This summer, I’m bringing you a series on starting a side hustle to supplement your income. In part 1, we will go over different side hustle options and some resources to help you get started. In parts 2 and 3, I’ll share tactics to get organized, manage your time, and grow your side hustle.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Side Hustle

What you choose to do as a side hustle should come from the things you love. When you know what your strongest skills are, you’ll be able to find a side gig that leans into your skillset and is something you enjoy doing. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you decide what kind of side hustle to pick up:

Popular Ways to Supplement Income

Sell on Etsy

One popular side hustle is creating an Etsy seller profile. For example, you could sell homemade physical products or digital products like Canva templates, digital artwork, or printable files. This is where the question about solving a problem in your life could come into play. If you recognize a need in the marketplace, come up with a product that solves that problem!

Rent Out Your Space on Airbnb

If you currently have unused space in your home, you could list a room on Airbnb. Another common side hustle is having an investment property listed on Airbnb. This is obviously more time-intensive than other side gigs, but you can bring in a decent amount of money renting a vacation home. Use a calculator like this one to calculate how much you can make on Airbnb.

Get Into Reselling

Reselling thrifted items is another popular side hustle that could take up as much or as little of your time as you’d like. Many resellers find success by shopping at thrift stores or purchasing returned packages from warehouses and finding items that are likely to sell on Facebook Marketplace or Poshmark.

Drive or Deliver With Companies Like Uber

Becoming an Uber driver or delivering food is another option! Food delivery and rideshare apps typically pay within a couple of days if you want to make some quick cash. 

Online Side Hustles You Can Do From Home

Content Creation

As a content creator myself, I can attest that we live in a social media age where you can definitely create a side hustle in content creation. Instagram and Tiktok can tend to be saturated for new creators (not trying to discourage it, just being realistic), but there is a lot of room for growth on sites like Pinterest. They have a large creator fund, and you can start getting paid with just 300 followers!

UGC

Another option is user-generated content! It can be a little easier to get your foot in the door with UGC because so many brands are looking for users to create review-style content for them to boost.

Video Editing

If your skillset already includes video editing or you’re interested in learning it, you could definitely start a side hustle. A lot of creators and businesses look for video editors for their online presence.

Freelance Writing

Another skill you could monetize is writing. If you know SEO basics or any copywriting skills, you could check out freelance websites like Fiverr and Upwork to see what kind of gigs are available. I’d recommend starting with short blog posts or product descriptions!

Coaching

Know a skill that you could teach to others? The coaching industry has really taken off in the past few years. Depending on your area of expertise, you could set up virtual coaching calls to share your knowledge and give advice. Just make sure you stick to less regulated industries and speak on things you are actually an expert in!

Tutoring

You could also use online tutoring platforms to bring in some extra money. Some tutoring jobs require you to be a teacher or professor, and others have fewer requirements. For example, some sites allow you to become an English tutor if you are a native speaker or tutor students if you are an industry professional.

Transcription

If you have typing skills, you can become an online transcriptionist. This side job is typically very flexible and allows you to create your own schedule. There is a lot of transcription work available, and it pays decently well!

Focus Groups

Multiple sites recruit online focus groups for paid research and interviews. You could also find something local in person!

Resources for Starting a Side Hustle

Pietra

I get a lot of questions about Pietra! I used this site to help me create my e-commerce business. It has powerful tools to help you get started launching products online. The tools will help you with sourcing, fulfillment, and selling online. Definitely worth the subscription for my business!

Side Hustle Pro Podcast

The Side Hustle Pro podcast is another resource I would check out if you’re considering getting a side gig going this summer. They spotlight Black female entrepreneurs who have created profitable businesses. They share details on what has worked for them, which might inspire you as well!

In the next part of this series, I’ll share more tools to help you get organized with your side hustle!