There is no doubt that life is expensive right now and side hustles are a popular option to ease the financial squeeze—nearly half of working Americans (45%) currently have a side hustle. Whether you’re just trying to make ends meet or stash some extra cash to cover your wants rather than just your needs, a side hustle can help fill the gap. These days, with RTO mandates and busy calendars, you might be hesitant to add another commitment that takes you away from home. Luckily, there are side hustles you can do without stepping foot out your front door.
1. Sell pre-loved clothing and electronics online
Now is a good time to scramble through your gently used clothing and cabinets to do some spring cleaning. If you’re in need of cash, be relentlessly critical of things that no longer spark joy. After all, an extra $20 is a DoorDash meal waiting to be delivered or a well-budgeted week’s worth of groceries.
If you want to know how to make extra money fast by selling your stuff, it’s all about curating your items and posts. When selecting which things to sell, brand-name merchandise generally sells better than off-label attire and products. Take clear photos, including areas of damage, and write a clear and honest description so buyers know exactly what to expect.
A few places to sell your pre-loved items online include eBay, ThredUp, buy-sell-trade Facebook groups, and Gazelle for electronics. If selling online, just make sure your listed price accounts for costs like platform fees, PayPal fees, and shipping. For larger items that would be expensive to ship, list them on Facebook Marketplace or choose “local pickup only” on other online platforms.
2. Peddle your stock photography
Are you guilty of storing a million photos from previous trips or outings? Put those old photos to use by starting a stock photo side hustle. Comb through your well-composed images — whether a photo of your city, a branded gas station, or a hiking trail — and tag them in a dedicated album on your device for easy access.
Stock photo websites, like Shutterstock and iStock Photo, can help you earn money while you’re under self-quarantine. Keep in mind, however, that these platforms have varying requirements you’ll need to meet to sell your images. Examples include sending samples of your work, taking a quiz, or using specific cameras to shoot your photos.
3. Take online surveys
As suspect as it may sound, taking online surveys is a legitimate side gig to earn extra cash from home. It can be time-consuming, but if you’d rather make a few dollars or a gift card than spend another four hours binge-watching on Netflix, this side hustle can help.
Now, for clarity, you won’t make a full-time wage (or even part-time income) just through online surveys unless you spend a lot of time taking them — even then, many platforms lean toward offering gift cards as a form of payment.
A couple of places to start your search for paid online surveys are Swagbucks and Survey Junkie which offers surveys about brands and product experiences.
4. Try on that freelance life
If you have a sellable skillset and have been toying with the idea of starting a freelance side hustle, this is a good time to start. Whether you have a knack for writing an eloquent and engaging cover letter or are a skilled graphics designer by profession, reach out to friends and family to spread the word that you’re taking on new projects.
You’ll want to research a fair starting rate in your industry and develop services and packages to offer to potential clients. Start off with one or two clients to see if you enjoy the work. To get started, you don’t need much besides leads for freelance gigs. In addition to putting out feelers in your network, check online gig sites, like Upwork, to learn about more opportunities.
5. Pet sit
For animal lovers, pet sitting is a great way to earn extra income. While some pet owners want a pet sitter to come to them, there are plenty of others who are happy to bring their pet to you. You can choose a schedule and length of time that works best for you, whether that’s a weekend stay, long-term boarding, or even doggy daycare during working hours. Many pet owners are willing to spend extravagantly on their cats and dogs—some of that might as well end up in your pocket! Plus, there are platforms like Rover that make it easy to get started.
6. Work as a virtual assistant
If your regular work isn’t geared to the digital space or you don’t feel like you have hyper-specialized skills that are marketable online, working as a virtual assistant may be an option. According to ZipRecruiter, the national hourly wage for virtual assistants is $19 per hour, depending on experience.
Whether you’re helping a C-suite executive with their daily appointments or assisting a small business owner with data entry, virtual assistants act as an extra set of eyes and hands to help manage the details. You can find virtual assistant gigs on websites like Zirtual, FlexJobs, and Remote.co to make money from home online.
7. Capitalize on your hobbies
Do you know how to do, make, or teach anything? Do you think anyone would give you money to do it? It’s worth a shot! And it doesn’t have to be a big deal; start by letting people in your social circles know about your hobby, and tell them you’d be happy to knit them a scarf/teach them the bagpipes/tie their fishing lures for a reasonable price. The best part is that you can get paid to do what you would have done anyway.
8. Transcribe audio or video files
There’s a big need in the legal, medical, and entertainment fields for transcription, turning audio content into text, and there are many companies to work with online for a few hours per week. Rev.com just requires a quick test to get started. This side hustle is easy to get into and doesn’t require special skills or equipment outside of tech you likely already own.
9. Teach English online
English is still the language of global business and culture, and there are many platforms that connect English speakers, with and without degrees, to students in other countries. VIPKid is one such service that connects teachers and students with flexible schedules and attractive pay rates. Because these platforms have clients worldwide (and thus in different time zones), it’s easy to work in this side hustle around your main gig.
Whether you’re looking to make a little extra cash or build a more substantial side income, there are plenty of hustles you can do without leaving your home. To be successful and avoid burnout, choose one that aligns with your interests, time availability, and income needs. That way, you’re more likely to stick with it and continue raking in those coins.
