53 Side Hustle Ideas to Make Extra Money in 2026

Are you looking for ways to make extra money on the side while maintaining your day job? You’re not alone. Whether it’s to pay off debt, save up an emergency fund or simply have a little more money in your pocket, there are plenty of opportunities available to help you supplement your income.

From online freelancing jobs to traditional side hustles, this article includes a comprehensive list of 53 profitable ideas that can help you make extra money on the side. With the right combination of creativity, determination and hard work, you can start earning extra income in no time.

Read on for some of the best side hustles that can help you start making money today.

1. Sell items on eBay, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace

One of the surest ways you can make a little extra money if you’re in a bind is to sell items on sites like eBay, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Any used items like furniture, household appliances, collectibles or anything else that you’re just not using or are collecting dust, can be sold online to make extra cash.

If you’re serious about this, you can even do it professionally for others and collect a small commission for each sale. Take quality photos and write a good description and you’ll be in great shape.

2. Recycle used smartphones on Gazelle

I’ve sold a few used smartphones on Gazelle and it’s a no-hassle way of making some extra cash if you have an old iPhone, Samsung smartphone or another device sitting around. While it’s not the most lucrative side hustle, you will be able to get a little bit of extra money that might just help you out depending on your financial situation.

3. Drive for Uber or Lyft

One of the most widely available side hustles is to drive for Uber or Lyft. The sharing economy has quite literally exploded, and both Uber and Lyft are at the forefront. The best part? You can turn on and off your availability through these networks with the simple click of a button, effectively allowing you to make extra bucks with ridesharing in your spare time.

4. Deliver for PostMates

Another great option for earning extra income is to deliver for PostMates. Similar to working for Uber and Lyft, you can work whenever you want. While the pay might not be enormous, you do have the ability to earn tips. If you’re in a highly trafficked area such as Los Angeles or New York City, this is a great way to earn some cash without quitting your day job–and you don’t even need a car. A similar food delivery service is DoorDash.

5. Rent your spare room on Airbnb

Airbnb offers a great resource for people that are willing to rent out a spare room or even their entire home. If you’re in a bind for some fast cash, Airbnb offers you an avenue for creating a great side hustle.

You’ll get paid 24 hours after a guest checks in, which is to avoid any problems or potential scams that might arise. Some people earn their primary income just by renting out their real estate on Airbnb.

6. Manage social media for small businesses

Many small businesses need a social media manager and simply don’t have the time nor the expertise to be constantly posting on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter. Take it upon yourself to contact local businesses and offer up your services for a contracted monthly fee. Managing a social media account is an easy way to make extra money online no matter where you live.

7. Sell services on Fiverr

Fiverr helped give birth to the Gig Economy. Although services start out at $5, some Fiverr sellers are earning six-figure-plus revenues annually. You can sell just about anything on this platform, from podcast development to proofreading. However, to succeed and become a Super Seller, you need to deliver massive amounts of value, even at those lower price-points.

8. Tutor over Skype

Another creative side hustle idea: You can tutor people over Skype, no matter where you might live. This is great, especially if you’re a digital nomad and you’re looking to earn more money than the local job market can potentially provide. Tutor people from the United States or United Kingdom if you’re traveling through Asia or another low-cost-of-living country around the world.

9. Start a blog

Okay, so you won’t make good money that fast with a blog. But, if you start a blog and deliver enormous amounts of value, you could set yourself up with a platform for ending a tremendous amount of passive income. This hustle idea is something you can easily build on the side with just a few hours of work per week, but you need to stay consistent and post great content regularly.

10. Create an online course

Create an online course with a platform like Udemy or Teachable and leverage some of your skills to create a healthy extra income. Depending upon how much time you invest in your course, you could make a substantial side revenue stream by creating courses that deliver tremendous amounts of value.

11. Build a sales funnel with ClickFunnels

As an online marketer and a software engineer, I am obsessed with sales funnels. However, many people struggle with creating the proper funnel that converts. It takes a high degree of technical and marketing knowledge. However, ClickFunnels, a SaaS business with over 40,000 customers, which was started by Russell Brunson, takes all the guesswork out of that. Build a sales funnel and automate your selling with a platform like this.

