Easy & Lucrative Side Hustles From Home To Try In 2024

Are you a stay-at-home parent who’s been wanting to help with your bills?

Do you have other skills or talents you think you could profit from?

Whatever the reasons, a side hustle from home could be what you’re looking for.

Are you interested? Then, let’s walk you through the best side hustles from home to earn extra income.

The Best Side Hustles From Home (Overview)

There are several side hustle opportunities depending on your skills and availability. Here’s a quick overview of the best side hustle ideas without leaving your couch:

• ONLINE FREELANCING (Best Overall)
• ANSWERING ONLINE SURVEYS (Best Easy Earning)
• DROPSHIPPING BUSINESS (Best Passive Business)
• FREELANCE WRITER (Best for Writers)
• VIRTUAL ASSISTANT (Best for Creatives)
• PUBLISHING EBOOKS (Best Long-Term Income)
• COACHING AND ONLINE COURSES (Best for Experts)
• ONLINE SELLING (Best Quick Income)
• TEACHING ENGLISH (Best for Educators)
• YOUTUBE CHANNEL (Best for Fun)

Getting Started With Side Hustles From Home

With the help of modern technology, the internet, and social media, having gigs apart from your day job has become more accessible.

But what exactly is a side hustle from home? And why should anyone consider having one of these jobs?

What are Side Hustles From Home?

A side hustle from home is a business or gig that an individual pursues alongside another, typically more stable career.

‍You can call it a side gig, side job, or moonlighting—it’s all the same.

Side hustles from home are an excellent way to make extra income. It lets you explore many career and business opportunities without leaving your home’s comfort.

Most of these jobs don’t even require much investment to start earning.

Why Should You Consider a Home-Based Side Hustle?

According to recent reports, almost half of the American working population has side hustles apart from their regular jobs. And there are several reasons why having a side gig is becoming a trend.

A side hustle from home can let you generate more income for your household—and it can be lucrative.‍

Side hustlers earn between $1,000 and $5,000 per month, with some reporting to earn $10,000 and more.

Most of these jobs offer flexible schedules. So you won’t need to worry about juggling a busy timetable or sacrificing quality time for your family and friends.

The Best Home-Based Side Hustles at a Glance

Here are our top-rated side hustles from home for your quick reference.

What is the Best Side Hustle From Home?

Freelancing is the best side hustle you can do remotely for its income and flexibility. It’s also one of the most in-demand gigs online.

As a freelancer, you control your time, earnings, and location. You can choose the clients you want to work with and manage schedules as you see fit.

It’s an excellent way to bank on your skills and improve them in the process.

What is the Easiest Side Hustle From Home?

One of the easiest side hustles you can apply from home is answering online surveys.

It’s one of the quickest ways to earn online, with your spare time as your only investment.

In answering questionnaires, you earn by sharing your opinion on any topic. You can work answering online surveys anytime and anywhere, even from your bed.

The Best Home-Based Side Hustles in 2024

Finding a side hustle can be challenging if you don’t know where or what to look for. So, here are some of the best home-based side gigs you can try in 2023:

1. Online Freelancing

If you have practical skills or talents like graphic design, content editing, art making, or social media management, marketing them online is a fantastic way to earn additional income at home.

In online freelancing, clients hire you to do specific tasks without committing to a full-time employment contract.‍

The clients pay per hour, per task, or per project, depending on your preference, with an average annual salary of $50,000.

The cost of becoming a freelancer can vary depending on the services you’re offering.

For example, if you’re providing art services, you’ll need the necessary devices and tools to do the job.

You’ll also need to invest time in marketing your skills online—via email or social media.

There are plenty of methods you can use to start freelancing. But the fastest route to reach clients is through a side hustle directory or online freelancing platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer.

You can join these freelance marketplaces by signing up, building your profile, and marketing your service.

2. Answering Surveys

Answering questionnaires and surveys is an excellent place to start earning online with less effort.

‍In this job, companies pay you to share your opinion about products, services, and systems.‍

Survey organizations pay $2 to $10 for every session, with some companies paying as high as $100 for detailed reviews.

Answering surveys for companies doesn’t require upfront cost or investment, as long as you have a device and an internet.

To get started, you need only sign up and create an online account for the survey platform.

You can then choose questionnaires with the appropriate target demographic and begin answering.

Survey Junkie, DScout, and User Interviews are examples of legitimate survey groups paying reviewers.

