Gotta make that money somehow. But can we do it in, yanno, a way that doesn’t suck?
Let’s get our financial advice from the internet, what could go wrong with that?
Here are a few side hustle ideas, courtesy of Reddit.
1. Letter painting
These guys knocked on my door and asked $20 for re-painting the numbers on the curb.
It was basically the only door to door sales pitch I ever was happy to get. I have no idea who I’d call to get that done. The price seemed fair. They were done in 10 minutes (instant service, not a scheduled out thing.)
Get 5 a day, hell, 7 for the spray paint costs and lunch, and you’re set.
– HandHoldingClub
2. Dog walking
We pay our dog walker $20 plus I tip $5 for an hour long walk.
He takes like 3 dogs at a time.
Do 2 1h walks with a few dogs.
– DesperateFunction179
3. “Parking attendant”
I knew this guy who would bring this little shed around parking lots and prop them at the entrance.
He would charge everyone for parking, no one ever question it, he paid off his house and some.
– cabinfeaver55
4. Online contractor gigs
Find a unique contract gig online!
I found one delivering flowers, paid per delivery and ends up averaging $20/hr. I usually get 2-3 routes and work 2-6 hours
– EarthCadence
5. Spark delivery
(you deliver groceries from WalMart. Pay is higher than doordash/GrubHub, if you live in small cities like I do).
Or you can try finding under the table jobs on Facebook marketplace, maybe mow someone’s lawn, help them move, etc
– hopperpopper28
6. Software skills
photoshop, autocad and excel will give you huge profits that don’t require you to be “hired” by any company.
Just offer your services to big third party companies that work with bigger companies. Usually they don’t have the man power when they get loaded and always ask for outside help from agencies. You can be hired by an agency and do those kind of jobs like photoshopping, excel spreadsheets, word documents, autocad drawings, etc (all of these don’t require much time to learn but you will need to accumulate some experience, so you better get practicing) that don’t require a 9 to 5.
This is how I’ve been living for the past 7 years now. Recently I got hired by a company that does 9 to 5 in their regular hours but since I work from home I told them how I would like more freedom with my schedule while still delivering everything on time. The tongue is a very powerful weapon you have but you have to sharpen it. Good luck.
– Khrot
7. Tarot readings
One of my first jobs was actually doing tarot readings, pay what you think my service is worth, in 6 hours I could clear an easy $500. Parties were where the money was. I charged $50-$400 (varying by party location, size, and length) but tips I’d make close $3500 on average for 4 hours of basically sitting and hanging out (there were other benefits too).
– Ok-Friendship-8804
8. Just lie
There’s a scam artist in Boston who wears and expensive suit around town.
He asks strangers for a $20 so he can buy a can of fix-a-flat, and he’s late to something.
He’s been at it for decades, so he must be doing something right!
– Rudeirishit
9. Sell your art
There are a lot of days where I don’t make $100, but I usually end up beating that on the year.
I’m an artist and I sell posters of my work. Check it out here. On any given day I wake up when I wake up, answer emails, check my Facebook and Instagram ads, maybe post on social media, roll and ship any posters in my queue, and work on some art.
All told I probably work for ~4 hours/day most of the year. Holidays get super hectic, but the busier the better.
It’s never been easier to start a business. I had no background in art, web design, marketing, or advertising when I started. Get a product together, get a website running, and advertise. That’s it.
– Calligrammer
10. Contract tree / weed cutting
Usually can easily make $100-200 dollars cutting up some brush or grass for people on a set price. Usually I will cut for 2 people on Monday then 1 on Tuesday-Friday. Usually only takes 1–3 hours and you can come at any time you want to schedule it as long as it works with the other person. You don’t need a license or training, you don’t need insurance like tree cutters, nor do you need crazy expensive equipment. All you have to do is supply your own weed eater, string and gas.
It’s can be a little dirty and hard work but it’s very short compared to 8-12+ hours and it’s a good workout. You only need to find about 10 steady clients who want you to cut their grass every two weeks to a month. 5 on the first half, 5 on the second half of the month and it’ll repeat monthly. You can also just advertise in the paper if you don’t want steady clients but usually they want someone who will come back if they do a good job.
– WindyCityReturn
11. 3D printing
You can buy a decent starter printer for $260 dollars. I charge one dollar an hour plus filament cost and 10 bucks an hour for design time (If needed. Usually customers will give you a pre-designed file)
With a few printers running, you could make about 200 a day.
– AccessDenied69
12. Lawn care
Two yards a day at 50 and you’ve hit your goal, but there’s much more to make than that, and most people knock out more than 2 jobs a day
Just gotta get a pickup, some equipment, and boom, you’re your own boss.
Most are deterred from the manual labor aspect, but, if you take care of yourself, stay hydrated, and take precautions to fight the sun, its d**n profittable.
– mashynugz
13. Tutor rich people
I started teaching voice lessons this way and my initial rate, with no teaching experience or degree, was $60/hr (more if it was an out call). It doesn’t have to be singing, though. Literally anything–yoga, fitness, cooking, etc. I even know people making a good living just teaching general organizational skills.
Rich people not only have the money to pay, but they don’t care about certification, or have a severely inflated opinion of their ability to judge character. That scene in Parasite where the guy stresses like crazy about whether his fake diploma is good enough to pass and the rich mom doesn’t even want to see it when they have their interview is more of a reflection on wealth everywhere than Korean culture. That’s exactly what I experienced more times than I can count.
As far as the marketing goes, there are tons of websites that market the services of private contractors to clients for a relatively nominal fee. It’s absolutely a case of pricing to your market. You have to charge enough for people to view your service as “high end”. They will see the value in what you’re providing as long as they’re spending enough.
You also have to look the part–wearing stylish clothing, have trouble finding time in your schedule, etc as though you have tons of clients. Make them feel like they’re competing with other people for your time. If you can’t afford stylish clothing (which is a tax write off, anyway) then just buy it, wear them to your first appointments, then return them. Then, actually buy the clothes with your initial profits.
– cleetus12
14. Busking
literally nearly any act as long as it’s half decent and in a good place.
Can take as little as 2hrs to rack up $100/£100 on a good day
– VulcanFire23
15. Buy an elephant pop
If you can con someone into buying it for you, even better.
Melt the elephant pop into liquid atop a hot tin roof.
Take the liquid into Tundratown and freeze them into smaller popsicles.
Sell these popsicles to the lemmings on lunch break at a mark-up; if one buys one, they’ll all buy one.
Recycle the popsicle sticks by selling them as “lumber” to the Little Rodentia construction crew. $1000 bucks a day every day since I was like 12.
It’s called a hustle, sweetheart.
– stubept
Ok so maybe not all of those are…super legit…but they sound fun anyway!
What would you add to this list?
Tell us in the comments.
