The Best Side Hustles For Earning Money In Your Twenties
Side hustles are one of the most popular trends right now among young people: it allows you to make some money alongside being a full-time employee or student, which you can put towards your savings, travel, going out, or just treating yourself. If you’re looking to have some extra cash in your wallet this summer, these are the best side hustles for earning money in your twenties!
1. Depop / Poshmark
Most people reading this article probably have clothes that they either don’t wear or don’t fit into, so why not make some money off these by selling them instead of letting them gather dust in your closet? Apps like Depop and Poshmark allow you to sell your clothes to people around the country and world, and they’re one of the most popular side hustles for young people looking to make some extra money.
Shipping costs usually aren’t expensive or included, and both give you labels for shipping your clothes to make the process as smooth as possible. Selling clothes also helps avoid the trend of fast fashion, which hurts the environment through the production of wastewater and carbon emissions. So even if you’re not looking to sell your clothes, you can always look to apps like these the next time you shop to limit your carbon footprint.
2. Tutoring on uni application essays
If you’re a university student or you’ve already graduated, you can easily lend yourself to side hustles like essay writing, particularly for students who are applying to university and seeking help with their application essays. Because everyone wants to get into a good uni, you can actually make decent money by offering your services and helping students write their application essays.
3. Wag! / Rover
For all dog lovers, there are a number of side hustles out there where you can make money from hanging out with pups. Wag! mainly specifies in dog walking services, while Rover offers dog walking as well as dog boarding, house sitting, and doggy daycare. For both, you need to pass a background check (which can be a small fee — on Wag! it’s $25), but the application process is quite painless for both.
This is a great idea if you live in a big city or you’re home for the summer, as you can report to dog walking jobs when they pop up and then earn some serious cash for as little as a 20-minute dog walk. It’s also one of the side hustles that’s suitable for people who work or study full-time because you choose which dog walking jobs you want to accept!
4. Online tutoring
If you’re a student looking for side hustles, online tutoring is an excellent way to work around your schedule and help others with their studies. Whether you’re a science or arts student, you can offer your skills and knowledge to other students, online or even in person, and customise your hourly rate. There are a number of online tutoring websites out there depending on your education level and location, or you could even start your own tutoring business in your town.
5. Photography
Have a camera and some basic photography skills? People want to have their photo taken more than ever before, so photography is one of the side hustles you should start now before the market of photographers gets too crowded. Your rates will definitely depend on the quality of photos you take and your camera equipment, but it’s perfect for those people who have a nice camera or are looking to improve upon their photography skills.
There are sites like the start-up Shuttr where you can offer freelance photography services to people in your area, though you can also design your own photography business to people around you, whether it’s taking pictures of tourists that come to visit your area or doing graduation portraits if you’re at university.
6. Resume help
For those who have a killer resume or LinkedIn profile, helping others develop their resume is one of the side hustles with serious consumer demand, as everyone’s trying to nail that perfect job or internship. Though university students may be able to visit their Careers Centre, it can feel more personal and approachable to visit a fellow student or twenty-something, and you can also assist people who aren’t at university and without access to this kind of resource.
Whether it’s advising on what to include in a resume, fully developing a LinkedIn profile, helping draft a cover letter, or designing a visually creative resume that will stand out from the crowd, offering services like these will be much appreciated by your community and is sure to earn you some extra cash.
7. eBay / Facebook Marketplace
Do your parents have random kitchen appliances, furniture, or other household items around the house that they don’t want? Instead of hosting a garage sale and not making a lot of money, sell your items on eBay or Facebook Marketplace and maximise the profits.
Depending on the items you’re selling, it would be wise to utilise Facebook Marketplace and eBay but for different purposes: If you have larger items that are sure to sell in your local community (and things that would be costly to ship), sell them on Marketplace and have the buyer pick it up from you, as Marketplace advertises your items locally. However, if you have something smaller that would sell better with a larger audience, and possibly worldwide, use eBay.
eBay does have some fees and will deduct some money from your purchases, unlike Facebook, but it’s worth using if your items would sell for less on Marketplace.
8. Blogging
Though blogging is definitely one of the side hustles where you can’t just hit the ground running and earn money immediately, it’s a profitable side hustle for many people after they develop an audience. If you’re seriously passionate about writing and have a particular niche you could write about — be it mental health, travel, university, you name it — then definitely look into starting your own blog.
There are tons of resources online about how to make money blogging and grow your audience, so definitely do your research and be patient if you’re wanting to turn blogging into a profitable side hustle.
9. Teach English
Not only is teaching English one of the most popular side hustles, but many people have also gone as far as to turn it into their full-time job! Some English teaching jobs will require you to have a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate, which is worth looking into if this side hustle excites you, but for other jobs, this isn’t necessary.
