During the last year, millions of people are starting side hustles to supplement their income. The pandemic put millions of people out of work as it forced organizations to close. However, this period can also be an opportunity for small businesses that sell services and products to people looking to buy locally due to restrictions.

When living in uncertainty, having a side hustle to provide you with extra cash can be lifesaving because it gives financial security. So, if you’re looking for ways to make more money on the side of your full-time job, search no more because the following ideas may work for you.

What Is a Side Hustle?

Before exploring the hottest side hustle ideas for 2021, let’s figure out what a side hustle is. In simple terms, it’s a gig you do additionally to your full-time job. It’s usually quite flexible in terms of time, and often people refer to it as freelancing. A side hustle often focuses on harnessing your skills and passions and transforming them into something that generates income.

A side hustle allows you to earn extra money and diversify your income. A side gig will enable you to save money or provide financial security during a time like this. It can also help you refine your talents and skills and explore new areas to put the base for a business. You can use the side job to test the waters before resigning from your full-time job and dedicating your entire time to a career you’ve always dreamt of.

However, it would help if you didn’t imagine that a side hustle is all rainbows and sunshine because it takes a lot of work to balance your career and side gig and maintain your performance. That’s why picking a side hustle you enjoy matters because you’ll give up your free time to build it.

Beginner investors are advised not to engage inside gigs that require big upfront financial investments. It’s too risky to spend a lot of money to buy equipment, software, and product inventory when you cannot afford the loss and you’re not passionate about the idea.

When to Launch A Side Hustle?

Side gigs are a great way to boost your income, save some money, or pay off your debt. This means that you can start looking for side hustle ideas when
- You calculated the numbers and realized that you need some extra cash
- You want to save up to buy a new house, have an overseas vacation, or purchase something you don’t afford at the moment
- You want to destroy your debt, and the only way to do it is by gaining some extra cash

Which Side-Hustle You Should Start?

Now that you decided you’re the perfect candidate to start a side gig, you may look for ideas. Remember that the best side hustles are flexible and pay well for the effort you make. If possible, choose a scalable one you can later build into a business.

Proofread

If your ears bleed every time you hear someone using the wrong verb tense and you can tell the difference between they’re/there/their, proofreading may be a side gig you can easily do. As a proofreader, you’d have to polish written texts for students, website owners, content writers, and bloggers. You’d have a flexible schedule and earn nicely because people are willing to pay for someone to improve their content. And it’s easy to become one because you can list your services on a website like Freelancer. Another way to attract clients is to promote yourself on social media.

Sell printables on Etsy

Etsy is the go-to online store for people who’re looking for unique products. But Etsy is also the largest marketplace for printables like wall art, printable games, planners, clipart, trackers, business cards, and stickers. And the examples we listed are only a tiny part of the printables you can sell or buy on Etsy. Printables are digital files you sell for people to print at home. The advantage is that you can sell unlimited copies. Explore the market to identify the trends and create unique products that attract the target audience.

Trade

If you’re new to the Internet, you’ve probably heard about people trading Forex as a full-time job. But as a beginner, you may not have the needed skills to earn enough to make a living solely from trading currencies. However, a little research can provide you with the required knowledge to make enough to boost your income. Before you register on a website, browse the Internet to find out what the best binary option brokers are, and what services each of them provides.

Flip furniture

You’ve seen furniture sitting on the curb in front of people’s houses. Most items need only a fresh coat of paint and some new hardware to regain their original features. You can make a side gig from restoring furniture and selling it. Shabby chic items are in trend now, so explore this uncharted market before it becomes overcrowded. You can find furniture items in thrift stores and garage sales. Once you find the pieces, it costs little to revamp them and sell them as flips on social media or retail marketplaces.

Freelancing

Sell your skills to make extra cash. Many companies are outsourcing freelancers because it’s cheaper to pay specialists project-based than hire someone full-time. At the moment, the most searched jobs in the freelancing world are web development, photography, sound design, film editing, and graphic design. Post your services on Upwork and Freelancer, or start your own website to promote yourself and attract a customer base.

Pet sit

When pet parents find someone their pet likes, they hire them long term because their pooches happiness is important for them. If you love pets, register on a local platform dedicated to connecting pet sitters with pet owners and start your side hustle. Pay varies according to your location, but you can expect to get from $30 to $60 for an overnight stay if you live in an urban area.

Here are the hottest side hustle ideas and how to start them. Are you ready to launch yours?