In the world of the gig economy, it’s becoming easier with each passing day to find flexible, well-paying side hustles that come with no strings attached. Whether you’re a college student who’s looking to pay for the occasional meal out or a full-time worker who’s hoping to save up money for vacation, there’s probably a side hustle out there that matches your needs and abilities.
And while having a specific skill set like a second language or massage training is great, it’s far from the end of the world if you don’t have one. Below is a (very) abridged list of side hustles for college students and adults alike which can take anywhere between a few minutes and a few hours out of your week, depending on how much time you’re ready to commit.
1. Selling & Flipping Online
It may seem silly, but there’s probably someone out there who wants that old, seemingly useless ornament in your basement or that old sci-fi novel collecting dust upstairs. If you want to take your time getting rid of your surplus of physical belongings while reaping the highest possible return, you can look no further than Amazon, eBay or craigslist–all you have to do is take a few photos, make a listing on the website of choice, and wait until someone bites.
Once you’ve gotten rid of all of your stuff, you can make online sales a sustainable side hustle by becoming a “flipper” – start regularly attending garage sales, flea markets and thrift stores, and keep your smartphone handy so that you can cross-reference online asking prices. Chances are good you’ll be able to make a quick buck by finding something underpriced and then re-selling it online for a hefty profit. Here’s a quick guide to flipping.
2. Using Your Car
Whether you use it often or hardly at all, there are so many ways to make a quick buck off of your car. First, there’s Uber and Lyft, which allow you to be a taxi driver on your own schedule, so long as you have a car that’s reasonably new. You can make this side gig especially convenient by “setting your destination,” which allows you to only do rides that are directly on your way.
If, on the other hand, you prefer to use your car as infrequently as possible and don’t feel like driving people around, you can still make a quick buck by renting out your car for a couple of days or hours on a website like Turo. If you have a truck or van, you can turn to Fluid Market for even better rates.
3. Renting Out a Room
If you have an extra room in your apartment and don’t mind sharing a kitchen and bathroom with strangers, you can turn to AirBnB for supplemental income. Rooms can go for as much as $100/night, meaning that this doesn’t always have to be an insignificant source of cash flow. You just have to make and maintain a profile, keep the room tidy and be a gracious host when guests do arrive.
4. Skilled Services
Maybe you’ve spent years learning to speak a second language or master a musical instrument. If you have the appropriate credentials and the chops to show for it, people are usually happy to pay a premium for your time. Tutoring is one of the most reliable, in-demand side hustles around, and with websites like WyzAnt and TakeLessons, it’s easier than ever to find people who are willing to pay for your wisdom.
You might also be surprised by the plethora of skills than can pull in a pretty penny–if you’re a fast typist, for instance, you can support yourself by signing up on a website like TranscribeMe! to transcribe TV shows, movies and interviews on your own time.
5. Household Tasks
No matter where you are, there will be busy people who don’t have the time to tend to their menial obligations but are willing to pay for someone else’s time. From snow shoveling to spring cleaning, so many household tasks are now up for bids on the gig economy. Make a profile on Task Rabbit to do general household chores or on a website like Rover for animal-related services, and wait for those inquiries to start pouring in.
Other Possibilities
The list of side hustle ideas goes on and on: you could be a babysitter, an extra in movies, a participant in a paid focus group, or you could be like me, and work as a freelance article writer. Check out websites like Side Hustle Nation for more smart tips on how to make money on your own schedule.