12. Write an ebook

I’ve long been drawn to the passive income supplied by creating an ebook and publishing an accompanied print-on-demand paperback. By using platforms like KDP and CreateSpace , both by Amazon, you can easily create and sell an ebook that costs nothing to produce, and a paperback that earns you money only when it sells, removing much of the prior friction it took to get published.

13. Produce an audiobook

Use a platform like ACX to create and sell audiobooks on platforms like Audible and iTunes. If you have a great idea for a non-fiction audiobook where you can teach a difficult skill, like stock trading, foreign currency investing, accounting, online marketing or others, you can easily create a five-figure monthly income with the right volume of audiobooks.

14. Become a personal chef

Are you a good cook? You could become a personal chef and prepare meals for other people. You could easily market your services on social media or even go all out and build yourself a website. There are also plenty of websites you can use to market your services such as HireAChef.

15. Walk dogs

Almost anyone can walk dogs. If you live in a dog-filled neighborhood, create a few flyers on your computer and slip them into mailboxes. Identify yourself as a dog walker and pitch your price. Build up a steady stream of clients and your dog-walking service will grow over time.

16. Babysit or become a nanny

If you need to make some quick cash, you could always start babysitting or even become a part-time nanny. You use a variety of sites to do this like Care.com or SitterCity or even post your services on social media sites. You’ll get vetted and rated for your services, so be sure to provide a top-notch experience.

17. Clean houses

Housekeeping is always a viable side hustle. There are loads of private families and homeowners that are renting out their homes on a short-term basis that need housekeeping or house cleaning services. You can list your services on a site like HouseKeeper.com and many others to promote your services.

18. Participate in marketing focus groups

Marketing companies are always holding focus groups to study the consumer’s response to products, services and advertisements across a variety of mediums. I used to participate in these studies often in college, and so can you to generate some extra cash. You don’t need any special training to do it.

19. Have a garage sale

You could always hold a garage sale to make some extra money by getting rid of excess clutter in your house. This is great if you have children that have outgrown toys or you simply have a large number of items that you’re looking to part ways with. Post up some signs around town or advertise on Craigslist.

20. Create YouTube tutorials

Although this isn’t the quickest way you can make extra income, creating YouTube tutorials can help you earn a respectable amount of money as long as what you deliver is engaging and keeps people interested for long enough. You could also use free tutorials to upsell viewers on products and services you might be offering.

21. Sell technical services on Upwork

I’ve used Upwork as a platform to hire graphic and web designers for a long time. But Upwork also provides a platform for accountants, lawyers and other professionals to earn money. Keep in mind that you’re keeping with thousands of other service providers so getting this off the ground will take you some time.

22. Design logos on 99Designs

If you’re graphically inclined and can use programs like Photoshop and Illustrator, you could potentially compete for design work on 99Designs. However, you won’t get paid unless your graphic design is chosen as the winning design, meaning you need to be a very good designer to make extra income that’s worthwhile here.

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23. Use TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit links you up with people that are looking to complete specific tasks in your area. Tasks include things like lifting heavy furniture, assembling furniture and so on. You’ll need to register and get vetted but it’s a simple way you can make a bit of extra income in your spare time.

24. Sell products on Etsy

Another perfect side hustle: Use Etsy to sell crafts or other homemade items. Etsy is one of the largest resources for selling handmade goods on the internet. You could also sell digital items such as digital posters that can be printed out.

25. Teach a language

If you know a second language, and you’re well-versed enough in it, you could teach it to others as a second job. If you’re traveling as a digital nomad, you could teach English as a second language in your country of choice.

26. Wash and detail cars

Wash and detail cars in your area. Hand out flyers in your neighborhood or post on social media offering your services. Mobile car washing and detailing has become a relatively lucrative business in more upscale neighborhoods.

27. Open a mobile pet grooming service

Try your hand at pet grooming. Purchase and outfit a mobile van so that you can groom pets on the go. This does require a small investment, but it’s a side job you could enjoy when you have spare time.

