9 Easy Side Hustles Anyone Can Start Today

As the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, spreads across the country, nearly everyone has experienced its financial impact. Whether you’re working from home or out of work permanently or temporarily, you might have some extra time on your hands. If you’re looking for a source of extra cash or trying to build an emergency fund, now might be a great time to start that side hustle you’ve always dreamed of.

What Is A Side Hustle?

A side hustle, or second job, is any activity outside of your main job that generates income. This can also include any part-time work you do online or for “side gig” apps.

When it comes to side hustles, no two are alike. Depending on how much time you want to commit and how much money you’re looking to make, there are many options for permanent side hustles or short term jobs you can easily do from home.

Side Hustle Ideas

If you haven’t felt inspired to start a side hustle yet, check out this list of easy jobs you can do right from your home.

Create And Sell Goods

One of the most common types of side hustles is creating and selling goods. If you are creative or have a hobby like jewelry making or knitting, you can turn your hobby into something lucrative by selling your homemade items on Etsy. Etsy is one of the largest online platforms for selling homemade items, and it features a wide variety of products.

But if I lost you after the word create, you can still make money by selling items without starting a DIY project. Go through your house and take inventory of items you don’t use anymore. Whether it’s furniture, appliances, collectibles or clothing, take a good photo of the item, write a detailed description, and post it for sale on an online platform like Ebay, Shopify or Craigslist.

Deliver Food And Groceries

Now more than ever, there is a need for food delivery. Whether you decide to drop off groceries for an elderly person or you deliver a local business’ dinner for PostMates, your driving can help many people. You can also choose to create your own hours and work whenever you want. While this may not be the most lucrative side hustle, you can earn tips which is an added bonus.

Become a Personal Shopper

If the thought of helping people who are taking extra precautions against COVID-19 is something you’d enjoy, consider becoming a personal shopper. The demand for personal shoppers is increasing right now, especially in urban areas. To find people looking for personal shoppers search the web and visit ThumbTack’s website.

Get Paid For Creating Content

You can also utilize your creativity and get paid for producing content online. If you have a way with words, consider taking on some freelance writing or editing gigs, or brainstorming other ways you can make money off writing. Maybe you can write an ebook on CreateSpace, start a blog, publish a magazine on Zine, or make resumes for professionals. If these ideas don’t peak your interest, you could start a YouTube channel or podcast, or even build websites.

Teach Or Create An Online Course

If you’ve always wanted to be a teacher or have a lot of knowledge in a certain subject matter, you can make some extra cash by teaching or creating an online course. Look online for current courses needing instructors, or use Udemy or Teachable to create a new course that others can learn from.

Become An Online Tutor

You might think that you can’t tutor from inside your house, but you actually can! No matter where you live, you can use Skype to tutor people all over the world. If you have expertise in a certain area of study, search the web to find someone in need of a tutor in that discipline.

Answer Questions Online

Another way you can make money online if you have expertise in a discipline or a high-level skill is by answering questions online. If you have experience in law, medicine, information technology, or another area, you can get paid by websites like JustAnswer to answer questions on these topics.

Take Online Surveys

If you’re just looking for something easy to do in your spare time and not focused on generating a huge income, taking online surveys might be perfect for you. There are numerous websites you can check out, but start with Inbox Dollars, Swagbucks, SurveySavvy and Survey Junkie to see if this would be a good side hustle for you.

Become A Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants are becoming very popular for professionals nowadays. If you have a lot of free time, great organizational skills, and have your life under control, you would make a good virtual assistant! Search the web for professionals hiring near you.

Should I Start A Side Hustle?

If a side hustle sounds like a good way for you to earn extra money and stay busy while social distancing, think about how a side hustle would fit into your daily life. It’s important to make careful considerations when starting a side hustle so you can ensure that it stays viable and makes you money.

Think about how a side hustle would fit into your schedule. If you’re working from home, it might be easier to start this side gig, but do you also have other responsibilities like kids to take care of? Depending on what side hustle you choose, the commitment might vary. Just be prepared to devote a lot of time to your new gig, especially in the beginning!

Because a side hustle is a commitment, you want to make sure that it aligns with your interests. You don’t want to devote your time to something that you aren’t passionate about!

Finally, the most important thing to consider when starting a side hustle is if it’s financially viable or not. Because the goal of a side hustle is to generate income, you want to ensure that you’re generating enough money to make your time and effort worth it.

Hopefully by now, you’ve given more thought into starting a side hustle and already have some new ideas! Let your creativity flow, and stay busy even though you may be stuck inside. If you’re looking for a simple way to create a budget and track your spending, download the Rocket MoneySM app today.