39 Side Hustle Ideas: Earn Real Cash | 2021 Guide

If you are looking to make some extra cash, this blog is going to discuss some really good side hustle ideas. These are ways that can make you some real money.

For many people, because of various reasons, finding a job in and of itself can be a challenge. And often, people like cancer survivors find themselves in situations where they need to work more than one job to pay medical bills.

The good news is that today, there are many opportunities to make extra money. And if a person chooses to do a few of these side hustles together, the money can really start adding up and help with those pesky little things known as bills.

Many of the side hustle ideas listed below are ones I picked out for other survivors like myself, but they can work for virtually anyone looking to make extra dough.

Some suggestions below may not be a good fit for everyone. You will need to consider your individual situation and other factors associated with each method of earning money.

Let’s jump right in. Cha’ching!

Side Hustle Ideas You Can Do Right Now to Earn Money in 2021

A lot of the side hustles I talk about below I’ve actually done or have tried, and with success. Again, combining several of these can really be a great way for many survivors to earn much needed extra money.

1. Sell on eBay

This is probably one of the most well-known side hustles of all time, selling on eBay. Also, it was my first side hustle.

When I started selling on eBay in 1999, shortly after my bone marrow transplant, I never dreamed of how big it all would get.

Within the first year, I was selling hundreds of items a month, and by 2003, I was a PowerSeller. I was shipping more items than I could carry to the post office in one trip.

How I Got Started Selling on eBay

I got started selling on eBay initially by just selling a few things around the house. I sold some baseball cards, collectible coins, and G.I. Joes.

Then I started picking up a few things at yard sales, outlet malls, thrift stores, and flea markets. I quickly learned what sold and what didn’t sell.

I would make a “hot list” of the types of items that sold well and carry it with me when I went searching.

Some of the things I found that sold well on eBay were:

• Used blue jeans
• Antique ashtrays
• Old farm tools
• Old car parts
• Cigarette lighters
• Vintage iron-ons
• Vintage t-shirts
• Collectible Hot Wheels
• Rare books
• Hard to find action figures
• Vintage radios
• NASCAR items
• Collegiate hats from outlet malls
• Anything with Coca-Cola on it
• VW Bug items

Selling on eBay can be a very lucrative side gig. If you decide to sell on eBay, take it seriously, and you will really enjoy the return. Be sure to list items accurately, pack items safely, ship on time, and always be looking out for valuable merchandise.

Personal Notes: You can really cash in at yard sales (garage sales). I’ve found my most valuable items at yard sales. Check out the examples below:

• Tube radio: Paid $7, sold for $190
• VW Hot Wheel: Paid $20, sold for $140
• The Shining by Stephen King, 1st edition: Paid $7, sold for $180
• Vintage Dale Earnhardt Hat: Paid $1, sold for $190 (TRUE STORY!)

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: None

Click here to sign up on eBay.

2. Sell on Mercari

Mercari is an easy-to-use selling app. It’s painless, and I’ve used it multiple times.

Sellers can sell virtually anything they want, and Mercari manages the shipping from the sale of the item to the delivery.

Basically, if you sell an item, Mercari sends you a link to print your shipping label. All you have to do is print the label, pack your item, and drop it off at the post office. Mercari then tracks the shipment and pays you on delivery after the buyer’s review.

Personally, I think Mercari is a great app, and I have never had any issues with it.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: None

Click here to sign up on Mercari.

3. Sell on letgo

letgo is another selling app and a decent side hustle. It’s similar to Mercari, but sales are made to people “locally.” This means you have to meet buyers who purchase your items. In my opinion, this can be one drawback of the app. However, I have sold on letgo several times without incident.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: Small Amount

Click here to sign up on letgo.

4. Facebook Marketplace and Swip Swap

Facebook Marketplace and Swip Swap are super-easy to use on Facebook, and pretty popular, too. I’ve sold dog crates, guitars, and other items.

