A side hustle is a flexible job or activity that you can do in your spare time to earn some extra cash. It can be a great way to explore something you’re passionate about while making a profit.
No matter what your situation is – whether you’re looking for a job, working full or part-time, or planning to retire – a side hustle can take the strain off your bank balance and help you to achieve your financial goals faster.
If you dream about becoming your own boss, it can also help you test business ideas without having to leave the financial security of your day job.
So, without further ado, here are 10 of the most popular side hustles you can start today without quitting your job…
1. Set up an Airbnb
Have you ever thought about becoming an Airbnb host? Airbnb is an online marketplace that allows people to rent out anything from their whole property to a spare room for short periods.
Listing your property is free, and you’ll be in complete control of your availability, prices, house rules, and how you choose to interact with those who come to stay. So, the flexibility is great for those who don’t want a full-time lodger but would be happy to open up their spare room for a few days here and there.
People have also been known to rent out their whole home whilst on holiday, to contribute to the cost of the trip.
While renting a room this way is becoming increasingly popular and can offer some great earning potential, it’s not without risk – so make sure you know what you’re signing up for before using the service.
The Airbnb website will tell you what you need to get started and how much you could earn each month.
If you’re interested in renting out your home…
Fun fact: The name ‘Airbnb’ is a reference to when founders Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky first started renting out their San Francisco apartment. Visitors would literally sleep on air mattresses on the floor.
2. Publish a book
If you enjoy writing, then publishing your stories, whether short or long, in your spare time could help you earn some extra cash while fulfilling your passion.
You can use Kindle Direct Publishing to publish eBook and paperback versions of your stories on Amazon in a matter of minutes – all for free!
Your books could reach millions of readers worldwide and allow you to build credibility as an author through reviews and sales. It’ll be up to you to write your sales copy and choose your prices.
If this is something you’d like to do, but you don’t know where to start, our article, How to write a book and get it published, may be useful.
Ready to publish your book?
3. Become a seller on digital marketplaces
These days, you can sell pretty much anything online. Whether you’ve got loads of unwanted stuff to sell on eBay or you would like to sell your handmade crafts on Etsy, chances are there’s at least one way you can make some extra cash by becoming an online seller.
Here are a few popular online marketplaces and the sort of things that are best to sell on them…
- eBay – great for selling a range of second-hand items, particularly electronics
- Etsy – best for selling unique handcrafted items or upcycled furniture
- Facebook Marketplace – great for selling beauty products
- Amazon Marketplace – useful for selling books and DVDs
- Vinted – great for selling new or secondhand items like clothes, accessories, and homeware
Alternatively, if you’re interested in creating your own website to sell items, why not take a look at our article on setting up an online shop?
When selling second-hand items online, bear in mind that HMRC has introduced new rules that mean some people might need to pay tax on the income they make. Whether you’ll have to pay tax will depend on your circumstances. You can read more about this in our article: Will new HMRC rules affect how I sell things online?
Find out more about selling online...
4. Rent out your car
If you don’t drive your car often, you could earn some extra money by renting it out to others. Websites like Getaround (formerly Drivy) and Hiyacar allow you to let your vehicle work for you.
All drivers who use your car will be vetted, verified, and reviewed before they can get behind the wheel. Your car will also be fitted with an installation device that contains GPS and remote locking – so you’ll always be in complete control of your vehicle.
Pricing is usually up to you, but the rental services provider will take a cut of your earnings, so it’s important to make sure you know exactly how much they’ll take before you sign up.
It’s also worth noting that the ability to rent your car privately is a relatively new idea, so make sure you’re comfortable with how it works before signing up for anything.
Interested in renting our your car?
5. Become a mystery shopper
Mystery shopping is the perfect opportunity to get paid to shop, and you’ll also be able to scoop up lots of freebies in the process.
As a mystery shopper, you’ll receive assignments requiring you to pose as a normal customer and complete tasks like completing retail transactions, eating at restaurants, making inquiries, and/or returning items. Later, you’ll be asked to provide a detailed record of your experience and will be reimbursed for your transactions, plus a bit extra.
If you want to try mystery shopping, three well-known agencies you could sign up with are Market Force, Tern, or Amber Arch.
