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It’s easy to get excited about side hustles and claims of making big money in your spare time.
But what you really need is a side hustle that works. One that won’t take a bunch of time and is worth the effort. Am I right?
I’ve tried literally dozens of side hustle ideas over the years. Some worked great and I made a bunch of money, while others were a total disaster.
So I created this list of side hustles that actually worked for me. Hopefully you’ll find one that works for you too.
Scroll down to the end (or JUMP HERE) to see the #1 side hustle that earns me thousands every month … or keep reading to see my real results.
1. Sell your junk
This is a great idea if you need some quick cash. You’d be surprised how much money you can make just by getting rid of stuff you don’t need.
You know the saying “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” SO true!
Where to sell your stuff:
- Facebook Marketplace
- eBay
- Poshmark (great for clothes, shoes & accessories)
- OfferUp
- Consignment Shops (great for baby gear & kids’ clothes)
- Yard Sales
- Craigslist
I made about $650 cash in just a couple weeks by getting rid of some clutter. Pretty sweet!
Selling your stuff is a great way to earn extra cash, but it’s not really a long-term solution.
Unless you sell stuff online – like with retail arbitrage.
What the heck is retail arbitrage?
2. Sell Products on Amazon (Retail Arbitrage)
Retail arbitrage sounds complicated but it’s actually very straightforward. You buy an item at a store for cheap, then sell it online (think Amazon or eBay) for a higher price.
The difference is your profit. It’s pretty simple.
Typically I’ll look for new, cheap items (at Walmart, CVS, Target, etc) then turn around and sell them for a profit.
My results:
I used to buy Coach purses at my local Outlet mall. I’d get them on clearance for up to 70% off (around $35 – $70 each). Sometimes I even had a coupon for an extra 20% off – so they were fairly cheap.
Then I’d list them on eBay and they’d sell for between $150 – $250 for each handbag (on average).
I earned over $60,000 in just one year with this side hustle. No joke!
Want to learn more? Amazon has a free beginner’s guide that walks you through the basics of setting up a seller account and selling products online.
3. Be a Delivery Driver
Another side hustle that works is delivery driver jobs. It’s become a very popular way to earn extra money.
Right now there are many companies that pay you to deliver food. What’s great is that it offers so much flexibility – work when you want for as long as you want.
If you have a valid driver’s license and a car, you’re good to go!
Here are a few delivery jobs that pay well:
- DoorDash – $18 – $20 / hour + tips
- Uber Eats – $17 – $22/ hour + tips
- GrubHub – $20 – $25/ hour + tips
REAL results:
My hubby delivered for DoorDash for a while when money was tight. He’d drive just a couple evenings a week. He made between $175 – $200 for about 8 total hours of work. Not too shabby!
The average DoorDash delivery driver earns between $18 – $20 per hour. But if you live in a larger city, it’s possible to earn $25+ / hour.
4. Make Money Delivering Groceries
You can also earn extra cash by shopping for groceries and delivering them.
My friend Jenny does this regularly whenever she needs extra cash.
She earns on average $20 / hour. That doesn’t include tips, which are 100% yours to keep!
Grocery shopping jobs that pay well:
Of course, there are other companies that pay you for grocery shopping, but these 2 are Jenny’s favorites.
TIP: While you’re shopping, why not make a little extra with cash back? Keep reading …
5. Earn Cash Back When You Shop
No matter if I’m shopping online or in-store, I always use cash back apps. I’ve saved hundreds each year with these 3 apps:
1. Rakuten
Rakuten is the easiest way I save while shopping. You can install an extension on your browser. They let you know when there’s a cashback offer on any site you visit. It’s awesome!
Rakuten – Earn up to 40% cashback at over 3,500 stores.
Plus you’ll get a free $50 gift card at signup. Choose a gift card to Amazon, Target, Kohl’s, many more.
Even better? Refer a friend and you’ll BOTH get a $50 bonus after they make their first qualifying purchase.
Rakuten pays your cashback and referral earnings every quarter by PayPal or check.
I ❤️ Rakuten!
2. Fetch Rewards
Another one of my favorites! Fetch lets you earn points just for taking a picture of your receipts. Then the points can be redeemed for free gift cards!
Scan receipts from gas stations, pharmacies, warehouse / club stores, big box stores like Walmart + Target, restaurants – even liquor stores!
They also reward you with extra points if you make a purchase on certain items, but you don’t have to. Usually I just stick with taking a quick snap of my receipts.
I earned over $100 worth of gift cards quickly using Fetch. Sign up today and score 2,000 free points to get started!
3. Ibotta
Ibotta is my go-to app for saving on groceries. They have lots of instant rebates for your favorite brands.
Ibotta rebates are basically digital coupons – no clipping or printing needed. So convenient!
Keep racking up your discounts and then cash out your earnings with PayPal or Venmo.
Ibotta is FREE to join PLUS get a $20 Bonus when you sign up.
I’ve saved hundreds off groceries with Ibotta. You gotta try it!
6. Take Surveys for Cash
If this is a side hustle you think will work for you, I recommend signing up for multiple survey sites.