Just list the details of your item via a title, description, and price, and wait for people in your area to contact you.

I have been surprised at the number of items I’ve been able to sell on Facebook. This is also an excellent avenue to flip used furniture and other items that you may find at yard sales and thrift shops.

This is no doubt a great side hustle idea, but, the one negative I would say about Facebook Marketplace, is that people can be flaky.

Sometimes people will commit to purchase your item, give you a meeting location and time, and never show up. Also, I’ve had some people send some ridiculous offers way below the value of my item. Other than these things, you can definitely sell some stuff on Facebook Marketplace.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: Small Amount

Click here to check out Facebook Marketplace.

5. Drive for Uber and Lyft

This is obviously a very popular side hustle for many people. I’ve been driving for Uber and Lyft for two years now. You can make decent money driving with these two rideshare apps. However, you’ll have to learn where to drive and at what times to drive.

For me, I’ve always found that driving in the morning is a great time as people are going to work. 5 o’clock rush hour can also be busy, but it can be a headache, too.

And any time during the week can be good if you hang out near restaurants between 8:00 PM until close. I’ve found many people from out of town are leaving restaurants around these times and need rides.

Hanging out near hotels on Sundays and Fridays can land you trips with people who are headed out of town to the airport should you have one in your city.

And, of course, the weekends are always a great time to drive for Uber and Lyft. There are plenty of people going out and about on the weekends.

If you are going to drive for Uber and Lyft, always be mindful of events in your city. Concerts, sporting events, and other events can drive rates through the roof and allow you to earn bonuses on trips.

Personal notes: Driving Uber or Lyft can be stressful at times. Depending on when you drive, you may have to deal with rude or drunk people. I don’t drive very late, so the majority of my passengers are pleasant. Also, when it comes to safety, I recommend learning your city and staying out of the high-crime areas of town. I got mugged in February of 2020 during a Lyft ride.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Medium
Contact with other people: Frequently

Click here to sign up for Lyft.

Click here to sign up for Uber.

6. Deliver Food for Uber Eats

This side hustle gig can be good if you don’t want strangers in your car, Uber Eats. It’s actually pretty enjoyable if you want to get out for a while and make some money merely delivering food from local restaurants to customers around town.

I always like to listen to some good music or an eBook as I make my deliveries. Then again, I’m a nerd.

Even with minimal effort and driving just a few times a week, I can make an easy $200 to $300. You probably won’t get rich from Uber Eats driver’s pay, but you can definitely make some decent side money.

To sign up with Uber Eats, simply sign up with Uber. Within your account, you can control driving options.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: Small Amount

7. Deliver Groceries for Instacart

With Instacart, you’ll literally be grocery shopping for people and delivering their groceries to them. No, it’s not everybody’s type of gig, but people can make good money doing this. Also, this jog can go from part-time side hustle to a full-time job.

Currently, there is a wait in my town to get onboard with Instacart. However, they could be looking for people in your town to deliver groceries.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: Moderate Amount

Click here to sign up for instacart.

8. Teach English on VIPKid

Great gig for those who like teaching. With VIPKid, you can teach kids in China the English Language with short tutorials via interactive video chat. And, you don’t even need previous teaching experience to get started. You will, however, need to go over the training materials before your test to get approved to teach with VIPKid. You’ll also need to invest in a few small props from the dollar store.

People probably won’t get rich off of this side hustle, but my friend is making over $1K a month teaching on VIPKid part-time. That’s some great extra side money!

Personal notes: Take the time to study the courses before you take your mock test. When you teach, use very simple language and use lots of animated hand motions.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: None

Click here to sign up with VIPKid.

9. Start Your Own Blog

For some reason, this side gig is one of my favorites.

Believe it or not, you can make money blogging about all sorts of things. For example, I have a niche blog for blue crayfish. That pic below is Lenny Krayfish, my pet blue crayfish.

My blog for blue crayfish generates about almost 205,000 search results exposures every single month. Additionally, the site gets almost 7,000 clicks, and it generates about 30 to 50 Amazon sales.

