In this economy, it’s not uncommon to need some financial wiggle room, even if you work a full-time job. When unexpected expenses crop up between paychecks – like car issues or emergency home repairs – you might look at your bank account only to realize you need a little more income to make ends meet.
That’s where side gigs can help. Today, let’s take a look at 15 different side jobs you can earn money through, even if you work full-time during the week.
In a nutshell, a “gig” job is one that you pursue on a part-time or sporadic basis. The easiest way to understand a side gig or gig job is to compare it to your normal 9-to-5. With a “traditional” full-time job, you work eight hours a day, five days a week.
With a gig job, you might only work five hours one week, then ten the next. On top of that, most side gigs can be worked at irregular hours – for example, you may clock out of your normal job at 5 PM on Tuesday, then clock another two hours or so for your side gig until 7 PM that same night.
Gig jobs, therefore, are flexible and perfect for grabbing some extra money when needed. But don’t think that side gigs can’t lead to decent earnings! Some folks develop their side gigs into full-blown businesses – and in rare cases, side gigs can grow to replace your full-time job, too.
Now, let’s look at 15 different ways to earn extra income while working full-time for regular workers, college students, and parents juggling household tasks.
Many of the best side gigs for full-time workers can be tackled before or after a primary job shift. These jobs are also ideal for full-time professionals since they might require some advanced skills or work experience to pursue regularly.
If you practice writing professionally at your main job – or you just love weaving words together – you could earn some scratch on the side as a freelance writer. Freelance copywriting is an accessible secondary job for many, especially if you use online boards and websites like Upwork. Freelance writing doesn’t pay a lot at first, but you don’t need any special credentials to attract initial clients and start making the numbers of your bank account go up.
Alternatively, you can try remote data entry jobs for companies around the world. This is an excellent side gig for professionals with an eye for detail, as you’ll need to be careful to enter data accurately and properly. While it’s true that data entry isn’t the most glamorous or exciting of side jobs, it’s a good way to bring in consistent income – and it’s likely to remain a steady source of side employment due to the ever-increasing need for data in practically every industry.
Everyone has a blog these days, but only some of them turn a profit. If you build a blog for a niche market or industry that needs informative, entertaining content, you could potentially make money through:
It’s best to think of blogging as a long-term side hustle, as it’s unlikely you’ll make a significant profit from it in the first months. But if you stick with it, one blog could eventually grow into several, and your larger online presence will be a benefit if you ever decide to pivot into a different industry or career.
With the modern interconnected economy, talented translators are more important than ever. You can work as a freelance translator and earn some side income without having to make this job your primary career. It’s a smart way to earn extra cash while still enjoying the stability that your primary work brings to the table. Of course, you may need credentials or certifications – like a degree in a foreign language that you wish to translate – to get steady translating work
College students can pursue side jobs, too! In fact, side hustles are good ideas for many college students who have some time after class. Increasing your income now can help you pay down your student loans ahead of time or let you pocket some spending money to use when hanging out with your friends.
You might not have any specialized skills until you finish your degree, but you probably have some general know-how that you can put to good use. Handyman apps like TaskRabbit let you search and apply for local jobs in your area, like mowing the lawn, doing basic plumbing work, and so on. Not only is this a good way to contribute to your neighborhood, but it’s also a stellar means to accumulate some side cash. Sometimes, you can even complete these jobs without leaving the college campus!
Rover and other apps let you sign up as a dog walker or pet sitter. If you love animals and prefer to earn money while spending time with furry friends, this could be the best side hustle idea overall – especially if you only have a little bit of time each day to use for extra moneymaking. Plus, caring for pets is a side hustle you can pursue on a case-by-case basis. When you get busy around exam time, for instance, you can stop pet-sitting until your schedule clears up.
Like drawing, painting, or creating fantastic worlds on your computer? Companies need graphic designers more than ever, and you can certainly work as a freelancer in this industry, even while you’re still in college. As an added benefit, getting some freelance graphic design work under your belt will let you build an early portfolio to showcase to future employers after you graduate from college.
Have a bit of time in the morning or evening? Sign up to be a driver for Uber, GrubHub, or any other rideshare/delivery company. Like many of the best side hustles, this is a great gig for picking up when you have the time without requiring any long-term commitment on your part.
Parenting is a full-time job in and of itself! But as your kids get older, you might find you have a bit of extra time to earn cash while they’re at school or after the little ones go to bed. If you’re looking to make some side income to help with childcare expenses, you’ve probably considered work-from-home gigs. Here are a handful of gig jobs that can all be accomplished from home.
Lots of high-level executives don’t have the time to tackle things like scheduling or organizing. That’s why they hire remote virtual assistants to handle those tasks for them. As a virtual assistant, you can earn money entirely from home without a degree. It’s a good part-time job if you want to start earning money after maternity or paternity leave but don’t yet have the time to leap back into the workforce for 40 hours each week.
If you have teaching experience and a relevant degree, you can return to the classroom in the digital arena by working as an online tutor. Certain subjects, like English, are particularly profitable if you cultivate a clientele from countries like China or Japan.
Lots of companies want to know what people really think about their brands, products, or services. So, they hire people to take online surveys for them on websites or smartphone apps. Taking online surveys won’t net you a ton of cash, even if you stick with it for a while, but it’s hard to argue with the ease of earning a few bucks while surfing the web or watching your favorite TV show.
Online stores like Etsy make it simple to set up a profile and start selling handmade arts and crafts you like to make as a hobby. Or, if you want to be even more independent, you can always create your own online store using ready-to-go website builders and then sell your products with unique branding and marketing strategies.
It’s easier than ever to bootstrap your own small business right from your home without worrying too much about expensive startup costs, like having to rent retail space. That means each sale will put more money in your pocket.
At the end of the day, any and all of these side gigs could be excellent ways to give your bank account a boost and make some financial breathing room.
Sources:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gig-economy.asp
https://money.howstuffworks.com/affiliate-program1.htm
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