Side Jobs: Supercharge Your Extra Income [~$20/Hour]

Picture this: you’re working for someone with a pretty decent salary, or doing your own thing, but still earning a little extra on the side will make your financial situation less stressful. The problem? You’ve got a busy schedule. You’re in desperate need of some flexibility, and you can’t afford to work from 9-to-5 because you’ve got other things to do. And that, my friend, is where side jobs come in.

So what exactly are these side jobs?

Simply put, a side job or a side hustle refers to any job that is taken up in addition to your main occupation. Most people look for online side jobs, or for ways to make money while working from home. Let me just say that these are very different from part-time jobs. Basically, you get to be your own boss (for once!), and this means that you won’t have someone breathing down your neck 24/7. While working on these side jobs from home, you call the shots. You get to decide how many hours you want to work and how much you will charge.

Not completely sold yet?

Well, there’s more! Side gigs don’t only boost your income, but they also let you pursue your passion. Your desk job might bore you to tears, but a side income job will let you live out your (cough) superhero dreams (cough) in the workplace. And if you’re not ready to quit your day job to become the entrepreneur you’ve always wanted to be, side jobs might just be what you need to grow a solid customer base. So whether you want to build your own business, pay off student loans (and other debt), or pursue those guilty pleasures you’ve never dared to talk about in public, side gigs have got you covered.

What are the skilled side jobs?

Here are some of the best ways to make side money while working from home:

1. Copywriter ($15-$20+ per hour)

Are you good with words, grammar and enjoy research? Or do you specialize in writing marketing material, newsletter copy, technical drafts etc.? If so copywriting can make you some serious bucks. There are endless people and companies looking to get their copy written for various publications, blogs etc. You can help them achieve their goals with your writing skills, and get paid for it. Fiverr is one of the top sites for freelancers to provide writing jobs, any many other. Other websites like Upwork, Freelance Writing Jobs, and Freelancer also give their users a lot of opportunities to pursue their writing dreams from home. All you need to do is get started!

2. Data Entry ($10-$20 per hour)

So you think you can type fast? Think you can handle entering data into a computer with barely any grammar or punctuation errors? Heck, as long as you’re precise, this should be a piece of cake! With data entry side hustles, you’re expected to collect data from forms and non-electronic media, which must then be entered into an online or offline database. While I’d recommend searching for some data entry jobs in your area, platforms like Outsourcely and Freelancer are always available to make things easier for you.

3. Graphic & Web Design ($20+ per hour)

Digital media enthusiasts rejoice! The need for graphic and web designers has only grown with time. There’s a whopping market out there that has yet to be explored. Being a web developer myself I can tell you with confidence that there’s endless opportunities out there. These side jobs can vary anything from logo design to blog/website design to building plugins and reservation systems. You can offer your services to local companies, or you can look for a customer base on websites like People Per Hour and Upwork to make the process more efficient. Once again, Fiverr is a great place to start.

4. Community Manager ($20+ per hour)

Ever think of yourself as a creative person? Got a knack for being social? Put your skills to the test with the role of a community manager! With this position, you’ll be managing both social media and content creation. And besides this, you might also have to review reports and try to build a relationship with your customer base. It might sound like it’s too much to handle, but it’s an easy side hustle which requires only a few hours per week. Most clients are likely to post projects on platforms like Outsourcely and Upwork, so keep an eye out for the ones that pay best!

5. Online Tutoring ($10-$35+ per hour)

This is great, if you’re patient and are a natural born teacher. There are countless topics people search every single day to learn about. Things like languages, guitar lessons, even topics like pet grooming. There’s some skill we all can teach. In my case I give away free information of managing and growing wealth. Likewise maybe you are a math wiz or a lover of literature? Or maybe you’re just fluent in three different languages. Either way, you can tutor the people from your community and beyond. With all the advances of technology all you need is platforms like Skype and websites like Wyzant, TutorMe and Skillshare.

