The 15 Best Side Hustles To Make Extra Money In 2023

The nature of work in America has changed dramatically in the 21^st century. The internet and personal computers allow many workers to connect globally in huge virtual networks that are not contained by time or space. This has all but removed the idea of a traditional 9-to-5 workday for many.

This leaves time for other things, like recreation or raising kids — but also for more work. Enter the side hustle. A side hustle usually requires a limited number of hours a week and is often non-skilled. Many find it a great way to build their savings for a down payment on a house, pay off debt, or save for a big splurge like an expensive trip.

Side hustles have been around a long time, but as the economy and people’s lifestyles have changed, so have the opportunities for extra work. No two are alike, but the better ones allow you to work whenever you want, wherever you want—and even better if they pay in cash. Here are some the best side hustles in 2023.

The 15 Best Side Hustle Ideas To Make More Money

While there are many ways you can and should seek to maximize your earning potential in your principal job, here are some great, low-stress outside gigs that can help you boost your income.

1. Drive For A Ridesharing Service

A uniquely 21^st century phenomenon, ridesharing is great for customers looking for a quick lift and great for drivers because they can work their own hours, don’t have a boss and can cash out their earnings at their own convenience. It’s very easy to get started working for a ridesharing service like Uber or Lyft, and while many factors such as time of day and location where you’re driving play into how much you can make, one recent analysis from Ridester found that on average drivers make between $8.55 and $11.77 an hour after expenses, not including tips.

2. Shop For And Deliver Groceries

Lots of independent and chain grocery stores now let you shop their store online and provide a “personal shopper” who fulfills your order and delivers to your door. Naturally, this type of service really took hold during the recent pandemic. There are also third-party shopper valet services like Instacart and Shipt that provide personal shopping/delivery, and they will often do multi-store trips for the same order, combining errands to the grocery store, pharmacy and dry cleaner all at once, for instance. Typically, personal shoppers and food deliverers earn $15 - $25 an hour.

3. Deliver Food

Another industry that exploded during the pandemic was restaurant food delivery. And while the traditional pizza delivery job is still a thing, there are now several restaurant delivery service companies that service restaurants in a given area. Most of these jobs require a car (or bike in some places), a driver’s license and a smartphone to get started, and you can set your own hours. Customers order from the restaurant of their choosing online and delivery opportunities arrive to your phone through an app. Pay rates vary based on numerous factors, but expect to earn between $15 and $25 per hour.  

4. Take Paid Online Surveys

This is another low-earning potential side hustle that you can do whenever you have free time, right from your phone. Swagbucks offers users $5 for signing up and you can redeem virtual points for e-gift cards on Survey Junkie. Signing up takes less than 5 minutes, but keep in mind the earning potential is low. Surveys usually take just a few minutes and typically pay $1 – $3 per survey.

5. Start Dog Walking Or Pet Sitting

People pay more to care for and even pamper their pets than ever before. You can cash in on this trend and get your steps in at the same time. In most metro areas, dog walkers earn about $20 for a 30-minute walk, with many clients signing on for two walks a day. Some dog walkers will make rounds and walk several dogs at once.

The best part, being a dog walker or sitter doesn’t require training or any certification. But you should love animals, be reliable and be able to provide your clients’ pets a safe environment. Rover is the largest network for dog walkers. The site connects you to new clients and handles site maintenance and customer service for you. Also, Rover isn’t limited to canines – people also require care for their turtles, lizards, hamsters and cats, to name a few.

6. Perform Odd Jobs

There are lots of people, many of them elderly or physically limited, who need someone to do simple tasks around their house but don’t want to call a contractor or handyman service. These can be simple tasks like changing light bulbs or washing windows. You can advertise your services in church bulletins or through community groups on Facebook. You should have a minimum charge and encourage clients to put together a list of tasks to make your visit worthwhile.

7. Become A Virtual Tutor 

If you’re a teacher, or someone with a college degree, great news – you can get paid to teach students online. And no, you don’t need a degree from an Ivy League school to get decent earnings. One of the fastest-growing subjects is teaching English as a second language to kids overseas. It’s the second-fastest-growing language in the world, so English is crucial to success in many careers.

This would be the perfect side hustle for someone who wants to make money at night and keep their day job. That’s the benefit of different time zones. When it’s nighttime in the United States, it’s daytime in other countries. So, this option is great if you want to work from home on your computer during the evening.

Companies like VIPKid and Tutor.com allow you to make up to $25 per hour tutoring online. You'll be able to directly help kids get better grades and improve their English-speaking skills from the comfort of your own home. Most tutoring sites will require proof of citizenship of the U.S. or Canada, a year of teaching or similar educational experience, and a bachelor’s degree.

8. Babysit

If you like kids, then babysitting can be a relatively easy, high-paying side hustle. Data provided by UrbanSitter shows the average hourly pay for babysitters across multiple urban areas to be $20.57 for one child, and more if there are two or more kids. In many cases you’ll put the children to bed after a couple of hours and have the rest of the evening to yourself. One downside is lots of jobs are for Friday and Saturday night, which can cut into your own social life.

9. Become A Transcriber

Believe it or not, there are lots of jobs for people who can listen to audio recordings and transcribe them into written text. It helps if you can type more than 60 words a minute, but it’s relatively common to get paid $15 - $20 an hour for work that you can do at home, in a café, or basically anywhere you can get a Wi-Fi internet connection. Find transcribing opportunities at The Workshop, Transcription Services and TranscribeMe.

