Looking for a side hustle to make you extra cash?
This epic list of real side hustle ideas has something for absolutely everyone, in fact I think you will be spoiled for choice!
Ever since starting my first side hustle four years ago I have been totally hooked and love finding new ways to make extra cash.
The great thing about side hustles is they are flexible and fit around your life.
That means you can make extra cash without having to worry about an office 9-5 schedule.
It may be that you want to start a side hustle to make extra money while on maternity leave or that you have a savings goal and want to hit it faster.
What side hustle means
A side hustle is something you do that makes you extra cash in addition to your actual job.
If you are a stay at home parent then your side hustle would be how you make cash while taking care of your kids at home!
Some people have multiple side hustles, because it never hurts to diversify your streams of income!
Certain side hustles can be a bit seasonal, or have good and bad months, so it never hurts to have a couple of options on the go.
What are some good examples of a side hustle?
There are so many different sorts of side hustles in the UK, with something to suit everyone’s talents and interests!
A side hustle is anything that makes you extra cash, however it’s unlikely to replace a full-time income. Having said that many side hustles can go on to become full-time gigs!
To figure out the side hustle that will work for you start by thinking about what your skills are and how they could be transferred to something that makes you money.
For example if you’re great at sewing could you make embroidered products or provider tailoring services?
Next think about something you have always been interested in and could maybe build upon by gaining skills in this area.
It’s also important to think about how you can use existing connections with businesses, friends and family to grow your side hustle.
For example if you already run a blog can you market products for sale from that?
I sell my own digital products via my blog, it doesn’t bring in a fortune but it’s something I’m looking to build on and it’s passive income once you’ve created the products.
These side hustles are examples that are easy to get started with and do from home:
- Blogging – my favourite!
- Creating and selling your own products – such as jewellery, printed products, etc
- Mystery shopping
- Survey sites
- Paddle board instructor – brilliant if you love to be active!
- Dog walker
- Selling stock photography
- Private tutoring
- Freelance writing
- Providing childcare
- Buy and resell stuff or rent it out (clothes, tools, gadgets, etc)
We’re going to talk about these and way more side hustle ideas in the rest of this article!
How much can you make from a side hustle?
This really depends on the side hustle you choose and the amount of time you can put into it.
However you can make anything from £50 to £10,000+ a month from these side hustle ideas.
Research by 118 118 Money found Brits with a side hustle are adding £4,932 to their annual income.
Some are more profitable than others – for example blogging and vlogging can be really quite lucrative if you build up an audience and diversify your income.
Selling your own products could also be a big money-maker, especially if they are big ticket items such as furniture or if you are able to mass produce them and sell in large quantities.
There are also passive income side hustles that may be time heavy to get started, but once they are up and running can bring in cash every month. A good example of this is selling printables on online marketplaces such as Etsy.
Once you have products in your Etsy store, Etsy handles taking the payments and sending the products out for you. You just wait for the money to roll in.
You may also like: Ways to make £1,000 a month extra
Side hustle ideas UK
1. Freelance writing
There are a huge range of opportunities when it comes to freelance writing – such as blog posts, news articles, features, company publications, website content and reports.
You may want to specialise in a particular niche area, which some freelance writers find makes it a little easier to build up regular work.
This is one of my favourite side hustles and makes me between £100 and £400 a month.
You can make much more by building up a number of clients and pitching your ideas to different potential publications.
Read more about getting started with freelance writing.
2. Social media manager
This involves writing social media posts for individuals or brands and posting them to their channels.
Large companies employ their own social media teams to look after their channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
However smaller brands and individual entrepreneurs may not have time to do this for themselves, or the money to pay for a full-time employee, so they outsource to freelancers.
My first experience doing social media management as a side hustle involved roughly four hours of work once a month.
I wrote the social media content and then scheduled it from a scheduling tool – Hootsuite – so I didn’t have to be there to post content every day.
This was a great side hustle and there are so many companies out there that need this sort of help!