6. Arts & Crafts ($5-$10+ per craft)

If you thought arts and crafts could only be ‘physically’ sold in stores, think again. There are services to sell t-shirt designs where you only need to do the design that get printed on the t-shirt. No physical items are involved. Similarly if you’re good with creating handmade cards, stickers, woodwork, digital goods, and other holiday crafts, signing up for an account on sites like Etsy, Redbubble and Amazon Handmade can supplement your main income.

7. Photography ($1-$2+ per download)

Some say every Tom, Dick or Harry with a DSLR camera think they are a photographer. I disagree, and no, I don’t have a DSLR although I’ve been told my photos are quite good (mostly by my wife but that still counts, right?). If you are passionate about photography and take a lot of photos, someone somewhere could be interested in purchasing it from you. You don’t have to be a full-time photographer for this. Don’t be discouraged by the low rate per download. Over time you could earn $100’s or even $1,000s from the same photo on auto pilot. You can get started on sites like Shutterstock, Bigstock and iStockphoto and start earning.

Are there easy side jobs?

Above side gigs require some skill, if you want to make some serious money. If you’re not passionate about it, you may get bored quite easily. So if that’s not your cup of tea, you are still in luck. Not everyone want to do a lot of work on the side while working full-time. If that is you, below online side jobs are the best way to make side money.

1. Listening to Music

I know, I’m just as surprised as you are. And if you’re one of those people who can’t live without their headphones, you will really enjoy this. Best of all, get paid for doing something you would do anyway. To get started join platforms like PlaylistPush and WeLocalize for an enhanced listening experience that pays.

2. Watching Videos

Many of us like to watch videos. Either on TV, YouTube, Facebook or elsewhere. How would you like make it a side income job? There is however a catch (of course). You might not always get to watch the videos that dominate your search and watch history on YouTube, but hey, it’s a side gig. Good news is most of these videos aren’t that very long. Once you sign up on platforms like AppTrailers and Viggle though, you might actually find yourself enjoying the ride.

3. Taking Surveys

If done wrong, surveys can become a mess of entering details, only to receive no income in the end. What a nightmare. BUT that’s only if they’re done wrong. Signing up for legitimate survey programs can be difficult (because, let’s face it, we’ve got a lot of scammers out there), but you can rely on sites like InboxDollars, MyPoints, SwagBucks and Survey Rewardz for some sweet returns. Only downside is you may need to share your personal details like education level, ballpark income level etc. Some of the offers are also restricted to certain countries so make sure to read the details first.

Are there any disadvantages for side gigs?

Good question. Disadvantages of doing a side hustle is practically nonexistent. However there are certain things you have to consider before signing up for one.

1. Day Job Policies

If you’re working a day job, then you might want to review your company policies to make sure that moonlighting isn’t prohibited. Most companies don’t care about what you do in your free time, as long as you’re not stealing their customer base. But if they do care, they’ll probably ask you to keep your company skills strictly reserved for your employer. So if you’re a sales assistant for a clothing company, teaching someone to speak another language on an online platform should be the least of your problems.

2. Schedule and Limitations

You should think about your schedule and just how much time you’re willing to devote to your side income job. Once you’ve got this figured out, you’ll know your limitations, and you won’t end up promising more than you can deliver. At the end of the day, customer satisfaction plays a huge role in the side hustle just like any other job. If you manage to impress your clients, they’ll probably give you more work and even recommend your services to their friends and family. That is how I got almost all my clients.

What’s next?

If done right, side jobs from home can earn you more than your day job. I’m not talking a few dollars extra, but like, hundreds or even thousands of dollars extra. Michelle, who teaches how to earn with affiliate marketing earns over $1 million a month! So you know it’s possible. She’s not the only person. Once that cash starts flowing into your bank account, you might want to seriously consider making the side hustle your full-time gig. However make sure your income from the side gig covers more than your bills. It should give you enough to save for things you want to buy and save for retirement.

Playing it safe is another way to go. You can keep the income from your side jobs for emergencies. Not only will you have a huge weight lifted off your shoulders (because let’s face it, emergencies are never cheap), but you’ll also be able to stop obsessing over your bills every month. And when you’re not worrying over how you’re going to pay things off, you’ll be able to live a stress-free life.

What’s your take on side jobs?