Do you want to take control of your finances? Do you want to earn more income by working less? Now you can do both with best side hustle.
Hear me out on this one.
I was always a hard worker, but somehow I never seemed to be able to get ahead financially, no matter how hard I worked at my day job. It was so frustrating! One day, I stumbled across a TED Talk by Nicaila Matthews Okome on the “Side Hustle Revolution” and it was a major eye-opener.
Side hustle doesn’t mean you are not committed to your day job, it just means you have other outlets that bring you joy.
Nicaila Matthews Okome
So that’s what I did. I started researching different side hustle businesses and the success I found next blew up my mind completely.
But the question is, how do you get started as I did? and what does it look like? This article will answer all these questions! You’ll learn how side hustles work and how you can get started with your own side hustle.
Before getting started, be sure to:
1. Make a list of your skills and interests.
2. Ask yourself how much time and energy you’re willing to put into your side hustle so you can find one that fits your lifestyle. Some side hustles can be done in your spare time, while others may require more hours each week.
3. Narrow down that list to a few things that you’re really interested in or passionate about.
4. Identify 1 of the 8 from the list below that you think you’d enjoy and be good at, and give it a try!
Once you are ready, let’s get started!
1. Sell Your Skills Online (freelancing services)
Your skills are valuable. Don’t waste them! Many platforms allow you to sell your skills online, such as Upwork and Fiverr. These platforms allow you to find clients who need your skills remotely. For example, people who hire someone to edit their business presentations, people who want to buy custom videos of puppies doing tricks, or designing a great logo for someone using Photoshop. Not only can you earn side income doing this, but it also allows you to grow your skillset and continue developing professionally.
You don’t need any experience; all you need is a good idea of what you’re selling and how much it’s worth.
Other skills ideas you can sell:
– Freelance writing
– Social media management
– Graphic design
– Event planning
If you are still clueless about what to do, there is also an online community where people can share their stories about Fiverr and other areas of life.
2. Start a Blog
Another great way to make money on the side is to start a blog by monetizing a blog, such as through affiliate marketing, advertising, and sponsorships. A lot of people think that to start a blog you have to be a well-known writer or have special connections or be some kind of marketing genius.
But as a blogger myself, I can tell you that’s NOT TRUE. And I can prove it—because I started DigestVerse in the most ordinary way possible. In fact, here are the 5 steps I took:
Step 1: Identity what your blog is gonna be (preferably with a specific niche).
Step 2: Purchase your WordPress Hosting blog and URL (This will cost you $25-35/year).
Step 3: Create an email list. Email is still one of the best ways to get your readers excited about your new posts, and it’s actually easier than you think—I use MailChimp.
Step 4: Choose a blog design template—I use Themeforest or Elegant Themes.
Step 5: Understand SEO and Start writing—I recommend using JasperAI to speed up your writing process.
That’s it! I promise you, if you put in the hard work, you can eventually turn your blog into a full-time business just like I did!
3. Create YouTube videos
I’m sure you’ve heard about starting a YouTube channel, but you might be having trouble envisioning what it would actually look like in real life. Well, I do and it’s ridiculously easy. I had only 1,800 subscribers, but it was enough for me to make $400 per video by spending just 1 days of my effort over the weekend in research, voiceover, and video editing.
The experience was eye-opening, to say the least
I know, I know. You’re thinking, What a scammer. Who can make $400 per video with only 1,800 subscribers?
Here’s how it happened
For me, it started with a niche idea: I was going to make videos about stock investment, something I enjoyed talking about. I slowly but surely managed to grow my viewership by uploading one video per week. Within 5 months of consistency, my videos averaged around 1,000 views each—while it wasn’t a lot, I found out that it was enough to provide value to other companies. Shortly after, I was approached by a marketing company that wanted me to create a series of videos for them, and I accepted it.
If you’re interested in doing something similar, start by finding companies or brands that need help creating video content. You can then approach them and offer your services.
Here’s how you can do it (know that there is no one size fits all formula)
People love to watch informative and entertaining videos on YouTube. As a side-hustler, it’s the perfect way to make money online because you can focus on what you’re already good at, but also make money from it!
To get started on YouTube with your videos, you can follow the following steps:
– Get a new smartphone camera that films in HD or use Whiteboard animation
– Build your channel around a single niche topic and understand YouTube SERP— this is extremely important
– Think about the next step after recording and be sure to engage with your audience after you upload your videos
For a more extensive guide, please refer to an article by Jesse Hall on How I Went From 0 to 70k Subscribers on YouTube in 1 Year – And How Much Money I Made
Maybe it will take you some time to build it up and get noticed by the right people, but when that happens… well, you won’t believe how much money can come from something so small!
4. Start a dropshipping online store
This is a great option if you’re just starting out, and the best part is you don’t have to deal with inventory or shipping! You can learn how to set up an online store in 15 minutes or less, and if that sounds intimidating, let me assure you it’s not.
Who wouldn’t want that?
Well, I’ve got a secret for you: starting your own dropshipping business isn’t that hard. Anyone with a computer and internet access can do it. It takes some time, but anyone can learn the basics of getting started. And the best part? It’s fun.
This side hustle is extremely flexible—you can work when you want to work, make as much money as you want to make, track your hours, set your prices.
