Side hustles have turned the business world upside down. Sure, people used to have these back in the day, but it wasn’t until the 2010s that they started to catch on. I mean, even I’ve been doing side hustles for the past 7 years to earn some pocket money, and I’m not alone in this.
Nearly half of Gen Z (49%) is likely to do a side hustle alongside their full-time job. And, back in 2023, 44% of entrepreneurs started their businesses as side hustles. That said, there’s one thing I can’t ignore. Starting a side hustle can be hard. Plenty of side hustles require a lot of time or skills.
Well, I’m here to help you with that issue. In this article, we’ll look into some of the easiest side hustles you can start doing right now. I’ve done plenty of these while I was still in high school and college, and…well, I can even start doing some of them while being a full-time writer. They’re that easy.
Let’s get straight into it.
The Easiest Side Hustles Anyone Can Start
Right below, you’ll find some side hustles that are easy to start and won’t take up too much of your time. Remember that many of these can be turned into entire businesses, while others are a good way to get extra money, which you can then invest in some passive income ideas.
1. Mowing lawns
Many of you may have been mowing lawns ever since your teens. Well, it’s time you put a price tag on that. Go around your neighborhood and offer your services.
You can make upwards of $10k in your first year, which is a good starting point. You can also scale this further if you’re consistent with it and make close to 6 figures by running a lawn care business.
2. Pet sitting
Another easy side hustle is pet sitting. There are plenty of apps that you can sign up for, but again, it’s best to reach out to your close network to get started.
I have done a bit of pet sitting for around $10/hour. It might not sound like a lot, but it’s honestly so effortless and you can do some other productive work while you’re there. All I needed to do was stay at my friend’s place and take care of their cat while I was doing some of my college work.
3. Voice acting
This one goes out to acting students. Voiceover gigs can be an incredible side hustle, and it doesn’t require too much of your time. These gigs are rare, sure. But you can make some good money from a voiceover on YouTube, social media, or even ebooks.
Down the line, you can turn these skills into a faceless YT channel and start monetizing as a side hustle.
4. Start a newsletter
Now, if your writing skills are any good, newsletters are the way to go. All you have to do is spend a day each week to write and send out your newsletter, as well as a couple of hours to promote it across your social media. That’s it.
The great thing is that newsletters can become much more than a side hustle. Even having a 1k-member email list can bring in close to $2k a month through sponsorships or monthly subscriptions.
5. Start a podcast
Is this the best time to capitalize on podcasts? Of course. Everyone has one, and all you have to do is talk about things you like. Just utilize any passion you have and create a podcast around it, where you offer all your insights and opinions.
This is super easy; you only need a good microphone and a few hours each week to record, edit, and upload your podcast. And, of course, you can make good money from it. It won’t be any Joe Rogan Experience, but it can be a solid side hustle.
6. Online tutoring
Here’s another side hustle I did in my teens: online tutoring. I spent a couple of hours each day after school and earned around $500/month. And all I was doing was helping non-native speakers get better at English.
There are tons of platforms out there that allow you to do this, like Cambly. And all you need is a laptop with an above-average camera.
7. Personal trainer
While becoming an actual personal trainer requires a certificate, nothing is stopping you from creating plans for your network.
If you’ve been going to the gym for some time, you know what workouts work for each person. So, you can create personalized plans and sell them for a small fee. This won’t make you a millionaire, sure. But it’s a good and easy way to earn a bit of money on the side.
8. Freelancing
Here’s my favorite side hustle of all. There’s no easier time to become a freelancer on pretty much anything. Writing, video editing, translating, any of these can be a solid moneymaker. I consider this an easy side hustle, as I started freelance writing back in 2020 while studying to get into college.
It begins paying early on, and it can be pretty easy if you’re only looking to make a side income.
9. Sell custom jewelry
If you’re really into creating custom jewelry for yourself, why not make some for others and sell it at a nice markup? Since you’re already doing it as a hobby, you can spend a couple of extra hours selling custom jewelry to your network (friends and family, and their friends, too).
Of course, selling jewelry can be turned into a great business. But, starting out with a few pieces each month is easy and can put some good money in your pocket.