You can find them on job sites or by networking on social media. Facebook local business groups are a great place to connect with companies who may need help with their social media.
Read more about becoming a social media manager.
3. Amazon delivery
Under the Amazon Flex programme you can sign up to a shift – known as a “block” – as and when you have time.
You can earn around £13 to £15, according to Amazon, and if you don’t have time to sign up for a block one month that’s OK. You are not committed to doing a set number of hours!
You will need to have your own vehicle.
To get started simply sign up via the Amazon Flex app and look for blocks to reserve and then get to work!
Some areas, such as large urban areas, will likely have more blocks available than others so you may be limited by where you live as to how much work you can actually get out of this.
4. Dog walker
Love dogs? This is the side hustle for you! Getting into dog walking could be as easy as asking around your local area to see if anyone wants help with looking after their dog.
However there are also companies, such as Tailster that help to connect dog walkers with customers.
5. Pet sitter
Many people prefer to leave their pets at home when they go away rather than transfer them to an unfamiliar environment such as a boarding facility.
This is where pet sitters come in! Tailster, as mentioned above, also connects pet sitters with customers.
To get into this you could also create a website and advertise what you offer in local Facebook groups.
There are no specific qualifications you need to do this type of side hustle, but you may want to consider taking an animal first aid course.
6. Childcare
There’s a huge range of different roles you could take when it comes to childcare.
At the simpler end of the spectrum we have babysitting. This could be something you get started with informally, as babysitters do not need to have formal qualifications.
There are many childcare agencies that connect babysitters with clients.
If you want to get into a side hustle with a few more hours involved then childminding may be for you.
Childminding can involve looking after very young children for a full day, or if you don’t want to work so many hours you could offer wraparound care for school children.
This may involve taking them from home to school and then picking them up and taking them home afterwards, plus possibly providing them with tea.
Many working parents need this extra help, particularly for the three hours after school when they haven’t yet finished work!
To be a childminder looking after children under 8 you will need to be registered with Ofsted or a childminder agency. You can see more details on the government website here.
7. Mystery shopper
Love to shop? Then mystery shopping could be the perfect side hustle for you!
A mystery shopping is tasked with testing businesses for things like their products, shop layout, customer service and other facilities.
This could involve visiting shops or restaurants, or calling customer services hotlines.
You may be paid for what you do or given vouchers to spend on products from the brand or a free meal or given cash in addition to vouchers.
There are several agencies that operate to connect mystery shoppers with brands. Some companies that can get you started with mystery shopping are:
- Assosia
- Tern
- GWB Mystery Shopping
- Grassroots
- Market Force
- Red Wig Wam
8. Blogging
This is my favourite side hustle and it turned into a full-time income for me!
Bloggers make money through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts and advertising.
The only downside with blogging as a side hustle is it takes a few months to start making money.
But once you do start making money, you could be making anything from £100 to several thousands pounds a month. My blog makes me between £150 to £300 a day (the advertising income fluctuates by financial quarter) – 7 days a week.
You need to launch your website and build up its content and audience before you’re able to use it to make you any cash.
Starting a website is cheap and easy – I recommend BlueHost for people getting started – and if you pick a niche you are passionate about you will love it! This one really feels way more like a hobby than a side hustle!
Find out how to start a blog here.
9. Influencer
An influencer is someone with an engaged following on social media, or on their blog, who is able to leverage their popularity to sell products – this could be their own products, products they’ve been paid to sell through advertising or affiliate products (more on affiliate marketing soon).
There’s a bit of a misunderstanding that in order to be an influencer you need millions of followers. Actually people make good extra cash on the side with less than 10,000 followers on their social media channels.
The key is to build an audience that looks to you for advice or content on a particular topic.
The products you sell need to be relevant to them.
When you think of influencers you may picture mums on Instagram or fashionistas sharing their latest dress.
But there are all sorts of different types of influencers.
They might be funny, have tech expertise or share tips about becoming an influencer!
This side hustle carries no guarantees. The time needed to put into building a following is long, and the rewards can be scarce at first.
