I’m a firm believer that everyone has a skill, talent, or service they can offer that benefits others. So why not find that skill and make a little extra money from it? If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “I need a side hustle,” here are some tips and ideas to get you started.
Side Hustle Ideas
These are tried and true side hustles you can start today for little to nothing.
- Pet services. Pet owners spend about $55 billion each year in the United States alone. Dog walking, overnight pet sitting, weekend doggy day camps, grooming, and even picking up dog poop from yards are all valuable and much-needed services.
- Junk hauler/mover. If you have a truck, offer to pick up people’s trash, like old carpeting or construction materials, tree branches and hedge trimmings, or just junk from cleaning out the garage or attic, and take it to the dump.
- Yard maintenance. Mowing and edging lawns, weeding flower beds, and general yard maintenance are great weekend gigs.
- Professional services. It’s not just businesses that need specific skillsets. Accounting, writing and editing, tutoring, and graphic design are all much-needed services by individuals as well. If you have a specific area of expertise, pick up a few jobs on the side. You can find part-time or at-home gigs on craigslist, freelance sites like e-lance, or even former coworkers.
- Tech support. You may think everyone knows how to do basic computer trouble-shooting, but that’s not the case. If you’re computer-savvy, you can make good money helping people work through their computer issues.
- Flipping furniture. I have a friend who makes a nice little income on the side buying old, dated furniture from thrift stores or classified ads, then refinishing them and selling them.
- Detail cars. Be your own mobile detailing service, and go to homes and businesses to clean people’s cars for them.
- Clean houses. I don’t know very many people who like to clean. Set yourself apart by offering affordable services á la carte, like vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, or doing dishes.
- Install peepholes. A drill and a $5 peephole from a hardware store are all you need. It provides people with peace of mind and only costs a few dollars in overhead. I had my peephole installed from a guy going door-to-door who charged $20 and did it on the spot. He did half my neighborhood and probably made $1000 in one weekend. Not a bad gig.
Once you have an idea, make sure you market your services. Post your services in your local classified ads, craigslist, or on social media sites. You can even make flyers and post them on mailboxes or pass them out. The best leads come from word of mouth, so tell everyone you know about the service you provide.
These are just a few ideas. Like anything in life, it will require a little effort on your part, but a side hustle can provide you with some extra income to pay off bills, invest, or have some fun with.