10. Sell meal plans
Back to my fitness folks, we all know that gains are built in the kitchen, so selling meal plans should be your go-to side hustle. Again, you’re most likely not a dietician.
Thus, you should only help with basic plans to help the buyers hit their goals (i.e. get their protein in, minimize bad carbs, etc.). This is what makes it so easy. You can create 10 meal plans and sell them for a fiver each. If you get 100 of your college mates to buy from you, that’s $5,000 straight into your pocket.
11. Online coaching
Online coaching is a great side hustle, a side business, or even a fully fledged business. But is it truly easy? Well, if you just do it as a side hustle, it definitely is.
Just think about any topic you’re an expert in. It can be a subject you studied in college or even life coaching. You’re essentially letting others know how they can reach your level. If you start slow and coach others on one of your true passions, it won’t take too much of your time, and you can make some good money from it (as low as $20/hr and even up to $100/hr).
12. Sell sports picks
If you’ve got a good track record and are actively making money from sports betting, why not sell your picks to others? Many communities on Whop are already doing this.
You’re essentially sharing access to your picks for a fee. And, since you have a high ROI from your picks, people are more likely to trust you. It shouldn’t take any more time than what you’re already dedicating to your picks, so it’s super easy to start and can be very, very profitable in the long run.
13. Sell trading signals
Much like sports picks, you can also sell your trading signals if you’re already making money from day trading. Again, you need a good track record so that others can trust you. But, besides that, you’re just sharing your day-to-day trades that you’d otherwise keep to yourself.
14. Host online classes
If you don’t want to do 1-on-1 coaching sessions, you could take a shot at group online classes. These are a bit more laidback and won’t require any certificates, so you can scale them later on.
Essentially, just start out easy by gathering a few people and teaching them about a subject you’re an expert in. Consider this a mix of online coaching and tutoring, but it's a bit easier than both.
15. Sell a course
Now, yes, creating a course is not easy. But you don’t have to go all out from the start. You can begin by selling a basic course about writing, video editing, or even a subject at college; just a couple of modules, topping out at a couple of hours.
This is a super easy side gig simply because you only need to spend a portion of time upfront. And, if you go the basic route, this won’t take more than a week to make and set up if you use a platform like Whop. Plus, you can make some serious money from courses, so it’s worth a try.
16. Print-on-demand
Print-on-demand (POD) is one of the best side hustles you can do right now. And, since you’re doing it on a small scale, it’s easy, and you can still make some good profit from it.
The best way to start a print-on-demand service that won’t require a lot of effort or time is to find meme designs and sell them on shirts, mugs, hats, and all that stuff. There are plenty of POD platforms out there, and as long as you stay on top of the trends, it’s a super easy side hustle.
17. Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing in the form of digital dropshipping is hands-down one of the easiest side hustles you can start today. All you need to do is create or repurpose content and get people to sign up for the product or service you’re affiliated with through your link.
And, when they do that, you get a nice commission. Getting affiliated with communities on Whop only takes a few minutes, and creating content won’t require more than a few hours a week. On top of that, all this can lead to a nice source of passive income down the line.
18. Custom phone cases
If you’ve got a knack for art, you can create custom designs for phone cases on a small scale. Simply reach out to your network and ask them if they’d like a custom phone case for $20 a pop.
It won’t take much time to source and make these, and you can do it as a hobby rather than a side hustle. This can be a pretty solid way to earn a few hundred bucks a month doing something you actually enjoy.
19. Content creation
Now, yes, becoming a content creator isn’t easy. However, you can start creating content on YouTube or social media on a really small scale. I’m talking about spending an hour a day creating and uploading short-form content.
If you do this for a few months, you can earn money from ads for years. That’s why I consider this one of the most lucrative and easy side hustles.
20. Sell memberships
Got a Discord server or other community around one of your passions? Start selling access to it. You don’t have to go all out; start with $5/month, maybe $10 if you’re providing lots of value. And the great thing is that you don’t have to put in too much extra effort, as you’ve already been running the community.
Essentially, you’re just putting it behind a paywall, so it’s a super easy way to make some money on the side.