Here’s the kicker though, I don’t ship anything myself. Nope, I don’t pack one single thing. All of the products that I sell are shipped by Amazon or other Amazon sellers.

How Do You Make Money and Not Ship Anything?

Basically, for the blogging side hustle, visitors to my website simply click on my ads for say a 20-gallon fish tank, make a purchase, and I’m paid for a small portion of the sale.

These types of niche blogs can be set up fairly easily after watching a few YouTube videos and learning some basics about WordPress and SEO.

In short, if you can use Microsoft Word, you can learn how to blog and make money. It’s really simple and fun, too.

Personal Notes: I highly recommend blogging. Blogging allows you to write about anything you are passionate about and potentially make money. Here are a couple of important blogging tips:

• Find a niche topic for your blog.
• Blog about a topic you are passionate about.
• Blog about things people are actually searching for.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: None

10. Write an eBook and Sell it on Amazon

In 2015, I experimented. For those that know me, that can be a very scary thing, almost as scary as me trying to cook, unless it’s blueberry pancakes. I can rock that.

With literally zero experience, I wrote a very small eBook and listed it on Amazon. And guess what? It became a best seller.

How did I do it?

I simply picked a topic that I was pretty knowledgeable about, told people in my social media channels that I was writing an eBook, and finally released it.

Because I had promoted my eBook, people who had been following my social posts were interested in reading my 99 cent eBook, and so they bought it. And wow, it worked out very well; the eBook became the number one seller on Amazon in its category.

If you think this is something you might want to do, make a list of topics you feel you know about—topics you are passionate about. These will be the things you want to write about.

Personal Notes: This can be a great way to make some side money. However, know that writing an eBook requires a lot of work. You do have to know a) how to write and b) promote your eBook. Also, you can get help with editing on Fiverr mentioned below.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: None

11. Become a Virtual Assistant

Looking for a cool side hustle where you can work in your pajamas from home? Well, become a virtual assistant, and you may be able to do just that.

In being a virtual assistant, you may be asked to perform various tasks from home like the following:

• Writing blogs
• Responding to emails
• Making Powerpoint presentations
• Shopping online for office supplies
• Making phone calls
• Making social posts
• Doing research
• Planning events
• Keeping the books

Personal Notes: This can be a great gig from home. You could end up working part-time or full-time. Make sure this gig allows for personal time as needed for appointments, kids, etc. Also, make sure if you work a 40-hour schedule, you practice self-care—eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise as you can.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Varies
Stress level: Varies
Contact with other people: None

12. Petsit

Who wouldn’t want to petsit? This is a great option for many people. Unless, of course, a person is allergic to animals or just flat out doesn’t like animals. But who doesn’t like animals, only psychopaths?

Petsitting can be an easy side hustle and even very fun for those who love animals.

Start by posting on your Facebook that you offer pet sitting services, then see what type of response you get. Also, consider hanging up fliers in coffee shops, etc. to drum up some business.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Varies
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: Very little

13. Housesit

Hey, why not combine housesitting with being a virtual assistant? That sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me. Heck, you can get paid for two jobs at once.

Lots of people travel for work and fun. But, they don’t like to leave their houses empty and unattended. That’s where you come in.

If you want to be a housesitter, get the word out through social media that you are entering into the housesitting business.

This side hustle can be great for cancer survivors and others with health issues—people who need to take it easy or have other circumstances that only permit them to work in limited capacities.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Varies
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: None

14. Rent Out the Extra Room

Renting out an extra room can be a great way to both earn and save some money. You could just get a roommate to help split rent and living expenses, or you could rent out an extra room through Airbnb.

Depending on your location, Airbnb could really be a great side hustle for you.

Do you live in a vacation area or a place close to a popular medical facility or college? If so, you might want to consider Airbnb.

