The Best In-Demand Side Hustles to Earn Extra Cash
In a time when the simple act of buying groceries or filling our tanks with gas feels like it might bankrupt us, it’s useful to have an idea of the most in-demand side hustles to pick up this year.
Truthfully, the options abound. We just have to find the time for them and hone in on the ones that will bring us the most joy.
And who knows. There may even be something on this list that you’ll want to expand into a full-time career! Let’s take a closer look.
Deliver Groceries
Aren’t Instacart, Uber Eats, and Shipt gifts from heaven above? With one click, you can ask someone else to do your shopping for you and deliver your goods right to your door. What if you could be that angel?
It’s a fairly easy gig, especially if you like shopping. Often, people opt for contactless delivery, so it’s not like you’ll be in a grueling customer-facing role.
The apps that are used throughout the order are fairly intuitive, making it easy for you to interface with the customer, get the job done, and line your pockets a little more. This one is first on the list because it’s easily one of the best side hustle jobs for the new year.
Deliver Food
Perhaps even easier than grocery shopping is straight food delivery. Simply drive to local restaurants, pick up people’s meals, and deliver them to the customer.
This completely removes you from the situation, in terms of selecting the right items and chatting with the customer throughout the process.
DoorDash, Uber Eats, and GrubHub are just a few of the platforms that are always looking for delivery people, especially if you live in a bustling city.
Advertise On Your Car
There are platforms like Wrapify that will pay you to drive around with an advertisement on your car.
You’re literally being paid to do things you normally do like commute to work, drive to see family, or head off on weekend excursions. You can see how this could quickly become of the best side hustle ideas to make extra money.
Check into the platform when you have a moment. They’ll ask you about your typical driving patterns, local zip code, and a few other pertinent details. Then, it could be as easy as dropping your car off to get wrapped and getting paid to be yourself!
Take Online Surveys
Often, people don’t pay us for our opinions. They tell us to keep them to ourselves. But, in an alternate universe, you can actually get paid for all those thoughts and opinions.
SurveyJunkie is one of the heavy hitters in the industry. Time Magazine curated a list of reputable agencies, including SurveyJunkie that you can further explore.
As with all of these side hustle ideas to earn extra cash, do your due diligence and ensure what you’re spending your valuable time on is legitimate. But, it’s well worth a look around online to see where you can cash in a few extra bucks.
Proofread or Edit
Do you have a way with words and an eagle eye? Were you always able to pop out papers in college with the flick of a switch?
If your talents lie in the art of the written word, see if you qualify to work as a proofreader for an online platform. Several exist where students submit their papers for a little glossening.
In this realm, Scribbr and Scribendi are two of the biggest names in the biz. But, you might check this list to see which platforms have the best reviews and then see if you can join their team.
Tutor Online
Let’s stay within the realm of education, if that’s where your feelings lie. Online tutoring is bigger than ever, as the world migrates to an online existence.
You can tutor anything, too. Maybe you’re a math wiz or a science buff. You may be able to offer your services to the leagues of parents who’d like their children to have a little extra guidance.
Varsity Tutors is one of most popular and well-rated platforms online. But, you can also set up job alerts via Indeed, Glassdoor, or LinkedIn to land a role where you can share your talents and shape the minds of others.
By tutoring, you can also teach the English language. Platforms like VIPKid are quite popular. It takes a little bit of time to ramp up and start making some decent money on reputable platforms like VIPKid, but it’s totally doable if this is where your strengths lie.
Rent a Room
Do you have space in your home to rent on a short- or long-term basis? With remote work on the rise, plenty of folks are looking for affordable accommodations while they see the world and relax in safe accommodations.
You can hop on the main platform, Airbnb, or explore alternative options like Roomies where you set up something a little more permanent.
This is not something you should embark upon without a renters’ insurance plan. Indeed, this is a multi-layered endeavor that’s not quite as clear cut as delivering Olive Garden for GrubHub.
But, it could end up being lucrative if you live in a big city. You can also end up making some really nice friends if you welcome visitors into your home via Airbnb.
Sell Your Stuff
This isn’t exactly a side hustle or business, per se. But, if Facebook Marketplace is any indication, there are treasure hunters out there all around.
If you have growing kids, you can buy, sell, and trade their clothes online, especially if you believe in buying quality over quantity.
Take a close look at your home and see what you can do to increase a minimalist lifestyle and make a buck or two on all those items that are only collecting dust.
In the end, you may find that you have an eye for this type of thing and start buying and selling things from thrift stores.
You’ll want to know the market well to see what you can buy that will resell with a little bit of a boost to the bottom line. But, you could turn into a wholesale re-trader if you play your cards right, making this one of the most legit side hustles in the game.
Dog Walking
People love their dogs. They bring so much joy. But, for those who have robust work schedules or a real love of travel, they need help giving their four-legged friends all the time and attention they need.
Plenty of platforms exist to properly vet applicants and provide dog-walking or pet-sitting services.
Rover is, perhaps, the biggest name in the game. Care.com also offers this service for those in need. Then, there’s WagWalking and The Wildest. See who’s hiring and what their application process looks like.
If you qualify, before you know it, you could spread light and love to all the pets out there who need some TLC when their pet parents are stuck at the office or out of town.
Babysitting
Speaking of Care.com, if your heart aligns more with the little tykes of the world than the four-legged ones, sign up for Care.com and see if you can offer your time to the leagues of parents out there who are overworked and under budget on time.
Before you know it, you could have a steady side hustle going. Once parents feel they can trust someone, they’re going to want to stick with you. Give it a shot! See if you can work out a regular schedule with a family or two.
Then, don’t be surprised if they start spreading the word about how wonderful you are. In the end, this could be one of the best side hustle ideas on the list.
Start a YouTube Channel
Did you know there are people out there who predominantly seek out their entertainment on YouTube? They have their favorite vloggers who upload content regularly and give them plenty to look forward to.
YouTubers gain traction based on the number of subscribers they accumulate, likes, and comments. Then, there are plenty of opportunities to make additional income, including sponsored products, private memberships, and channel gear.
You may even follow someone who was able to turn their channel into a full-time career. But, just as a side hustle, this may be a wonderful way to share your talents with the world, express your artistic side as you edit your videos, and engage with a whole new community of followers.
Virtual Assistant
Let’s round things out in the online/technical realm. Virtual assistants (VAs) keep cropping up for those who need a little bit of online support. Your focus could be accounting, scheduling, or customer support.
But, if you land the right gig, or even start your own VA business, you could come upon steady work that comes easily to you but alleviates a major pain point for any number of businesses out there.
Check out sites like UpWork or FreeUp to see if there’s something out there in your field of expertise.
Plenty of In-demand Side Hustles to Pick up This Year
As you can see, there are plenty of in-demand side hustles to pick up this year. Try a few on for size. You never know which one will align with your schedule and lifestyle.
Imagine a world where, this time next year, you’re almost completely out of debt because you picked up an extra side hustle or two. The sky’s the limit and you can do anything in this brand new year.
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