However many people are making decent cash in this area so it’s one to consider if you think you can build an engaged following.
10. Vlogger
Starting a YouTube channel is another great way to make money on the side, but it can take a little while to build up your following and monetise your channel.
YouTubers make money from the adverts placed on the videos by YouTube – this is then paid to you monthly. I make around £200 a month from this with around 6,000 subscribers.
You can also make money from affiliate marketing, as you can recommend products in your videos and have affiliate links to those products in the descriptions of the videos.
We will talk more about affiliate marketing shortly!
To start a YouTube channel you just need your smartphone – although an actual camera to record quality videos is better – and an idea of the type of content you want to create.
Helpful content does really well on YouTube, as does entertaining and fun content.
11. Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing involves promoting products made by other people or brands via special links which trace back to you. If you make any sales then you get a share of those.
Some companies such as Amazon pay as little as 1% of the value of the sale, whereas others pay 50% or more!
If you are a blogger, vlogger or influencer then you will already have a platform from which to use affiliate marketing.
But this is not the only way to be successful with affiliate links.
You can also share affiliate links on your own personal social media profiles with your friends.
Many different types of companies – from clothing brands to energy companies – also have referral schemes. You recommend a friend, and one or both of you receives a cash incentive.
Check out my article on the best affiliate networks.
12. Survey sites
Filling in surveys online is a wonderful way to make extra cash from a side hustle, particularly if you want to do so from the comfort of your own home!
This is also a good way of making money if you don’t fancy starting a business that requires you to be customer facing. Some people are introverts and just prefer making money through their computer!
My favourite survey site is Prolific and it’s made me some nice extra cash over the last few months.
I recommend setting up a separate email address to handle the emails you will receive from survey companies and their partners, because you may get a LOT.
I have a list of awesome survey sites for you to try here.
13. Create and sell digital products
There are a huge range of digital products you can make from your computer and sell online from websites such as Etsy or Sendowl.
Digital products could be documents people need to print off to use at home, or things they simply download and use from their own computer.
Some ideas for digital products include:
- Checklists
- Wedding/baby shower/birthday invitations
- Posters for the home
- Diary pages
- Printable signs to use in photos – for example first day or school photos
I create my digital products using Canva – which has a pro and a free version. The free version is absolutely fine for getting started with digital products.
I’ve got a whole article about how to make printables to sell on Etsy.
14. Ironing/laundry
If you are one of those rare people who actually LOVE to iron then this would be the perfect side hustle for you!
There are companies you can sign up with who will connect you with customers, or you could advertise your services locally.
Remember that if you are taking people’s clothes to iron or launder then you have responsibility for them, so you may want to consider getting insurance to ensure you aren’t caught out by any problems.
15. House cleaning
If you are a dab hand with a duster then this is a brilliant side hustle.
You can sign up to do shifts with a company that connects you with clients or strike out on your own and be a self-employed house or business cleaner.
16. Home organisation
Do you love to watch shows like Marie Kondo’s on Netflix or The Home Edit? Are you cupboards and drawers immaculately laid out? If so then home organisation could be for you!
A home organising specialist helps people to get their home in order so that their stuff looks neat, is easy to find and is organised by categories.
Some home organisation advisers specialise in a particular area, for example wardrobes.
You can get certified as a professional organiser from the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers.
17. Selling stock photos
This is a fantastic way to make extra cash if you have an eye for photography and there are so many different types of stock photos that do well!
Stock photos are used by a variety of organisations, from the media to bloggers and private companies to public bodies, to use in their content.
The great thing about this is that if you have a particular thing you love taking photos of then there’s probably a market for it in stock photography!
Types of stock photography that do well don’t just include people – for example people looking happy or sad or doing a particular activity such as laundry or checking a pregnancy test – but can also include flatlays and nature.
There’s a guide to selling stock photos online here.
18. Private tutoring
You don’t have to be a qualified teacher to become a private tutor.