Personally, I’d recommend really knowing someone before letting them become a roommate. Living with someone who lives a wildly different lifestyle could cause unneeded stress.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: n/a
Stress level: Varies
Contact with other people: Frequently

Click here to sign up with Airbnb.

15. Offer Your Services on Fiverr

Fiverr has been around for quite some time. Heck, in 2010, I was selling prank phone calls for $5 a piece. Don’t tell anyone.

Fiverr can be used to make just a few bucks or to make quite a few bucks. If you have a service to offer and you think it’s marketable, put it on Fiverr and see what it does.

On Fiverr, people offer:

• SEO services
• Graphic design services
• Music promotion
• Editing services
• Resume writing
• Web programming
• Chatbots
• Help with WordPress (This may be good if you are wanting to start blogging.)
• Fitness lessons
• Virtual Yoga classes
• Cooking lessons
• Spiritual healing
• And way more

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Varies
Stress level: Varies
Contact with other people: None

Click here to sign up on fiverr.com.

16. Find Online Jobs on FlexJobs

Using this site does cost $14.95 a month. However, you get the opportunity to find legit work-from-home jobs that pay very well. And, you can find side hustles that fit your schedule in almost every line of work.

Here are just some of the job categories offered by FlexJobs:

• Administrative
• Animal and wildlife
• Business development
• Computer and IT
• Data entry
• Education
• Engineering
• Fashion and beauty
• International
• Legal
• Math and economics
• Medical
• News and journalism
• Nonprofit
• Research
• Science
• Translation
• Web design
• And more

I can’t recommend FlexJobs enough. This can be a great opportunity for cancer survivors and others who struggle to find work, and FlexJobs’ opportunities can be more than just a side hustle.

With FlexJobs you can find hourly work, part-time work, and full-time work. In other words, you can find a job that fits your schedule and lifestyle.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Varies
Stress level: Varies
Contact with other people: None

Click here to get started with FlexJobs.

17. Start a YouTube Channel

YouTube gets roughly 8.2 million searches a month. That’s an astronomical amount of searches!

And, just about everything is on YouTube these days. You can find full documentaries on YouTube and videos on how to throw the perfect jab or fight off a Tiger, I think.

You can also watch my song, “Where Hope Lives,” written and recorded for the American Cancer Society. I have no shame in a little self-promotion.

What are you good at doing? What do you know about? Can you teach something? Can you perform music? Are you passionate about politics?

Whatever it is you think people might want to see you do or teach, could earn you money on YouTube. So why not create an account and give it a shot.

I will say this, though, after talking with some successful YouTubers, one thing I’ve learned is that the quality of content and consistency of posting is key to being successful with this side hustle.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: None

Click here to sign up with YouTube.

18. Write for Textbroker

If you really enjoy writing, you can also write as a contractor on Textbroker.

Textbroker connects you with businesses and people who need content for their websites on specific topics.

When you write for Textbroker, your content could end up on a banking website, a small blog, or even on a fashion website. You just never know. Some people who write for Textbroker do it full-time from home.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Varies
Contact with other people: None

Click here to get started with Textbroker.

19. Complete Tasks with TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit is an excellent side hustle idea. I signed up on this myself. It only takes minutes. Simply create an account, select the tasks you are qualified to do, upload a headshot, and you are ready.

Tasks include:

• Yardwork
• Moving furniture
• Furniture assembly
• Electrical work
• Cleaning
• Administrative work
• Running errands
• Grocery shopping
• Decorating
• Chasing down escaped Emus (This isn’t really one. But I think it’s funny because this happened in my town recently and made the news.)
• And more

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Varies
Stress level: Varies
Contact with other people: Yes

Click here to sign up with TaskRabbit.

20. Be a Consultant

This one can be an excellent side hustle idea for many. What are you good at doing? Are you an expert on certain things? What topic could you advise people on? With Clarity, people will pay you good money to learn about what you know about certain topics—and in some cases, they will pay you very well.

