How to earn a side income: 13 proven ways to make money on the side!
At this current moment in America more people than ever are looking for ways to make extra income on the side. Whether you are looking for a legitimate income source or just a few extra bucks per week for gas money, you are in luck! A combination of unique economic factors, dramatic shifts in industries employment models and a worldwide pandemic have created a plethora of money-making opportunities.
According to a Bankrate.com survey, 30% of working Americans use a side source of income to meet their financial obligations. These side hustles are also proving to bring in more considerable amounts of income. In a recent DollarSprout survey, 73% of people with a side hustle reported saying they earn $500 or more per month.
The average cost of living in America has increased considerably and consistently over the last decade. Meanwhile, employee wages have almost stagnated. The fact that so many people are engaging in extra ways to make income is not surprising. Knowing that it is very possible to make more than $500 per month with a side hustle, let’s analyze 13 of the best ways to make money on the side in 2021.
If you have a reliable mode of transportation, enjoy meeting new people, and do not hate driving, Uber could be for you. Uber is a platform that allows contracted drivers to connect with riders and take them to their destinations. Basically, anyone with a clean driving record and a qualifying vehicle can give Uber a try. One of Ubers upsides is you have no schedule. An Uber driver can decide how many hours they would like to work per week with no minimum or maximum limitations. Uber can also be a viable way to earn a great side income. According to Uber, a driver’s estimated earnings for just 20 hours per week can be $549 (including $42 in tips).
When looking for guaranteed and reliable side income opportunities Uber tops many lists. According to buildfire.com more than 3 million people drive Uber in the United States with average earnings around $400.
#2 - Online tutoring
n 2020 America experienced a resurgence in online tutoring. Most public schools that closed moved to online classes only. Although, many parents found that the curriculum and style of teaching was not successful for their child. In 2021, with more schools reopening, school districts across the country are experiencing less student enrolment. In Washington state alone there is a 14% drop in kindergarten enrollment, as reported by NPR news.
All this schooling enrollment flux opened the door for online tutoring opportunities. Parents who have moved to home schooling actively supplement their child’s home curriculum with various online tutors. Becoming an online tutor is great for a side income because you only need to be an expert in teaching one subject. Companies like VIPkid is a platform that connects English tutors to kids all over the country. You can earn between $14 to $18 per hour tutoring on their platform
#3 - Start your own e-commerce business
“The sooner we drop the ‘e’ out of ‘e-commerce’ and just call it commerce, the better.”
Earning money online with your own e-commerce business is probably the most effective way to earn a side income. For most people, earning what you want is directly correlated to the drive and passion you have for what you are selling. The beauty of starting your own business is that you can monetize and sell exactly what you want, where you want and when you want. Not to mention, e-commerce is the most profitable method of commerce in the entire world.
According to cardconnect.com, e-commerce sales in 2021 are predicted to surpass $4.5 trillion.
If you are not sure where to start with e-commerce there are several companies that have platforms dedicated to helping you with your business. Here are a few e-commerce platforms to consider:
eMerchantClub – Founded in 1999, eMerchantClub specializes in connecting customers with dropshipping websites. eMerchantClub provides customers with an incredible white glove e-commerce experience. They offer domains, online hosting, and e-commerce web development services, along with building web stores for members that can be stocked with thousands of wholesale products. eMerchantClub is the best e-commerce option for someone who wants to get started quickly at a very reasonable price. Making this company one of the leaders of side income opportunities.
Shopify – Shopify is a subscription-based software that give customers the ability to build their own websites. They specialize in e-commerce websites for small and large companies alike. Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce software options on the planet and a viable side income opportunity for someone with more web developing experience and time on their hands.
Amazon – Amazon is the largest online retailer in the world generating over $380 billion dollars in e-commerce revenue in 2020. If you have products that you would like to sell to earn side income, Amazon can easily support your needs. Amazon allows you to create an individual seller account or you can create your own Amazon store and sell to the world.
#4 - Sell your food
If you have a knack for making incredible tasting food, try selling it locally or online to supplement your income. Even now in 2021 many people are opting to stay inside as much as possible. Everyone needs to eat, so naturally there has been a spike in home-based food businesses to meet the increasing demand.
You can make side income cooking for just your neighbors and local community, or you can create an eCommerce store to sell your food online. Whether you are cooking a one-off dish or creating entire meal plans, there are seemingly endless consumers who are looking for trusted food options.
#5 - Take up photography
Photography is quickly becoming a great way to make a reasonable side income. All you need to be a photographer is a quality camera, some experience, and photo editing software. Most people do not have the means to pay for expensive photographers for weddings, events, and family photos. This has opened the door for tens of thousands of professional freelance photographers.
As a photographer there are many ways to get paid. You can take private photos for individuals, take photos or videos at events, and even provide publishers with quality stock footage. What is great is that the camera does most of the work for you. So, if you can afford a decent entry level camera half the battle is already won.