You will need to be well versed in the topic you want to teach to a level that means you can help students with their learning.
Private tuition could take place face to face but there’s also scope to provide private tuitions sessions online, so it’s work you can do from home!
There are various companies that connect tutors with clients. These tend to have particular standards they want you to meet before taking you on.
There are more details of this type of work on Prospects.
19. Private music teacher
If you have a talent for music in a particular instrument or vocals then you can use this to make money!
Private music teachers often teach from their own homes, although some may visit students to teach at their homes.
Research companies and franchises in your local area that may be recruiting music teachers, as some companies will employ several teachers to go out to schools or people’s homes to teach.
There are tips for getting started on the Musicians’ Union site.
20. Sell your own arts and crafts
If you have a talent for making jewellery or beautiful things for people’s homes then this is a wonderful side hustle!
You will need to invest in the tools and items needed to make your products before you can start to make a profit.
It’s super easy to set up an online store on websites such as Etsy, or you can create an Instagram account to showcase what you make and take orders from there.
21. Make and sell personalised products
Personalised products that sell well online include T-shirts, digital products such as baby birth stat posters, mugs, and water bottles.
You will need to purchase products and get the equipment needed to add personalisation to them.
You can sell personalised products through sites such as Etsy or Amazon.
22. Create an e-course
There are e-courses for pretty much everything you can think of!
Some focus on wellness and life coaching, while others are specific how tos in areas such as sewing and crochet.
There are various platforms you can use to host your e-course, such as Teachable. It will cost you a monthly fee however if you can sell your course well then you can make a good profit from this side hustle.
23. Freelance transcription
There are various types of companies, such as legal and filmmaking, that need the help of transcriptionists.
To find work in this area you can sign up to an agency. Some require you to meet certain requirements for transcription speed however some are very relaxed about your prior experience.
I have a whole post on how to get started with freelance transcription here.
24. Freelance bookkeeper
You will need a head for numbers and some companies will want you to have some experience of bookkeeping.
However you don’t need a specific qualification to get going with this type of work.
You can find freelance bookkeeping work on websites such as Indeed and Upwork.
25. Photography
If you have a passion for photography, plus have excellent equipment that will enable you to take professional photos, you could offer your photography services.
There are all sorts of life events that people want to hire a photography for, such as weddings, new babies and birthday parties. There’s also a lot of opportunities in corporate work, for example headshots of staff.
To get started with this you will need to build up a portfolio of images so you can show prospective clients what you can do.
You could start a Facebook business page and Instagram profile to show your work, encouraging friends to share and get you referrals to get started.
26. Rent a room
Got a spare room gathering dust? Renting it out is a super low maintenance way of making hundreds of pounds extra every month.
How much you can charge will depend very much on where exactly you live.
You can advertise your room for rent on sites such as Spare Room.
27. Rent a parking space
If you don’t fancy having a new person move into your home then renting your parking space is a good alternative.
Your driveway could be in high demand depending on where you live. How much you can charge for your driveway also depends on where you live.
You may find demand is seasonal, for example if you live near the coast then you may see more demand around the summer when people are visiting the seaside in greater numbers.
You can advertise your parking space for rent on sites such as Your Parking Space.
28. Become an Uber driver
Uber allows you to set your own schedule, so you can work when it suits you. It’s a great option if you have your own car and a clean driving licence.
The company does not operate in every area of the UK just yet, so you’ll need to check which cities the company covers.
For more details check out the Uber guide.
29. Deliver food
Delivery firms like Deliveroo and Just Eat need drivers to help serve the restaurants and takeaways that it is partnered with.
Like with Uber you can choose what shifts you sign up to, making it a good option if you want flexibility.
A friend of mine was able to fund the landscaping of his garden through delivering food for Deliveroo in his spare time over the course of a year.
30. Reselling clothes/furniture/whatever you love
If you have an eye for a bargain and love a good car boot sale/antiques shop then this is a great way to make extra cash!
You scour places like car boot sales for things that you think are undervalued, or that would sell for more with a little restoration. Then sell them on for profit.
