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Top 10 Side Hustles to Generate Extra Income

12/15/2020

Top 10 Side Hustles to Generate Extra Income

Everyone could use some extra income here and there. Perhaps it’s finally time to make the leap to full home ownership and save up for that dream house. Or maybe you’re looking to finally banish those debts from your life for good. Or even better yet, there just might be a one of a kind vacation with your name on it.

Whatever your motivation, it’s easier than you might think to start earning big money with a side hustle. Even if you’ve already got a full-time job, there are dozens of side hustles that fit nicely around your schedule. Here are ten side jobs you should be getting into.

1.   Start a Blog

There are a lot of ways to make money with a blog. If your readership is large enough, you could be paid to do brand endorsements on other sites. Or you can just let the good, old-fashioned advertising revenue flow into your bank account.

This side gig is one for the long haul. Sometimes it can take a little while before you earn any meaningful income from your blog but if you’ve got the writing bug in you and there’s a subject you’re passionate about, go give blogging a whirl. Who knows? You might just end up making the big bucks.

2.   Join a Focus Group

Focus group are another easy side hustle. Payouts are all over the place, ranging from credits towards prizes, gift cards, and straight-up cash. Some focus group testing can be done online through surveys, while others require you to appear in person. Feel free to be picky though, as there are always focus groups looking for participants and you’ll likely have your pick from a long list of open studies.

3.  Become a Virtual Assistant

It seems too good to be true, but many administrative assistant positions can be done completely online, hence being called a virtual assistant. You can work for companies halfway across the globe if you feel up to navigating the time zone differences, or choose to partner with companies in your own city that require you to come into an office.

Most of these positions are part-time, hourly work that you can easily slot into your schedule wherever you see fit. If you’ve got an eye for marketing and coordination, then “virtual assistant by night” just might be what helps you save up for that new car.

4.   Brand Ambassador

This one is a bit less flexible schedule-wise but it often pays very well. Brand ambassadors are essentially “the face” of various products. You can get paid to represent the product on various social platforms and sometimes in person at community events and industry conventions.

Getting a brand ambassador gig is easier if you’ve already made a name for yourself (think bloggers and youtube stars) but complete unknowns can still frequently land contracts. Brand ambassador positions pop up online all the time, so hunt for one in your area.

5.   Teach Students Online

Online English teachers are in high demand right now. Getting an ESL certification can help you land the better paying jobs, but there are still several promising opportunities that don’t require anything but a stable internet connection and native fluency in English.

Companies, like QKIDS, let you set up your own hours and don’t require any foreign language skills on your part. Lesson plans are also prepared for you at most major tutoring companies. So, all you need to do is set aside a few hours a week to help foreign students with their English.

6.   Website Testing Sites

Thankfully, you don’t have to know anything about computer coding to get started with this next high-paying side hustle. UserTesting is one of several sites devoted to testing the usability of websites and they’re always looking for more testers. Tasks largely consist of browsing websites and recording your experiences to report back on. The average pay is usually around $10 for about 15-30 minutes of work, which adds up pretty quickly. Payments usually go out via PayPal, so make sure you have an account.

7.   Drive Your Car

Car payments making a dent in your paycheck? Why not make your car literally pay for itself. Signing up for Uber or Lyft is a relatively painless process. Once you’re in, you can set your own availability and get paid when you want to. The average hourly rate for an Uber driver varies by location, but relative to other side hustles out there, this one has the potential to pay the most. 

8.   Become a Pet Sitter

If you are good with animals, consider becoming a pet sitter with Rover. It’s a website and app that helps connect pet owners with pet sitters and dogs walkers in their local area. You can set your own schedule and the company offers 24/7 customer support through email, phone, and online chat.

9.   Rent Out Your Car

A lot of people rent out spare rooms or properties, but did you know you could rent out your car as well? Turo and Get A Round are two sites that connect car owners with travelers or people who just need a vehicle for a few hours.

You could potentially make thousands of dollars a year by renting out your car and it requires little to no effort on your part – that’s my kind of side hustle! Most companies include insurance packages and roadside assistance, too, so you don’t have to worry for the well-being of your car while it’s being rented.

10. Voiceover Work 

If you’re looking for a creative side hustle you can do on your own time, voiceover work is it. You don’t need to have an “in” with a Hollywood producer to become a voice actor. Companies need voice recordings for children’s audio books, cartoons, commercials, and more, all the time. Sites like Upwork and Fiverr are great places to start, and all you need to get started is a quality pair of headphones with a mic, and demo recording of your voice for potential clients to sample. 

Author’s Bio:

Christine Yaged is a co-founding partner and Chief Product Officer of FinanceBuzz. Christine launches and scales brands. She is passionate about technology, digital marketing, and people.