21. Start a blog
I can speak from personal experience when I say that blogging is super easy to start. Yes, it’ll take a bit of time to gather up some monthly traffic, but at that point, you can start making good money from ads and sponsored posts.
And, in reality, all you have to do is post about things you like. You can start a travel blog and write about your experiences. Or, you can start one by talking about any of your hobbies and helping out newcomers.
22. Become a tour guide
When I was a bit younger, I gave being a local tour guide a shot. All I did was suggest places to eat and hang out to the friends of my friends around my area, and I was charging $10 per person. I was only doing it on the weekends, but I was making a few hundred bucks a month from it.
It’s super easy to start, and you only need to know the popular places in your city or neighborhood.
23. Run a home gym
I know that running a home gym might sound like a daunting business, let alone an easy side gig. But, again, focus on the small scale. Buy some basic equipment and bring over your friends or college mates, charging them a few bucks per month.
That’s basically all you need to do. You can build it out of your garage or just a shed in your backyard. Even if you just start with a few dumbbells and a bench, it’s good enough to charge a $10/month access.
24. Reselling
Reselling is one of the easiest side hustles if you’re already a collector. I have invested a good amount in sports cards and actively resell them on eBay. The only time-consuming part is doing some market research and checking out the prices. But you can also join reselling communities and let them do the work for you.
Besides that, once you start reselling, it’s super easy to get into a good flow and sell a few cards a day, making a quick buck off each.
25. Dropshipping
While I was a bit late in the whole dropshipping craze, I still consider it an easy side hustle. It’s competitive, yes. But all you need is to find a product with a lot of potential to go viral.
Since you don’t handle any of the shipping, you’ll only have to spend a few hours weekly uploading videos on TikTok and finding the most affordable products on platforms like Alibaba.
26. Sell stock photos
Now, I’m no photographer, but as long as you have a phone with a good camera, you can start selling stock photos. I never got deep into it, but it is simple. Find some photo-worthy scenery in your everyday surroundings, take a picture, and post it on one of the many stock photo platforms like Unsplash.
That’s it. At that point, it’s a numbers game. The more photos you upload, the higher the chance they’ll get downloaded, earning you a commission.
27. Take surveys
If you want a super simple and easy way to make some pocket money, start taking surveys. You won’t make too much, but they’re a great side hustle. I used to take a bunch of surveys when I was in my late teens, making anywhere from $1-$30 per survey.
Each one took about 5-30 minutes, but they were relatively simple. If you’ve got a couple of hours a day to spare, you can check out a few survey platforms, take their surveys, and get a solid $100-$200 per month straight into your pocket.
28. Make money with mobile apps
Another easy way to make a quick buck is through mobile apps. When I first started doing side hustles, the most well-known apps were Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and Survey Junkie. In these, all you had to do was complete a couple of tasks, like downloading a mobile game and playing for a couple of hours.
Then, you’d earn a few bucks from that. These apps are still going strong, so you can give them a try. It’s a pretty monotonous side hustle, but you can make a few bucks each month from it.
29. Publish an ebook
Ebooks can be a pretty easy side hustle if you like writing. You can write basically anything, be it a story, novel, or guidebook. The key is to write about something you’re interested in and be creative with it.
The cool thing with ebooks is that once you publish them, you can earn recurring revenue. And, writing one doesn’t need years upon years. You can publish a romance novel you worked on for an hour a day within a few months.
30. Virtual assistant
While AI has gotten rid of some jobs, becoming a virtual assistant is still a pretty good side hustle that’s easy to do. Many people, myself included, need a virtual assistant to take care of the more mundane tasks.
And, since these are pretty routine, they become super easy to do, and you can earn good money by only dedicating 5-10 hours a week.
31. Rent out equipment
If you want an effortless, passive way to make money on the side, renting is the way to go. For one, you can rent out the equipment you don’t use. It could be anything, from a lawnmower to a power drill to an advanced calculator.
The great thing is that you don’t have to do anything to earn some cash. You simply rent these out for a fee. The only caveat is that your rentee might damage your equipment, so you’ll have to put a clause in place to avoid spending a ton on replacing it.