There’s a whole guide to stuff you can buy and resell for profit here.
31. Dropshipping
This is where you drum up sales, but don’t actually stock products. Instead you act as a third party, passing the sales along to the supplier and getting them to fulfil the order.
There are lots of different types of products you can sell through this method, from baby changing bags to furniture.
You will find lots more details about dropshipping in this article.
32. Write your own ebooks
Whether you want to write a fiction book or a how to guide to something you are passionate about, it is easy to self publish your own books online.
This is a time consuming side hustle because first you need to write your book and then you need to market it. However once you get the book done and can focus on marketing it then you have an evergreen product that you can keep selling.
There are some good tips for ebook writers here.
33. Virtual assistant
A virtual assistant may be asked to do a huge range of different tasks. As the name suggests this work is done online and remotely so it’s a good flexible side hustle.
Some people ask virtual assistants to help with their social media channels, for example replying to comments, or with producing contact for their social media, such as making pins for Pinterest.
34. Hairdressing
You will need training and a qualification for this but it offers great flexibility as you can pick and choose your hours and how many clients you want to take on.
Self employed hairdressers can work from home or visit clients in their homes. Some also rent out space at existing salons.
35. Matched betting
This is a tax-free way of making money, as it involved gambling and your winnings are not taxable.
Matched betting involves taking advantage of the free bets offered by bookies and spreading your bets across all of the potential outcomes of a sporting event.
By doing this you win whatever the outcome.
You need to put the time into doing this and staying organised with your bets but people can make thousands a year from this.
A great place to find advice on this is Profit Accumulator.
36. Nail technician
If you have a creative flair then this is a great side hustle plus there’s a demand for these types of services.
You may want to look for a professional training course, although this is not a requirement.
There are tips for becoming a nail technician here.
37. Beauty therapist
A beauty therapist performs treatments such as facials, tanning and make-up.
It’s an area with a lot of different possibilities, for example you could choose to specialise in wedding make-up.
To get into this type of side hustle you’ll want to take a training course or look for experience in the industry. There are lots of tips for would-be beauty therapists here.
38. Baking cakes
If you have a talent for baking then you will find there’s a good market out there for bespoke cakes, such as birthday cakes, cupcakes and brownies.
Some people want to order these for weddings or birthdays, while others may want to order cakes for their office or for a get together with friends.
Because this is a food related side hustle you will need to register with your local authority and apply for a food hygiene certificate.
There are lots of tips for getting started with setting up a cake making business here.
39. Window cleaning
To get started with being a self-employed window cleaner you will need the right kit, such as a telescopic window cleaning washer and ladder.
You’ll need to look for customers, which you can do door-to-door or by creating a website and advertising online. Find more tips for getting started here.
40. Celebrity lookalike
I do not look like anyone famous, but if I did this would be a cool side hustle to try out!
If you are lucky enough to resemble a celebrity or person in the public eye who may be in demand, such as a member of the royal family, then you can make money from appearances at events and parties!
There are agencies that connects lookalikes with customers or you could create your own website to advertise what you offer.
41. Children’s party entertainer
If you love kids then this is a brilliant side hustle! There is a huge range of different types of entertainment in demand for kids parties, you don’t have to be a clown!
I’ve attended kids parties where there were entertainers dressed as Anna and Elsa from Frozen who led party games.
A DJ who can also lead party games for children is another really good way to make money in this area. You will need to invest some money in the equipment needed to run a disco, but you can recoup that once you’ve booked a few gigs.
42. Become an extra
An extra appears in the background of TV shows and movies. This can be difficult work to break into but once you do the occasional work can be a great way to make a bit of extra cash.
Extras do not need acting experience, as much of the work involves sitting or standing in the background.
If you live in a place close to large filming studios then finding convenient work will be much easier.
You can apply to become an Extra by applying to agencies such as Phoenix Casting.
43. Translating
If you speak two or more languages fluently then translating is a great side gig.