10. Freelance

A modern employment trend finds that thousands of companies maintain a large roster of freelancers to handle small projects rather than keep a handful of permanent staff. For most of these jobs, all that’s required is your expertise, a computer and some free time. The best freelance jobs are typically with a company where you have a personal connection—a friend or former colleague or even a former employer. These often pay better because you are negotiating directly with the client. There are excellent websites, such as Fiverr, Upwork or The Ladders, that connect freelancers with employers in a variety of fields, but they do take a percentage of what you earn.

11. Rent Your Home

Do you live in a prime location and have extra space? Or, do you own a second home, such as a lakeside cottage or a cabin in the woods? Consider hosting on Airbnb or vrbo to people all over the world. Income varies depending on location, how often you rent out your home, and the amenities you offer. If you can’t rent your entire space, you still have the option to rent out a private bedroom.

12. Resell Secondhand Items

In a world where home goods and clothing are plentiful and relatively inexpensive, we tend to tire of possessions before they wear down. Often these items have value to others if priced right. Sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace are designed to make listing products stress-free. You may not wear that winter coat you bought for $200 5 years ago, but somebody might pay $50 for it if it’s in good condition. Make sure your listings include good photos and a thorough description.

13. Stream On YouTube Or Twitch

Creating content for YouTube is one of the top-paying side hustles that, though it does take some investment in recording equipment and has a learning curve.  If you have a passion such as doing makeup, cooking or working out, you might be able to monetize that by making entertaining and informative videos. The key to earning on YouTube is viewership. Forbes calculated that content creators can make $3 – $5 per 1,000 views. With some luck and a well-produced video on a trending topic, your work could go viral and generate hundreds of thousands of views.

14. Start A Podcast

It’s a long shot that you’ll ever make money, and seemingly everyone is doing it, but if nothing else starting a podcast can be a lot of fun and take you to places you’d never expect in your life. Outside of expertise in a narrowly defined subject, a way with words, a sense of humor and perhaps a sidekick to bounce your ideas off of, the main thing you’ll need is audio recording and editing software and the ability to learn how to use it.

15. Become A Social Media Influencer

Much like doing a podcast, becoming a social media influencer is difficult to monetize immediately because it takes a while to find your niche and build an audience. Successful influencers typically have expertise in a field, a striking personality and often the ability to be outrageous and spontaneous. Gaining a large following is key because companies will pay to have you promote their products on social media.

How To Find A Side Hustle

●      Consider your personal talents and interests. There may be certain talents or abilities you have that you can’t turn into a full career, but you can monetize on a periodic basis. Take an inventory of your skills and do some research—find out how other people have translated similar skills into part-time, paying gigs.

●      Assess how much free time you have. Look at the schedule your full-time job demands of you. Is it consistent enough that you know there are certain days and times of day that you are always free? If you never start working until 11 a.m., for instance, you know you can be available to walk people’s dogs every morning.

●      Consider your short- and long-term goals. It’s a good thing that you have the time, energy and ambition to do some extra work, but what is the goal? If you’re trying to save for a down payment on a house, or take an expensive vacation, you should keep your focus on that goal. Create a separate savings account and deposit your earnings there. Of course, there’s also nothing wrong with working extra to have more pocket money for the things you want to do day-to-day.

How To Start A Side Hustle

Before you register on any site or app, the first thing you should do is research your side hustle of interest. Before you commit to a gig, it’s best to find out if you meet the site's requirements. For example, some tutoring sites may require a bachelor’s degree for you to tutor kids online. After you do your research, you can find any site or app to sign up and start your side hustle.

Here are some other factors to consider:

Make a budget. Some jobs require special equipment or other capital outlay before you can earn anything. Know what these expenses are and how your new gig will pay them off.

Develop a marketing strategy. Especially when you are getting started, it’s vital that you have a strategy for getting word out about your service. Once you have customers, you can grow your business by word-of-mouth, but at the start you should be able to advertise.

Carry out the side hustle. Obviously, performance is everything. Good business practices are as vital to a side gig just as much as your main job. Show up on time, do good work, communicate clearly and listen to feedback.

Consider your growth potential. Have a clear idea how much time and energy you want to spend on your extra job. More work means more income and that’s a good thing, until it’s not. You don’t want to get contractually bound to so much work that you have no free time, or to where it becomes a burden on your full-time work.

Side Hustle FAQs

What is a side hustle?

A side hustle is a small business or part-time job that a person pursues alongside another, usually more stable, job to earn additional income. Side hustles are also referred to as side jobs or side gigs. Many times, if things go very well, a side hustle evolves into — intentionally or not — a full-time business.

What are the best side hustles from home?

If you have a computer and a good internet connection, there are many side hustles that you can do without ever leaving home. Freelance writing, transcribing and online tutoring are just a few examples.  

What side hustles are the most profitable?

Many of the top paying side hustles require a specific skill that not everyone possesses, but some of the more profitable include online tutoring, personal training, freelance graphic design, photography and party planning.

The Bottom Line

Most people can use a little extra money, if not just for monthly expenses but also to build savings for a specific want, such as a down payment on a house or a trip to Europe. If you’re looking to earn more while keeping a regular schedule for your principal job, consider a side hustle that you can work at during your free time. It’s sometimes best keeping your side hustle earnings in a separate account to avoid the temptation of tapping into it. Then, download the Rocket Money℠ app to track your earnings and expenses and help organize your finances.