1. What is a Side Hustle?
A side hustle refers to an extra job or work that you take on in addition to your primary job and serves as an extra source of income. Some people also call it a side gig or even moonlighting. You can engage in your side hustle on a part-time basis, seasonally, or on and off.
Either way, the premise is simple — if you engage in another job or business aside from your regular job, you have a side hustle. But, what if you don’t have one yet and are looking for extra income?
2. How Can a Remote Side Hustle Help You?
2.1. Enhances Financial Security
No doubt, this is the most popular reason people look for and engage in a side hustle. A side gig provides you with an additional source of income, which can boost your financial stability. To make the most of your side hustle earnings, consider opening a high yield savings account. These accounts offer higher interest rates than traditional savings accounts, helping your money grow faster.
By reducing how much you rely on a single paycheck, you’ll typically find it easier to pay off bills, cater to your needs, settle debts, and generally breathe a little easier. Besides, an extra stream of income can help you beef up your savings and improve how you pursue long-term financial goals and respond to emergencies.
2.2. Greater Flexibility
Unlike most traditional full-time jobs, you can typically experience more flexibility in your remote side hustle. This is because you’ll have the freedom to choose your working hours, the projects you work on, and how much work you take on.
As a result, you may experience a much better work-life balance with your side hustle, as well as, the ability to devote more time to your other commitments, such as your family.
2.3. Helps Build Skills
Another reason many people engage in a side hustle is because it provides the opportunity to learn and build on a skill.
Whether you’re freelancing in a specific industry or field or launching an online business, a side gig is an excellent platform to acquire new skills or gain some practical experience along the way. In addition, the skills you gain may also be a boost for your professional profile and improve your marketable qualities.
2.4. Enables You to Pursue Your Passion
In addition to providing you with another stream of income, remote side hustles also give you the opportunity to explore your creative side or passion outside of your primary job. You can also take this time to express your unique talents. This way, you can keep making money to sustain yourself while engaging in activities that make you happy and fulfilled.
3. Things to Know Before Starting a Side Hustle
3.1. Set Realistic Expectations
Attaining any form of success in a remote side hustle takes time and effort. So, you need to set a realistic expectation about much you can make and the level of commitment you can dedicate. This way, you’re not under so much pressure.
3.2. Evaluate Your Skills
Before picking a niche for your side hustle, you’ll need to assess your skills and decide which ones are in demand and align with the remote work opportunities you have. Through this self-assessment, you can streamline your target market and position yourself appropriately.
3.3. Create or Update Your Social Media Profiles
After deciding on your remote side hustle, you’ll need to promote yourself and what you do. An excellent way to do this is through your social media accounts.
Consider creating or updating your social media profiles on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to highlight your skills and attract potential clients.
3.4. Seek Guidance
Like another venture, starting a side gig requires you to have adequate information on what you’re considering. This means seeking guidance and tips from people in the same field who have adequate experience. Consider seeking out online forums, networking groups, and other relevant groups.
3.5. Be Vigilant About Client-Related Problems
Remote side hustles are not without their issues and challenges. Therefore, look out for potential issues with customer communications or payment delays and be prepared to get ahead of them. Otherwise, keep your clients updated on resolution times.
4. 12 Best Remote Side Hustles You Can Consider
4.1. Career Coaching
Career coaching is a great way to make some money on the side by helping people navigate their career path. You can help your clients set goals and develop strategies to achieve them while growing professionally.
- Possible job titles: Career coach, career consultant
- Potential pay: $30-$100 per hour, depending on niche and experience
4.2. Business Language Tutor
The internet means that distance is no longer a barrier in business and language should not be too. Thankfully, this creates an opportunity for you to teach professionals foreign languages in a business context. Depending on the language you know, you can teach industry-specific vocabulary and communication skills.
- Possible job titles: Business Language Tutor, Corporate Language Instructor
- Potential pay: $20-$60 per hour, depending on language proficiency and experience
4.3. Soft Skills Trainer
While most professionals are generally very savvy in terms of their technical know-how, many lack the soft skills necessary to foster teamwork and positive workplace relations. This provides a remote side hustle opportunity for you to teach essential soft skills, like communication, time management, leadership, and more.
Possible job titles: Soft Skills Trainer, Professional Development Coach
Potential pay: $25-$100 per hour, depending on expertise and client demand.
4.4. Freelance Writing
Writing services are almost always in-demand. Therefore, if you know your stuff, you can make some money as a freelance writer creating blogs, web content, and sales copies for brands and businesses. Of course, you can also try creative writing and other forms of copywriting side gigs if those are your thing.
