I started my first side hustle when I was in college and wanted to make extra money. I started with online surveys, which aren’t most lucrative side hustle, but I did make a few extra bucks.
But it wasn’t until I started this site on the side of my teaching job that my love of side hustles really took off. I eventually quit my stable teaching job to run this site full time, and then I started running Facebook ads on the side of that.
Finding a side hustle that suits your needs, from financial to available time, can truly be a game changed if you want to make extra cash. So I’ve put together a list of my top side hustle picks for 2024. Check them out below to learn how much you can make and how to get started.
Want to give surveys a try like I did? Check out Survey Junkie and Branded Surveys .
Table of Contents
- 1. Food Delivery
- 2. Run Facebook and Instagram Ads
- 3. Lyft
- 4. Bookkeeping
- 5. Proofreading
- 6. Freelance Writer
- 7. Branded Surveys
- 8. Survey Junkie
- 9. Drive With Uber
- 10. Clean Houses
- 11. Invest in Commercial Real Estate
- 12. Get Paid To Grocery Shop
- 13. Become a Virtual Assistant
- 14. Start a Blog
- 15. Sell on Shopify
- 16. Find a Flexible Part-Time Job
- 17. Buy Fractional Stock Shares
- 18. Sell Printables on Etsy
- 19. Watch Videos on Your Phone
- 20. Play on Pinterest
- 21. Walk Dogs & Pet Sit
- 22. Earn Cash Back Shopping
- 23. Sell Old Electronics
- 24. Tutor From Home
- 25. Rent Out Your Car
- 26. OnlyFans
- 27. Selling Plasma
- What is The Best Side Hustle of 2024?
- FAQs
1. Food Delivery
Earning potential: Varies by delivery
Food delivery is honestly one of the easiest side hustle ideas to start if you’re looking for flexibility. DoorDash currently dominates the market with nearly 65% of the market share, and they are always looking for new drivers.
Getting started: You can learn how to get started and what to expect in our article How to Become a DoorDash Driver (Requirements and Signing Up).
Deliver on your own schedule
This is one of the best side hustles if you are looking for a low-commitment gig and have access to a reliable vehicle.
2. Run Facebook and Instagram Ads
Earning potential: $1,000 to $2,000+/month
This is my favorite side hustle idea because it’s the exact one I started when I wanted to make money on the side of this blog, and it involves creating and managing ads for small businesses. It might surprise you, but Facebook continues to be some of the best platforms for small business owners to reach new customers. Business owners pay digital marketers because they often lack the time or knowledge to run an effective ad campaign.
Get Started: Join my FREE training here to get started, even if you have no experience.
3. Lyft
You probably recognize Lyft as one of the leading rideshare platforms, and they launched a Women+ Connect feature to help women and nonbinary drivers and riders feel more in-control of their ride experience*. Drivers get all of the flexibility and bonus offers that Lyft is known for, with the added benefit of increased chances to match with women and nonbinary riders.
Drivers can cash out earnings at any time, plus new drivers (of any gender) can earn a $400 bonus by giving 40 rides in 7 days. Terms apply.
If you’re interested in driving with Lyft, you must meet the following requirements:
- You’re at least 25 years old
- You own an iPhone or Android smartphone
- You have a clean driving record and auto insurance
- You have an eligible 4-door vehicle (car year varies by region)
- You consent to a criminal background check and review of your driving record
*This is not a safety feature and cannot guarantee safety, but it can help women and non-binary users have more choice.
Need more flexibility than a 9-to-5? Try driving with Lyft
New drivers (of any gender) earn a $400 bonus with 40 rides in 7 days. Terms apply.
4. Bookkeeping
Earning potential: $20 to $40+/hour
Freelance bookkeepers help business owners record and manage daily financial transactions. This can include paying bills, managing payroll, and collecting payments. Bookkeeping is not the same thing as accounting, and that difference is why you can start bookkeeping online without a degree or certification.
Getting started: Join our FREE Brilliant Bookkeeper Side Hustle training to get started from home today.
5. Proofreading
Earning potential: $20 to $50/hour
Proofreaders are responsible for polishing written content for bloggers, content writers, website owners, academics, business owners, and more. If you cringe when someone uses the wrong verb tense or can’t tell the difference between their/there/they’re, then proofreading might be one of the best side hustles for you.
