Chris O'Shea
We’ve always stressed how important an emergency fund is to your finances. If you don’t have six months of fixed expenses saved, you could be in trouble if something unforeseen happens (like losing your job). If you’re falling short of that mark, it might be time to consider a side hustle. You can work the job until your emergency fund is stocked, then move on. Here are some of the best side gigs to try.
Online Surveys. You can get paid to take online surveys at sites like Branded Surveys. The pay isn’t much, but do enough of them and it will add up. A quick online search will bring up several different online survey options. Here are a few more online survey sites to start your research:
- Swagbucks
- Kashkick
- SurveyJunkie
- Inbox Dollars
- Survey Savvy
Website Testing. You can test sites and apps for some cash at sites like UserTesting, TestingTime, Userlytics, and Userfeel. These sites offer a wide variety of items that need to be tested, at various levels of time-commitment and pay. Check online reviews for website testing to find the best option for you.
Create and Sell Crafts Online. If you have a passion for creating handmade or homemade artwork or creative products, you may be able to make a little extra money selling those products on Etsy, Handmade Amazon, Facebook Marketplace, or CrateJoy.
Ride Sharing. Uber, Lyft, and other companies are always in need of drivers. If you don’t mind driving, this is an easy way to make some extra cash.
Grocery Delivery. There are also several money-making options for delivering groceries. Here are a few ideas:
- Instacart
- Shipt
- SparkDriver (Walmart grocery delivery)
Food Delivery. You can make some quick cash delivering restaurant orders through sites and apps like UberEats, GrubHub, and DoorDash.
Pet Sitting. If you like pets, sign up to be a pet sitter through sites like:
- Rover
- Care
- Wag
- TaskRabbit
- Fetch Pet Care
You can get paid to watch someone’s dog at their house or you can have the dog stay with you. You can also get paid to walk dogs.
Online Tutoring. Have some special skills you’d like to share with others? You can tutor online and get paid for it via sites like:
- Tutor Ocean
- Varsity Tutors
- Tutor.com
- Chegg
- Smartthinking
Package Delivery. You can get paid to deliver Amazon packages through the Amazon Flex program. The best thing about this is the “flex” part. You can sign up for blocks of time, and then deliver packages during your available times only.
Freelance Work. If you have some extra time and a marketable skillset like graphic design, copywriting, website development, digital marketing, or another skill, freelance work could be a great side gig opportunity. To see what freelance work is in high demand, check out sites like these:
- Fiverr
- Upwork
- FlexJobs
- Toptal
- Rev.com
- Freelancer.com
Other Side Hustle Ideas. There are so many different ways to make extra money in your spare time. For many people, it just takes a little imagination and work to find something that works for them. This could include things like starting a blog or YouTube channel, washing cars, power washing houses, renting out your unused garage or basement space, running errands for someone, mowing lawns, selling baked goods, giving music lessons, and the list goes on.
You can always search online or ask friends and family for ideas that might suit you. There’s no shortage of side gig ideas out there, it’s just a matter of finding the one that works best for you and getting started.
Jean Chatzky
