This post is part of our series 7 Weeks to Your Best Finances.
This series is meant to serve as a 7-week path to improving your finances. It will cover all the important topics like starting a budget, saving money, making money, investing, and more.
To find out more and see all the tips and ideas for improving your finances check out the dedicated 7 Weeks to Your Best Finances page.
Have you ever found yourself wondering what life would be like if you just had more money?
What if you made more money every month by doing something outside of your 9-5 job?
That’s what we call a side hustle. It’s something you do on the side to make extra cash.
If you’ve been a reader of Young Adult Money for any amount of time, you’ll know that we are huge proponents of the side hustle. So much so, in fact, that DC wrote a book on it!
Side hustles can greatly improve your financial situation.
What would your finances look like if you had extra money? You likely could pay off debt much quicker and build a savings account in a short amount of time.
What makes a side hustle different from having another job? A side hustle is something you do in addition to your 9-5, and usually entails making money doing something you actually enjoy.
Often times, side hustles are run more like a business. Almost anything can be turned into a side hustle. You could start a blog, begin freelance writing, babysit, or decorate cakes. Or, you could do something completely different, like one of these 9 unique side hustle ideas.
1) Coaching
Are you into sports and athletics? You should consider getting your coaching credentials.
Coaches are always in demand, and if it’s something you enjoy doing, you’ll be able to make a significant amount of money. Plus, if you only coach one sport, you’ll only have to commit to seasons, versus doing it year round.
The amount you can make will vary depending on school or organization size, but a part-time high school coach can expect to make anywhere from $3,000-$10,000 per season. That’s a lot of money for something you probably enjoy doing!
2) Tutoring
I remember in college, I worked for the university as a tutor and made a measly $9 an hour. What I wish I would have known is that people will pay anywhere from $25-100 an hour for private tutoring.
To be a successful tutor, you have to have solid knowledge of what you are tutoring, plus the organizational and teaching skills to go with it. If you are a licensed teacher, you can earn a premium for your tutoring services.
You can make more money by starting your own tutoring business, but can also find more opportunities by joining a professional tutoring service.
3) Resume Writer
Like freelance writing, resume writing is something you can do from the comfort of your own home. You might be surprised to hear that people will pay big bucks to have you design or proofread their resume.
Don’t feel like doing all the work of resume proofing? If you have design skills, you can create resume templates to sell on Etsy. Design it once and it’s pretty much passive income.
4) House Cleaner
This might not sound like the most glamorous job, but it can be a pretty sweet gig if you’re open to it.
There are so many normal families out there who want to hire someone to come by the house a few times a month to do basic chores.
They could be wanting someone to just pick up, vacuum, and dust or they may be looking for someone to deep clean. But if you like cleaning, what difference does it make spending a Saturday morning getting paid to clean someone else’s house?
The best part about cleaning is very few people will pay you hourly. So you can charge what you want for a house clean. Since you’re earning the same amount of money regardless of how long it takes you, you’ll likely push yourself to get the job done as quickly as you can.
Care.com is an excellent and reliable source to find housekeeping jobs. It’s common to find jobs that pay $15-30 an hour or $75-100 per each house cleaning.
5) Workout Instructor
If you find yourself always at the gym, you could consider becoming a workout instructor or personal trainer. Though you may be required to get certified, if you enjoy doing it, the cost of the certification is worth it.
Depending on where you teach, you can expect to earn anywhere from $17-30 an hour! Just working 10 hours a week for $25 an hour means you will bring home an extra $12,000 a year. Plus, you get paid to stay in shape.
6) Freelance Seamstress
Handy with a sewing machine? Tailors and seamstresses are in high demand, and they can charge more than ever before.
40 years ago, everyone grew up learning how to sew. That isn’t necessarily the case today, so those skills really can earn a premium.
Being a freelance seamstress means you work from home and only take on projects you have time for or want to do. You can charge by the project or by the hour. And finding clients isn’t as difficult as you may think. Good seamstresses are hard to come by, so word of mouth spreads quickly!
7) Event Coordinator
Are you the most organized person you know? Have you ever worked in a catering or event planning atmosphere?
While an event planner usually sees an event through from start to beginning, an event coordinator is someone who is responsible for the event just the day of. You are there to make sure everything is running smoothly and according to plan.
You’ll have to meet with the client before the event date to go over the details and be there during the event. It’s common to find day-of coordinators charging $2,000-4,000 per event!
8) Dog Walker
Dog walking can be the perfect side hustle for someone who loves animals. And it pays surprisingly well.
You can find dog walking gigs around the area where you work. I’ve found a few gigs that are simply looking for someone to swing by their house around lunch time to let the dogs out and walk them. If you have a free lunch hour you can commit to walking dogs (and get some exercise in), this is the perfect way to make some money!
You can find dog walking opportunities on Rover.com. You’ll find people charge around $20 for a 30 minute dog walk, which is some major cash. Do that 5 times a week and you’ll bring in an extra $400 a month.
9) Musician
If you like music, you may already be in a band or group. Has your band ever considered charging money to play?
A lot of people are in a band simply because they enjoy it. If everyone is on board, you could start playing at venues on the weekends and earn some hefty cash. Bands can charge anywhere from $1,000 – 10,000 per show, which is awesome cash for something you started as a hobby!
Keep in mind that you don’t have to have a full band to charge money for a performance. Violin players and even piano players are in high demand for weddings and events. If you already know how to play and enjoy doing it, why not charge?
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Side hustling doesn’t have to be boring. Look at your own hobbies and passions and see how you can turn it into paying work. When you’re making money off something you love, it doesn’t feel like a job!
Check out some of our other popular posts about starting a side hustle:
- 50+ Legitimate Ways to Make Extra Money At Home
- The Ultimate Guide to Side Hustling
- How to Start a Blog (That Makes Money)
- 7 Websites & Apps for Making Easy Extra Side Cash
- 5 Side Hustles that Make at Least $500 a Month
- 6 Skills That Can Be Turned Into a Side Hustle
What is your side hustle? Would you recommend it to others? If you don’t have a side hustle, what have you considered doing as a side hustle?
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I’ve got a few side hustles that I run, primarily designed to incorporate tasks I’m already doing. I think that’s the absolute best way to side hustle if you’re just looking to make a little bit of extra income because that way you can earn money without wasting a lot of your time.
For example, I already own a dog, so watching a second dog on DogVacay or Rover doesn’t really cause me very much extra work. I already have to take care of my own dog, so taking care of a second dog doesn’t really take up much time.
Similarly, I rent out a guest room on Airbnb. It’s much less work than you think to rent out a guest room because all of the cleaning and stuff that you need to do isn’t just for your guest – it’s for you as well. When I clean up my house for a guest, I’m also getting the benefit of a clean house for myself.
And I also love biking. So about a year and a half ago, I signed up to deliver food through Postmates, DoorDash, Caviar, and Uber Eats. Now, when I want to get a little exercise and bike around the city, I just fire up the app, and make some deliveries. It’s sort of like a little game to me.
Oh, I love the idea of the food delivery! I live in a small city and didn’t even know that existed!
I’m begging my fiance to let us dog sit another dog. Trying to convince him it’s for extra money, but really, I’m wanting to have another dog hanging around!
great list:D