexibility of turning your availability on and off makes it an ideal side hustle whenever the need for cash arises. In addition to locals looking to get back and forth to restaurants and sporting events, you will also have tourists looking for rides to the sites in Brandywine Valley. App-based deliveries, such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub are other options for those who like to drive. When just delivering, the requirements may not be as strict as Uber and Lyft. If you’re willing to shop and drive, Instacart can be an ideal choice. Other delivery sites, such as Postmates, Shipt, and Amazon Flex will enable you to earn a nice hourly rate to deliver a variety of products.
5 Get techy with it
If you’re a tech wiz, there are many side hustle options that can earn you some extra dough. Teaching IT courses, freelancing as a coder, acting as an SEO consultant, managing social media accounts for a small business, or blogging can all be very lucrative gigs. Really IT savvy? Create a new App.
6 Teach or tutor
If you have a special skill that’s in high demand, such as being fluent in a foreign language or being a whiz at math, you have great earning potential. Teaching in-person, online, or Skype classes can reap big rewards. There’s a huge demand for English as a second language classes online. Why is this great? Because you can do it from the comfort of home with just a computer. Check out Udemy, an online learning and teaching marketplace. TutorMe is another online platform that provides on-demand tutoring and online courses. It’s a great site for making extra income as a tutor. Creating an online course with a platform, such as Teachable or Udemy is another great revenue maker.
7 Walk your way to extra income
Turn your love for pets into a dog walking or pet sitting business. It’s a great way to earn extra money for doing something you love. Selling your services to neighbors and friends is a great way to start. According to Pet Sitters International, the average price for a single pet visit is approximately $20. Sites such as Rover.com can help you get paid to play with pets. You can connect with pet owners via Rover for services that include dog walking, pet sitting or visits, and pet boarding.
8 Get creative
The sky’s the limit when you get in touch with your creative side. From writing a tutorial or informative book to providing graphic design or interior decorating services, you can make a great income on the side with a little motivation and a lot of creativity.
9 Get paid to shop
Yes, you read that right. You can get paid to become a personal shopper. If you have a passion for finding the perfect gift or outfit, and an awareness of bargains and trends, this could be the perfect side hustle for you. From groceries to clothing, you can shop for your clients and earn money while you’re doing it. Start with family and friends and then ask for referrals. Imagine spending your free time strolling through the many boutique and major brand shops of Chester County and earning money to shop.
10 Sing for your supper
If you’re musically inclined, giving music lessons can be a great side gig. Check out the opportunities at takelessons.com. Imagine doing something that you love every day.
11 Become a virtual assistant
If you have a wealth of business support and administrative experience, take it virtual and work remotely assisting businesses with their bookkeeping, accounting, social media, and other administrative services. Get started by checking out zirtual.com.
Increase your earnings with a side hustle
Who can’t use a little more cash? Whether you’re looking for a new career or want to inject some much-needed cash into your budget, a side hustle may be the answer. In fact, your side gig might do so well, it may become your full-time job. We recommend you seek advice from a tax professional before you begin. There may be tax implications that you are unaware of. Depending on what you decide to do, you may also need to form a business entity. Read our Benchmark FCU Blog to stay well informed and get more great tips like these. Need financing for your side gig? Benchmark FCU may be able to help.
Learn more in our blog “8 Tips to Turn a Side Hustle into a Successful Business.”