You may be asked to translate written content from one language to another or asked to translate spoken meetings or videos.
There are tips for getting started with freelance translation here.
44. Data entry
There are lots of freelance opportunities for data entry work, making it a good side hustle to make money in your own time.
You can find work on jobs sites such as Total Jobs, Indeed and Fiverr.
45. Take part in consumer focus groups
Focus groups take part in research sessions in exchange for cash.
You can sign up to agencies such as Take Part in Research to find opportunities.
46. Become a doula
A doula helps pregnant people through labour. They may be a second birthing partner who provides coaching and advice as birth progresses.
Doulas will often work with parents-to-be in the months before the birth as well as when they finally go into labour.
You will need to take a course before getting started. There are lots of tips on the Doula UK site.
47. Sewing and clothes altering services
If you are handy with a needle and thread then providing clothes altering and fixing services are a great side hustle!
48. Design and sell stationery
If you are good at graphic design or illustrating then creating your own stationery is a great side hustle.
I remember the person who we purchased our wedding invitations from was a university student who designed stationery on the side. Her products were gorgeous!
You could sell your products on Etsy or set up your own website. There are tips for getting started here.
49. Gardening
If you have a talent for gardening then lots of people are looking for a little help with maintaining their own outdoor spaces.
There are tips for getting started on the Gardeners Guild website.
50. Dog grooming
If you love dogs then pampering pooches could be a great side hustle for you!
You don’t need any specific training but experience is necessary so that you know what you’re doing. You may choose to take a course so that you understand what to do to help clean dogs’ coats and clip their nails.
You will find tips for getting started with dog grooming here.
51. Paddle boarding instructor
If you live near the water then this is an awesome side hustle!
I have a friend who trained as a paddle boarding instructor and now he is working towards making it his full-time job!
You don’t have to live near the sea – a river or lake that is appropriate for water sports is fine! Paddle boarding is such as huge deal right now, and is popular for individuals, as well as parties like stag and hen weekends.
You will need to invest money in your training to become a qualified teacher and get some paddle boards and other equipment for your clients.
However if you have a passion for the sport this is such an awesome idea to make extra cash on the weekends, or even in the week!
Maybe paddle boarding isn’t your thing, in which case think of a different watersport or sport that you love and research how you can train to become a casual or freelance instructor.
52. Become a private chef
A private chef goes into people’s homes, wedding venues or businesses and provides catering services.
You may want to become a personal chef who cooks in people’s homes focused on just one long-term customer or offer one-off services.
This is popular in tourist areas, where people rent holiday homes and want to hire people to do the cooking for them.
Professional training in this area, particularly in hygiene is not essential but may be extremely helpful.
You will need to get a food hygiene and safety certificate from the local authority where you are operating to do this type of work.
There are lots of tips for becoming a private chef here.
53. Build and design websites
If you have experience of building your own websites, or doing this in your day job, then providing help to people who want to make their own sites is a great side hustle.
I know a few bloggers who now offer this as a service having learned the skills they need through years of blogging.
There are a huge range of businesses and individuals who may want help with getting a website built, such as professional photographers and online shops.
54. Provide freelance tech support
If you have good technical knowledge then you can offer your expertise to the less tech savvy!
There are a variety of different types of tech support you may offer, and you may specialise in a particular type of computer. Some people may want tech support with keeping websites online while others may need help with improving site speed.
55. Assemble and sell gift parcels
Gift packages are hugely popular for a variety of occasions such as baby showers, birthdays and weddings.
You will need to purchase products to put into the gift parcels, put those together into an attractive package and then sell them on.
You could sell these on Etsy or set up your own website.
56. Sell children’s craft/play sets
This is such a fun side hustle idea and I know people who have turned it into a proper business!
You could purchase items wholesale to make into craft or play sets, or make your own products for kids.
For example Organised Chaos with Kids makes their own scented kid-safe play dough and sells it in kits with little toys and cookie cutter shapes to go with it.