28. Start a food truck

Purchasing a food truck requires a substantial investment, but the food truck business is growing significantly. Location and cuisine choice is important to the success of this side hustle. Be sure to do ample research before getting started.

29. Become a freelance article writer

Earn extra bucks by freelance writing articles for other people. If you have a passion for writing, you could help out other bloggers or even become a ghostwriter for well-known business leaders. Use sites like Freelancer, Upwork and others to advertise your services as a freelance writer.

30. Personal training

A great option for the fitness junkie: Find clients you can help out to achieve their weight loss or fitness goals. Create meal plans or construct workout routines and you could make an admirable income for your efforts. Make sure to get the proper fitness training certifications first.

31. Give music lessons

If you play the piano, guitar or another instrument, consider teaching others in your local area. Advertise online through social media or through your personal or professional networks.

32. Become an affiliate marketer

Affiliate marketing is an extremely alluring industry. However, many affiliate marketers don’t make much money. If you have the skills it takes to succeed in this arena, you could quite literally make a small fortune. But be careful not to get drawn into pie-in-the-sky hopes or dreams of making easy money without putting in much effort.

33. Do email marketing

Email marketing is one of the most profitable forms of marketing that exists in the digital marketing space. However, attracting subscribers and making a personal connection with them takes a good deal of work. Use platforms like LeadPages, Aweber, Constant Contact, MailChimp and ConvertKit to get things off the ground.

34. Write resumes

If you have a skill for writing resumes, use sites like LinkedIn and other professional platforms to advertise your resume writing services. Do a few for free and grab some raving reviews, then watch your sales skyrocket.

35. Become a house sitter

Become a professional house sitter and watch homes for people that go on vacation or have a second home and don’t spend much time there. HouseSitter.com and Care.com both offer house-sitting jobs.

36. Teach driving lessons to students

Are you a great driver? Why not get licensed as a driving instructor? You can advertise your services both online and offline, or use a site like Indeed.com to search for part-time driving instructor jobs.

37. Become a local tour guide

If you live in a vacation destination, consider becoming a local tour guide. You could even offer your services for free and then ask for a tip at the end, drawing more people into touring with you.

38. Become a virtual assistant

Virtual assistants are in high demand, but it only makes sense from an income standpoint if you have the spare time and are highly organized, because the workload can rival full time work. It also doesn’t hurt to live in an area with a lower cost of living.

39. Do interior decorating

If you have an eye for design, consider doing interior decorating for clients. Use a site like Houzz to advertise your skill and services to the masses.

Basic knowledge of colors and fabrics is helpful, as well as experience in taking measurements, creating floor plans, and working with a budget. Once you’ve gained experience, you can even consider starting your own business!

40. Sell on CafePress

CafePress allows you to sell items that feature a digital design. If you’re a great graphic designer, you could create a number of designs that would fit different formats such as shirts, hats and cups, and earn a commission when they sell.

You don’t need to have any design experience; all you need is a computer with a good internet connection and the ability to create basic designs in graphics software. CafePress will pay you for every item sold in your store.

The more you sell, the higher your profits will be. There are no upfront costs involved in setting up a store on CafePress, and you can even add links to your store from other websites or social media accounts.

So if you have a creative side and want to make some extra cash, selling items on CafePress could be the perfect side hustle.

41. Invest with LendingClub

LendingClub is a peer-to-peer lending service that you can invest in. If you have some extra cash and you’re looking to put it to use, you can leverage this platform to invest in businesses from a wide range of industries. Risk is calculated for you using algorithms, and the more risk in an investment, the more potential for reward.

42. Run Instagram or Tiktok ads for other businesses

If you have experience running ads for yourself, you could offer your services to other businesses. You can charge a fee for setting up and managing the campaigns. This is especially interesting if you can run successful campaigns as it will attract more customers that want to get in on it.

If you are a marketing whiz, seek out brands that don’t seem to be connecting with Gen-Z on social media. Offer a freebie to get started and quickly work your way up to $1,000 a month or more without taking up too much of your time.