Possible job titles: Freelance Writer, Content Writer
Potential pay: $20-$100 per hour, depending on niche and expertise
4.5. Website Tester
Website design and optimization requires a lot of testing, and from third-parties too. In light of this, you can make some money on the side testing websites for usability, functionality, and user experience. Of course, you’ll need to provide some feedback and suggestions to guide improvements.
Possible job titles: Website Tester, User Experience Tester
Potential pay: $15-$50 per hour, depending on complexity and testing requirements
4.6. Voice Over Artist
With voice overs, you’ve either got what it takes or you don’t. However, if you do, you can record narrations, voiceovers, and commercials with your voice or create the audio track for videos and animations. You’ll find it’s a great side hustle from home!
Possible job titles: Voice Over Artist, Voice Actor
Potential pay: $50-$200 per hour, depending on project scope and experience
4.7. Graphic Designer
Graphic designs are another remote side hustle you can consider. In this case, you’ll typically create visually appealing and functional designs for brands and businesses. Some common examples of graphic design deliverables include logos, branding materials, flyers, digital illustrations, and more.
Possible job titles: Graphic Designer, Visual Designer
Potential pay: $20-$100 per hour, depending on complexity and client requirements.
4.8. Travel Consultant
In addition to your primary job, you can also become a travel consultant on the side. As a travel consultant, you’ll provide travel planning, hotel recommendations, booking services, customized travel itineraries, transport arrangements and more, to your clients.
Possible job titles: Travel Consultant, Travel Planner
Potential pay: Commission-based, ranging from 5% to 15% of the total trip cost, or flat fee per booking, ranging from $20-$100 per hour for consultation services
4.9. Photo Editing
If you’re skilled with Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Snappa, and related photo editing services, you can provide your services to clients as an online side hustle. Typically, you’ll have to edit and enhance images for clients or retouch photographs to achieve desired results.
Possible job titles: Photo Editor, Image Retoucher
Potential pay: $10-$50 per photo or $15-$50 per hour, depending on complexity and client expectations
4.10. Health Coach
While this usually requires specialized knowledge in the relevant field, a health coach is another remote side hustle you can try your hands at. In this case, you’ll have to provide guidance to clients to help them achieve their health and wellness goals. This typically involves creating personalized diet and fitness plans, nutritional advice, and lifestyle recommendations.
Possible job titles: Health Coach, Wellness Coach
Potential pay: $20-$60 per hour, depending on services offered and client base.
4.11. Medical Coder
Here, you’ll assign medical codes to patient diagnoses, procedures, and services for healthcare providers. In other words, you get paid for ensuring proper documentation and billing.
Possible job titles: Medical Coder, Coding Specialist
Potential pay: $20-$40 per hour, depending on experience and certifications.
4.12. Affiliate Marketing
If you have a decent following on your blog, website, or social media platforms, affiliate marketing is another remote side hustle you can try. You can earn a commission for each referral or sale you make through unique affiliate links.
Possible job titles: Affiliate Marketer, Online Marketer
Potential pay: Varies widely based on affiliate program and marketing efforts, ranging from a few dollars to hundreds
5. Top Online Sites to Look Out for Remote Side Hustles
5.1. FlexJobs
FlexJobs is a premium job platform specializing in remote and flexible work opportunities. However, it requires a paid membership starting at $14.95/month.
5.2. Virtual Vocations
Virtual Vocations is a job board focused on remote work positions across various industries. It offers both free and paid membership options, with the paid subscription starting at $15.99/month.
5.3. Fiverr
Fiverr is another popular freelance marketplace where you can sell your side hustle services. It is free to join Fiverr. However, freelancers pay a service fee of 20% on each contract they complete.
5.4. Upwork
Upwork is a freelance platform connecting clients with freelancers across different fields. Joining this platform is also free, but freelancers pay a 10% service fee on every contract they complete.
5.5. Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com is a global freelancing platform that offers a wide range of job categories. It offers both free and paid membership options, with the paid subscription starting at $7.99/month.
Read our article on side hustle for college students to earn in their free time.
6. FAQs
6.1. How can I make $2000 a month side hustle?
The total amount you can make monthly from your side hustle largely depends on your skillset, how you position yourself, and how much time you can commit to it. However, every side gig can potentially make you $2k every month.
6.2. How to make $100 000 on the side?
Committing the time and effort needed to make at least $100,000 from your side hustle is the straightest path to making that much.
6.3. What are the easiest side hustles from home?
There aren’t any “easy” side hustles as every option requires time and effort to make some money. However, graphic design, affiliate marketing, photo editing, and freelance writing remain popular choices.