Swagbucks and Mypoints.com are excellent alternatives that pay users for playing games, watching videos, buying online, and answering questions.

3. Dropshipping Business

If you have a knack for business, dropshipping online goods is your perfect side hustle to make passive income.

‍In this business, you sell products to the customers and forward the sale to your supplier, who then delivers the goods to the customer on your behalf.‍

It’s a lucrative side hustle that can earn you up to $100,000 yearly.

Launching a dropshipping online business requires an online store.

So, you’ll need at least $1,000 for operating expenses, including web hosting, supplier dropshipping, and incorporating fees.

Success as a drop shipper depends on your ability to select the best products and suppliers to maintain profit.

It also needs a good e-commerce outlet to integrate you with other vendors. Some examples of these platforms are WordPress, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Shopify.

4. SEO Writing

Companies hire writers to create affiliate marketing materials, such as editorials, SEO articles, social media posts, blogs, and editorials.‍

As a writer, you can willingly choose the clients you want to work with and charge per word or project.

Glassdoor estimates the earnings of content writers to be around $47,000 to $75,000 per year.

Starting a career in writing content doesn’t need upfront costs. But you’ll need a device to write on and a stable internet connection.

You could invest in writing software and tools to make your work process painless, such as Grammarly and plagiarism checkers.

There are two pathways you can take to become a writer online.

First, apply to companies providing freelance writing gigs like Writing Studio, Verblio, Blogging Pro, and Draft. Second, sell writing services through online marketplaces.

5. Virtual Assistant

Individuals who enjoy working with clients should consider becoming a virtual assistant.

‍As the name suggests, you’ll provide personal assistance to customers.‍

The tasks can involve anything, from appointment scheduling, drafting emails, making phone calls, setting travel arrangements, and data entry.

Yearly earnings for VAs are anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000.

Virtual assistants must communicate with their clients efficiently.

So, you’ll need a reliable internet connection, headphones, microphones, web cameras, and a laptop.

Expect to spend anywhere between $100 to $2,000.

Explore sites like Flexjobs, Boldly, and Time Etc for VA gigs. Virtual assistant apps can also help you find clients and market your services as a VA.

Some examples of VA applications available are TaskRabbit, Upwork, and ChatterBoss.

6. PUBLISHING EBOOKS

Self-publishing ebooks online is another fantastic side job for writers.‍

You can bank on your talent for crafting stories, providing instructions, or giving reviews and transform it into a profitable side gig.

Self-published authors earn around 40% to 60% royalties for every purchase, with some authors earning $1,000 a month.

On average, a single ebook has around 2,500 to 5,000 words.

Publishing short ebooks could cost you between $100 to $250, while longer publications can exceed $1000.

Writing and editing software for covers and designs can also increase your upfront investment.

Sign up on ebook publishing platforms such as Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing.

Other alternatives are Barnes & Noble Press, Lulu, Smashwords, and Kobo.

After signing up, set your ebook price, distribution area, and royalty account, and watch the royalties roll in.

7. COACHING AND ONLINE COURSES

Coaching is a great side job if you’re an expert in a particular subject.‍

As a coach, you’ll earn by crafting and selling online programs through vendor websites.

Your course content can be informational videos, ebooks, articles, images, or a combination of everything.

Pair it with an effective marketing strategy, and you can earn an average of $10,000 monthly.

The primary cost of starting a career selling courses depends on the vendor platform you’re using.

Some marketplaces offer their services for free, while others bill monthly subscriptions or take a small portion of your sales.

Making the online course content can cost you roughly $200 to $10,000.

Many platforms host services for students and coaches to meet.

Try websites like Udemy, Skillshare, Podia, Thinkific, and Teachable.

Most of these sites offer beginner-friendly tutorials in making and selling course content for newbie coaches.

8. ONLINE SELLING

You don’t have the time or money to invest? Make extra income by selling out unused or old items in your house.‍

It’s one of the most painless side-job alternatives without the need to market your skills or build experience.

By selling used items online, you can clear out clutter, improve your living space, and earn, all at the same time.

Selling used items is a low-cost job for stay-at-home individuals.

A camera, a computer, and a stable internet connection is all the cost you’ll need.

However, you can also use your smartphone with a clear camera.

Take a good photo of your items, set your price, include a detailed description, and you’re good to go.