Teaching English can either be done around the world, allowing you to travel and make money or from the comfort of your own home with websites like QKids, where you teach English to children via video chatting.
10. Instagram
Similar to blogging, Instagram isn’t one of the side hustles that you can start making money from overnight, but now more than ever, young people are becoming Instagram influencers by creating an aesthetic feed, developing an engaged audience, and then collaborating with brands on Instagram ads for a profit.
You’ll definitely need patience, time, and a love for being photographed to turn this hobby into a side hustle, but otherwise, it’s definitely possible and worth investing your energy in if you love it.
11. Sell your notes
For all the students out there looking some side hustles to earn passive income, there are so many websites out there that will allow you to submit your notes and make some money off them over time! Many sites require typed notes and for your notes to be at least 15-20 pages in length, and then you’ll earn a profit every time other students buy your notes.
Check out Nexus Notes, Course Hero, Oxbridge Notes, and Stuvia, among others, to find which site best suits you.
12. YouTube
Instagram, blogging, and YouTube are all side hustles which require some patience, creativity, and possibly some camera equipment (you can always use your phone though if it has a good camera). However, this is probably the easiest side hustle out of the three because not only can you make some cash from ads via Google Analytics, but it’s also profitable once you build a small audience because you’ll be able to start doing sponsorships with brands.
Definitely think about a niche and watch some other YouTubers for channel inspiration, but don’t discount YouTube as a side hustle if it interests you.
13. TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit is an app that matches you to people nearby who are in need of some help with everyday tasks, including cleaning, moving, delivery, and manual labour. Similar to Wag! and Rover, you create your own schedule by accepting jobs when you’re available, and it’s great if you’re looking for an easy side hustle nearby or wanting to make a little extra cash in your spare time.
You’ll need to pay a $25 registration fee, but otherwise, it’s quite easy to set up an account and get started with making money.
14. Uber / Lyft
Have a car and like to drive? Uber and Lyft are some of the most popular side hustles out there, and many people have even turned it into their primary source of income. You have to be at least 21 to become a driver on either app and fulfil a number of other requirements related to your driving experience, car insurance, and background, but you can make about $20 an hour just from being a rideshare driver.
15. Test websites
Testing websites is one of the more up-and-coming side hustles, especially with the way technology is evolving, so you should definitely jump on this bandwagon now if you’re interested. Most websites work by having you set up the software on your phone, computer, or tablet, and then testing websites and apps for how easy they are to navigate. Some of these websites include Validately, Userfeel, and IntelliZoom.
There are also websites like Respondent that pay much more per job but are more long-term commitments. For example, a tech company could ask you to visit an app once a day for two weeks and track what tabs you used or how you found it. This may involve video-chatting a company and talking about your experience, but it’s great to look into if you have the free time to dedicate and a working computer with a webcam and microphone.
16. Babysitting / housesitting
One of the oldest side hustles in the book, babysitting and housesitting are ideal for most young people because you can set your own rates, work locally, accept jobs when you’re available, and usually not have to work too hard for some cash. If you’re wanting to make either of these a proper side hustle, advertise to your local neighbourhood, community, or family friends and you’ll definitely find some families who are looking for a babysitter or housesitter.
17. Write an eBook
If you have a skill and like to write, why not write an eBook? eBooks are easy to make if you have software to design the pages, and you can use sites like Lulu Press, Amazon Kindle, or Blurb to sell your eBook. Some topics could include recipes or guides on things like social media, veganism, working out, or environmentally-friendly lifestyles. It’s also a great way to start a passive stream of income because you will make money over time as people buy your eBook.
18. Deliveroo / UberEats
These are similar to side hustles to Uber and Lyft, but it’s less in the hospitality industry of driving people around and more just about delivering food to people. Whether you have a bike or a car, it’s usually easier to get registered with side hustles like these than it is registering with ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft.
Especially on a university campus, many students make use of these apps as a part-time job because they’re able to work on their own schedule, and the work isn’t too demanding. There are also usually referral bonuses you can use when you sign up to work at these companies, so search the web for these and you can have some money in your account right away!
19. Etsy
For all the creative types out there, Etsy is the ideal side hustle if you’re already creating things because you just need to create more items based on your demand and then work to market your Etsy business to a larger audience. The best part of Etsy for most people is that you get to earn money creating what you love, meaning it’s likely that it won’t even feel like work or side hustle as it is a side money-making scheme.
Some Etsy store ideas include making clothes, jewellery, and artwork, but you can always explore Etsy for some more items, or start a brand new business based on your skills.