32. Rent out your car
Sticking to renting side hustles, if you don’t use your car every day, consider renting it out. Many platforms allow you to do that, but it’s best you reach out to your friends first. You can rent your car for about $30-$50 a day and simply sit back and relax.
Yes, like with equipment, there’s a chance that you might get your car back in a bad state. So, again, make sure to have a clause that deems your rentee liable for any damages and you’ll be golden.
33. Website/app testing
Back to some more online side hustles; one of the easiest I did in my teens was website and app testing. All I needed to do was go through a page or an app and voice my feedback on how it runs, if it has any issues, what I expect as I go through it, etc.
This was a great moneymaker for me. I could earn upwards of $50/hr, and all I did was yap in front of a camera while clicking or tapping different parts of a website/app.
34. Video game testing
Similarly, video game testing was an incredibly easy side gig I did a few years ago. Some folks were earning $30-$50/hr just to stress test servers or go over the same level trying to find bugs.
Considering that many of you might be doing this for free for your favorite upcoming releases, it’s super easy and can be pretty lucrative.
35. Graphic design
Now, graphic design is more of a job than a side hustle if you do it full-time. But you can also offer your graphic design services on platforms like Fiverr and only take up a few high-paying gigs a month.
That way, you don’t have to spend much time and you get to do something you like: creating designs, logos, etc. Of course, if you’re successful in this, you can scale it into a full-blown business.
36. Sell templates
There are templates for pretty much anything. Canva templates, Notion templates, productivity templates, all that jazz. If, for example, you have a good productivity template that helps you, why not sell it? Better yet, if you like creating templates and it doesn’t take too long, you can sell them to others and make some good money.
37. Sell stock music
If you know a thing or two about music production, consider creating and selling the rights to stock music. Since podcasts and video creation are so popular nowadays, everyone’s looking for royalty-free stock music.
With this, you’re not only helping and expanding your network, but you’re also making some good bucks from licensing deals. And, who knows? Maybe you can become a ghost producer down the line.
38. Landscaping services
There's a creator who goes around to houses and offers landscaping services for free. They then earn money through YouTube as they film and upload their work. You can do the same thing.
Or, better yet, since we only want to focus on easy side hustles, start offering landscaping services around your neighborhood. It will take some time, but you can charge quite a bit for these.
39. Car detailing
Car detailing is another side hustle that’s more of a side business, but you can start small. Remember that you’re offering a better service than the local car wash; you can charge quite a bit and it’ll take 3-4 hours per car. Thus, you could just do this for 5-6 cars per month and get close to $1,000.
40. Become a travel planner
Now, this is the one I want to try out right after this article. I always plan my trips, my family’s trips, and my friends’ trips. If you’re the same, start charging a few bucks for this.
If it takes you around 30 minutes to book tickets, an apartment, and find the best spots, charge somewhere around $20-$30 per plan.
41. Custom-painted sneakers
I’m no sneakerhead, but I can appreciate a good color scheme on a nice pair of Jordans. If you have the skills, you can commission custom designs on sneakers and charge quite a lot. Like, $100+. So, if you do 5 pairs each month, it’s at least $500 in your pocket, and it shouldn't take you more than 15-20 hours in total.
42. Sell digital planners
Much like productivity templates, you can also sell digital planners. It’s quite an easy side hustle, as you only need to create these once and sell them indefinitely. Sure, it might take you a few weeks to envision and create good designs, but if you can sell these at $20 a pop, you can start making some big bucks pretty soon.
43. Online transcription
One of the easiest side hustles I’ve ever done was online transcription; my fingers still hurt thinking about it, to be fair. You find platforms that will provide you with audio files, and you’ll have to type out everything you hear, following a specific format and ruleset. If you can type quickly, it’s one of the easiest and fastest ways to make some money on the side.
44. Online translation services
Alongside transcription, I also did online translation. While there wasn’t much demand for English to Greek translations, if you know any obscure or difficult languages, you can make good bucks from translation.
The great thing is that it doesn’t take too much time if you’re native or near-native in both languages. And, tons of platforms are constantly looking for more translators, so it’s super easy to start.