You can use virtually any networking website to market your goods. Amazon, Etsy, eBay, and Craigslist are some of the most popular vendor websites for this purpose.

Social media platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Twitter, and Tumblr are incredible places to post your items as well.

9. TEACHING ENGLISH

As schools shift toward hybrid setups, teaching language online became a remarkable way for teachers and instructors at heart to make $10 to $40 per hour.

‍As an English language teacher, you’ll create lesson plans, present learning material, and assess student learning.‍

The goal is to improve non-native speaker students’ English communication skills.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to start teaching. And contrary to popular belief, teaching English online doesn’t demand a bachelor’s degree in education.

But you’ll need a TEFL certificate, which is $300 to $600, and online teaching devices, including a laptop, webcam, speaker, and internet connection.

Selling your teaching services through freelance marketplaces such as Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer is one way to go.

To maximize your income, you can apply to English-teaching companies for non-native learners like Preply, EF Education First, TUTORiNG, and Cafetalk.

Plenty of teachers join multiple companies to optimize their working hours.

10. YOUTUBE VLOG

Are you looking for a fun side hustle?

Consider becoming a YouTuber and creating videos, sharing your experiences, talents, and skills online.

‍YouTubers write scripts, record films, edit videos, and build communities online.

They work independently or with a company and earn between $100 to $80,000 per month from ads and views.

YouTube is a free video-sharing platform with no cost to join.

There’s also no limit to the number of videos you can upload. Still, recording and editing videos require a camera and editing software.

Building your subscriber base needs considerable time and patience as well.

Because of its high earning potential, more and more people want a career as a content creator for YouTube.

Plus, the demand for YouTube content has rapidly grown since YouTube’s conception in 2005.

To start your vlogging career, go to YouTube, create a channel by signing up, and monetize your uploads.

How to Start a Side Hustle From Home

Knowing the basics of side hustles is vital to succeed in this industry.

Below are five tips to remember when choosing a side job to help you get started.

1. Match Your Interests

Don’t choose a side hustle based on salary. Instead, pick a job where you can incorporate your interests, skills, and talents.‍

For example, if you’re good at English but don’t enjoy teaching or speaking in front of a crowd, making money by tutoring online could be a poor gig choice.

A good rule of thumb is to combine your skills with the activities you enjoy doing.

2. Determine Your Goals

It’s crucial to determine your goals before starting a side hustle.

• Do you want a second job for extra income?
• Are you trying to pursue your passion?
• Do you want to explore other career choices?

Knowing your answers to these questions is beneficial to your motivation and success.

3. Manage Your Schedule

Schedule management is a crucial part of the task. So, if you have a full-time job, consider the time you’re willing to invest in your part-time work.

It’s best to avoid gigs that demand too much time right off the bat to prevent immediate burnout.

However, you’d also want to dedicate enough time to earn sufficiently.

4. Study the Industry

Studying your industry niche is essential to creating a robust business or career plan. The same rule applies when picking a side gig.

Research your niche and determine its competition level and potential earnings.

Examine your competitors’ quality of services and compare it with what you’re providing.

5. Maintain Healthy Workload

We call it a side hustle, but you’re still legitimately working at home.

For this reason, setting guidelines for how much time and effort you’ll spend on your side job can help prevent burnout.

If you want to succeed, avoid over-committing, and don’t forget to set aside time for self-care and personal activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still curious about home-based side hustles? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions for more information.

What is a Good Side Hustle That Pays Well?

There are plenty of side hustles that pay well.

If you have the skills, you can provide services to clients willing to pay online, also called freelancing, through online marketplaces.

Money earned from freelance work ranges between $20 to $40 an hour.

Some examples of high-paying freelance jobs are graphic designing, web designing, and programming.

How Can a Beginner Make Money Online?

Beginners can find several opportunities to make money online.

But you need to consider the skills and talents at your disposal. If you’re good at writing, starting a blog or working as a freelance writer could suit you.

Aside from writing, other beginner-friendly online jobs are data entry, online selling, and answering surveys.

Wrapping Up

For this roundup, freelancing is our best pick as a home-based side hustle for its flexibility and high earning potential.

But if you’re considering long-term passive income, dropshipping or self-publishing ebooks are your best alternatives.

Side hustles provide great opportunities to profit with free time and unutilized skills or talents.

With little investment, you can generate extra income and help improve your financial stability.

Take your pick and start earning now!