Getting started:
- Our article, How to Become a Proofreader, outlines everything you need to know about starting a proofreading side hustle.
- Check out our FREE training to learn how to start proofreading.
6. Freelance Writer
Earning potential: $500 to $5,000/month
Freelance writing is a broad field that can encompass a number of different jobs, from blog posts, web copy, technical writing, and more. This is one of the best side hustles for anyone who loves storytelling and is good with words.
It can take a little time to build your portfolio and business, but freelance writers can realistically make $1,000 to $5,000+/month.
Getting started: How to Become a Freelance Writer explains the steps to starting, and you can also check out this list of Best Sites Paying Writers in 2024.
7. Branded Surveys
Earning potential: $1 to $3/survey
Large companies use market research companies to learn about the opinions and habits of their target customers. Because companies pay for the research, market research companies pay members an average of $1-$3 to complete surveys. This isn’t the highest-paying of these side hustle ideas, but online surveys are honestly one of the easiest, fastest, and flexible ways to make money online.
Getting started: Join Branded Surveys here and claim your 100-point bonus.
8. Survey Junkie
Earning potential: $1 to $3/survey
It’s completely free to sign up for Survey Junkie, and the process takes about 5 minutes or less. You earn points for each survey you complete, and 100 points = $1. You can request a payout once you reach 500 points.
Getting started: To learn more about this side hustle idea, check out our in-depth Survey Junkie review or click here to get started with Survey Junkie.
9. Drive With Uber
You have multiple options for rideshare companies, and Uber has become a top pick for anyone who wants to make money driving. What stands out so much about Uber is that you have a ton of flexibility as you can set your own schedule. There are no minimums, and you can drive when it works for you because the Uber app is available 24/7.
Get started: Read Is Driving for Uber Worth It? to learn more.
10. Clean Houses
Earning potential: $20 to $50/hour
While it’s not the most exciting option on this list of side hustles, cleaning houses. Cleaning houses pays surprisingly well if you work for yourself. House cleaners can make $20-$50/hour working for themselves.
Getting started: Care.com is a great place to start listing your services.
11. Invest in Commercial Real Estate
Earning potential: Varies on the market
While this side hustle takes a financial investment to see any returns, you can start investing in real estate for as little as $10. Overall, learning how to invest in real estate can be a fairly lucrative and passive side hustle, but it’s also an excellent hedge against inflation.
Getting started: We highly recommend Fundrise if you’re interested in getting started because you can start investing in commercial real estate for as little as $10.
12. Get Paid To Grocery Shop
Earning potential: $15 to $25/hour
Having your groceries delivered is incredibly convenient for families, busy professionals, and anyone who has different priorities for their time. Getting paid to grocery shop requires that you’re at least 18 years old, have access to a reliable vehicle, and a smartphone. You must also be able to lift 40lbs.
Getting started: DoorDash has recently partnered with groceries stores to offer grocery delivery services, and you get the same flexibility as their food delivery program.
13. Become a Virtual Assistant
Earning potential: $500 to $1,000+/month
We have several virtual assistants (or VAs) on our team who help us manage social media accounts, with inbox management, scheduling, data entry, WordPress tasks, and more. Having a solid VA is lifesaver!
Additional virtual assistant tasks include responding to emails, project management, bookkeeping, blog management, preparing reports, and more.
Getting started: You can leverage skills and experience you’ve learned in a past or current job and start looking for side hustle work in How to Find Virtual Assistant Jobs. You can also check out Fully Booked VA.
14. Start a Blog
Earning potential: $500 to $10,000+/month
Blogging easily has the highest earning potential on our list of best side hustle ideas. It’s a slow business model overall, but look at what I’ve done: I started this blog in my spare time after coming home from my job as a high school band director, and in five years I was able to turn my blog into a seven-figure business that I run from my laptop.
That trajectory isn’t the norm for everyone, but you get out of it what you put into it. You can start and grow your blog on your lunch break, after the kids go to bed, and on the weekends.