The reason is simple: one survey company might only send you a few surveys each month.
It’s pretty easy to earn $100 or more a month with just one survey company. But if you’ve signed up for multiple sites, you’ll have more opportunities to earn.
Legit Survey Sites that I + my trusted friends recommend:
- Swagbucks (free $10 welcome bonus)
- Survey Junkie (up to $75 per survey)
- InboxDollars (free $5 bonus)
- Freecash (earn money playing games, taking surveys & more)
Want even more options? Check out my Freecash Review and my 9 Best Paid Survey Sites That Actually Pay.
How surveys work: Basically you get paid for stuff you already do online – surf the Internet, watch videos, play games, and more. Some survey companies also pay for your opinions of products.
While not a huge money-maker, taking surveys is a fast and easy way to earn extra money.
7. Make + Sell Crafts (a FUN side hustle that works)
Our family loves crafting. When we were younger we’d help my Mom make crafts to sell at local craft fairs throughout the year.
My sister still crafts in her spare time and sells them on Facebook Marketplace. Her stuff is so cute, she gets lots of new customers by word of mouth.
Some Moms even earn extra money selling their handmade crafts at local craft fairs and holiday markets.
My friend Mia paints custom handbags, accessories, makes jewelry, and also sews. She works part-time and sells items on Etsy.
My experience:
While I did make money crafting (it’s a side hustle that actually works) it was more of a hobby for me.
I decided to start a blog instead because I wanted something more.
I earn a lot more money in less time with blogging. But I still like to make crafts in my spare time – just for fun!
8. Furniture Flipping
Here’s another side hustle that works – flipping furniture.
Upcycling is a great way to earn extra money. It’s easy to find free or cheap furniture to freshen up and then flip for a profit.
You could make an extra $200, $500, even $1,000+ working a few hours a week by flipping furniture.
My experience:
I’ve been known to cruise my neighborhood on trash day and scoop up night stands, end tables and lamps that my neighbors have thrown out. Then I spruce them up for resale.
You’d be surprised what just a bit of paint can do to freshen up a piece – here’s my favorite spray paint and chalk paint (NO sanding!)
Furniture flipping tips:
- Find cheap furniture to flip at yard sales, consignment shops (Goodwill) and Facebook Marketplace.
- Check the “Free” section on Craigslist (aka “curb alerts”). You’d be surprised at the good stuff people get rid of.
- Pinterest has lots of free DIY projects and tutorials for inspiration.
Ready to give furniture flipping a try?
If you’re new to furniture flipping, I found an affordable, beginner-friendly course by Ashley Blake that teaches you everything from buying and refinishing furniture to selling it for a profit.
Check Out Ashley’s Furniture Flipping Course
9. Provide a Service
There are SO many tasks you can do that others will pay you for!
Here are a few services I offered:
- Cleaning or doing simple household tasks
- Child Care – Babysitting, Tutoring
- Pet Care – Walking Dogs, Pet Sitting
- Gardening or Landscaping
- Organizing
PRO TIP: List your service on Care.com to help grow your business.
It will match you with customers looking for child care, pet care, housekeeping, more!
My experience: All of these side hustles actually worked for me. What’s great is how flexible these side jobs are – easy to fit around your schedule.
If you’re trustworthy and honest, you’ll be able to get more jobs easily by just word-of-mouth.
Of course, the income potential varies depending on where you live. But you can expect to earn between $25 – $50 / hour with many of these side hustles.
10. Virtual Assistant Jobs
Virtual Assistants work from home for other online businesses. Most of the work involved are administrative tasks like:
- Email management
- Booking appointments
- Answering phone calls
- Transcription
- Managing social media
- Publishing posts
My experience:
I worked as a VA for another blogger 15+ years ago. My main job was compiling spreadsheets and running reports. I earned $17 / hr doing these simple tasks.
That was a LONG time ago. Virtual Assistants are still in demand today, with the average salary around $50,000 per year (according to ZipRecruiter).
That’s great money for helping another business out. Check out this free list of 275+ services you can offer as a Virtual Assistant.
11. Start a Money-Making Blog (most recommended)
Blogging is the #1 side hustle I’d recommend because it has unlimited earning potential.
My results: Blogging has consistently been my highest-earning side hustle. My best month here at FreebiesForBaby earned over $9,000, and I averaged around $6,000 per month for a couple of years.
Like any business, my income has gone up and down, but it’s still the side hustle I’d recommend most.
One of the best things about blogging is that it’s inexpensive to get started. You can have your blog up and running for just $3.99 a month.
Starting a blog is just the first step. The real fun begins when you start making money from it.
Want to start your own money-making blog?
One of my favorite bloggers is Ana from The She Approach. She earned over $200,000 in her first five years of blogging and has a free beginner blogging course that’s perfect if you’re just getting started.
I hope this post has given you a few side hustle ideas that could work for you.
Still trying to decide? Ask these 7 Questions to Help Choose the Best Side Hustle for You.
Know another Mom looking for a legit side hustle? Save it on Pinterest or share it with a friend!