#6 - Help local businesses with social media
If you grew up in the social media age and have an understanding on how to connect brands to people through social media, you may want to consider making money as a freelance social media coordinator. These social media positions are rarely held by a full-time, in-house employee unless the company is rather large. Because of this, many smaller companies and startups are looking for people to propel their social media footprint.
If you are familiar with best social media practices on the most trending social accounts and are creative, you can earn money with these brands. Some freelance social media workers charge by the hour while others will sign companies to monthly contracts.
#7 - DoorDash
Doordash is a food delivery service that has exploded recently. As a DoorDash driver, you will drive your car to pick up and deliver food orders. Almost every major food chain is contracted with DoorDash and with so many people enjoying the convenience of DoorDash you are sure to be busy. DoorDash claims that base pay for Dashers (drivers) is between $2-$10 per delivery. Much like Uber, you can set your own schedule and work whenever you want. An advantage over Uber is that as a DoorDash Dasher you can use your own vehicle but don’t have to pick up strangers in it.
Here is a great breakdown from the YouTube Channel Rockstar Eater on how much a DoorDasher can make:
#8 - Rent your home with Trulia
Blessed enough to have extra space in your home to sublet to the right person? Do it! Renting out a room in your home may not be the most ideal option for most people. Although, if you need extra income or don’t want to cover the cost of your mortgage all by your lonesome, consider renting.
Worried about who will be renting your room and how to find them? Websites like Trulia will assist you in finding the perfect person for your extra room. Here is a great example of a person who made an extra $2000 per month by renting out rooms!
#9 - Sell custom clothing
It is easier than ever to make money online selling custom clothing designs. For example, if you have a general idea for a t-shirt design, use an online company like Teespring to get your idea off the ground and making money. Custom clothing brands like Teespring allow you to easily create and sell clothing to the world at reasonable startup costs.
#10 - Rent out your car with Turo
Car rentals is a rather new concept that many in the past would consider unfathomable. Although, technology with the backing of insurance has paved the way for some incredible opportunities to make side income by renting out your own vehicle to others.
Millions of Americans have turned to ride sharing apps like Turo for side income. Turo is a scalable car sharing marketplace. You can start with renting out one of your vehicles for a little side income and even go as far as creating an entire ride sharing company on their platform.
For those of you who only drive a few days a week while your car collects dust in the garage. Consider creating an account on a popular car rental app or website for extra income.
#11 - Develop your own app
Recently, advancements in developer technology has enabled almost anyone to create their own personal application with relative ease. Creating your own personal app for a business or service is a great way to make some side income.
We have seen a surge in app creation from personal trainers and yoga instructors who have been unable to teach in person because of the pandemic. Applications are like websites but designed to be easily consumed and are often used for subscription purposes.
If you are curious how to make your own app check out this incredible breakdown from Appypie featuring great step-by-step content on app creation.
#12 - Launch a podcast
Have a passion about pretty much anything? Consider starting your own podcast today. A podcast is a series of episodes or recordings that can be listened to or watched digitally. Podcast topics range from technology to gardening.
Podcasts have dramatically risen in popularity over the last few years. It is more typical than ever that someone’s home office is outfitted with a quality microphone and video backdrop. According to brandastic.com 68 million Americans listen to multiple podcasts weekly. More people are spending longer hours at home and deciding to dedicate their time to creating their own podcast, with the ability to monetize their podcasts and make an easy side income. Here are a few ideas on how to make money with your podcast:
– Affiliate marketing
– Sponsors and advertising
– Consulting
– Crowdfunding and donations
– Selling physical products related to your podcast
#13 - Create a YouTube channel
YouTube is still the most popular video sharing platform in the world. YouTube is a viable way to earn extra income because they allow for several ways to earn money. First, you want to build a popular YouTube Channel. A YouTube channel is a place where you will host all your video content on YouTube. You can make videos about anything you want as long as your video content adheres to YouTubes terms of service.
As your YouTube channel continues to grow, you can monetize your videos and make money from YouTube ads. Another popular way to make money on YouTube is with subscriber contributions in the form of Super Chats or memberships.
What is great about the contributions and super chats is you do not need a massive YouTube channel to get some decent side income. Provide your subscribers with quality content that they identify with and you are likely to get paid a little something. With the average YouTube channel only making around $3 to $5 per 1000 views, building a smaller loyal audience is more profitable in 2021.
Some side income tips to consider:
It’s important that the side income you are trying to generate aligns with your ultimate goals. Be sure to factor in how much money you are looking to make and be sure that the potential side income avenue can support that.
Also, remember that if you are in a good position financially, never spread yourself too thin. The last thing that you want is your side income negatively effecting your main source of income. Make your side income journey as fun and rewarding as possible.