I highly suggest checking out Clarity if you can offer your expertise on topics like the following:

• Social media marketing
• SEO
• Crowdfunding
• Finance
• Nonprofits
• Education
• Real estate
• Technology
• Public speaking
• etc.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: None

Click here to get started with Clarity.

21. Invest Your Change with Acorns

This is definitely one of my favorite apps, and it runs on autopilot once you set it up. And, it’s not a typical side hustle.

Basically, every time I use my check card, the transaction is rounded up to the nearest dollar, and that amount of money is invested.

With Acorns, I was even able to set up a Roth IRA within minutes. Additionally, you can increase investments weekly. For example, you can choose to invest an additional $10 every Wednesday, or even an additional $200 if you are feeling crazy.

The great thing about this app is it allows anyone at any level to invest in their future with ease.

With this app, you can effortlessly invest thousands of dollars for your future.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: n/a
Stress level: None
Contact with other people: None

Click here to get started with Acorns.

22. Save Your Money

This one is not exactly a side gig exactly. However, it can lead to some money.

It’s just like everybody’s parents used to say, “Save your money, kid! Save for your future.”

Cutting expenses on everyday purchases like Starbucks coffee, eating out, etc., can all add up in the end.

Also, shopping at thrift stores, dollar stores, and finding deals online can lead to major savings.

I mean, take dollar stores, for example. Take a look at some of the times you can save on by simply shopping at the dollar store:

• Toothpaste
• Toilet tissue
• Deodorant
• Soap
• Snacks
• Batteries
• Cards
• Wrapping paper
• Gifts
• Toys
• Bottled water
• Cards
• Beauty products

Saving your money means more money in the bank.

Click here for Deals of the Day on Amazon.

23. Get Paid to Take Pics with Your Phone

How many pictures do you take with your smartphone? If you’re like a lot of people, probably too many.

Imagine getting paid to take pictures with your phone? That sounds like a pretty sweet side gig. And, you can do just that with PhotoJobz.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: n/a
Stress level: None
Contact with other people: None

Click here to sign up with PhotoJobz.

24. A Creative Side Hustle: Teespring!

Okay, TeeSpring is one of my absolute favorite side hustle ideas. And, it’s one that virtually anyone can do. Basically, it works like this.

You set up an online store like my Teespring store pictured below, and well, you sell things—and for good profit at that.

You can design and sell masks, socks, coffee cups, hoodies, pillows, blankets. Basically, the list is never-ending.

Now, if you are thinking you have to be some kind of design guru, you don’t. With sites like Canva.com and Pixabay.com, you can easily find all of the images and icons you need. Then, you simply create your image (design) and upload it to Teespring, publish it to your store, and start selling and promoting on your social media.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: n/a
Stress level: None
Contact with other people: None

Click here to sign up with Teespring.

25. Start a Dropshipping Business

This is one of my favorite side hustle ideas and ways to make a little extra cash. And, in 2003 I made some nice side cash doing so. 

Basically, I set up a website that featured biker wear. I had helmets, leather jackets, leather chaps, leather gloves—all things biker.

The cool thing was, though, I didn’t have to store any of the inventory at my place. I didn’t have to rent a warehouse, none of that. I simply promoted the website with a little knowledge of SEO, which was different back then, and by word of mouth.

Each time I got a sale, which was paid for on the website with PayPal, I called in the order to my drop shipper who sent the item(s) to my customer for me. It was painless and profitable.

Today, with websites like Shopify, and even Teespring mentioned above, dropshipping is even easier than before.

Pro tip: Find a niche, and get to work. Don’t go after the saturated markets that you already see everywhere.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: n/a
Stress level: None
Contact with other people: None

26. Udemy

This is an awesome program that many of you might have already seen. But if you haven’t, Udemy is a side hustle that will allow you to create a course where you teach people about everything from business, to marketing, to graphic design.

The great thing about Udemy is that you don’t even have to there to teach. You simply record your course, upload the any needed materials, and then you get paid by PayPal or Payoneer monthly for the sales of your course(s).

