Interesting Online Side Hustles to Pass the Time and Earn Money From Home

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When it comes to working, what one person enjoys and/or excels at may kill another’s spirit. But making money doesn’t always have to feel like such a soulless and tiring process. In fact, it’s entirely possible to earn a decent amount of money doing something you actually enjoy, even without leaving the house. If you see something that resonates with you on our list of online side hustles, dive into it! After all, if you’re here it means you’re ready to create a brighter future for yourself, and it’s all up to you to actually make that happen. You’ve got this!

Dare to begin sign on black chair
Photo by Walter Randlehoff

Online Side Hustles

A side hustle isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme, but if you find the right one, it’s something that can put plenty of extra cash in your pocket each month. Not everyone is able to do something like the drive for Uber Eats, however, which is one of the most recommended side hustles on a lot of sites. So whether you don’t have a car or a license, or you have a disability that prevents you from getting around much, or you just don’t feel like interacting with others face-to-face, rest assured that there are plenty of online side hustles for you to choose from.

Skype Tutoring Sessions

Earning potential: $20-$200/hour

Why it’s great: It allows you to share your gift and make money doing something you love.

Everyone is good at something. So, what are you talented at that others would be interested to learn? Perhaps you can play the guitar or violin? Or maybe you’re amazing at applying makeup, and you’d be able to teach others how to become just as good. Remember, whatever the skill, it’s got to be something you’ll be able to teach (or teach yourself to teach) effectively during a webcam session.

Become a Virtual Assistant

Earning potential: $15-$30/hour

Why it’s great: For gaining experience and testimonials

VAs are in demand by professionals all over the world, but it’s likely there’s someone in your immediate network that could benefit from your assistance, too. Depending on what your skills are and who’s in your network, you could be doing anything from setting up appointments and responding to emails to managing their social media accounts, creating content, and interacting with customers on their behalf.

Be an Online English Tutor

Earning potential: $10-$25/hour

Why it’s great: It’s an easy job and you’ll get to meet interesting people from all over the world.

If you’re a native English speaker living in the US, UK, CA, NZ, or AU, you can make money from home by having fun conversations with interesting people from all over the world! Cambly is an online ESL platform that connects tutors with students from multiple countries who are interested in learning and/or practicing English. The majority of students are already at a conversational level, and you can choose which age bracket/experience status you prefer to tutor so that it’s as easy as possible for you. One awesome thing about the platform is that you can work 24/7, so it’s one of the best online side hustles for those who have other priorities during regular work hours.

Try Your Hand(s) At Modeling

Earning potential: $1-$1,000 per day or more

Why it’s great: It’s fun, it’s fairly easy, and it gives you a chance to create relationships with great brands.

hand model online side hustle

Has anyone ever told you that you’ve got awesome hands? Or do you just know it to be true? In any case, you could be making money from home as a freelance hand model! There are a couple of ways you can get started. You’ll definitely need something that takes good pictures (a phone may even work at first.) But, if you’ve got a professional camera and lighting, even better! Amazon sells complete pro photography kits that come with a camera and tripod, along with plenty of other accessories to make your job easier!

Take a few shots of your hands modeling things like nail polish (paint your nails and hold the bottle, etc.) You can also hold things like purses, cleaning supplies, etc. Then, post the photos on Fiverr and Upwork along with a killer gig description that tempts buyers into working with you, and you’re on your way to becoming a professional freelance hand model! You can also start your own website where you can feature your photos and attract sponsors for paid posts, etc.

Start a YouTube Channel

Earning potential: $50-$5,000/month or more

Why it’s great: Makes a great platform to express and enjoy yourself.

While it’s not very reasonable to aim for becoming a millionaire on YouTube (not that there aren’t people who are doing just that,) you can absolutely set up a channel where you’re able to make good money through ads and sponsors. This is a great online side hustle for those of you that are artistic and/or have something you’d like to say to the world. Packaging those messages in the form of skits or videos, etc, can be both fun and give you the opportunity to make an income doing what you enjoy.

Sell Your Photos

Earning potential: $.10-$1,000 per photo or more

Why it’s great: It provides creative freedom, for the most part, and is fun for those who enjoy photography.

Photo by Noémi Macavei-Katócz

Do you have an eye for taking photos? There are plenty of ways you can earn a solid side income as a freelance photographer. One such way is to sell your photos on sites like Gettyimages and Shutterstock. You can also sign up for an on-demand type of service on a website such as Scoopshot. Alternatively, you can launch your own website to sell your services. Focusing on a particular niche that’s profitable at the moment can help you to make more money. Some possible niches include food photography, aerial/drone photography, and nature photography.

Become a Social Media Manager

Earning potential: $20-$60/hour

Why it’s great: Help brands and entrepreneurs expand their digital presence and connect with more people.

Selling social media management services can be one of the most lucrative online side hustles of the 2020s. You should stick to whichever platform(s) you feel most comfortable working with. Offer your social media management services on your own website and/or social media pages to get started.

Flip Domain Names

Earning potential: $10-$100,000/year or more

Why it’s great: It’s easy once you understand the process.

Since domain names are basically the real estate of the internet, it only stands to reason that you can make some pretty good money by “flipping” them in the same way you’d flip a house – buy it cheap and sell it to someone else at a (much) higher cost. And, just like real estate, the cost of some of these pieces of digital property can vary depending on what’s in demand at the time. Some domains have been known to sell for hundreds of thousands, and even millions, of dollars, like cars.com, which according to GoDaddy, sold for $872 million.

Start a Blog

Earning potential: $20-$20,000/month

Why it’s great: Blogs give you a platform to sell other products and/or services and make an excellent way to create an interest in what you have to offer.

Blogging can be an excellent side hustle that can lead to a killer residual income if done correctly. There are all kinds of different ways you can monetize a blog, none of which will happen very quickly. For this side hustle to be worth it, you’ll need to commit to posting engaging and insightful content on a regular basis. Once you’ve got your platform up and running, you’ll need to grow your following to maximize your earning potential. Some ways you can earn money from blogging include selling products or services, affiliate marketing, and sponsored posts.

Consult at Clarity

Earning potential: $60-$160/hour

Why it’s great: It gives you a way to share your valuable skills with those who are interested in learning them and get paid (well) for it.

Are you an expert at something like branding, software development, WordPress, or E-commerce? You could be making $60-$100/hour or more consulting through Clarity.fm. This website connects experts with those who are willing to pay a pretty penny for their advice. Apply today and start earning an hourly income from home by providing advice to callers through Clarity!

Sell on Etsy

Earning potential: $1,000-$100,000/year or more

Why it’s great: You can make a decent amount of money by selling the things you enjoy creating.

Photo by Mong Bui

Do you have a knack for creating cool (and/or delicious) stuff? Why not turn it into a profitable online side hustle? Etsy isn’t just about art. You can sell all kinds of things on the platform, including patterns and fonts, clothes, and even different types of food. Do you make a mean cookie, candy, jam, or cake? If you can package it and ship it, you can turn it into an online side hustle and sell it on Etsy!

Make Your Online Side Hustles Work For You

As with any job, to make a substantial income from anything on this list, you’ll need to dedicate the time and energy to turning them into lucrative side hustles, and possibly even more. If you’re planning to start freelancing, start a professional website to showcase your skills. Are you going to launch a YouTube channel or online store? Make sure you’re also thinking about how you’re going to let people know that it exists, etc.

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Erika Sellmer is a digital content specialist with a passion for remote work and empathic design.