Then there’s Play Hooray, who sells play prompt cards, kits and calendars for kids.
I know someone else who started making personalised toddler learning books which include velcro stickers that they remove and organise in the book to learn the alphabet and how to spell their name.
Take inspiration from your own family and what your kids love to do when it comes to coming up with your own winning idea!
57. Propagate and sell plants
Propagating plants is the process of creating new plants. If you have green fingers and a flourishing garden, or house plants, then you could make money with the cuttings from your plants!
There is a market for all sorts of different plants in this side hustle. I read about a person once who sells pond weed – seriously!
There are good tips for getting started with selling your propagated plants here.
58. Host international students
This is a great way to learn about different cultures, meet new people and make a bit of extra cash too. An international student would stay in your home for a period of time and in exchange you’re provided with payment.
There are various companies that will connect students with potential homestay placements.
59. Making and selling candles
This is a crowded marketplace so you will need to try and make something that’s unique and really appeals. Having said that there’s a lot of demand for this type of product.
There are lots of tips for making money selling candles here.
60. Airbnb
You can rent a spare room or a second property through Airbnb. It’s free to create a listing!
Details from Airbnb here.
61. Amazon FBA
FBA stands for Fulfilment by Amazon. It means you sell products via Amazon’s marketplace and Amazon takes responsibility for shipping the items.
This is a side hustle for people who make their own products.
It’s great because you get the benefit of the vast amount of users Amazon has when it comes to getting your products seen. Then Amazon takes care of the logistics of getting your products sent to buyers.
You can find more information about Amazon FBA here.
62. Website testing
Companies pay people to check their websites are working satisfactorily in terms of speed and that the content is clear.
You can sign up to agencies that will give you this type of work. It’s flexible and can be done from home in your own time! One example of a company that can give you this type of work is Tester Work.
63. DJ/singer/musician
Weddings are big business and as they are mainly at weekends this could be a good side hustle!
I have a friend who has been able to make a good bit of extra cash by DJing on the side.
You’ll need the right equipment, so it requires a bit of investment up front.
However from there you can advertise what you do in local Facebook groups and get the word out among friends who may be planning parties.
If you have a great voice or play a musical instrument well then maybe you could perform at parties or weddings!
There are wedding and party planning companies which have recommended suppliers and partners. By connecting with these companies you can find clients much easier – this is how we booked the string quartet for our wedding.
64. Florist
Do you love flowers and have a good eye for flower arranging? This could be an awesome side hustle!
You will need to get suppliers that can provide you with everything you need at a reasonable price so that you can sell your services for a profit.
There are tips for how to find work as a freelance florist from the British Florist Association.
65. Graphic designer/illustrator
Do you have a great eye and a passion for design?
There are so many different businesses and individuals that need help from a graphic designer!
This may include logo design or helping to create leaflets or branding material.
While you could use your skills to create physical products, or provide a personalised service designing things like wedding invitations.
You can also sell your graphics and fonts online through marketplaces such as Creative Marketplace.
66. Proofreading
There are a variety of different types of companies and individuals that may need the help of a freelance proofreader.
You will need to have excellent spelling and grammar skills. If you want to specialise in a particular area of proofreading, such as scientific papers for example, you would need decent understanding of this area so you can understand the content.
You can find proofreading work on sites such as Upwork and Fiverr.
67. eBay buy and sell
You could buy products and sell on at higher prices. You need to have confidence in what you are buying so that you can definitely make a profit from what you’re doing.
There’s a great list here of things you can “flip” – buy and sell for a profit – on eBay.
68. Podcaster
Podcasts are a huge business and there’s a podcast market for pretty much any subject you can think of!
To get started with a podcast you will need decent audio recording equipment – you can buy a microphone that plugs into your computer from Amazon for not too much cash – plus editing software (which you can find for free).
Podcasts make money from advertising and sponsorship agreements and can also make cash from affiliate marketing.
There are tips for starting a podcast here.
69. Write podcast show notes
This is a great side hustle for a keen writer! You may be asked to write up a transcript of the podcast, as well as show notes which describe the content of the podcast.