Note: Though mystery shopping can be a lucrative way to earn some extra cash, unfortunately, there’s been a rise in mystery shopper scams. To find out how to spot these, it’s worth reading this information from MCE Secret Shopping.
Sign up to become a mystery shopper...
6. Teach a unique skill
Do you have a skill that you’d love to teach others? Whether you’re a pro on the piano, skilled at shorthand, or fluent in French, there’s likely to be plenty of people out there who’d be willing to pay you to teach them.
The best way to advertise your lessons is to set yourself up with a Facebook page. Here, you can provide details about your services. It can also be helpful to advertise your services on local notice boards (for example, in coffee shops, supermarkets, and leisure centres).
Above all, prospective students will want to know what qualifies you to teach them, so you’ll need to provide these details to enhance your credibility and build a solid client base.
Advertise your services...
7. Get paid to clean
For some, cleaning is a satisfying and therapeutic activity – and the good news is that it also has the potential to earn you some extra cash.
Research from the British Cleaning Council estimates that the cleaning industry contributes nearly £60 billion to the UK economy each year and provides work for over 1.47 million people.
The best way to use cleaning as a side hustle is to set yourself up as self-employed so you can have greater control over your prices and working hours. The start-up costs for this are relatively low as you’ll usually only need insurance, cleaning supplies, and a vehicle to get started.
As with starting any business, the trickiest part is usually finding your first few clients. To get you going, why not create a Facebook page to advertise your services and/or print business cards or flyers to post through people’s doors and advertise on public notice boards?
Over time, you’ll likely build up a regular base of clients who’ll refer you to people they know.
Let people know you're open for business...
8. Offer your skills as a handyperson
A handyperson is someone skilled at completing a wide range of repairs and ‘odd jobs’ – usually around the home. These tasks could include anything like painting and decorating, tiling, flooring, putting up fences, and so on.
If you’re interested in getting paid to become a handyperson, the first and most important thing is to make sure that you have insurance, which will protect against any accidents that could cause damage to you, someone else, or their property.
You’ll also need to make sure that you have a wide selection of tools to suit a range of services, as well as a vehicle to get to and from jobs.
As with some of the other self-employed entries in this list, a good way to start building clients is to advertise your services on social media and by handing out flyers/business cards and placing them on local notice boards.
Often, you just need a handful of satisfied customers to help you build up a regular client base and start benefiting from word-of-mouth recommendations in your local area.
Start offering your skills...
9. Take on casual work
If you’re looking to top up your income, it can help to have a few casual opportunities you can get involved with as and when you need to (which may involve signing one or more zero-hours contracts).
The idea is that you’re under no obligation to attend work unless you sign up for a specific shift. Some casual opportunities are seasonal – for example, invigilating exams at universities (often during the summer months) or working at events – while others may be available year-round, such as retail, bar/restaurant, or healthcare opportunities.
The type of casual work you choose to do is really up to you and will depend on where your interests lie and what sort of skills/experience you have. For this type of work, contacting the company or organisation you want to work for directly can often be helpful to see whether they ever take on casual staff.
Find out more...
10. Offer your photography skills
Are you an active photographer in your spare time? If so, why not turn it into a profitable side hustle?
The best way to start getting paid for your hobby is to find a niche you’d be willing to work with. For example, could you offer to photograph people’s pets or snap family portraits? Or perhaps you could offer your skills on the weekend as a wedding photographer?
If this sounds like a route you’d like to go down, it’s worth having an online and print portfolio of your work to show potential clients. It can be helpful to also have a social media account where you can advertise your services and show off your work.
You could start by taking pictures for friends and family and asking them to recommend you to other people they know. As we’ve said with other entries, handing out flyers/business cards and placing them on local notice boards is also a good way to spread awareness.
It’s also worth signing up for some freelance sites like Upwork or PeoplePerHour, as they regularly have one-off photography jobs up for grabs.
Start honing your photography skills...
Final thoughts...
Whether you want to top up your income or explore something you’re passionate about, getting started with a side hustle can be a fun and rewarding adventure. If this sounds like something you’d like to do, we hope this article has given you some inspiration.
For more ideas, our articles, A complete guide to self-employment, 12 popular activities that you can turn into a career, and 20 popular self-employment ideas for over 50s, are worth a read.
Have you got a side hustle that you could recommend to others? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.