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: None

Click here to sign up with Udemy as an instructor.

27. Become a Digital Marketer

Digital marketing is a huge field. It involves writing blogs, posting on social media, running Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and doing many other things to build brand awareness and generate leads and sales online.

The really cool thing about digital marketing is that you can learn about all of the different facets of it on the web and actually work in the field as a side hustle or even as a full-time gig.

Today, through websites like Udemy (mentioned above), and YouTube, people can learn how to do all sorts of things. I’ve watched countless YouTube videos to learn about, well, digital marketing and other things.

So in short, with a little research online, and a few videos, you could learn about social media marketing (SMM), search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and Facebook ads. From there, you could start helping businesses manage their own digital marketing efforts.

Digital marketing has huge opportunities available, and from what we can see, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Digital marketing side hustle areas:

• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Social Media Marketing (SMM)
• Good Ads
• Facebook Ads
• Blogging

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: It depends
Stress level: It depends
Contact with other people: It depends

28. Take Online Surveys

This side hustle idea isn’t exactly new. As a matter of fact, it has been around a while. So I had to add it to the list.

Yes, it is pretty easy to do. I’ve done a few myself. The surveys vary, but all are generally the same and seek your “opinion.”

One thing I will note about taking online surveys for extra cash is that after you take the surveys you can end up getting lots of emails and phone calls from those looking to sell you stuff.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: None
Contact with other people: None

29. Detail Cars

So personally, I’ve never worked this side hustle. But, I do know two people who have done very well with their own car detailing businesses. They both ended up doing so well that they quit good full-time jobs to focus on their car detailing businesses full-time.

The thing I like about this gig is that there is very little overhead when it comes to getting started. Also, this is a business that can grow quickly through friends, family, and social networks.

With one guy that used to wash my car, we’d all show up at a family member’s house and he’d wash four of our cars. That was a score for him. Also, since he did such a good job, we recommended him to others.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Medium
Contact with other people: Yes

30. Set up Your Own Stand at a Flea Mall

This one may sound like a thing of the past, but, I assure this little side hustle is not. Back in my home town, indoor flea malls were huge. People shopped at these places to find nice furniture, antiques, and all sorts of miscellaneous odds and ends.

The plus is this, you don’t even have to be there. You simply rent a booth for a small fee, tag your items, and the flea mall owners ring up your merchandise for you on your behalf.

This type of business model gives you time to make a little money on the side without having to be on location. Plus, it also gives you time to go hunting down other cool merchandise at yard sales, estate sales, outlet stores, and elsewhere.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: Low

31. Become a Caregiver

This might actually be one of the most rewarding side hustles you could be doing, caregiving.

As a cancer survivor, caregivers were key for me in staying positive, giving me something to look forward to, and giving me transportation to and from appointments.

However, my caregivers were all friends and family. But, not everyone who needs help is so lucky. Often times, loved ones have work schedules that prevent them from being able to help when needed, and some people just don’t have anyone to help. This is where you could come in.

Sign up on care.com to be a caregiver to people who need you.

Check out the care categories below:

• Child care
• School support
• Senior care
• Housekeeping
• Special needs
• Pet care

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: Yes

Click here to sign up with Care.com.

32. Sell on Etsy

Want to make some moolah selling things you make? Wow, that was a tongue twister. Anyway, you might want to sign up on Etsy.com.

Many people are doing well on this website selling—and there is a huge selection of items being sold in all sorts of markets.

Here are a few of the Etsy categories:

• Party supplies
• Jewelry and accessories
• Clothing and shoes
• Home and living
• Toys and entertainment
• Arts and collectibles

I actually sell gift boxes on this site and my gift boxes for kids known as the Bamba Box, check it out.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: No

Click here to sign up on Etsy.com.

33. Get Paid to Answer Questions

How about getting paid to answer questions about the things you know? Does that sound like a decent side gig? Well, that’s just what you can do on the JustAnswer.com website.