Getting started: If you’re interested in starting one of the best side hustles ideas, I highly recommend Bluehost because you’ll get a professional-looking site without paying for web design services.
15. Sell on Shopify
Earning potential: $500 to $5,000+/month
Shopify is an easy-to-use platform for setting up and running your own eCommerce store.
You use Shopify’s platform to build your eCommerce site — there are over 70 customizable themes, a drag-and-drop editor, and custom domains. You select items to sell on the site that can be dropshipped. You don’t touch, store, or ship these goods. You’re only listing them for sale, and then connecting the customer with the supplier.
Getting started: You can learn how Shopify works and how to set up your eCommerce site in our full Shopify review.
16. Find a Flexible Part-Time Job
Earning potential: $20-$50+/hour
You’ve probably seen a store or restaurant in your area with a “Help Wanted” sign up, and you might not want to overlook those options because sometimes the best side hustles are the ones right in front of you. While part-time jobs aren’t technically side hustles, it might be exactly what you need to realize your financial goals. Major companies like Amazon, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Michael’s are all hiring.
Getting started: If you want an even more flexible part-time job, we highly recommend FlexJobs. This platform specializes in flexible or remote-work positions, and they vet all of the jobs before listing them so you know they’re legit. Learn more in our full FlexJobs Review.
17. Buy Fractional Stock Shares
Earning potential: Varies on the market
Financially savvy people understand that investing is how you grow true, long-term wealth. One of the easiest ways to start investing is with fractional shares of stocks. It’s when you buy a portion of a stock instead of a full share, which can be expensive! It’s far more affordable, and you can quickly diversify your portfolio.
Getting started: Acorns is a beginner-friendly investing app. It costs as little as $3/month, and you can start investing with as little as $5. Learn more in our full Acorns Review.
18. Sell Printables on Etsy
Earning potential: $500 to $1,000+/month
Founded in 2005, Etsy has become the go-to marketplace for all things crafty. It’s grown into a massive site that saw over $3 billion in sales in 2021, and some of the best things to sell on Etsy these days are printables, like planner pages, wall art, lifestyle trackers, stickers, and more. These are digital files that you only need to create once and sell indefinitely.
Getting started: Grab your copy of this FREE ebook called the Seasonal Products Secret to learn what sells best each month of the year.
19. Watch Videos on Your Phone
Earning potential: $1/hour
Here’s another one of the easiest side hustles to make extra money. You can realistically expect to make under $1/hour watching videos (I know that’s low), but think of it as something that can run in the background while you’re working on other side hustles.
Get started: Here are a few platforms to check out if you want to learn more:
- MyPoints: Get paid to watch videos, take surveys, play games, and more. New users can earn a $10 bonus reward for signing up today.
- InboxDollars: Make money watching videos, playing games, and taking online surveys. New users can claim a $5 sign-up bonus.
- Swagbucks: Get paid to watch videos, take online surveys, shop online, and more. New users can take advantage of a $10 sign-up bonus.
20. Play on Pinterest
Earning potential: $500 to $1,000+/month
Pinterest is a great place to find recipes, workouts, DIYs, etc. But did you know that online business owners and bloggers have a high need for Pinterest virtual assistants who make an average of $500 per month/per client. Their responsibility include creating pins, optimizing images, developing a pinning schedule, doing keyword research.
Getting started: Check out How to Make Money on Pinterest for more information about working as a Pinterest VA and more options.
21. Walk Dogs & Pet Sit
Earning potential: $15 to $25/walk and $35 to $70/overnight stay
Rover is a platform dedicated to connecting pet owners with dog walkers and pet sitters in their area. Pay varies depending on where you live. You’ll be paid more if you live in an urban area, which can be around $25 per walk or $70 for an overnight stay. Rover can help you find clients, but you can also list your services on social media. Because trust is such a big part of this side hustle, referrals go a long way.
Getting started: Join Rover here Join Rover here to list your service. Be aware that there is a $35 fee to join and create a profile. Or learn how Rover works and how to set up your account in our Rover App Review.
22. Earn Cash Back Shopping
Earning potential: $5 to $50/month
I was a little hesitant to put this on my list of best side hustles because there’s not big money in cash back sites and apps, but it’s honestly too easy to leave out. I mean, if you’re already shopping, why not make money back on your purchases?