43. Sell NFTs

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are digital assets that have become extremely popular in the past few years. A lot of people are interested, from business owners and investors to side hustlers like you.

NFTs use blockchain technology to register unique pieces of artwork, music, or other items so they can be bought and sold online.

If you’re creative and have something original to offer, selling NFTs can be a great way to make extra money as a side gig. All you need to do is create your artwork, music, or other items and upload them to a marketplace like OpenSea or Rarible.

From there, buyers can purchase your NFTs with cryptocurrency or digital payments like PayPal. With each sale you make, you’ll earn a profit. And since NFTs can be resold, you may even find that they continue to bring in revenue over time.

So if you’re looking for a good side hustle, selling NFTs is definitely worth considering.

44. Edit videos

If you have the right equipment and software, editing videos has a lot of earning potential. You can edit promotional materials for companies or create content for YouTube channels. Since creators want their content trending, video editors are in-demand.

You don’t need to be a professional videographer to get started; all you need is some basic video editing skills and an eye for detail. With enough time and dedication, you can make editing videos your full-time job.

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45. Become a Notary Public

Want a gig that allows you to engage with people and enjoy flexible hours? Consider becoming a Notary Public. You can sign up for courses, like those from the National Notary Association or the Loan Signing System, to learn notarial laws and how to navigate loan documents. This side hustle has the potential to be even more lucrative if you start your own signing service business.

46. Offer AI prompt consulting services

In the age of rapidly advancing AI, there’s no shortage of related side hustles to consider. Individuals or organizations that need help creating and optimizing prompts for AI systems — think large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT or Gemini — hire experts to do just that. If you have in-demand knowledge or training in your field, use it to earn some extra cash.

47. Sell a niche subscription box

Curating and selling a subscription box could be a lucrative and fulfilling side hustle if you have a passion for products you want to share with others. From charcuterie to makeup, books and more, the possibilities are nearly endless. Choose your niche and test the market. If there’s enough demand to scale, consider connecting with a marketing team and logistics company to take your business to the next level.

48. Pet sit

If you like spending time with animals and want to make some money doing it, look no further than a pet-sitting side hustle. Pet owners need reliable help to care for their pets when they’re away — and will often pay well to know they’re in good hands. This could be a suitable gig if you have experience with animals or are willing to learn. Trusted House Sitters and Care.com are two popular options for connecting homeowners with sitters for extended stays.

49. Rent outdoor spaces

If you have outdoor space that’s sitting empty, someone might be willing to pay for it. Side-hustlers earn passive income by renting out their pools on Swimply, land on Sniffspot, parking spots on Neighbor and more. Don’t let your unused property go to waste: Turn it into extra cash.

50. Rent items you’re not using

Likewise, there’s a good chance that someone wants to rent items you own but don’t use day-to-day. From renting out baby gear on BabyQuip to clothing on Pickle, cars on Turo and more, there’s probably a market for those quality possessions you’re able to part with temporarily. For some people, these rental gigs even have the potential to out-earn their day jobs.

51. Provide digital decluttering services for businesses

Have a talent for organization? These days, people and businesses need to stay on top of the digital deluge — from achieving “inbox zero” to removing unused applications, conducting cybersecurity audits and more. Some of them are even willing to outsource the effort. If you’re up to the task, offering digital decluttering services could be your next side hustle.

52. Help local businesses revamp their SEO strategy

Every business can benefit from a sharp SEO strategy, but smaller, local ones might not have the budget to hire a full-time employee to work on it. If SEO optimization is in your wheelhouse, consider helping the mom-and-pop shops in your neighborhood strengthen their visibility online. With this side hustle, word-of-mouth referrals have the potential to build significant business.

53. Write cold emails for hyper-specific niches

Although many businesses have started to rely on ChatGPT and other AI tools to churn out cold email copy, by now, most savvy recipients can spot the signs — and it signals lack of effort. Entrepreneurs who want their cold emails to stand out are often willing to invest in someone who knows their business and can humanize it. If you have writing chops and niche expertise, writing cold emails could be a lucrative remote side hustle.

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