12 Best Online Side Hustles for Extra Income

·7 min read

Looking for a way to make extra money to spend? More and more people are considering side jobs online to diversify their sources of income.

Nowadays, you can generate income from the comfort of your home as long as you have an internet connection. Work-from-home jobs like freelance writing, selling handmade items on Etsy, teaching or even starting your own YouTube channel are popular ways for people to earn money on the side.

Here are the top side hustles to consider for anyone looking to earn extra money online.

Online Side Gigs to Make Extra Cash

An online side hustle should be something you can easily fit into your weekly schedule without overexerting yourself. If you already have a full-time job or want to pick up extra work as a stay-at-home parent, a great side hustle or gig can take as little or as much time commitment outside your normal workweek.

1. Freelance Writer

hands typing on laptop
Unsplash

If you’re a word wizard and love writing in your spare time, freelance writing is a natural way to make extra cash week to week. Freelance writing includes writing blogs, newsletters, white papers, landing pages, ebooks, social media posts and more.

You can find freelance writing jobs through your typical job search boards. There are also platforms specifically designated for gathering a pool of qualified writers to pair with compatible companies. Such platforms include ClearVoiceContentlySkywordVerblio and Constant Content.

2. Online Surveys

Believe it or not, some companies will pay you to take surveys. It won’t amount to hundreds of dollars per month, but it’s an easy task to complete for some extra cash.

Depending on the survey, you can generally expect surveys to take up to 15-20 minutes to complete. Most platforms allow you to earn points for each survey you complete, which can then be redeemed for cash or gift cards. Points per survey most commonly convert to less than $1 to $5 per survey.

Companies that pay for online surveys include Survey JunkieOpinion OutpostFetch RewardsBranded SurveysSwagbucks Surveys and MyPoints.

freelancer on laptop
freelancer on laptop

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3. Blogging

Have an interesting point of view on a specific topic? Want to share your thoughts with others? Consider starting your own blog. Your blog can be about anything you are passionate about: parenting, politics, cooking, beauty, fashion, woodworking, travel, finance or sports.

The best part is you don’t even need to know how to build a website from scratch to create your own blog. Companies like WixWordPressWeebly and Blogger offer free, easy-to-use website creation. Simply select a website template and customize colors, fonts and layout from there.

To earn money blogging, you’ll need to sell ad placements, write sponsored content, sell digital downloads or offer services. The more visitors that visit your website, the more money you can make. As you grow your audience and brand, you could multiply your earnings and potentially turn a side gig into a career.

4. Sell Your Belongings

selling items on Poshmark
Poshmark

Whether you use Amazon, ebay, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace—or resale apps like ThredUp, Mercari and Poshmark, selling your gently used belongings is an easy way to make a little extra cash.

Clean out your closets, crawl spaces, attics and garage once every season to keep your home in tip-top shape and earn money on items you don’t want anymore. Once you get the hang of it and who knows? You might start buying others’ belongings for cheap and reselling it online as well.

5. Create an Etsy Storefront

If you’re creative and have a side hobby of painting, crocheting, knitting, making jewelry, constructing one-of-a-kind furniture, sewing clothes, crafting beautiful invitations or building handmade toys, you could launch your own Etsy business to sell your goods.

6. Website User Testing

Some companies need everyday consumers to test out their website to ensure it’s user-friendly. No need to understand the technical workings of a website. Simply complete the task the company requests on their website and provide honest feedback on your experience.

Visit websites like RespondentUserTestingUserFeel or TestingTime to find testing opportunities.

7. Become a Virtual Assistant

Many working professionals could use an assistant to help with day-to-day tasks, but not all professionals can afford a full-time, salaried assistant position. Did you know you can provide assistance to professionals virtually? Whether you help maintain a website, manage content schedules or run reports, many micro-tasks such as administrative tasks can be completed online.

Websites like UpWork, VAnetworking and Zirtual can help you find virtual assistant positions but so can common job boards like Indeed and Ziprecruiter.

8. Start a YouTube Channel

hand holding smartphone with youtube play button
Pexels

Love filming and editing videos? Think you have something to share with the online world? Why not combine the two and start your own YouTube channel. The sky’s the limit when it comes to content you can post to YouTube. Create tutorials, become a vlogger, or simply make videos on a topic you are passionate about, such as parenting, sports, politics, finance or DIY.

According to Ziprecruiter, the average YouTube channel earns around $60,000 annually. But here is your reality check: You’d need about 1 million video views to earn between $2,000 and $3,000. Finding success requires a degree of dedication as creating YouTube videos alone does not earn you money. If you can market your channel to businesses that pertain to your content, you can earn passive income or additional money as an influencer through video sponsors, advertisements and brand partnerships. Unless you are lucky enough to go viral, perhaps.

9. Do Freelance Graphic Design

If you have a knack for graphic design, why not turn it into a money-making opportunity?

Many businesses are in need of freelance graphic design work whether it be for rebranding, a product launch, event promotion or social media. Put together a portfolio of work you’ve created, then scour online job boards for opportunities to share your art. Many jobs are short-term projects that won’t take much of your time but pay well.

10. Be a Resume Helper

If you see dozens of resumes as part of your full-time career, perhaps you can help job-seeking individuals fine-tune their resumes for some extra cash outside the office. Eager candidates could always use help ensuring their resume is one that will catch the attention of prospective employers.

11. Sell Photography

woman taking photographs with camera
Unsplash

Love snapping breathtaking photos of beautiful landscapes you travel to, everyday scenes or objects, wildlife or interesting people you meet? Don’t let those images sit on your memory card or keep them confined to the walls of your home. Give interested buyers the chance to purchase your photography.

Either set up your own website to sell your photographs or utilize sites like Etsy, ShutterstockAdobe Stock or Alamy to start earning royalties on your snaps.

12. Teach Online

If you’re a natural-born teacher, why not put those skills to good use and teach an online course? Teaching an online course requires fewer credentials than a traditional teacher in a classroom. In fact, anyone passionate about a certain topic can teach on that topic if they go through the right avenues to do so. From one-on-one instructions to virtual classrooms, you can tailor your gig based on your teaching style.

Websites like UdemyTeachable and Skillshare allow you to draft your own course and create videos that can be paid for and watched for years to come.

Find the Right Online Hustle for You

Online side hustles help you learn new skills or fine-tune strengths you already have, boost your resume, help build a personal brand for yourself, and add to your portfolio. It doesn’t matter what side hustle you choose so long as you enjoy doing it.