Here are my top cash back app recommendations:
Getting started: Sign up for Ibotta to earn cash back when you shop online, and use Ibotta to earn cash back when you shop online.
23. Sell Old Electronics
Earning potential: Varies based on what you sell
If you have unused or out-of-date electronics sitting around your house, you can make a little extra money selling them. People and companies can refurbish them to use or resell for a profit.
Getting started: Decluttr will buy gently used electronics, and they send you a prepaid shipping label and pay you a day after receiving your items.
24. Tutor From Home
Earning potential: $15 to $40/hour
If there is a subject you know well and can teach to others, tutoring is one of the best side hustle ideas for teachers because the hourly pay can get pretty high, around $15-$40/hour depending on where you live.
Getting started: You can sign up and start tutoring through BookNook, and their tutors make $15-$22/hour.
25. Rent Out Your Car
Earning potential: Average of $700/month
HyreCar is a peer-to-peer rental platform where you can list your car, which dates it’s available, and then rent it out to prescreened customers. Most of the cars listed on the HyreCar list are for approximately $35/day, and HyreCar takes a 15% to 25% commission. This is a great side hustle to offset the cost of your car payment, or if you aren’t driving as much these days.
Getting started: You can check out our HyreCar review for more information.
26. OnlyFans
Earning potential: Varies based on audience and content
I know, OnlyFans isn’t the best side hustle idea for everyone, but it’s become a very lucrative way to make money online from the comfort of your home for those who are interested. You might be surprised to learn that you can make money on OnlyFans with content that is safe for work.
Getting started: If you want to learn more, check out How to Make Money on OnlyFans in 2024.
27. Selling Plasma
Earning potential: $30 to $100 per donation
Many plasma donation sites actually pay you each time you donate plasma. The process is similar to donating blood, but it takes a little more time, up to two hours. The requirements are similar to donating blood, an you’ll have to go through a short medical screening before you start the donation process. It’s a simple side hustle if you’re eligible!
Getting started: Doing a quick Google search of “where to sell plasma in” and add the name of your city at the end is the fastest way to find a donation center near you that pays for plasma donations.
What is The Best Side Hustle of 2024?
There is no magic pill to earn more money, and I see lots of so-called magic pills online. That drives me to produce lists like this. I want my readers to have the best options available, like:
- Driving for DoorDash: Get paid to deliver goods and groceries for Doordash and drivers set their own hours and can work as little or as much as they want. This is a nice side hustle if you’re looking for something that offers both a low commitment and decent pay.
- Become a bookkeeper: Bookkeepers make around $500/month per client, and that’s working 5-10 hours a month. It’s an incredibly flexible option if you’re organized and good with numbers. You can learn more about how to get started here.
- Take online surveys: Sign up for Branded Surveys and Survey Junkie and make $1-$3/survey. It’s not a lot of money, but it’s super easy.
The reality is that not all side hustles are created equal. Do your research, read the reviews, and find the best side hustle to make your goals happen.
FAQs
You can make an extra $2,000 a month when you combine many of the best side hustle options above, like driving for Doordash and running Facebook ads.
Blogging started as my side hustle, and now I run a 7-figure business from my laptop. There are other high-paying side hustles out there, like freelancing because you can scale it to a full-time income.
You can drive for Doordash, run Facebook ads, start proofreading, and so on.
A side hustle is an entrepreneurial activity outside of your normal day job that generates extra income so that you can reach your financial goals faster.
The easiest way to start a side hustle is to look at our definitive list of quality side hustle ideas, select the option that seems like the best fit, and then jump in! We put together the best side hustle options that will allow you to make money in a way that you enjoy and that fits your lifestyle.
DoorDash disclaimer:
- Earning more on certain types of orders (ex. alcohol): Earn more per order as compared to restaurant orders. Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries you accept and complete, time of day, location, and any costs. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90-day period and includes compensation from tips, peak pay, and other incentives.
- Get paid instantly (DasherDirect): Subject to approval
- Cash out daily (Fast Pay): Fees apply
- Start dashing today: Subject to background check and availability
- Dash anytime: Subject to availability