45. Social media management
Since we’re all spending tons of hours on social media each day, we should put that time into something productive, like social media management. In its most basic form, you’ll be responsible for creating posts or tweets and uploading Reels, TikToks, etc.
Later, if you find this too easy, you can also plan strategies, create campaigns, review analytics, and so on. If you’re already using social media a lot, this is a perfect side hustle to begin.
46. Run a vending machine side hustle
Tons of folks on YouTube are posting their vending machine side hustles. These are pretty lucrative and are pretty much passive. Or, rather, passive enough to be pretty easy.
You just need some starting capital to buy your first vending machines and stock them, and then all you’ll need to do is restock them every week or so. It's easy to start and easy to make tons of money.
47. Create digital art
If digital planners or graphic design aren’t as creative as you’d like, consider creating and selling digital art. Start off slow, only taking a few commissions a month, and then scale it if it’s profitable. If you already like creating art, this will be perfect for you, as it’s super easy to start. Just sign up on any platform like Fiverr and get those commissions going.
48. Data entry
Data entry was my third-ever side hustle (right after surveys and transcriptions/translations), and it was paying pretty handsomely back then. All I did was input data from handwritten notes, videos, audio files, etc. You can earn close to $20/hr, and, to be fair, it’s really easy to do. You just need to type quickly and have good attention to detail.
49. Create a job board
Job boards are really easy to create and won’t require too much of your time to run. You’ll need basic coding skills, yes, but you can make pretty good money from paid listings, affiliate commissions, and so on.
50. Personal shopping
Personal shopping is one of the easiest side hustles, just because most of us are already doing it day-to-day. For example, if you know the ins and outs of the PC market, you can charge a few bucks to help people build the best PCs and source all the parts for them.
Or, on a more basic level, you can simply charge $10-$15 to buy groceries for someone who can’t/doesn’t have the time to do so.
What is the Easiest Side Hustle?
So, I went over a bunch of side hustles, but which one is the easiest? The title has to go to digital products. You only create these once, you don’t have to spend too much time maintaining them, and they don’t cost you anything if you find the right platform.
This goes for anything online. Blogs can generate tons of money, and you only need to create them once. A podcast can net you hundreds, even if you posted it a year ago. A digital template, while low-cost, can be sold over and over and over again.
Easiest online side hustles
In my opinion, the easiest online side hustles are:
- Affiliate marketing
- Blogging
- Starting a podcast
- Selling digital planners
- Publishing an ebook
- Selling memberships
- Selling courses
- Taking surveys
Start Your Side Hustle With Whop Today
Many of the easiest side hustles I reviewed are much more straightforward if you sign up on a platform. Rather than going it alone, using a platform like Whop to host your next side hustle will streamline your operations and marketing.
Whop allows you to create your very own whop, where you can host all your digital products. Want to sell a course? Just host it on the “Courses” app. What about selling sports picks? Use the “Chat” app to share these with your community. And what about that ebook you’re selling on Amazon? You can sell that exclusively on Whop, where your only cost is 3% per transaction.
Ready to start your side hustle with Whop? Sign up on the platform and create your whop within the next few minutes. Add your apps, upload your digital products, and share your whop with your next customers. Or, join the Whop Marketplace to thousands of pairs of eyes from the get-go.
Easy Side Hustles FAQs
How do I start a side hustle?
To start a side hustle, find what you’re good at and what you’re passionate about. Find your potential market, and start selling your products or services. It’s all about trial and error, so you’ll just need to get something out and see how it goes.
How much money can I make from a side hustle?
There’s no limit to how much you can make from a side hustle. Some creators start out making a few hundred bucks a month and then scale their side hustles to million-dollar businesses. It’s all about finding the right digital product and marketing it to the right audience.
How can I make an extra $5k a month?
The best way to make an extra $5k/month is by selling digital products. You can create and sell these on platforms like Whop or become an affiliate for digital products and scale it up to $5k through commissions.
Are side hustles worth it?
Side hustles are definitely worth it. Full-time jobs aren’t permanent, so it’s always a good idea to diversify your income methods, both passive and active. This way, even if you face layoffs, you still have a solid monthly income while you’re on the job hunt.