Getting into this may be easy if you already know people with podcasts or you can try getting in touch with podcasters to offer your services.
70. Reselling mystery pallets
Sometimes companies just cannot shift stock. It could be that they need to make way for new stuff or that some items have been replaced by newer models.
Whatever the reason, some companies will try to claw back some money on that surplus stock by flogging it in bulk as mystery pallets.
How do you make money from this? You buy the mystery pallet and then sell the items for a profit. It can be hit and miss but some people swear they are now making a living do this.
This lady who makes a full-time income reselling mystery pallets says she makes as much as five times the value she paid for the pallet from reselling the items. You can buy these pallets through Amazon and other retailers.
71. Rent out your clothes
I love this side hustle idea for fashionistas! You can earn regular money in your pocket for doing very little by renting out clothes.
The Swished app will connect people looking for a special outfit who don’t want to pay full ticket price for something they will only wear once.
It’s a great idea for people with a wardrobe bursting with gorgeous outfits. You just need to spend a little time packaging them up and sending them on to the people renting them from you.
One lady says she makes £18,000 a year using Swished as a side hustle.
What is the most profitable side hustle?
During our research we have found individuals in every one of these side hustles making a full-time income.
So there is no ceiling for what you could make, it’s really down to how much time you have to put into a side hustle and is it the right side hustle to fit your lifestyle and skills.
Materials Market has done some research and found the following average incomes per month. I would take these as a guide only, as my own research into blog earnings found most bloggers doing it as a side hustle earn at least £1,000 a month.
The 10 highest-earning side hustles, and their average income per month, are:
- Carpentry, approx. £1,600 per month (£53.33 per hour)
- Dropshipping, approx. £1,300 per month (£43.33 per hour)
- Baking, approx. £1,000 per month (£33.33 per hour)
- Streaming, approx. £800 per month (£26.66 per hour)
- Wholesaling, approx. £650 per month (£21.66 per hour)
- Beauty therapy, approx. £550 per month (£18.33 per hour)
- Jewellery making, approx. £530 per month (£17.66 per hour)
- Tailoring, approx. £500 per month (£16.66 per hour)
- Blogger, approx. £450 per month (£15 per hour)
- Pet sitter/walker, approx. £430 per month (£14.33 per hour)
Tips for finding an amazing side hustle
Organise your time
Try to have blocks of time in your week that you can devote to your side hustle.
If you are pushed for time it can really help to make sure you can do a lot of tasks from your phone. When I got started with blogging I did most of the early blog posts on my phone, because I could hold it with one hand and type while holding my baby with the other!
Be persistent
If it’s taking time to get your side hustle off the ground don’t give up! These things rarely become an success overnight, but sticking at it vastly improves your chances of making money.
Try different things
Life can be a journey of trial and error, so your first pick may not be the one that works for you.
Try something else, or get started with a couple of different things and see which one is most enjoyable to you.
The side hustle that you enjoy is the one that you are going to find much easier to make a success out of.
Don’t let failure stop you
Since starting my own side hustles I have failed MANY times. And I can guarantee you that no one finds the road to starting a new enterprise plain sailing.
If you have a setback, learn from it and move on. The people who succeed are the ones who don’t give up at the first hurdle!
Be mindful of the tax implications
And now to the boring stuff! You need to be aware that any money you make from your side hustle needs to be declared to the tax man!
How much tax you will pay depends on whether you have a full-time job – the income from your side hustle will be combined with this.
The personal allowance for tax-free income is £12,750 – this may be more if you claim Marriage Allowance or Blind Person’s Allowance.
You still need to declare your income, regardless of whether you hit your Personal Allowance!
BUT as your side hustle can technically be classified as a hobby, certainly in the early days when you’re testing out whether this entrepreneurial side gig stuff is for you, the first £1,000 you earn is tax free!
Always declare and if you are ever unsure the government has a helpline for self-employed people to discuss their tax return.
