12 side hustle jobs to help you earn extra income
Unfortunately, sometimes, your monthly income is not enough to cover your daily needs and expenses.
You need to find other means to earn money and make ends meet. This is especially true if you have other people depending on you.
It also happens when you set personal goals you want to achieve – like buying a new car or building your dream home. Earning extra cash on top of your salary helps you achieve financial independence and make your life easier.
There are actually several ways to earn extra money while still working a full-time job. Some venture into business, try investing, or take on gig work while at home.
Thanks to our tech-driven world, side hustle jobs have become very accessible. Sometimes, these even lead to enough opportunities for them to turn into full-time careers eventually.
After all, the only capital you need is your skills, a laptop or computer, and a stable internet connection.
How side hustle jobs work
A side hustle job or freelance work is a means of earning extra money besides your 9 to 5 job. Freelancing also gives you the liberty to pursue your passion while making extra cash.
A side gig basically works for everyone. One great thing about part-time jobs is that you can accomplish your tasks from the confines of your home or anywhere in the world.
Side hustlers, whether beginners or experienced professionals, can find clients from any job source. There is a wide array of hustle opportunities available online for any field and specialization.
A freelance job is a good source of second income for working professionals who are just starting their careers. There are also retired professionals who turn to freelancing work to continue practicing their passion.
Side hustle vs. Full time job
Balancing a side hustle versus a full-time job involves weighing the stability and benefits of full-time employment against the flexibility and potential for higher earnings with a side hustle.
Full-time jobs typically offer a consistent paycheck, health benefits, retirement plans, and job security, creating a stable foundation for long-term financial planning.
In contrast, a side hustle provides the opportunity to pursue passions, develop new skills, and generate additional income while allowing one to exercise greater control over one’s schedule.
However, side hustles often lack the predictability and benefits of full-time employment, requiring individuals to manage their time effectively to avoid burnout.
Ultimately, the choice depends on personal goals, risk tolerance, and the ability to juggle multiple commitments.
Must have skills for freelance jobs seekers
Any professional can start a side hustle along with a day job. But to be a successful freelancer, you need to be a bit of a jack of all trades.
A side hustle must be treated like your own business. The main difference is that now you are selling yourself.
Different companies worldwide have been tapping freelancers for their technical and creative skills, proven track record, and expertise, so the competition in this field can be cutthroat.
To be established in the freelance market, you need to possess and improve on the following:
Negotiation skills
There are tons of highly skilled and well-experienced side hustlers in the freelance market. To help you land a client, you should know how to sell yourself properly by convincing them that you are the right person for the job.
Online marketplaces typically have a long list of qualified candidates for any role they require. What you need to do is get their attention, make an impression, and have them hire your services.
But that does not stop there. You also need to be able to develop and maintain a healthy relationship with your clients. That is essential while you continue to draw in more side hustles.
Time management and organizational skills
Time management is crucial for freelancers because working hours are totally up to you.
It is entirely different from working a primary job in an office environment. In this situation, there will be no one to check on your tasks and progress.
One of the perils of side hustling is that it usually leads to procrastination. So be mindful of your limits and only accept a hustle opportunity you can accomplish.
Time management and organizational skills are mutually connected. Know which tasks to prioritize. Set a schedule and strictly follow it.
Communication skills
Being a freelancer is like a solo show. You are in charge of everything from start to finish.
You will be negotiating with your current and potential clients. Communicate clearly and effectively what you offer and how you can help them.
You also need to work on your networking skills to expand your reach. You can do this by joining freelance events, conferences, side hustle platforms, and Facebook groups.
Also, keep in touch with other freelancers who are in the same niche as yours.
Business skills
Be smart with your business decisions. As a freelancer, you will also be in charge of other aspects of your work, like calculating quarterly taxes and accounting.
Identifying what your freelance work needs means knowing what you should prioritize to grow in the freelance market.
Do you need to invest in new equipment, skills improvement, training, or more tools and other resources?
Passion to continuously learn
To be a successful freelancer, you should always be willing to learn new skills that will help you improve or add more to your services.
Gaining additional competencies or learning relevant skills will also boost your credibility and get that passive income stream flowing.
Top 12 side hustle ideas
We have listed ten of the best side hustle ideas that can potentially develop into a full-time legit jobs:
1. Online tutoring
Online tutoring has been increasingly in demand over the last few years. English as a Second Language (ESL) online teachers are especially popular with Chinese, Japanese, and Korean students who want to learn this universal language.
There are also specific avenues for this kind of side hustle job. Online agencies like Acadsoc or 51talk hire freelance ESL tutors who are paid an hourly rate.