Some of the categories for questions are listed below:

• Relationships
• Parenting
• Entertainment
• Etiquette
• Dream interpretation
• Appraisals
• Fraud examination
• Engineering
• Medical
• Veterinary

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: No

Click here to sign up with JustAnswer.com

34. Become a Tutor

This can be a great one. Tutoring is something that many people seek out for themselves or for their kids. If you can teach math, reading, college-level classes, and others, you might just have another side hustle to make you cash.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: Yes

35. Start Your Own Food Truck

Now, this side hustle idea might not exactly be one you can get started making money on the next day. But, food trucks have proven to be both popular and lucrative.

So, if you can come up with a cool name, build a menu, and build your brand, you could make some real money.

This option will, of course, require some money to get started.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Depends
Stress level: Depends
Contact with other people: Yes

36. Start a Painting Business

Wait, hear me out on this one. It might sound like a watered-down market or an area that you might not be able to compete in. However, depending on where you live, this can be a big business. For example, I live in an area with scores of apartment complexes, condominiums, and townhomes.

A buddy of mine got his commercial and residential painting business started years ago, and in just a couple of years it took off.

Today, his company enjoys steady business through almost 100% referral.

Tips from him are:

• Be consistent
• Do great work
• Show up on time

The most notable aspect of my buddy’s business is that he has grown it all by word of mouth and doing great work.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Depends
Stress level: Depends
Contact with other people: Yes

37. Start a Food Prep Business

Look, if you are a good cook, there are a lot of people out there that would buy your food. Trust me, I can barely boil eggs, and buying food is something I have to do often!

Plus, meal prep is huge these days. There are lots of meal prep companies out there doing extremely well cooking meals for those who are into fitness and weightlifting, or just flat out into eating healthy.

You don’t have to make your business so big you need a storefront, but, taking on a few friends as clients could help you earn some great side money.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: Yes

38. Do Audible Voiceovers

Yeah, this side hustle idea is pretty different. When I wrote my book, This Is Remission, I had people audition to be the voice of the Audible version of my book.

I know, it seems like something that might be tedious, too hard to manage, and require previous experience, but not exactly.

As a matter of fact, I never personally met the man who read my book. Although, we did speak on the phone several times.

I had several people audition on the ACX website by uploading recordings of themselves reading a few lines of my book, and then I got to make my choice.

And guess what, the narrator of my book had never narrated a book before. He got the job, and today he makes a commission off of each sale of my book on Audible.

In the end, the book was a success and the Audible version of This Is Remission won a Silver Benjamin Franklin Award.

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Depends
Stress level: Low
Contact with other people: No

Click here to sign up with ACX.

39. Give Driving Lessons

Well, this one could trigger some anxiety in some people, but for others it might not be a bad gig, giving driving lessons.

The requirements for becoming a driving instructor will vary from state to state. Generally, though, the aspects of becoming a driving instructor focus on just a few things such as:

• Age
• Education
• Vision
• Physical examination
• Background check
• Driving record
• Classes

Overall Ratings
Flexible Hours/Work Your Own Hours: Yes
Stress level: Depends
Contact with other people: Yes

Selecting a Side Hustle

Some of the side hustle ideas mentioned above might not be for everybody. For some, getting out in public might not be the best idea because of a weakened immune system (if you are a cancer patient or survivor in some cases).

Also, some jobs may be physically demanding. So, in short, consider your health and how it aligns with the role of the job. Is it a good fit?

Side Hustle Ideas: A Recap

In this blog, we’ve looked at many different side hustle ideas—ideas that can make you a few extra dollars here and there to other opportunities that can lead to full-time roles and getting paid really good money.

Finding work and making money to pay bills can a challenge for many people, especially cancer survivors, but by taking on a few of these side jobs, hopefully, many people can get the extra help they need to make ends meet.

What types of jobs do you do on the side to make extra money?