Are you interested in earning more money with a lucrative side gig? If so, this article on the best side gigs for making a little extra money is for you.
According to Statista, the average amount American employees earn reached a high of $10.99/hr. Assuming this employee works 40 hours a week, they will earn less than $25,000 for the entire year. For a family of four, this puts the average American under the poverty line. No wonder so many people are out there hunting for a second second job!
If your regular paycheck doesn’t cover everything you want, making more money is a necessity. You can work hard towards a promotion, but there’s no guarantee you’ll get it soon enough to pay the bills. Similarly, you can brush up your resume and look around for greener pastures, but you may have to put a lot of effort into applications and may not find a job with much better pay quickly.
Now, not everyone needs or wants a side gig just to make some extra money to pay the bills. Some, may want to find one for stashing away enough money to become financially independent and retire early. So, whether you’re looking for a side gig to help you get back on your feet financially, or to have the extra capital needed to slowly grow your wealth, this list of the best side gigs will help you accomplish both.
BEST SIDE GIGS FOR EXTRA CASH
1. Personal Training
If you have a passion for fitness and nutrition, get paid for your gym sessions by offering personal training services or running group classes. You will get the chance to do what you love and keep yourself healthy. There’s even a link between fitness and success that will hopefully apply to you.
Find clients at your local gym and market yourself online. You can create your own program and even set your own rates. Generally speaking, personal trainers can make a competitive living at an average national rate of $18.49/hr.
2. Rent Out Room
Do you have an extra room in your home? Rent it out to people traveling in the area through Airbnb for some extra money.
You get to set your own rates, and you once again get to meet new people. However, you must put in significant effort to make your home as welcoming as possible to get high ratings. You also must share your home with strangers, which can cramp your style.
The Earnest ranks Airbnb as the highest rated “sharing” gig with an average income of $924.00/month.
3. Trade Stocks
When you support a company you believe in by buying a share of their stock, you will sell it at the rate when you decide to sell, hopefully resulting in a profit.
While sometimes precarious, many people make enough to fund their IRA.
To get started, you should research highly anticipated companies, products, and trends in the market. Diversify your funds into multiple different investments to minimize risk. You should also put effort into learning everything about trading by reading books on investing to put yourself in the best position possible.
4. Webpage Design
Every business needs a website, but many business owners don’t have the technical skills or know-how to create an attractive, user-friendly, and optimized website. That’s why they hire someone to do it for them.
If you have an eye for graphic design and enjoy making things as simple to use as possible, you can start freelancing as a web designer. You get to use your creativity a bit, and the demand is high. However, their competition is high, too.
You can earn up to $60/hr working as a website designer. However, you need to work hard and possibly lower your rates a bit in the beginning to attract clients. Luckily, clients will regularly need to update their website. Once you get a client who seems happy with your work, they will continue to come to you for all of their design needs.
5. Disc Jockey
Do you have a natural ear for music and possess some basic dj equipment? You can start a gig as a freelance disc jockey. The amount you can make will ultimately come down to your experience, reputation, location, and the type of gigs you book. But most importantly, it will come down to how much you’re willing to hustle.
See the following average pay per dj gig type:
- Night Life DJ: $50 – $200
- Corporate DJ: $300 – $600
- Wedding DJ: $500 – $700
- Touring DJ: $250 – $2,500
- Superstar DJ: $2,500 – $25,000
Most people won’t make it to superstar Dj status, but you can still make some decent money and have fun. Getting high-paid gigs means you will need to network within the industry and promote yourself heavily and effectively.
6. Tutor
Many children struggled to learn course material learning from home last year, and they can use some additional help. If you have always had academic prowess, consider working as a tutor to students or people learning English as a second language. You can go through an educational institution or tutoring agency or find a private client.
Most private tutors earn more and make an average of $25/hr, but rich clients will pay more if they like you and you have the correct knowledge.
While you make money from tutoring, you will also know you contributed to a person’s education and maybe even motivated them a bit. It should put some good energy into your world and make you feel positive and confident about yourself.
7. Server/Bartender
Serving jobs usually need shifts during the night and weekend, making it a reliable source of income outside of your 9 – 5. The job requires a lot of energy, and some of the customers can be downright inappropriate.
Keep in mind though, that as a server or bartender, you may not fully experience the financial consistency you’re looking for, but it does bring home some extra cash.
One of the key benefits of going this route for a side gig, is the flexible hours, and the fact that you get to work with great people. Getting discounts on drinks and food is also a nice little perk of this gig.
You could also go for the big money by aiming to get a job at a high-end restaurant or bar instead of a small diner, and then just take busy weekend shifts to make this one of the best side hustles on the list. Just be careful to avoid burnout since the work can get exhausting if you take every shift that comes your way.
8. Ride Share
Popular rideshare companies Uber and Lyft hire drivers with qualifying vehicles as independent contractors to drive people in the area to their destination. You will explore your city and meet interesting people while cruising around town, which suits many people. You can work at any time you want, too, allowing for optimum working flexibility.
Unfortunately, not all riders treat your vehicle with respect. You may also find yourself further away from home than expected.
On average, rideshare drivers for both companies make an average of $364/month. Of course, this number decreases when you factor in the cost of gas, maintenance, and repairs.
To increase pay:
- work more
- drive during peak times
- qualify for bonuses
- keep your car clean
- provide excellent customer service
- drive for multiple rideshare companies
- go the extra mile with free snacks or free water
9. Child Care
If you don’t mind taking care of children, why not get paid to babysit. You can find clients on care.com and similar sites, your local community papers, or local listings. The average childcare gig for watching just one infant can easily bring in an extra $565.00 a week. Of course rates may vary based on location, the age of the child, experience, and additional services offered (pet care, tutoring, cooking, transportation, etc…).
Certainly, you can make more if you take care of more children, but you need to stay mindful of the regulations and certifications required in your area, and make sure you don’t take on more than you can handle.
10. Sell Goods Online
Start an online business where you can sell goods to other people for a profit. You will need to pay for the items up front, and you never know if someone will want your stuff. However, a good find can lead to an impressive profit margin.
If you have extra clothes, accessories, and trinkets, you can sell the stuff you already have. You can also make your own crafts. Finally, you can search in thrift stores for good finds. Some popular platforms to sell items include:
- eBay
- Amazon
- Etsy
- Craigslist
- Facebook Marketplace
Income from online sales side gigs varies greatly depending on the products you have and how you market them. However, if this 28-year old made $2400 in 4 months, so can you!
Bonus Side Gigs/Side Hustle Ideas:
Below are a few extra side hustle/side gig ideas sourced from social media. Just more food for thought…
Best side hustles to make $1k/month in 2023:
– Surveys
– Copywriting
– Ebay flipping
– Dropshipping
– Vending machinesAnything you would add / take away?
— Jay (@MakinHisWay) March 3, 2023
This last one is especially good. It only provides four ideas, but they are great examples of how you can think outside of the box to make extra cash on the side.
So, be sure to watch this one for some superb side hustles that no one is talking about, and that can help you make a nice chunk of change on the side every day:
Video Credit: Joshua Mayo (Subscribe Here)
Final Thoughts on These Side Gigs
These side gigs for extra cash can certainly pad your bank account and help you feel more financially secure. You could even use the extra money to splurge on something fun on the weekends.
But most importantly, you could use the extra money to start investing in assets that will help you get rich.
Till next time,
STRIVE
PS – If you enjoyed this resource on side gigs that can help you get rich, then you’ll likely enjoy this article as well: How To Get Rich With a Normal Job.