Specific academic degrees are not required to qualify for online tutoring. However, newly hired candidates will usually undergo training before they start teaching.
2. Copywriting and content writing
Before applying as a freelance writer, it is best to know the difference between copywriting and content writing.
Copywriting appeals to people emotionally. It is the art of selling a brand or ideology, and the primary goal is to convince people to take a specific action.
Content writing, on the other hand, educates and informs readers about a specific topic. It is typically long-form, such as blogs, articles, and white papers.
Content writers are well-versed in and up-to-date on link-building strategies and search engine optimization (SEO) best practices.
3. Social media management
Presence, relevance, and engagement on social media platforms are top requirements for businesses these days, making social media management among the leading services in the freelance industry.
Freelance social media managers usually perform many tasks, including creating and scheduling posts, running ads, and replying to comments.
They also run analytical reports, plan digital campaigns, and identify trends to grow audiences for every social media platform they manage.
4. Transcriptionist
You have to type over 70 words per minute (wpm) without any error to qualify as a transcriptionist. Aside from that, you need to have excellent listening skills.
Transcriptionists listen carefully to audio or video files and transcribe them into a document or report. Legal and law enforcement professional transcriptionists are currently in high demand, especially for freelancers.
Other industries that hire freelance transcriptionists are academic institutions, medical and health facilities, and TV stations.
5. Virtual assistant
Virtual assistants (VAs) commonly have different roles and responsibilities depending on their clients. As a VA, you may function as an administrative assistant, secretary, receptionist, and even digital marketing specialist.
VAs help create, organize, and upload all document files and folders to cloud storage to make them accessible to everyone within the client’s staff.
In general, you will handle phone calls, emails, and other administrative tasks given by your client.
6. Graphic artist
Graphic artists create visual content for clients, such as logos, marketing materials, social media graphics, and website designs. They use their artistic skills and creativity to produce engaging visuals, often working on a freelance basis.
With the flexibility to choose projects and set your own hours, graphic design can be a rewarding way to earn extra income while building a portfolio.
This side hustle idea also provides opportunities for continuous learning and growth in design trends and software.
7. Proofreader
Proofreaders usually work along with content writers. Their fresh pair of eyes helps ensure the quality of any written content.
As a proofreader, your job is to check all written output and ensure they are concise, coherent, and error-free. To be a successful proofreader, you need to possess a strong command of the English language.
Most clients prefer to hire a candidate with a degree in English language, Journalism, or Creative Writing.
8. Developer
Freelance web and game developers are experts in coding and building websites, software, and applications. You need to have an in-depth knowledge of various programming languages and an impressive portfolio with good credentials.
Your portfolio, containing your past projects, will serve as your professional business card. It will help you convince your target clients to use your expertise and services.
9. Customer service
Freelance customer service roles are prevalent on most online freelance job websites. To perform any freelance customer service tasks, you must have a laptop, mobile phone, and an internet connection.
There are also freelance customer service roles that you can take during your off-peak working hours. This type of freelance role makes it a good option for a side hustle job.
10. Bookkeeping
You will need training and certification to become a freelance bookkeeper. Some clients prefer to hire experienced professional bookkeepers, while others are willing to provide training for beginners.
11. Online personal assistant
Online personal assistants offer remote administrative, organizational, or personal support services to clients through the Internet. This can include tasks like managing emails, scheduling appointments, conducting research, or handling social media accounts.
Besides being a profitable side hustle, it provides flexibility in work hours and the ability to work from anywhere.
12. Sell online
Selling online as a side hustle involves creating or sourcing products and offering them for sale through e-commerce stores, social media (e.g., Facebook marketplace), or personal websites.
You can sell baked goods, handmade crafts, digital products, or resell items for good money.
Selling online allows you to reach a global customer base. With relatively low startup costs and the ability to scale the business over time, this hustle idea can be a profitable way to generate more money while pursuing entrepreneurial interests.
Where to find side hustle jobs online
You have several options when searching for side hustle jobs. To help you out on your freelance journey, we have divided them into two classifications:
Freelance websites
There are countless avenues for freelancers online. These websites offer a lot of opportunities for all types of freelancers with different specializations.
Freelancers also have the choice to accept full-time or part-time roles. Examples of these freelance websites are:
Outsourcing firms
Outsourcing firms are no longer limited to hiring full-time employees. They also have projects that are more flexible to hiring contractual and freelance staff.
Once the project is complete, the contract is also over. There are also outsourcing firms that hire VAs and freelancers to meet their clients’ staffing needs.
Independent