To get started with dropshipping, you’ll need to find a supplier on marketplaces like Alibaba or AliExpress
Once you’ve found-marketing side hustle suppliers, you’ll want to get started. The basic idea of a dropshipping side hustle is as follows:
– You set up your store and design it to look however you want
– Research and tell the supplier what product you would like them to sell, and give them the description of the item
-They send it directly to your customers alongside a shipping label with your address on it
There you go! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s easy, but if you have a knack for online sales and already have some experience with e-commerce, then dropshipping might be the side gig for you!
If you’re interested in starting a dropshipping business, I found this guide from Shopify to be extremely useful. It covers everything from understanding the dropshipping business model to how to start a dropshipping business, and it’s a great resource if you’re not sure where to start.
5. Create an online course (teaching a skill you’re good at)
I’ve seen this side hustle pop up a lot lately, and I think it’s absolutely brilliant.
Creating and selling online courses is a great way to make some extra cash on the side. You can teach people about anything you’re good at—playing pool, baking cakes, speaking Spanish, you name it. And the best part is, there’s a huge market for online courses! Thousands of people are looking for information on every topic imaginable, and they’re willing to pay for quality content.
If you’re interested in creating and selling online courses, find a platform that’s right for you. I’d recommend checking out Udemy or Cousera. They make it easy to create and sell your online courses with no upfront cost and no technical expertise. A “course” is essentially a structured set of videos, lessons, and quizzes that can be taken by anyone who pays the fee.
The important thing is that you get your name out there by sharing your knowledge with others and helping them solve their problems or gain new skills. They will then remember who helped them and check out your other services/products/ideas.
6. Offer consulting services to small businesses
You’re in luck—I’ve got an easy way for you to get started and make money. Let’s say you know a lot about something, for example, graphic design, accounting, knitting, business development or social media marketing.
Now, I want to give you some ideas on how to begin offering your services to local businesses as a consultant.
Let’s start with the most basic, low-cost solution: The first thing you’ll want to do is put together a website that details your skillset and offers your services to prospective clients. The most important thing is that it includes the word “consulting” in the URL link so they know what they’re getting into when they visit. Next, you’ll want to reach out to small businesses in your city or town who might be interested in what you have to offer.
While small businesses may at first be reluctant to accept help from an outsider, they will quickly warm up to you if you can earn their trust. Business owners like to work with individuals who are quick learners, experienced in their field, someone who understands their clients’ pain points and needs. Show them that you are all of these things by supplying a well-written resume and offering to provide services.
Once you’ve found a few prospects, the next step is simply sending them an email explaining why you’d be the best choice for their business, and offering your help for free just so they can see what you can do for them. Some of them will probably say no, but others might agree, which means you’re ready to get started! If they agree that your consultation is worth their time, great!
Remember, consulting can take many different forms, so don’t limit yourself!
7. Be a Social Media Influencer (Instagram or TikTok)
You may not be a social media influencer yet, but you can be. I’m not talking about being a famous Instagram star with millions of followers who earn thousands of dollars per post from big brands and gets daily freebies from companies that want her to use their products (although, if you already are one, we love you and your work is amazing).
But if you are looking for ways to earn some extra money on the side, or if you want to grow your social media following—and maybe get some free stuff while you’re at it—getting involved with some influencer programs is a great idea. Influencers are basically celebrities. You have to have a massive following and then work hard to keep that following interested in your content enough to buy what you’re endorsing. It’s not as easy as just getting likes on a photo of your new shoes; it takes commitment. You need to know your stuff and find things to share that other people might want to see.
First thing’s first: pick a topic that may interest you (I’m going to go with the restaurants because it’s a pretty popular one)
Ask yourself, are you an avid cook? Do you know an amazing pastry chef? Would it tickle your fancy to hear what other people think about the latest restaurant trends in your city? Do you have an eye for interior design? This is the best time to give yourself permission to get creative with your work!
Then, head out into the world and repeat this process for every single one of the restaurants you want to cover and you’ll be sure to build a following.
Once you’ve got some experience under your belt, start reaching out to brands on Instagram.
Remember, before you start thinking about signing up for Instagram or TikTok and trying to get famous, consider this: why would anyone care what you think about things? Why should they listen to what you have to say?
8. Becoming a Personal Trainer
If you’re a fitness enthusiast who loves to work out in the evening, why not start a side business as a personal trainer? You can monetize your side hustle by charging hourly.
To become a personal trainer, there are a few things you’ll need to do first. Firstly, you’ll need to get certified. This can be done through organizations like the American Council on Exercise (ACE) or the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
Once you’re certified, you’ll need to start building your client base. This can be done through word-of-mouth, online directories, or social media.
Once you have a few clients, start training them! Be sure to keep track of your progress and results, and use this information to market yourself to future clients.
If you are a Malaysian audience who’s interested in becoming a personal trainer: You can visit Fitness Innovation Malaysia as they are the only local education partner to the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
Conclusion
Side hustling can be a great side income if you know how to get started. The side hustle may not make much money, but it will help you save up for that vacation or car payment without having to cut into your salary too much. You don’t need an MBA degree in marketing or sales either; there are plenty of side-hustles out there that require little investment and have the potential for high earnings payoffs.
I’ve listed 8 ideas above—and I hope they inspire you! Whether it’s social media influencer status or personal trainer certification, side-hustling is possible with time, effort and dedication.
Let us know in the comment below on what type of side hustle resonates most with you so our team can continue to provide you with the best side hustle information.