Starting a side hustle from scratch can be very rewarding, but also a lot of work.
Side hustles like blogs, your own business, or selling products have the potential to earn a lot of money, but more often than not, you will have to put in a lot of work before you see any reward.
Luckily, there are some websites that can bolster your side hustle gig, and some websites even act as side hustles themselves. If you are looking to jump right in and start making extra money through a side hustle, here are 10 websites that can help you.
1) AirBNB
Have you considered renting out space in your home, or your entire home, periodically to travelers? AirBNB allows you to post your accommodation so that potential guests can find it. You essentially rent out your room or house for the night, and you can charge money by doing so.
AirBNB continues to rise in popularity among side hustlers and travelers alike. It provides an easy way to earn extra cash, and it’s often more affordable and authentic for travelers versus staying in a hotel. For side hustlers, AirBNB is convenient because you can rent out your home when you aren’t there, resulting in little extra work from you.
2) Care.com
Care.com is a website that allows you to market services to help other people in their home. This could be cleaning services, babysitting, dog sitting, or even in-home care for elderly.
Care.com isn’t mandatory to market any of those services, but it provides an easy way to find clients. You can set your own pay, and former clients can review your services. If you are just starting out, Care.com can be an excellent way to find your first client.
3) Swagbucks
For anyone looking to earn a few extra bucks while sitting on their computer, Swagbucks provides just that.
Swagbucks isn’t your typical survey site. While you can earn “Swagbucks” by doing surveys, you can also earn extra cash by using their search engine, watching videos, and shopping. Though you won’t likely get rich off Swagbucks, it is a very easy way to make money. If you simply use Swagbuck’s search engine instead of using Google, you’ll earn extra cash.
To get started with Swagbucks, you can sign up here and earn some points while you are at it.
4) Uber
Are you interested in earning extra money by driving? Uber provides an easy way to earn money in your spare time. As an Uber driver, you can choose your own hours, and there truly is a demand for drivers at most times of day. To get started as a driver with Uber, sign up on their website.
5) OfferUp
We all have items laying around our house that we no longer need. You can earn money by selling used items, and OfferUp provides an easy way to do just that.
OfferUp is like a more modern, and easier to use, Craigslist. You create an account, post pictures and a description of what you are selling, and put a price on it. People can bid on the item, or message you straight from the website and app. After you make a sale, the buyer can rate you, making it a bit safer than Craigslist.
If you are really looking to make a profit, you can purchase run-down items off of Craigslist or OfferUp and flip them to resell at a higher price.
6) Fiverr
Fiverr is a website where you can sell or buy goods or services for $5. As someone looking to sell, this might not seem like a profitable side hustle, but some individuals do very well at Fiverr.
The key to Fiverr is that, while the basic service must have a price of $5, you can charge a premium for additional services. For example, you could create a resume template, and sell it for $5 on Fiverr. You could then add additional services, like custom resumes, for a higher price.
The most successful people on Fiverr make their initial good or service pretty passive, but charge a fair amount for any custom work.
7) Assistant Match
AssistantMatch.com is a website that helps you find virtual assistant jobs. A virtual assistant does a variety of tasks, including scheduling meetings, data entry, blogging, editing, and more, all from the comfort of home.
Assistant Match works well for anyone looking to break into virtual assisting. All it requires is a phone line, internet access, and a computer. Keep in mind, Assistant Match does not act as an employer. They simply match you to virtual assistant jobs.
8) Codeacademy
Though you can’t make money straight from Codeacademy, it is a free resource to teach you how to code, which can be a very profitable side hustle.
Codeacademy walks you through the basics of coding. It also gives you the opportunity to learn more advanced coding languages for free. With coding skill, you can create and sell websites, programs, and more.
9) Etsy
Many people are skilled at creating and crafting, but it can be difficult to find a large customer base immediately around you. Etsy provides a market for your products, at little cost to you.
With Etsy, you can upload your product and use their marketplace as a platform for selling. When you make a sale, Etsy takes a small commission and you get the rest.
10) Your Own Blog
Did you know your very own blog can open the doors to many other side hustles? Not only do blogs themselves have the ability to make money, but they can lead the way to other side hustles. I started my freelance writing side hustle through my blog. Many bloggers are quick to find that their blog led them to freelance clients, whether it is freelancing as a graphic designer, writer, or editor.
Focus on gaining traffic to your blog, and be interactive. Respond to those who comment on your blog, and reach out to other bloggers in your niche. You never know what opportunity to make money it might lead to. If you are interested in starting your own blog you can follow Young Adult Money’s step-by-step guide.
Have you used any of these websites to start side hustles? What advice or questions do you have regarding breaking into side hustles?
Billie Jean says
We love Uber as a side hustle! It’s great because you can literally make your own schedule. Your per hour wage probably isn’t as good as other jobs, but what else are you going to be doing on Friday and Saturday nights? Out spending money at bars and restaurants? Most people aren’t doing anything productive when it makes the most sense to drive for Uber, so it won’t take time away from your day job or other side hustles.
We’ve also used Fiverr and Etsy a lot for our side hustles. I’m terrible at anything graphic design and if you need a quick logo, Fiverr or Etsy is a great place!
Rachel Slifka says
I’ve never driven for Uber, but we have certainly debated starting. We have a lot of friends who logon to drive for Uber after work during rush hour. Some of them work right next to the airport, so there are always people to pick up! They do it for an hour or so and then head home. So essentially, they get paid to sit in rush hour traffic that they would be in anyway. Not a bad gig!
John @ Frugal Rules says
Great list Rachel! We’ve done a few of these in the past with the blog being most prominent. We have a few friends that have had a lot of success with some of these sites, you just have to know where to look and be willing to put in the effort.
Rachel Slifka says
Thanks, John. There are so many options out there for side hustles that it’s amazing more people don’t start!
giulia says
Interesting list!
Rachel Slifka says
Thank you, Giulia!
Jason Butler says
Great list. I’ve used several of these websites to make money with in the past. Some are more lucrative than others.